Unilever, Salford Business School and the London School of Economics join Arts & Business and The Contemporary Art Society to talk about business transformation through contemporary art.

Contemporary Art in the Workplace kicks off the Buy Art Fair 2010 Art Talks & Tours series on Friday 29 October from 11.30 to 12.30.

This lunchtime talk hosted by Arts & Business and the Contemporary Art Society and led by visual arts PR specialist Catharine Braithwaite (Lethal Communications) will explore the unique benefits of bringing contemporary art into the workplace.

Panel guests Paul Sherratt (Director of Operations, Unilever R&D), Gordon Fletcher, (Associate Head of Marketing and Recruitment, Salford Business School) and Julian Robinson (Director of Estates from London School of Economics) are all strong advocates of contemporary visual art in business and will inspire with their examples of how this has transformed their workplaces and their staff.

Arts & Business is the leading non-profit agency enabling businesses to energise workspaces and engage employees through exhibiting, purchasing and commissioning art by critically acclaimed British artists. Arts & Business are keen to open up the advantages of owning art to organisations large and small and offer Visual a new, unique and flexible service that brings high quality contemporary art to businesses, their employees and clients. Business and business people can loan, buy or commission art and get the advice and support they need to become collectors. Employees collaborate with Visual’s curators to develop stunning contemporary art collections that enhance their workspaces and complement their brands. Clients include Unilever, Ernst & Young, Salford Business School and the BBC.

The Contemporary Art Society works in the UK and internationally offering a wide range of art consultancy services. They enjoy 100 years of experience in purchasing for public collections around the world, and over 30 years of advising companies in commissioning, corporate collections and exhibition programmes. Contemporary Art Society Consultancy are a non-profit organisation with a charitable mission to purchase new works to gift to public collections in the UK where they can be enjoyed by audiences today and tomorrow. Clients include Aspen Re, Pictet & Cie Swiss Bank and the London School of Economics.

Brenda Parkerson, Director of Arts & Business North, said: “Our Visual clients are pioneering new ways to engage and inspire their employees through contemporary art and arts practice and we are delighted to give them this opportunity to explore and reflect on the results they have achieved through their work with artists. We are excited to be co-hosting this talk with the Contemporary Art Society with whom we share a vision to see Contemporary Visual Art in the UK thrive.”

Fabienne Nicholas, Head of Consultancy, Contemporary Art Society, said:
“Thinking creatively about working with artists in the business environment can bring unexpected benefits – not only enhancing the physical environment but providing opportunities to explore imaginative approaches to building brand identity, client hospitality and workplace thinking. Increasingly this is what companies are looking for, and the journey of entering into artists’ thinking and practice can be an exhilarating experience that we continue to foster through our work.”

Notes to editors:
Located the Talks Theatre in Manchester’s Spinningfields district, Contemporary Art in the Workplace will be followed up by a guided tour of The Manchester Contemporary exhibition.

Buy Art Fair and The Manchester Contemporary take place from 28 to 31 October 2010 in the Manchester’s Spinningfields district. Entry is free with advance online registration. www.buyartfair.co.uk <http://www.buyartfair.co.uk>

In its second year, The Manchester Contemporary is committed to encouraging and developing a market for critically engaged contemporary art in the North West. The Manchester Contemporary is funded by Arts Council England.
Visit www.themanchestercontemporary.co.uk

Where Culture and Commerce Connect www.ArtsandBusiness.org.uk

Great Art is Great Business www.VisualforBusiness.com

Independent & Expert Advice www.contemporaryartsociety.org/consultancy

Arts & Business
Arts & Business is the UK’s leading creative network. We have a national network of businesses and cultural organisations which spans 1000 and over 30 years experience fostering collaborations between culture and commerce.

For further information on Arts & Business, please contact:
Brenda Parkerson, Director Arts & Business North
T: 0161 236 2058
E: brenda.parkerson@artsandbusiness.org.uk

The Contemporary Art Society
Founded in 1910, the Contemporary Art Society exists to develop public collections of contemporary art in the UK. As a society, we also run membership schemes for individuals which offer inspirational insight into the world of contemporary art and private collecting.

For further information on the Contemporary Art Society, please contact:
Mark Doyle, Head of Collector Development, North West
T: 07891 880 498
E: mark@contemporaryartsociety.org