Katy Wickremesinghe, Founder The Wick & KTW London

Artist Grayson Perry has said: ‘Art helps us access and express parts of ourselves that are often unavailable to other forms of human interaction. It flies below the radar, delivering nourishment for our soul and returning with stories from the unconscious.’

As someone with a dual heritage (part English and part Sri-Lankan) I’ve always held the core belief that culture is the unequivocal point of human connection. When we do not have the words, artists and creatives will often find them for us. It’s this human connectedness that not only brings individual and personal enrichment and happiness but also productivity and greater economic growth in collective communities, businesses, and cities. It was no coincidence that the most prominent force in the marketing of Coventry as our UK City of Culture was the vibrant and expressive living sculpture, artist Daniel Lismore.

This is part of the reason I founded The Wick three months ago - a cultural content platform part of my KTW strategic consultancy founded in 2014. In a world increasingly driven digitally and one which has started to realise the quantifiable impacts of art and culture in our daily lives, it felt a natural step as part of our dual mission to connect the culturally curious and make individuals and businesses more art engaged and responsible.

However, this constantly evolving industry can be perceived as a complex and inaccessible space – in part due to the high price points and more often in part due to the knowledge needed to navigate the sphere. The closed nature of the art world combined with disparity and disconnection between public and commercial arts, means many do not get a chance to understand the delicate maps and routes through it - especially corporates or creative industry leaders. The sector has already seen a 39% drop in business sponsorship since 2013.

The value of arts and culture – to our health and our economy

The value of art as a form of human connection goes back to the beginning of time. It was indeed the enduring tool which saw rainbows adorn windows in celebration of the NHS and a world turn to digital for their culture fix on home screens to phone screens as galleries, institutions and theatres went virtual. From digital exhibitions at MOMA to the creation of VOMA the world’s first virtual museum; to the launch of the infamous non-fungible (NFT) tokens; the rise of immersive experiences such as Van Gogh Alive even seeing the Royal Shakespeare Company linking with gaming technology to show Dream. Art continued a conversation, despite a world in stop mode.

A life without libraries, museums, theatres, and galleries, or without the personal expression of literature, music and art feels unfathomable and perplexing – not just on an emotional level but also a physical one.

Creativity in all its forms is an essential part of being human and vital for our general wellbeing so with over one 1 billion people set to suffer from mental health disorder and depressions as the leading cause of disability by 2020, what can art do about it and why should businesses care?

Over the past two decades, there has been a major increase in research into the effects of the arts on health and wellbeing from the World Health Organisation who is seeking to find quantitative data to prove that art genuinely affects life – with developments in policy and practice proving it:

• In a 2017 Parliamentary report Creative Health found that one arts on prescription project administered by the charity Artlift led to a 37% drop in GP visits and a 39% reduction in hospital admissions. This produced a net saving of £216 per patient.
• In 2018, former health secretary Matt Hancock committed to give GPs access to social prescribing, as an alternative to drugs, Hancock acknowledged the desire of health professionals and policy makers to focus more on preventative, behavioural care
• The WHO’s Healing Arts initiative in partnership with the mental health charity Hospital Rooms commissions artworks by such celebrated artists as Julian Opie, Bob and Roberta Smith and Gavin Turk for NHS mental health inpatient units across the UK. According to the report, initial findings ‘show a significant improvement on patient and staff self-esteem leading to an improved environment for therapy and recovery.’
• GIA (Geriatric Arts) session demonstrated that when exposed to the arts older audience remember more and have improved communication

In 2019 arts and culture contributed £10.47 billion to the UK economy and in an Arts Council report from 2016 it was noted that the arts were contributing 363,713 and £13.4bn in employee compensation. The Mayor’s office underlined its importance with dynamic public art projects bringing to life, “Fourth Plinth” and also Transport for London campaigns donning Jeremy Deller and Mark Wallinger and Beatriz Milhazes, to create artworks that ‘enrich the journeys of millions on the Tube every day.’

With art being such a vital tool of productivity, both personally and economically - surely then as business owners, should we be exploring and celebrating its merits more?

The value of culture meeting commerce. Who is doing it well?

According to Dr Craig Knight, who has studied the psychology of working environments for 12 years at the University of Exeter an enriched office space helps ‘people feel much happier and work better; a very good way of doing this is by using art.’ Not only can a welcoming, visually engaging workplace lower stress levels, but it can also boost employee productivity, creativity, and innovation. Not to mention be a highly engaging space for existing and potential clients.

It's not surprising then, that many financial institutions have prestigious collections, with places such as UBS acquiring work and distributing reports on market value. Leader of the pack is Deutsche Bank, home to the biggest collection of corporate art in the world. We’re talking around 60,000 pieces here - more than many museums. In addition to offering public tours of its art collection, the bank stages exhibitions – over 130 have been mounted in 33 countries since 1982 - and has developed an app which tells employees more about the works they are looking at.

And who can forget being watched over by Yinka Shonibare, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and more as they munch on their dirty burger at Soho House. Art has always been part of the Soho House Group story, from the anarchic early days at 40 Greek Street when artist Sarah Staton left her work on the walls, only to come back months later to find Damien Hirst had bought some, leaving a cash-stuffed envelope behind the bar in payment. Today it’s the largest private art collection of its kind. Head of Collections Kate Bryan believes it’s a great way for a company to demonstrate its ethos, values and diversity given that creatives are at the centre of dialogues showcasing the world we live in today.

Ruinart literally bubbles (excuse the pun) with artistic creativity and has done throughout its 290-year history from its celebrated Carte Blanche programme; Ruinart Young Talents; house commissions inviting contemporary artists to respond to its cuvées, history and legacy - this year sees David Shrigley respond. Meanwhile luxury retailer Fortnum & Maison committed to its ethos to making itself more relevant to more people more of the time, using art as a central play to its consumers. Not only does the organisation own its own prestigious collection dating back to Garfield Weston but under former CEO and steward Ewan Venters saw three prolific collections hit the store - Chinese artist Zhang Enli from Hauser & Wirth, a showcase of great British contemporary artists from Frank Cohen and a monochromatic hang from Norfolk painter John Virtue clashing with the lush red carpets as shoppers picked up their teas. One of these collections was reported to deliver and additional 43,000 visitors over a 6-week period.

From Selfridges, Louis Vuitton, Rosewood Hotels and We Transfer, the list of corporates working with creative culture to spread their message and doing it well is endless.

How you and your business can engage with art to affect change

How can you bring out your artistic side and give you and your employees the best chance of connection and productivity as well as support one of the most lucrative pillars of our economy not to mention, enrich your working space with aesthetic beauty:

Start an art collection for your office space

You don’t need to spend millions to start a collection. Think about how you can enrich team meeting places or client areas with dynamic paintings or photography. Prints can be very reasonable. Our top picks at a lower price point would be: Soho House Editions, Jealous Gallery, Partnership Editions and the Auction Collective. It will no doubt enable your team be more empathic, thoughtful and engaged.

Use employee benefits to support The Arts

Work with a benefits company who is open to being creative with what’s on offer. As well as a gym membership, offer your teams a work out for their minds too and a chance to incentivise their own learning and education through opportunities such as Museum memberships or art passes.

Support museums or public galleries

Museums and public institutions are not only places to see incredible artworks and pieces of our history, but they are also cultural and often social hubs enabling those who live alone or feel under pressure to have a sense of community. In the UK, we are lucky to be able to visit most for free. Head to Royal Academy to explore Hockney’s ipad show or a bit of DeBuffet at the Barbican. By becoming an individual patron or a corporate supporter you can have a wealth of exciting and exclusive experiences for your team and clients.

Days out

Inspire creative thinking outside of the office space by arranging a gallery visit for your employees to attend one afternoon or even just during a lunch break.

Work with the right GP

If your business offers your employees the opportunity to link up with a GP close to the office, make sure it's the right one. Some may be open-minded towards social prescribing as a means to more integrated care ensuring that a cultural shot might just beat a real one.

Talks and other 'extra-curricular' programming

Programme a regular talk or session in the office space, where you invite an expert in for a “cultural coffee” – from art, to fashion, music and everything in between there are always great artists and innovators open to talking about their journeys which can motivate and inspire staff to think differently about their own role and to feel inspired to unleash their own creativity.

For further information visit:
www.thewickculture.com - life through the lens of arts and culture.
www.ktwlondon.com - – a navigator for global brands wanting to enter the art world.

Follow on Instagram:
@misskatywick
@thewickculture

As well as being recognised as a Top 5 PR Week Powerbook Luxury Leader UK (2020/2021) and a leading voice in the arts and business sectors, Katy Wickremesinghe is the Founder of KTW London, a strategic cultural communications agency formed in 2014. In March 2021 she launched The Wick, a cultural content platform to connect the culturally curious and make businesses more art responsible. Katy is also a Trustee of Dulwich Picture Gallery and Board Advisor to The Line, London’s first public art walk.

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