As the international touring exhibitions sector continues to evolve in the aftermath of the pandemic, Culture Connect and Teo have once again joined forces to take the pulse of the field. The third edition of the Cultural Dialogue Survey on the Future of Touring Exhibitions, which ran from October 2024 to February 2025, offers fresh insights into the shifting landscape of touring exhibitions, revealing a sector that has not only recovered but is actively reshaping itself for the future.
This latest edition builds in particular on the two earlier surveys in 2021 and 2023, providing not only a timely snapshot of the current state of the sector but also a unique way to track evolving patterns over time. With data now spanning three editions, the trends emerging are no longer anecdotal or provisional. They signal a clear transformation within the global touring exhibitions landscape: one of resilience, innovation and a renewed sense of purpose.
As we approach the close of the first quarter of the 21st century, an era marked by seismic geopolitical shifts, environmental urgency and changing audience expectations, this survey serves as both a mirror and a map. It offers reflections on where the sector has been, where it stands now and where it might be heading next.
A Dynamic and Optimistic Touring Sector
Five years after the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the touring exhibitions sector has not only bounced back but has regained – and in many cases surpassed – pre-pandemic levels of activity. The tone across the 2025 survey responses is one of optimism, an outlook tempered by pragmatism but driven by ambition and strategic intent.
Institutions are actively navigating a changing world, where the expectations of audiences, partners and funders are evolving. Growth – while more cautious and considered – is continuing. This renewed confidence is not accidental; it reflects a sector that has adapted to uncertainty, embraced innovation and seized the opportunities presented by a shifting cultural and economic landscape.
What is particularly striking is that the sector since the first iteration of the survey remains dynamic and optimistic despite ongoing threats towards circulation of people and objects. Across regions and organisation types, professionals report increased flexibility, openness to experimentation as well as a willingness to adopt new methods of working. This signals a broader shift in mindset from ‘survival’ to reinvention.
Institutions are recalibrating how they assess the value and impact of touring, increasingly prioritising financial sustainability and wider audience reach.
A Growing Commercial Focus
One of the clearest developments emerging from this edition is the increasing commercialisation of the touring exhibitions sector. Institutions are recalibrating how they assess the value and impact of touring, increasingly prioritising financial sustainability and wider audience reach. This trend has accelerated the involvement of private operators and external partners, who bring a different lens to exhibition production and circulation.
This commercial turn is not without tension. As more institutions look to reduce risk and generate revenue, questions are arising about curatorial autonomy, mission alignment and long-term cultural impact. Nonetheless, the expanding role of commercial models is bringing new energy and scale to the sector, allowing exhibitions to travel further and connect with more diverse audiences.
Moreover, the commercialisation trend reflects a broader recalibration of the sector’s identity: no longer just a vehicle for cultural diplomacy or public engagement but also a complex ecosystem balancing financial imperatives with educational and cultural missions.
Shifting Demand and Emerging Markets
The 2025 survey reveals that the traditional patterns of touring, once dominated by certain geographies and venues, are evolving. There is a notable shift in demand towards regional, national and non-traditional venues. Respondents point to an increasing geographic sensitivity as touring models adapt to the overall pressures on globalisation.
In parallel, there is rising interest in hybrid formats, blending physical and digital experiences. While traditional venues remain central to the sector, there is growing experimentation with immersive environments, shopping centres, outdoor settings and cultural spaces not previously associated with exhibitions.
This expansion into new venues and geographies is also being driven by changing audience expectations. The appetite for accessible, interactive and flexible cultural experiences is prompting institutions to think more creatively about content, format and delivery.
Environmental Responsibility: From Awareness to Action
Environmental sustainability has moved decisively up the sector’s agenda. Across all regions and institution types, professionals express a growing sense of responsibility to reduce the ecological impact of touring exhibitions. While awareness levels vary, there is a fairly consistent message: the solution is not to reduce touring but to transform it.
Sustainability is now being embedded in early-stage planning, from modular exhibition design and low-carbon logistics to local partnerships and digital integrations. Many institutions are embracing collaboration as a way to share resources, reduce duplication and lessen environmental impact.
This green shift signals a broader cultural change within the sector: one that recognises the urgent need to align touring practices with environmental values, without compromising the core mission of global cultural exchange.
In an increasingly digital and globalised world, original objects retain a unique power to connect us to history, memory, identity and place.
Anchoring in Material Culture: Objects as Cultural Ambassadors
Having studied the data closely since we launched the first Cultural Dialogue Survey in 2021, I have been struck by how this latest edition reaffirms something that was under debate in 2023: the enduring power of objects. Amid all the innovation in formats and models, there is a clear and renewed appreciation for material culture, not just as exhibition content, but as cultural ambassadors in their own right.
In an increasingly digital and globalised world, original objects retain a unique power to connect us to history, memory, identity and place. They foster empathy and dialogue across cultures, grounding even the most forward-looking exhibitions in something timeless.
This anchoring in the physical reinforces the depth and purpose of touring exhibitions today. As more projects adopt environmentally conscious, educational and socially engaged frameworks, the presence of original objects lends weight and authenticity to those narratives. What emerges is a sector that, while evolving in form and scope, remains deeply rooted in the meaningful experience of material culture. Touring exhibitions are not simply travelling displays, they are carefully crafted encounters that carry and share our collective stories with the world.
Looking Ahead: A Sector Reimagined
As we reflect on the findings of the Cultural Dialogue Survey 2025, one thing is clear: the touring exhibitions sector is no longer in recovery mode. It is in a phase of reinvention. The challenges of the past five years – from a global pandemic to the climate crisis – have reshaped the sector in fundamental ways. But rather than diminishing it, they have sparked a wave of innovation and renewed purpose.
The insights from the 2025 survey reveal a sector full of energy, vision and determination. While challenges remain, the touring exhibitions community has demonstrated that it can adapt, innovate and lead. Its recovery from the pandemic is not just about regaining lost ground, it is about reimagining what touring exhibitions can be.
As we look to the future, the balance between commercial success, environmental responsibility and cultural exchange will be critical. Institutions, producers, funders and policymakers all have a role to play in supporting a vibrant, sustainable and inclusive global touring sector.
At its best, a touring exhibition is more than a travelling show: it is a bridge between people, places and ideas. As the sector continues to evolve, its ability to foster understanding and connection through shared cultural experiences will remain its greatest strength. Objects will continue to serve as ambassadors, stories will continue to travel and audiences will continue to be inspired. The journey ahead is full of possibilities. And if the findings of this year’s survey are any indication, the touring exhibitions sector is more than ready to take the next step.
About the authors & contributors
Anaïs Aguerre is founder and managing director of Culture Connect, a consultancy specialising in unlocking the collaborative and international potential of the cultural sector; harnessing its ability to build bridges between people, institutions and countries.
Prior to this, Anaïs worked for 15 years as a consultant and senior museum professional. She was notably Head of International Initiatives at the V&A (London), and worked at the British Museum on developing the Museum's international strategy and generating innovative income streams.