1646 Experimental Art Space
1646 Experimental Art Space is a non-profit foundation in The Hague, Netherlands, operating a contemporary art venue with solo exhibitions, a fully funded international residency program, public events and an artist-edition shop, serving visiting public, artists, curators and families under co-directors Clara Pallí Monguilod and Johan Gustavsson since 2019.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersThe Hague, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What 1646 Experimental Art Space does
1646 Experimental Art Space (legal name: Stichting Project Space 1646) is a non-profit foundation operating an experimental contemporary art venue at Boekhorststraat 125 (with adjacent property at 127 added in September 2023) in The Hague, Netherlands. Founded on 9 April 1995 as Galerie Liter by KABK alumni and renamed 1646 in 1997 after the building's year of construction, the organization has been led since 2019 by co-directors and curators Clara Pallí Monguilod and Johan Gustavsson. Its core offerings are an exhibition program focused on solo projects by international artists, a fully funded residency program for (inter)national artists and curators, and a public program of artist talks, publications, guided tours, podcasts and special events such as the Edible Concepts dinners and Hoogtij art route participation.
The organization's underlying technology is modest and typical of a small cultural institution: a WordPress website (1646.nl) with a WooCommerce-based online shop, supplemented by YouTube (video archive), SoundCloud (audio/podcasts), and social channels on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. There is no proprietary software, mobile application or AI/ML system; technology is an enabling layer for content distribution, ticketing and merchandise sales rather than a product in itself. The physical venue is a renovated historic building in The Hague's Old Centre district (wheelchair-accessible ground-floor exhibition spaces), with the 2008 renovation co-funded by Gemeente Den Haag and the European Commission's ERDF.
1646's business and revenue model is a hybrid non-profit mix: structural grants from the Municipality of The Hague and Mondriaan Fonds (the two "core" financial partners) form the institutional funding backbone, supplemented by occasional project grants (e.g., Stroom Den Haag), earned revenue from admissions (€5 regular / €3 reduced, with free access for under-12s and holders of Museumkaart, Ooievaarspas, CJP, ICOM and IKT), ticketed special events (e.g., Edible Concepts dinners at €57.50/person), e-commerce shop sales of merchandise and artist editions, donations, and in-kind support through volunteer labor (Garden Room Café at €5.75/hour) and internships (€300/month gross). Go-to-market is community-led: audience acquisition occurs through the website, newsletter, social channels, city-wide cultural events and an open-call residency program that doubles as an international artist/curator pipeline. The customer base comprises the general art-interested public (visitors), emerging and established international artists (residency and exhibition participants), curators and cultural professionals, children and families (De Betovering workshops), and interns/trainees — with no commercially dominant customer segment.
1646 Experimental Art Space firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 1646 Experimental Art Space
- Legal name
- Stichting Project Space 1646
- Website
- https://1646.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 1646 Experimental Art Space is a non-profit foundation in The Hague, Netherlands, operating a contemporary art venue with solo exhibitions, a fully funded international residency program, public events and an artist-edition shop, serving visiting public, artists, curators and families under co-directors Clara Pallí Monguilod and Johan Gustavsson since 2019.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
1646 Experimental Art Space industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Contemporary Art Space / Visual Arts Nonprofit
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (71211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC)
Keywords
Where 1646 Experimental Art Space is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- The Hague
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
1646 Experimental Art Space business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Admission fees: Visitors pay entrance fees to view exhibitions. Regular admission is €5.00, with reduced rates of €3.00 for students, seniors (67+), and children aged 12–18. Children under 12 enter free. Membership holders (Museumkaart, Ooievaarspas, CJP, ICOM, IKT), press, and accessibility assistants are also admitted free. Many side programs remain free.
- Shop sales: The shop sells merchandise (tote bags, t-shirts, socks), art editions and publications by exhibiting artists, and accepts donations. This supports the not-for-profit organization.
- Residency program: 1646 offers fully funded residencies for (inter)national artists and curators. International residency exchange programs are operated with partners in Iran (Kooshk), Spain (Orbital, Cultura Resident), Bulgaria (Structura Gallery), Hungary (Budapest Galéria), and others. The residency provides accommodation, a studio, and a public closing event.
- Special events and dinners: Ticketed events such as the Edible Concepts multi-course dinner (€57.50 per person, including drinks) are offered as premium experiences. These events are ticketed separately and limited in capacity.
- Grants and institutional funding: As a non-profit foundation, 1646 receives structural grants from the Municipality of The Hague and Mondriaan Fonds, supplemented by ERDF regional development funding. Occasional grants from Stroom Den Haag support specific projects.
- Donations: The shop and website accept donations (e.g., €1.00 suggested donation). Donors support the not-for-profit organization and its activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Regular adult admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Reduced admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Free admission categories |
| Other | Monthly | Internship compensation |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Volunteer allowance |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Edible Concepts dinner event |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
1646 Experimental Art Space product offering
Product offeringCore offering
1646 is a non-profit experimental art space that presents a public program of solo exhibitions, a fully funded international artist and curator residency program, and supporting public events including guided tours, Background Evenings, Edible Concepts dinners, Hoogtij art-route participation, and children's workshops. The physical venue at Boekhorststraat 125/127 in The Hague also houses an online and physical shop selling artist editions and merchandise, with revenues supporting the foundation's programming.
Product overview
1646 is an experimental art space in The Hague operating as a non-profit foundation. Its core offerings include an exhibition program featuring solo projects by innovative artists, a fully funded residency program for international artists and curators, and a shop selling merchandise and artist editions. Supporting programs include a video archive, the Garden Room Café meeting space, and various public events such as Background Evenings, Edible Concepts dining experiences, and Hoogtij art route events. The organization also offers guided tours in multiple languages and accessibility-focused programming.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Exhibition Program A core program of solo contemporary art exhibitions at 1646's physical venue in The Hague, presenting innovative artistic practices through exhibitions, artist talks, events, and publications. Visitors pay admission (€5 regular, €3 reduced) or enter free with qualifying memberships.
- Residency Program A fully funded residency program for (inter)national artists and curators to stay, work, and research at 1646's location in The Hague, supporting innovative practices, developing global networks, and engaging the local art community. Includes international exchange residencies with partners in Iran, Spain, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Taiwan.
- Shop Online and physical shop offering merchandise (tote bags, t-shirts, socks) and artist editions and publications from artists who have exhibited at 1646. Also accepts donations. Sales support the non-profit foundation.
- Edible Concepts Dinner Events Ticketed multi-course dinner events where chefs create menus inspired by current exhibitions, transforming the exhibition space into a sensory total experience combining art and culinary arts. €57.50 per person including drinks, with vegetarian and pescatarian alternatives.
- Background Evenings Evening events featuring performances, open mic sessions, and deeper insight into the ideas and personal histories behind current exhibitions at 1646.
- Hoogtij Participation Participation in Hoogtij, The Hague's quarterly contemporary art route event, where 1646 opens alongside 20+ other art spaces for an evening of installations, performances, and guided tours across the city.
- De Betovering Children's Workshops Children's arts festival workshops during autumn break at 1646 as part of Festival De Betovering, engaging children aged 6-12 in creative activities inspired by current exhibitions.
- Guided Tours Guided tours available in multiple languages (Dutch, English, Polish, Turkish) and special accessibility tours for blind and visually impaired visitors, available by arrangement for groups visiting exhibitions at 1646.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100,000 visits and 500+ artists engaged over 30+ years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use 1646 Experimental Art Space
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
1646 Experimental Art Space technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
1646 Experimental Art Space partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Kooshk Residency (Iran)minor1646 collaborates with Kooshk Residency in Iran as part of its international residency exchange program, facilitating artist mobility between the Netherlands and Iran.
- Orbital Residency (Spain)minor1646 partners with Orbital Residency in Spain for artist exchange. The DGC (Discriminating Gentlemen's Club) from Montreal was exchanged through this partnership in 2019.
- Structura Gallery (Sofia, Bulgaria)minorPartnership with Structura Gallery's Art Corridor program in Sofia, Bulgaria. Svetlana Mircheva was a resident in 2023 as part of this exchange.
- Budapest Galéria (Budapest, Hungary)minor1646 facilitates residency exchange programs with Budapest Galéria in Hungary. Zsófia Móró was in residence in June–July 2025 in collaboration with this partner. Budapest residency open call closes and reopens annually.
- Cultura Resident (Valencia, Spain)minorInternational residency collaboration with Cultura Resident in Valencia, Spain, as part of 1646's network of residency exchange partners.
- ReCNTRminor1646 collaborates with ReCNTR on residency programs. Anika Schwarzlose & Katja Verheul were in residence September–November 2025, and Inas Halabi in September–November 2024, in collaboration with ReCNTR.
- Nest (public space project)minor1646 and Nest collaborated on a large-scale exhibition in the public space of The Hague featuring work by graduating art students. Open call was issued for this project.
- Consorci Museus (Spain)minorFermín Sales (Kintos) was in residence October–December 2023 through collaboration with Consorci Museus.
- Stroom Den HaagminorStroom Den Haag, a local arts institution, has provided occasional project grants and collaborates on studio visits and programs (e.g., Anton Vidokle film screening co-organized with 1646).
- Kunstmuseum Den HaagminorCollaborated with 1646 on the film screening of Anton Vidokle's works (March 2026), hosted at Kunstmuseum Den Haag. Represents a broader institutional partnership within The Hague's cultural ecosystem.
- Centre Culturel de Taïwan à Paris (CCTP)minorCCTP initiated and supports the collaboration between 1646, Stroom Den Haag, Flora Filmtheater, and KABK Lectorate Film for a program with curator Zoe Yeh from Hong-Gah Museum in Taipei. CCTP acts as a bridge for Taiwanese art and culture to European audiences.
- Flora Filmtheater (The Hague)minorPartner in the Taiwanese cultural program with curator Zoe Yeh. Hosted film screenings (Fragments in Recall: Contemporary Moving Image from Taiwan) as part of the 1646 X CCTP collaboration.
- KABK Lectorate Film (Royal Academy of Art, The Hague)minorAcademic partner in the 1646 X CCTP Taiwanese cultural program, contributing to film programming and curatorial dialogue.
- Hong-Gah Museum (Taipei, Taiwan)minorDirector and curator Zoe Yeh of Hong-Gah Museum visited The Hague as part of the 1646 X CCTP program, conducting studio visits with local artists and co-presenting Taiwanese moving image works.
- Kim? Contemporary Art Centre (Riga, Latvia)minor1646's exhibition by Līga Spunde (The Mind The Heart, May–July 2026) is a collaboration with Kim? Contemporary Art Centre in Riga. Kim? also awards a residency prize that Spunde received in 2023.
- Stichting KUBES (The Hague)minorStichting KUBES collaborates with 1646 on accessibility programs, including guided tours for blind and visually impaired visitors for exhibitions such as Seeds of Plenty.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
1646 Experimental Art Space competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp): Belgian contemporary art museum in Antwerp with similar experimental-programming orientation. Comparable in curatorial approach and exhibition scale, though operating in a different geography with a larger permanent collection.
Direct peers
- Kunstinstituut Melly: Rotterdam contemporary art institute presenting exhibitions, residencies, and publications. Comparable to 1646 as a Dutch non-profit kunsthal with an international program and similar audience-development ambitions.
- De Appel: Amsterdam-based centre for contemporary art with a parallel curatorial/exhibition and residency program. Closely comparable in scale, mission, and non-profit structure to 1646, with a similar focus on solo projects and international artist development.
- Stroom Den Haag: The Hague-based arts institution focused on contemporary art, architecture, and urban culture. Directly comparable as a fellow The Hague contemporary art organization that has provided project grants to 1646 and collaborates on studio visits and joint programming (e.g., Anton Vidokle screening).
- Framer Framed: Amsterdam-based platform for contemporary art, theory, and activism with exhibitions and public programs. Comparable in scale, non-profit model, and audience-engagement orientation to 1646's programming approach.
- Nest: The Hague contemporary art space that partners with 1646 on large-scale public-space exhibitions for graduating art students. Operates a similar non-profit model with experimental programming and emerging-artist focus in the same city.
- BAK (basis voor actuele kunst): Utrecht-based experimental contemporary art platform supporting research, residencies, and public programming. Closely comparable in mission, scale, and curatorial methodology to 1646's experimental and process-focused approach.
- Casco Art Institute: Utrecht-based experimental art institute working at the intersection of art and social practice. Comparable to 1646 in operating philosophy (small team, project-based, international scope) and curatorial approach (collaborative, process-driven).
Broad incumbents
- Kunstmuseum Den Haag: Major The Hague art museum with a modern and contemporary collection. Comparable as a fellow The Hague cultural institution that has partnered with 1646 on film screenings (Anton Vidokle), though operating at significantly larger scale and broader public appeal.
- Van Abbemuseum: Eindhoven-based museum for modern and contemporary art. Comparable in Dutch contemporary-art focus but operates at much larger scale and with a permanent collection, providing a useful incumbent benchmark for institutional programming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
1646 Experimental Art Space social profiles
Digital presence1646 Experimental Art Space financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
1646 Experimental Art Space leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
1646 Experimental Art Space funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
1646 Experimental Art Space M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 1646 Experimental Art Space
What does 1646 Experimental Art Space do?
1646 is a non-profit experimental art space that presents a public program of solo exhibitions, a fully funded international artist and curator residency program, and supporting public events including guided tours, Background Evenings, Edible Concepts dinners, Hoogtij art-route participation, and children's workshops. The physical venue at Boekhorststraat 125/127 in The Hague also houses an online and physical shop selling artist editions and merchandise, with revenues supporting the foundation's programming.
Is 1646 Experimental Art Space a public or private company?
1646 Experimental Art Space is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was 1646 Experimental Art Space founded?
1646 Experimental Art Space was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 1646 Experimental Art Space based?
1646 Experimental Art Space is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does 1646 Experimental Art Space make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Admission fees are the primary driver. The others are shop sales, residency program, special events and dinners, grants and institutional funding and donations.
Who are 1646 Experimental Art Space's main competitors?
M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp) is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Kunstinstituut Melly, De Appel, Stroom Den Haag, Framer Framed, Nest, BAK (basis voor actuele kunst) and Casco Art Institute. Broad incumbents are Kunstmuseum Den Haag and Van Abbemuseum.
Does 1646 Experimental Art Space have an API?
No public API is recorded for 1646 Experimental Art Space.
What industry is 1646 Experimental Art Space in?
1646 Experimental Art Space's product category is Contemporary Art Space / Visual Arts Nonprofit. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit), with a secondary code of THAJAAAC, Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led). Its NAICS code is 7121.