Preparing for your office art programme

Why use an art consultant?

Art is very subjective and even at the highest level decision makers worry about their taste in art not being shared by others. An art committee can help solve this problem, but without a confident internal chairperson, a third-party is often needed to avoid selection tending towards the least controversial and blandest artwork. An art consultant can also navigate the notoriously opaque art market and help you get best value in your procurement, offsetting their fees in the process.

Fight for an Art budget

Art budgets vary widely depending on the nature and extent of the artwork required, but most meaningful programmes allow at least 5% of their interiors budget for the task. If that is a stretch then ask your key stakeholders to make a contribution from their budgets. Artwork has such clear branding and motivational benefits that marketing and human resources should support a properly funded initiative.

Build a broad base of support

Make sure you gain the support of as many stakeholders as possible from the outset. Get buy-in from senior management and ask them what they want the art programme to communicate as this will form the keystone of any programme. Then build support for the programme widely using newsletters, blogs, social media etc.

Art Committee

Consider forming an art committee to allow other key stakeholders to be harnessed effectively.

Creating a selection panel made up of staff from all levels is a good way of stimulating interest and making art choices more democratic.

Collaborations

Involving staff in the creative process itself can foster a sense of ownership in the ultimate artwork. eg: montages made up of hundreds of photographs by members of staff so that everyone could claim a small piece of it.

Interactive Art

Kinetic pieces can do much to involve staff in workplace art – literally. Photo Field by Jason Bruges Studio for UBS London, for example, allowed employees to curate their own personal art collection on a series of screens in the atrium.

Employee Art

Fostering artistic talent within a company is very beneficial as any arts-based initiative can ‘marshal positive feelings…and the ability to motivate oneself’.

Photographic Competitions

A brilliant way to engage employees and increase art awareness.



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