Forum Groningen

What Forum Groningen does

Forum Groningen is a non-profit municipal cultural center in Groningen, Netherlands, that integrates a public library, cinema, exhibition space, museum (Storyworld), maker facility (Smartlab), and media production studio (Medialab) within a single multi-floor venue at Nieuwe Markt 1, complemented by eight branch libraries across the municipality. It is primarily funded by Gemeente Groningen as the designated public library and cultural institution, with supplementary support from foundations including VSBfonds, Het Cultuurfonds, Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie, Letterenfonds, BPD Cultuurfonds, Kickstart Cultuurfonds, and Vriendenloterij, alongside sponsorship from Rabobank and partnerships with Hanze University of Applied Sciences and ROC Menso Alting for educational programming.

Its commercial activity spans paid adult library memberships (€5.75/month), free memberships for children and youth 18-27, cinema screenings including a seasonal Rooftop Cinema at 45 meters, paid workshops and lectures (€7.50-€15.00 per session), Smartlab fabrication services (3D printing, resin printing, laser cutting with published per-unit pricing), loyalty products (Forumpas), film subscription passes (€100 for 10 screenings over 2 years), venue rental for corporate events via zakelijk.forum.nl, and food and beverage operations through restaurant NOK. Technology integrations include TicketWorks for ticket sales and customer data management, iDeal and Incasso for payments, Picl for visitor-behavior analytics (used in the "Everybody in the (art)house 2.0!" campaign), and Cineville card acceptance.

The customer base is the general population of the Groningen municipality and surrounding province, segmented across children and families (Wonderland department, ages 0-15), students, cultural event attendees, and tech/maker enthusiasts. Educational outreach is delivered through in-venue programs and the digital FF SERIEUS (schools) and FF ONLINE (YouTube) series. Operating as a registered Dutch non-profit rather than a commercial enterprise, Forum is positioned as a public-good cultural institution whose financial sustainability rests on the combination of municipal subsidy, diversified foundation grants, and volume-driven commercial revenue.

Name

Forum Groningen

Legal name

Forum Groningen

Website

https://forum.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Forum Groningen is a non-profit municipal cultural center in Groningen, Netherlands, combining a public library, cinema, exhibitions, Storyworld museum, Smartlab maker space, and Medialab production studio in a main venue plus eight branch libraries serving the local population.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public library and cultural center services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Cinema screenings
• Cultural exhibitions
• Maker space programs
• Educational programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Groningen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Forum Groningen operates a 10-floor cultural venue in central Groningen that combines a public library (books, e-books, audiobooks, DVDs, games, study spaces), a multi-screen cinema (new releases, classics, children's films, Rooftop Cinema), rotating exhibitions (including a Marilyn Monroe exhibition), and educational/maker facilities such as the Smartlab (3D printing and laser cutting) and Medialab (greenscreen film and animation production). It also runs the Wonderland children's department, the Storyworld museum on comics/animation/games, a rooftop terrace with bar, on-site restaurant NOK, and venue rental for corporate and private events.

Product overview

Forum Groningen is a multi-functional cultural center combining a public library, cinema, exhibition space, and educational facility in a single venue. The core offerings include library services (books, digital media, study spaces), cinema screenings (new releases, classics, rooftop cinema), and rotating exhibitions. Supporting facilities include Smartlab (3D printing and laser cutting), Medialab (film/animation production), and Wonderland (children's area). The venue also operates food and beverage services, a rooftop terrace, and offers various membership programs including the Forumpas loyalty card and Tienrittenpas film passes. Educational programs include FF SERIEUS for schools and FF ONLINE for youth audiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wonderland: The most playful department of Forum for children aged 0-15, featuring interactive installations, books, games and media.
• Smartlab
• Medialab
• Storyworld
• Rooftop Cinema
• Dakterras
• Forumbibliotheken

Products and services

• Film & Cinema Multi-screen cinema program offering new releases, classic films, children's films, festival screenings, and special series screenings across multiple screens in the Forum building, including the summer Rooftop Cinema on the rooftop terrace. Aimed at film audiences in Groningen and tickets are sold via the online tickets.forum.nl platform and on-site box office.
• Bibliotheek (Library) Public library service offering physical and digital borrowing of books, e-books, audiobooks, DVDs, games, newspapers, and magazines, plus study and workspaces across multiple floors and branches in the municipality of Groningen. Membership is free for children up to 17, free for youth aged 18-27 in Groningen, and €5.75/month for adults with bundled internet access and no late fees.
• Expositie (Exhibitions) Rotating temporary exhibitions on popular culture, technology, and current events inside the Forum building, including dedicated Marilyn Monroe / Ted Stampfer Collection display. Exhibitions are ticketed and aimed at cultural visitors in the Groningen region and broader cultural tourism market.
• Smartlab Public maker space equipped with Prusa FDM 3D printers, resin 3D printers for high-detail small objects, and laser-cutting tools for wood and acrylic with engraving capability. Open-studio sessions and workshops serve individual makers, students, and tech enthusiasts; pricing is unit-based (e.g., €10 startup + €0.35/meter filament for FDM, €15 + €0.18/ml for resin, €10 + €0.70/minute for laser cutting).
• Medialab Media production facility for film, animation, and visual culture education, featuring a professional greenscreen studio, stop-motion filmmaking tools, and hands-on workshops. Aimed at visitors, students, and content creators exploring media production and storytelling.
• Wonderland Children's department for ages 0-15 with age-tiered spaces on floors 1-2 (0-9 and 9-15), offering interactive installations, picture books, comics, games, reading areas, the Virtuele Boekenkast virtual bookshelf experience, LEGO robotics, programming classes, repair cafés for kids, Silent Disco Theater, and Dutch sign language workshops. Free membership for children up to 17 supports family visits.
• Storyworld Museum Interactive museum dedicated to comics, animation, and games, showcasing Dutch and international successes including Asterix, Aladdin, The Red Turtle, and Horizon Zero Dawn. Operates as a standalone admission-based museum within the Forum building.
• Rooftop Cinema Seasonal open-air cinema screenings on Forum's rooftop terrace at 45 meters height with panoramic views over Groningen, operated during the summer months as a distinct ticket product.
• Dakterras (Rooftop Terrace) Publicly accessible rooftop terrace on the 10th floor of Forum Groningen, reachable by escalator, offering panoramic city views with a bar and seating area. Free to visit as a community space.
• Horeca (Food & Beverage) On-site food and beverage service across the Forum building, including restaurant NOK and café/kiosk operations (with partner STACH for kiosk offerings). Available to library visitors, cinema audiences, event attendees, and venue renters.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Europa CinemasminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropa Cinemas is a European network of cinemas. Forum Groningen participates in this network, which provides support and networking for quality European films.
• HanzeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHanze University of Applied Sciences partnership for educational programs and student involvement.
• ROC Menso AltingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational college whose students read to children as part of educational programs during National Reading Days and other events.
• Stichting Nederlandse FilmpromotieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation promoting Dutch cinema. Forum participates in 'Everybody in the (art)house 2.0!' campaign for visitor research and film promotion.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bibliotheek Leuven: Leuven's municipal public library combines traditional lending with cultural programming, workshops, and digital media services — a comparable Belgian/Flemish municipal library operator to Forum Groningen.
• Calgary Central Library: Calgary's flagship central library integrates lending, performance spaces, exhibition areas, maker labs, and community programming — an international counterpart to Forum Groningen's multi-functional cultural hub model.
• Helsinki Oodi (Central Library): Finland's award-winning central library in Helsinki integrates lending, maker spaces, studios, performance areas, and exhibition zones under one roof — a direct international role model for Forum Groningen's multi-functional public cultural venue approach.
• OBA (Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam): Amsterdam's flagship public library, the largest in the Netherlands, combines library lending, theater, cinema, exhibition spaces, study areas, and maker facilities in a single multi-floor venue — directly comparable to Forum Groningen's integrated cultural hub model.
• Bibliotheek Rotterdam: Rotterdam's public library system offers lending, events, study spaces, and cultural programming across multiple branches — a comparable Dutch municipality-scale public library network to Forum Groningen's branch structure.
• Dokk1 (Aarhus Public Library): Dokk1 in Aarhus, Denmark is a public library combined with citizen services, cultural events, exhibition spaces, and maker facilities — closely comparable to Forum Groningen in its civic, multi-functional cultural mission.

Emerging players

• Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam: Amsterdam's modern art museum provides exhibition programming, educational workshops, and cultural events — comparable to Forum Groningen's exhibition and educational programming, though focused on modern/contemporary art.
• NEMO Science Museum: Amsterdam's NEMO Science Museum focuses on science/technology exhibitions, maker workshops, and hands-on STEM programming — overlapping with Forum Groningen's Smartlab and Medialab educational offerings, though specializing in science rather than culture.
• Eye Filmmuseum: Amsterdam's Eye combines film exhibition, museum curation, and educational programming — comparable to Forum Groningen's cinema + Storyworld museum + educational content verticals, though Eye is film-focused while Forum is broader.

Broad incumbents

• Pathé: Pathé is the largest cinema operator in the Netherlands with multiple locations and screens across Dutch cities — a broad incumbent comparable to Forum Groningen's cinema operations, though Pathé does not combine cinema with library/museum functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/forum_groningen
• Facebookfacebook.com/forumgroningen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forum-groningen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forum Groningen