Idea: Corporate Artists in Residence
Many large corporations have philanthropy departments. They donate money for medical research, public television, city beautification, arts organizations, and more. But I’d like to see corporations use their philanthropy in part to spotlight individual artists through residency programs. It could give a big boost to an individual artist, and give a public face to the company’s support of the arts which may better promote arts in general.
Each company could pick one artist each year whose work exemplifies the company’s brand or ethos, provide financing for a year during which the artist develops a body of work, and then offer a performance or exhibition space — perhaps in a flagship store or corporate headquarters — to showcase the result.
For example, Apple’s first artist in residence could be a sculptor who integrates technology in his work, and they can display his pieces in select Apple stores across the country. Starbucks could pick an undiscovered singer/songwriter and finance her first album under their record label. Boeing’s artist in residence could be someone whose work is inspired by aviation, to be displayed in airport terminals.
I figure some corporations must already do this, but I was only able to find one example of a large company that has had an artist in residency program: Siemens, though its hearing aid division, has funded musicians through its artists in residence program, culminating in live performances in New York City. Are there others I’ve overlooked?
Comments
http://www.sunsetscavenger.com/AIR/index.php?t=d
A dump’s artist in residence.
Posted by: Ben Brockert | June 2, 2008 3:41 PM
Another artist in residence, sort of. Link
Posted by: ben | June 2, 2008 4:18 PM
Could we consider Margaret Bourke-White’s work in the Chrysler Building an example of this concept? Or did she have to pay rent…?
Posted by: Jessie Birks | June 2, 2008 4:57 PM
Oh, I could have also mentioned Laurie Anderson, who was NASA’s first (only?) artist in residence. Almost forgot about that. -David
Posted by: David | June 2, 2008 5:23 PM
Yes, it’s a good idea, something I’d love to do. Last year, Seth Godin had described an artist-in-residence at a corporation — this was my post on that: Link.
Posted by: Daniel Sroka | June 2, 2008 6:06 PM
The environmental science (?) department at the University of Queensland has an artist-in-residence. Or artist-on-field-trips. There was recently an exhibition of his artwork in Brisbane.
Posted by: Kathleen | June 2, 2008 7:26 PM
Universities are already among the usual places where one would expect to find an artist in residence program. I really want to see major corporations step up to the plate. -David
Posted by: David | June 2, 2008 7:41 PM
Good idea, I like it. You should pitch the idea to some big companies. I bet if the idea got into the right hands, they’d love it.
Posted by: kate | June 2, 2008 9:53 PM
Threadless has an artist in residence, Joe Suta. He does paintings based on that weeks winning shirt designs, he also did graffitti style painting all over the walls of their office.
Posted by: nathan | June 3, 2008 2:25 AM
Here’s one:
http://www.kohler.com/corp/ai/artsindustry.html
Posted by: Mikel | June 3, 2008 9:07 AM
Unbelievably good idea.
‘Course, I’m betting most companies (at least the ones that could afford to do this) would opt to go with someone who doesn’t need the exposure.
Posted by: Matt | June 3, 2008 10:00 AM
This isn’t a corporate artist in residence program, but you might be interested anyway: http://www.in-kamiyama.jp/en/art/
Posted by: Claire | June 4, 2008 10:41 PM
Great idea in theory. That being said, being a veteran of the “NEA Culture War” of the early 90s and given the contemporary fear of the unknown in corporate America, I’d be concerned with the possible limits (stated or otherwise) put on artists working within a corporation.
Sorry to be a naysayer. Support is good but there’s a lot of fine print floating around these days.
Posted by: Jeff | June 8, 2008 11:06 AM
This is a great idea but hardly new. Most historically significant art was commissioned by governments.
Posted by: Steve | June 12, 2008 8:34 PM
The New York City Department of Sanitation used to have an artist in residence, and they may still have one. I remember that she choreographed a dance for street sweeping machines among other things.
Posted by: Kaleberg | July 19, 2008 12:07 AM
NASA had an artist in residence
Posted by: rae | September 7, 2008 11:36 PM
www.deeplocal.com/residency
just that.
Posted by: ce | January 14, 2009 12:25 PM
I believe each Trader Joe’s Grocery store hires a local artist to do their signage in store.
Posted by: geodiv | August 7, 2009 3:04 PM
John Whitney, Sr. was an artist in residence at IBM in 1966. He (and Saul Bass) made the title sequence for Hitchcock’s [i]Vertigo[/i].
Posted by: Mike | December 26, 2011 11:24 PM