— by Mary-Catherine McAlvany

Culture is a social creation that makes us uniquely human and different from animals. Art is part of what influences culture—macro-cultures, micro-cultures, and even business cultures. Conversely, businesses are also part of what influences culture. Many Christian business owners view their businesses as a calling, fulfilling part of Christ’s missional mandate. Through their businesses, they are caring and providing for God’s people—employees and customers —creating environments of holistic provision and growth. Many of these Christian-owned businesses use their profits to further the kingdom through tithing to their churches, as well as giving to global and local church-related and charitable organizations.

A business owner’s calling has only recently been held in higher regard by the Church. The artist, on the other hand, has a calling whose value in the kingdom is still disparaged in many Protestant churches. Their contributions to kingdom affairs and missional mandates seems minimal. However, artists have much to offer the Church, as well as businesses. The reverse is also true; business has much to offer the Church and artists. In fact, far from being alien to one another, the arts and business share many attributes. A Venn diagram of the Arts, Business, and Entrepreneurship reveals what these three share in common:

ARTS + BUSINESS + ENTREPRENEURSHIP

SUSTAINABILITY, MAKE IMPACT, CONTRIBUTE TO CHANGE, EXPRESS IDEAS AND OPINIONS, CREATE, INITIATE, EFFORT, PEOPLE IN FOCUS, STRATEGIC DESIGN, RISKS, LONG-TERM VALUE, INVESTMENT, TIME + RESOURCES, COLLABORATE, EXPERIMENT, VALUE OF WORK, PURPOSE, TECHNOLOGY, SALES, SOCIAL MEDIA, NETWORKS, MENTORS, PASSION, SKILLS, MARKET, REPUTATION, UNCERTAINTY, AMBITION, CREATIVE. [1]

These mutual attributes set the stage for a beautiful and fruitful relationship which can multiply each one’s impact for the kingdom of God. But why should businesses work with artists?

There is power in art—a power that can affect change. According to a study conducted by the University of Toronto researchers, “Art can change the way we see the world, even relieve mental fatigue and aid in recovery from illnesses like depression.” And according to Maria Popova, the founder of Brain Pickings, “Art allows us to see the world from diverse vantage points, which makes us more empathetic civic agents. Art stimulates us creatively, which makes us better, more productive, more entrepreneurial business agents. Art can speak so subtly that it forces us to think more deeply, feel more fully, engage more wholeheartedly. Art can speak so loudly that it upsets entire governments and sparks uncomfortable but necessary global conversations.” [2]

Because of the power art possesses for change, Millennial-led businesses are at the vanguard of shifting the relationship between business and art. They are finding value in collaboration with artists, with a focus on boosting employee mental health, work output, working environment, product appeal, and social impact. Of course, the alliance between art and business is not so avante garde: In 1472, Siena’s Monte dei Paschi bank gathered the first corporate art collection. What is different with Millennial-led businesses is that they have not only collected and been inspired by art but they have also hired artists to help their businesses embrace creative change, employed innovative architects to design their buildings, and collaborated with visual and performing artists to influence their working environments. John Moran, a Google real estate project executive, shared, “Our mission with Google is to create amazing work environments and experiences that help Googlers perform at their best every day. We look to find ways to enhance the campus and create experiences that make this [3] an interesting place to work.” It is about using art to invest in the wellbeing of workers. It is about using art in the workplace to transform the employee, so that the work they do and the product they create will both be transformative and have social and cultural impact.

In the same way, purpose-driven, Christian businesses have an opportunity to look around the world for those brothers and sisters in Christ who have embraced their calling to be an artist, and commission them to help affect their employees, customers, and the overall health of their businesses. It may seem an odd reach to integrate business and artists, but it is an opportunity for both businesses and artists to mutually edify one another by investing in the other’s success.

There are many ways businesses and artists can collaborate. What follows are just a few ideas.

Businesses contribute financially to local visual + perf. artists—amateurs and professionals—who have similar values in their artistic pursuits outside of the business culture. This could extend to businesses using the arts for entertainment by giving employees benefits such as tickets to live performances and art exhibitions.
Businesses use visual arts for decoration in and around their businesses or hire architects (who are Christians) to design unique company buildings—all of which create environments for impact.
Businesses invite performing artists (such as musicians) into the company for performances at annual meetings, customer events, or special occasions.
Businesses use the arts as instruments for team building, communication training, leadership development, brand development, problem solving, and innovative processes.
Businesses integrate the arts in a strategic process of transformation, involving personal development and leadership, culture and identity, creativity and innovation, as well as customer relations and marketing. In short, this is purposefully bringing artists into a company to tackle business issues and catalyze change. The company Lever Faberge created their own internal arts and creativity program titled Catalyst. Its purpose, according to company Chairman, Keith Weed, is to bring artists and arts organizations into the business “to motivate, inspire, challenge and unlock the potential of our sta", on both a professional and personal level. Artists and arts organizations come into the workplace to [4] tackle specifc business issues, from creative thinking to leadership styles and writing skills.”
Businesses use their influence to encourage Christian Colleges and Universities to create degrees in their business and art schools which bring these two fields together. Courses such as Creativity and Innovation, Strategic Design, Art Business, Creating and Designing Healthy Business Environments, and Design Thinking for Business Missiology can all be used to influence the next generation of business and art professionals.
Businesses work with artists to design new products that create God-inspired global solutions by tackling a social issue, such as lack of water or energy access (only two of many). A wonderful and inspiring example of this is the secular artist Olafur Eliasson’s design contribution to the creation of Little Sun, a simple solar-powered LED light that o"ers an alternative to kerosene in developing countries throughout the world, making it safe for children to study at home and to walk between villages at night. Especially in the regions of the world that lack consistent access to the electrical grid, this small device is transforming lives and communities.

So why should businesses work with artists? There are so many ways in which the body of Christ can collaborate to care for God’s people—in our local churches, communities, and globally. When we associate and coproduce, we magnify our creativity and influence. Part of reimagining the future for the Church—and its influence in global cultures—is finding these places where callings, giftings, and occupations can merge and find new and innovative ways to solve problems, lift others up, and live out our kingdom mandate here on earth.

The Millennial-led business culture in the West has already commissioned the arts and the artists in their work environments, creating intentional ecosystems of change and cultural influence. Christians in the business world have a dynamic opportunity to utilize this model and have far-reaching influence into the greater global culture. Business has an important role to play in shaping societies, communities, and households. In short, business and arts are callings that shape culture. By embracing the arts and artists around us, by inviting artists to contribute to the wellbeing of our employees and businesses, and by contributing to the calling of the artist through commission and employment, businesses can amplify their micro and macro-cultural impact. We have an opportunity before us to inspire the world and bring the kingdom to Earth through our mutual edification of our callings. We will have more influential and kingdom-forwarding businesses when working together.

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For Further Reading:

Dorso, Lotte, Artful Creation: Learning-Tales of Arts-in-Business, Samfundslitteratur, Denmark, 2004.

Austin, Rob and Lee Devin, Why Managing Innovation is Like Theater, HBS Working Knowledge, Sept. 29, 2003.

Davis, Stan and David McIntosh, The Art of Business: Make All Your Work a Work of Art, Berrett Koehler, 2005.

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[1]

Bardua, Sascha.“Synergies between Arts, Business and Entrepreneurship”, Medium, https://saschabardua.medium.com/synergies-between-arts-business-and-entrepreneurship 46f76b3a306e

My own emphasis is placed on the bold words because they best describe what the arts and business have in common that can mutually benefit one another.

[2]

Davidson, James. “Business and Art, a Valuable Relationship”, October 18, 2018. www.weheart.com/2018/10/18/business-and-art-a-valuable-relationship/

[3]

Davidson, James. “Business and Art, a Valuable Relationship”, October 18, 2018. www.weheart.com/2018/10/18/business-and-art-a-valuable-relationship/

[4]

Naiman, Linda. “The Intersection of Art and Business”

http://www.catalystranchmeetings.com/Thinking-Docs/The-Intersection-of-Art-and-Business.pdf

Article originally hosted and shared with permission by The Christian Economic Forum, a global network of leaders who join together to collaborate and introduce strategic ideas for the spread of God’s economic principles and the goodness of Jesus Christ. This article was from a collection of White Papers compiled for attendees of the CEF’s Global Event.

Maximizing Impact: Businesses and Artists Collaborating to Affect Cultural Change

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