Van Gogh Museum Wins at Licensing International Excellence Awards

The internationally renowned awards recognizing excellence in brand licensing spanning borders and languages, were awarded on 12 June during the annual Licensing Expo in Las Vegas. By winning this award the Van Gogh Museum, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, receives global recognition for brand licensing inspired by the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh. This year the museum was nominated for five Licensing International Excellence Awards.

Best Licensed Brand

The Licensing International Excellence Award in the Best Licensed Brand - Art, Design, Museum category is presented to a cultural institution or artists that produces creative, innovative products inspired by their own collection or archive. Other finalists were Keith Haring, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), the National Palace Museum and the New York Botanical Garden. The Van Gogh Museum was also nominated for their collaborations with MUD Jeans, Monini, FILA and Floral Street.

Marijn Veraart, Head of Licensing of the Van Gogh Museum:

‘We are immensely proud of the recognition by the licensing industry for the Award Best Art – Design – Museum brand. The Van Gogh Museum has been inspiring broad audiences for 50 years with the work and life of Vincent van Gogh. At the museum, but also with authentic products developed with Vincent van Gogh’s legacy in mind. This award is for years of hard work, for our passion for the art and the brand, and the teamwork with our local agents and partners.’

Licensing partnerships   

In recent years, the Van Gogh Museum has entered into successful partnerships with renowned Dutch and international brands including Beddinghouse, MUD Jeans, Moleskine, Ecoffee Cup, Eastpak and BE@RBRICK.

The collaborations are driven by shared values and help the museum to inspire new and diverse target groups with the work and life of Vincent van Gogh. Since 2017, the licensing programme has grown successfully with more than 255% and from around 10 licensees locally to more than 100 licensees worldwide. All products are developed with Vincent van Gogh’s legacy in mind, and the generated income supports the activities of the Van Gogh Museum. 

To mark its 50th anniversary in 2023, the museum has developed a special design inspired by the different flowers that Vincent immortalised in his paintings. This design was used to develop a range of anniversary product lines, in collaboration with licensing partners.

More information about Van Gogh Museum Brand Licenses

Licensing International Excellence Awards 

The Licensing International Excellence Awards are a global award for a global industry and the only international recognition of licensing excellence, spanning borders, and languages. Winners offer a glimpse of the brands and innovations that have shaped the licensing industry over the last three decades. The Excellence Awards finalists are selected by a judging panel of 150 industry experts from around the world.