Museums, galleries and cultural institutions are making an increasingly significant mark on the licensing landscape, according to new data from event sponsor, Licensing International, unveiled today as Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) opened its doors at Excel London.

The latest data from Licensing International’s Global Licensing Industry Study reveals that the Art property type rose 5.7% globally in 2025, its fourth consecutive year of growth following increases of +7.4% in 2024, +3.5% in 2023 and +3.6% in 2022. The Location-Based Experiences/Themed Attractions/Promotions product category, which includes immersive experiences at museums and art galleries alongside other attractions and promotions, also performed strongly, increasing 6% globally in 2025, following a 5.5% rise the previous year.

The global picture is reflected across individual markets. In the UK, the Art property type rose 8.4%, outpacing the 5.7% global increase, while LBE/Themed Attractions/Promos – which includes immersive experiences at museums and art galleries alongside other attractions and promotions – increased 53.4%.

This momentum is reflected on the BLE show floor, where a growing number of museums, galleries and heritage organisations are exploring opportunities to extend their collections, stories and brands into new products, partnerships and experiences. New exhibitors this year include The National Gallery, National Trust for Scotland, Ashmolean Museum and Tate Enterprises, joining The British Museum, The Natural History Museum, V&A, Imperial War Museum and the Van Gogh Museum.

The cultural sector forms part of a global licensing industry that generated $389.8 billion in sales of licensed merchandise and services in 2025, up 5.45% year on year.

“The report findings very much reflect what we’re seeing,” said Louisa Skevington, Licensing Manager at the Natural History Museum. “Our licensing programme continues to grow consistently at around 15% year on year, while the increasing importance of experiences highlighted in the research is also reflected in how our own programme is evolving. That opportunity now extends well beyond traditional licensed products, from our pioneering Farrow & Ball collaboration to live and immersive experiences such as Dinosaurs Live theatre show, the Age of Dinosaurs VR experience with Sandbox and our recently announced Natural History Museum Family Suite at Park Plaza London Riverbank. It’s about finding creative ways to bring the Museum and its stories to people wherever they are, while continuing to grow the reach and impact of the programme.”

Craig Bendle, Manager, Product Licensing at the British Museum, said: “Licensing is an important part of how we extend the reach of the British Museum and its collections, creating new ways for people to engage with the stories and objects they encounter here. The phenomenal response to the Bayeux Tapestry, with the first release of public tickets selling out within a day, demonstrates the appetite for major cultural moments and the opportunity to build on that interest beyond a visit to the Museum. Through licensing, we can take those stories into new products and collaborations, reach new audiences and generate valuable interest to support the Museum’s work.”

Jen Maude-Roxby, Head of Licensing and Business Development at the V&A, commented: “Our global brand licensing programme now spans 90 licensees with distribution across 72 countries, and launched 63 new product ranges in 2025, demonstrating the growing role licensing plays in taking the V&A beyond our museum walls. Our collections encompass more than 2.8 million objects spanning thousands of years of human creativity, and we’re finding new ways to bring that inspiration to audiences around the world, from William Morris-inspired tech accessories with CASETiFY and our first gaming collaboration with League of Legends: Wild Rift, to V&A Discoveries on Samsung’s Art Store for The Frame TV. Licensing enables us to reach new categories, markets and audiences while generating revenue that supports the museum’s work.”

Abbie Taylor, Brand Licensing Manager at ZSL, the conservation charity behind London Zoo, added: “Licensing gives us a powerful platform to share ZSL’s conservation stories, scientific expertise, and 200 years of heritage with audiences far beyond our zoo gates. We have already secured partnerships across a wide range of categories, from sustainable homeware with Liga and children’s products with Make Believe Ideas to publishing with Bonnier Books UK and creating a commemorative coin with The Royal Mint to mark ZSL’s 200th anniversary. As a conservation charity, every partnership helps generate vital revenue to support our work restoring wildlife in the UK and around the world and inspiring the next generation of conservationists.”

“As BLE opens its doors today, many of the shifts highlighted in this research are reflected across the show floor, from the growing presence of museums and cultural institutions to the continued strength of entertainment, sport, gaming and lifestyle,” said Ella Haynes, Event Director, Brand Licensing Europe, which is sponsored by Licensing International.

“We’re seeing real appetite from retailers and manufacturers to explore the potential of museum and heritage collections too, across categories from homewares to apparel. There are incredible archives to draw on and so many possibilities for interpreting them in ways that resonate with today’s consumers. Bringing everyone together at BLE is where those conversations can start and new partnerships take shape.”

Brand Licensing Europe takes place at Excel London from 6-8 October 2026. More details can be found here.

About Brand Licensing Europe
Launched in 1998, Brand Licensing Europe is the only pan-European annual event dedicated to licensing and brand extension. The London event features over 2,500 brands and more than 7,500 licensees, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and licensing agents. Brand Licensing Europe is a part of the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, the licensing industry’s leading trade show organiser and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together.

About License Global
License Global, a part of the Global Licensing Group, is the leading publication for the brand licensing industry, delivering award-winning editorial content, including news, trends, analysis and special reports about the global consumer product and retail marketplace. Through its magazine, website, daily e-newsletter, webinars, videos and event publications, License Global reaches more than 150,000 executives and professionals in all major markets. The magazine also serves as the official publication for the sector’s trade events, which include Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe and Licensing Expo Shanghai.

About Global Licensing Group
The Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets is the licensing industry’s leading tradeshow organiser and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together. The following events and information products are produced for the licensing industry by the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets: Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Shanghai, License Global magazine, licenseglobal.com and License Global Daily E-News. Global Licensing Group events are sponsored by Licensing International.

About Licensing International
Licensing International is the global non-profit trade organization for the $389+ billion brand licensing industry. Licensing International’s mission is to foster the growth and expansion of brand licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, more than 1,200 Licensing International member companies in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits, including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events.  Visit www.LicensingInternational.org for more information.