Page 287 - AC/E's Digital Culture Annual Report 2015

AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report 2015287most money: a free pass for the museum for a whole year. This succeeded in building visitor loyalty and making people feel closely linked to the project. Lastly, the initiative shows that the Palazzo has a genuine network of people who get involved and share interests. This is ultimately the key to the success of any project of this kind.The crowdfunding campaign that has had the most repercussions since 2013 is undoubtedly the one launched by the Louvre for the restoration of the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the monu- mental staircase on which it is displayed. A specif- ic website182 was set up to raise the million euros needed to restore and consolidate this masterpiece of universal art. In order for the restorers to be able to perform their work, it was necessary to dismantle the statue, which consists of 23 marble blocks, and carry out analyses to determine the condition of the piece in great detail.The aim of the slogan “we’re all patrons” was to make everyone feel part of the project, however small their contribution. Naturally, given the nature of the institution and the work in question, the expected sum was raised and the restoration work was carried out. In the summer of 2014 the Winged Victory of Samothrace was placed on display again for the enjoyment of visitors and, of course, those who contributed to the crowdfunding.The opening of the staircase is scheduled for the spring of 2015, once work to clean and restore the walls, floors and banisters is complete.This is the fourth initiative undertaken by the museum to raise funds via the Internet. The first campaign was carried out in 2010 for the purchase of Lucas Cranach’s painting TheThree Graces. Since then, in view of the success achieved, the museum has launched an annual campaign for the purchase or restoration of works that enrich and add to the holdings of this internally famed institution.To cover part of the cost of the exhibition Yoga: The Art of Transformation, the Freer and Sackler Galleries (the National Museums of Asian Art at the Smithsonian Institution) launched a crowdfunding campaign183 that raised 170,000 dollars. This initiative was carried out in 2013 and a total of 600 donors collaborated.The 34-day campaign entitled “Together We’re One” began on 29 May and ended on 1 July, and aimed to raise 125,000 dollars. After surpassing the target and reaching the figure of 129,000, donations continued to be accepted until the autumn of 2014.With the funds raised the museum was ableto cover the exhibition expenses, including the shipping of more than 130 works from all over the world, and to stage activities such as lectures, concerts, workshops and yoga classes that took place in its rooms. The money also covered the production of a catalogue, with an online digital version that could be downloaded free of charge.The donors were rewarded by having their names included on a digital plaque that was displayed in the museum’s lobby during the run and can still be viewed online. They also received preview access to the digital catalogue.Micropatronage has also made it possible to cre- ate a physical museum. The Morbid Anatomy Museum184 is a new not-for-profit institution5. Crowdfunding, crowdsourcing and crowdcurating