Outernet CEO: Profiting from art shouldn’t be shameful
The stigma of ‘selling out’ is unhelpful and outdated. Art and commerce have always coexisted, writes Outernet CEO Philip O’Ferrall
Let’s break the shackles of ‘selling out’
Andy Warhol once said “Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art”. He was an artist who saw no shame in making money from his work and the way he made art used many techniques that took inspiration from the production line. The building in which he created paintings, drawings, film and photography was even called The Factory.
Commerce and creativity can sit together and feed each other to make something special that entertains and intrigues and at the same time generates income and revenue for a business, a city or a country. Artists like Coldplay, Oasis and Ed Sheeran can make music and play live touching the hearts and the minds of music fans and in tandem generate many millions that benefit our creative economy.
I’m not comparing the Outernet business I’m CEO of to Andy Warhol or the other artists I’ve mentioned. But I use this example to illustrate what can be done if the shackles of “selling out” are broken.
Outernet is the most visited cultural attraction in the UK with some of the largest and most advanced screen technology in the world. We play both ads and art across the giant digital canvas. Neither could exist on its own. No one would visit if we were purely commercial with just ads.
Likewise, we could not run a viable business if we only had art and culture exhibitions across the screens – particularly as everything we do is free to enter. So instead, the two have been knitted together. Brands from Amazon to McDonalds to Samsung have worked with us and at the same time we have staged over 60 free exhibitions and supported 41 artists since launching in autumn 2022. We now have an audience of 80m people a year coming to the Outernet district.
If you ensure that the commercial and the cultural sit together elegantly they can be the very best of friends.
Without small venues we have no big artists
The UK music industry is thriving and contributed a record £8bn gross value added to the UK economy in 2024, up five per cent from the previous year. It’s illustrated most recently as a record number of British musicians and bands are to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – a huge and significant honour. Six out of the eight inductees are British – Sade, Oasis, Iron Maiden, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and Joy Division.
What is it about this small island that has meant we have produced so many global artists from the 1960s onwards? All those artists began their careers playing in small clubs – a network of venues that acted as talent incubators where they learnt their craft. So we must heed warnings as grassroots venues continue to struggle and close.
Without this we have no Hall of Fame and no future headliners. At Outernet I’m proud we have three music venues including the intimate spaces The Lower Third – named after David Bowie’s first band – and The Forge both on iconic Denmark Street. It’s crucial we support this part of the music business.
BBC must be allowed to take risks
The BBC creates brilliant programming but is always under the most severe scrutiny. It’s publicly funded so that is how to an extent it should be. But we must not let fear get in the way of creative ideas and risk taking in the broadcast industry. The new boss Matt Brittin will have no honeymoon period. Given his background he’ll be focused on what a fully digital BBC could be. But as ever regardless of platform it’s ideas that are key and fostering an environment where creativity thrives alongside compliance.
The Soho spot that never disappoints
It’s a classic for a reason. Andrew Edmunds is a Soho stalwart set in a gorgeous 18th century townhouse serving simple and delicious food since 1985. It’s got that refined atmosphere but also something a little naughty. The old Soho vibe of long lunches that stretched into the late afternoon. I went recently and everything was present and correct. The menu is interesting but never wilfully fashionable. Service is attentive but relaxed and – for London – very reasonably priced. Go!
Philip O’Ferrall is the CEO of Outernet