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art and the bottom line
Anyone who has taken a walk across or travelled past Cardiff's busy Callaghan Square in the last few weeks may well have noted something a little different catching the eye.
Swansea based artists Amber Hiscott and David Pearl have recently completed the installation of their second version of the Water Towers, comprising a newly designed sapphire blue aluminium structure; laser cut with a design evoking the spray of splashing water, in keeping with their fountain based setting.
This bold work is the latest in a long line of successful collaborations between CBAT the Arts & Regeneration Agency with private and public organisations and artists. The clients for this particular project, Vinci plc, aimed to provide a fitting and suitable replacement for the original towers, lost through consistent vandalism. Hiscott and Pearl were commissioned to produce a replacement for their original glass design in a new material. The new towers are made up of sheets of aluminium which are zigzagged with slashes where the aluminium has been cut away to allow light to permeate the towers during the day and to emanate through the apertures at night, akin to a lantern.
The importance of the role of art and good business is now increasingly recognized and CBAT's successful 'Art in Office' scheme has won a number of Arts & Business accolades, in particular its groundbreaking work with accountancy practice Grant Thornton UK LLP and Hugh James Solicitors.
Accountancy practice Grant Thornton UK LLP undertook a major project, developed in partnership with CBAT the Arts & regeneration Agency and Arts & Business Cyrus, to harness the creative talents of its staff in a collaborative exercise with artist Peter Bobby, bringing art to the workplace based around the firm's brand of 'Individual Perspective'. The artist took the scheme one step further by engaging in a series of photography workshops with staff to create their own images based upon the company brand.
To date more than 400 images have been created by Grant Thornton staff in Cardiff and a range of images will be permanently exhibited at the firm's base in Pentane, Cardiff. The project is also under consideration for roll out across other Grant Thornton offices across the UK.
Geraint Davie,
Senior Partner
Grant Thornton UK LLP, Cardiff:
'To recognize the importance of our brand values and celebrate the refurbishment of our offices we wanted to do something a little different from the norm in commissioning artwork. The images that will be exhibited will be those that reflect our 'Individual Perspectives' branding' best, so the results promise to be fascinating.'
Over the last year CBAT the Arts & Regeneration Agency has also worked closely with Hugh James Solicitors, which has resulted in three 4 month exhibitions and the display of works by 11 artists. Arts & Business Cymru were instrumental in establishing the relationship and offered a New Partners investment towards this creative partnership, to match the sponsorship offered by Hugh James. The law firm is a key advocate of the arts and this year won five prestigious Arts & Business Cymru Awards for its approach to staff development through the arts, including an award for its pioneering work with CBAT.
Rachel Jones, Director
Arts & Business Cymru:
'More and more businesses across Wales are harnessing the power of the arts to motivate and develop employees. A&B is delighted to bring together all levels of a business' staff in such an exciting and creative way. It is also hugely important to give Welsh artists' new platforms on which to show their work. In short, the Art in Office project represents true mutual benefit — the most important factor in business/arts partnerships.'
However, it is not only in the workplace where artists can make a difference but also by offering practical and eye catching solutions in the wider world as witnessed by the recent completion of the futuristic St Paul's footbridge designed by a Welsh artist for the Cwm Bypass near Ebbw Vale.
Artist led regeneration is quietly moving across Wales' towns and villages and as a part of this groundbreaking project Carmarthenshire based artist Andrew Rowe, was commissioned to work with Rowecord Engineering Ltd, to examine ways of integrating the bridge into both the striking natural landscape and the man made terraced streets of the village, paying particular attention to the bridge structure and lighting.
Fabricated from mild steel and with a weight of 250 tonnes, the bridge contains a central mast that stands at 32.5m, is 70m in lengths with a span of 35m. The vertical design of the bridge and its bold choice of colour play against the backdrop of the dramatic topography of the Ebbw Fawr valley and can be seen from a great distance.
St Paul's footbridge therefore provided not only Cwm with a high quality piece of urban infrastructure and Blaenau Gwent with a striking new landmark, it also provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the benefits and validity of including artists in planning and design teams, as well as first hand evidence that standards of design can be dramatically improved within tight budget restrictions.
Wiard Sterk, Director
CBAT:
'Whether it is a display of art in the boardroom or the creation of a vital piece of urban infrastructure, art can have a wide variety of different applications within our daily working lives. We have noticed that the world of business is putting a much greater emphasis on the value of art and its role in the physical, economic and social regeneration of our towns and cities cannot be ignored.'
Clearly, the practical skills and the creative vision of artists are increasingly called upon to assist in creating vibrant and attractive public spaces and work environments as well as high quality and innovative design solutions in shaping the built environment. This can benefit communities through the creation of a new and interesting public realm and business through staff motivation and an increased competitive edge in a market where quality rather than price becomes an increasingly overriding factor in securing new contracts.
Posted: 29 November 2005
For further information:
Aldo Rinaldi, CBAT
Phone:
029 2048 8772
Rhodri Ellis Owen, Cambrensis
Tel: 029 2025 707
rhodri@cambrensis.uk.com
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