Norval Foundation to Partner with Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages for First-Ever Annual Sponsored Free Access Museum Day in South Africa

In a first annual sponsorship deal for South Africa, Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages has partnered with Norval Foundation to provide free access to the museum and sculpture garden every first Thursday of the month.
Located in the heart of the Cape Winelands in the Constantia Valley, Norval Foundation is a new center for art cultural expression that is dedicated to the exhibition of art and sculpture that is of a global standard, in an environment that is closely intertwined with the natural splendor of the Western Cape Fynbos biome. In aid of their mission to provide access for all, Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages has stepped forward to sponsor a free admission day to Norval Foundation every month. Starting on July 4th 2019, the sponsorship will run for the course of a year, and will provide crucial access for all to art exhibitions that display the best of south African and African contemporary art. All over the world, brands are starting to take notice of the cultural impact and social value of art museums and cultural institutions. Brands are coming to see that they too play a role in the cultural lives of society. By partnering with museums, not only are these brands investing in the future of arts & culture, but ultimately investing in the lives of their customers.

Both Target and Uniqlo in the US have both sponsored free access museum days.
In partnership with the Miami Children’s Museum, the well-loved supermarket brand Target has sponsored a free day every third Friday of the month. Uniqlo, meanwhile, has partnered up with MoMA to organize "UNIQLO Free Friday Nights," where visitors gain free admission to enjoy the Museum’s collection of modern art, exhibitions, and film screenings every Friday. “We've always been big fans of various after-hours museum programmes that make cultural institutions more accessible to the public. Free access is one thing, but it's also the sociable nature of these events that have a big impact on developing new audiences for the arts. We would love to see more corporate sponsors partner with other cultural institutions to build on the initiative of Free First Thursdays at Norval Foundation.

– Gareth Pearson, co-founder of First Thursdays and Museum Night.
“We are very excited, honored and delighted to have Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages as our
sponsor for Free First Thursdays at Norval Foundation. We know that Norval Foundation Free First Thursday brought to you by Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages will become very popular as public awareness increases. We hope that this is the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial partnership and journey.” – Elana Brundyn, Norval Foundation Chief Executive “It is a great privilege to be a partner of the Norval Foundation in launching the First Thursday initiative. As a patron of the museum, Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages would like all Capetonians to participate in the First Thursday’s free museum access and be part of the cultural revolution that is putting the city on the global map. As part of our sponsorship we are also offering a free chartered transport service from various communities to come and experience the spectacular museum that is the Norval Foundation.”
– Priscilla Urquhart, Marketing, Public Affairs and Communications Manager – Coca-Cola
Peninsula Beverages