“The substance of a work of art is the triple connection it creates between the thing it is, the artist who produced it, and he who observes it.“
– Pierre Soulages
Who we are
The board of the EPCC, the museum’s governing council (comprising federal, regional, departmental and local representation), has signed an agreement with the CIPS whereby it acts as exclusive agent for initiating and managing all of the museum’s sponsorship and partner agreements. With this as our primary role, we act within the charter we have set for ourselves.
Our goals
- Effectively manage the relationship between donors/sponsors and the Soulages museum, accompanying through the development of execution of patronage or sponsorship agreements with the EPCC.
- Bring together an international group of companies, collectors, and owners of Soulages works to promote, defend, and perpetuate the artist’s legacy.
- With our own funds, finance the purchase of works, documentation, or other objects of interest to the museum.
Our stance
Most museums benefit from a “Friends of the Museum” support organization. In France, these groups bring together enthusiasts of the works present in the museum, creating social and other events for their members. Membership fees finance the group’s activities, and only in rare instances finance major expenditure’s on the museum’s behalf.
The Cercle International Pierre Soulages distinguishes itself from these “Friends” groups by focusing its activities only on large donors, sponsors, or partners, those who can contribute on a large scale to the museum’s finances.
To attract target members, we create projects that provide a substantial return to the donor or sponsor in the form of brand enhancement. This is achieved through a tailored strategy for each initiative that provides maximum visibility for the donor, that is satisfactory to both parties, and fully justifies the investment.
Our mission
To effectively fulfill our mission, we have chosen to restrict our team to a small number of highly competent actors. We do not spend time chasing small public subsidies in order to allow us to focus on large donors on an international scale. Therefore our board is composed of experts in marketing, communications, and finance, each with decades of international experience and deep cultural roots.
To fulfill our responsibilities under the agreement with the EPCC, the CIPS plays the role of strategic counsel, charged with finding the optimal link between the image of the sponsor/partner and that of the museum (which could include artists featured in temporary exhibits).
This means the Cercle International Pierre Soulages must have a deep understanding of the Soulages museum, the works of Pierre Soulages, and of the strategic vision of the curator and museum management in order to find a common link, after a robust analysis of the partner’s brand and strategic direction.
Once a satisfactory strategy is in place, we move into execution. Our deep understanding of the inner administrative workings and the operational actors of the museum simplifies the task for both parties, making negotiations, agreement execution, and bringing the project to life a pleasure for all.
Our role, in bullets
- Formulate possible themes of interest to museum and partner
- Get the buy-in of both parties and meet with each
- Simplify contact through a common language, and improvise as needed
- Negotiate the maximum partner benefits within the law
- Draft and execute legal agreements between partner and museum
- Assist in execution as appropriate
- Provide a full project report on completion
Becoming a member of CIPS supports your brand as well as the museum, and makes a gift to future generations.