Offices With Purpose: 5 Steps to Build a Mission-Aligned Art Collection
When 11-year-old Kaia and 10-year-old Lillian saw children being detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at America’s southern border in 2019, they decided to stand up for them. Their belief that all kids should be free and with their loved ones led to “The Butterfly Effect: Migration Is Beautiful,” an art project where children everywhere make origami butterflies, each representing one of the 15,000 children that were held at the U.S.-Mexico border.
At Cal Wellness, we are always on the lookout for ways to demonstrate our values beyond our grant-making, including areas like hiring practices and vendor management. As we ramp up again at the start of a new year, philanthropic organizations across the board are re-thinking how they use their spaces and bring people together. In the last few years at Cal Wellness, we renewed our focus on the environment where our partners, grantees and staff also interact with us to do the work and come together: our offices.
Walls to Inspire Wonder
Remote work has made in-person connection and organizational culture among teammates a challenge. Following the pandemic, many of us added amenities and activities to encourage and build connections. But, we may not have considered a creative and cost-effective method that engages anyone who walks through your doors: art.
We’ve all seen too many generic nature scenes in office hallways. Rather than motivate, inspire and connect people to each other and the mission, they blend into the background. But, art can set the tone and make a statement. A carefully curated art collection adds to your space’s aesthetics and demonstrates commitment to your purpose while reinforcing your values.
Youth activists Kaia and Lillian stand in front of their project “Butterfly Effect: Migration Is Beautiful” in the lobby at Cal Wellness’ Oakland, California, office.
Your colleagues are looking to feel connected to their workplace — one that makes everyone feel welcome, inspired and comfortable. All the decisions we make are reflective of our values, and investing in art is a strategic way to fulfill our mission. Blank office walls provided us with a canvas and a way to reflect what we care about as an organization.
Create Your Own
Step 1: Curate a Collection
Kaia and Lillian’s project hangs at the entrance of Cal Wellness’ Oakland office, immediately conveying our values and mission to people entering our space. As an organization where equity lies at the heart of everything we do, we are proud to showcase this work.
Identify art — and artists — that:
- Reflects the diversity of the communities you serve.
- Expresses your values and reflects your mission.
- Provides a unique, impactful atmosphere for your staff and guests.
- Tells a story about who you are.
- Complements and enhances your physical space.
“Jardin in LA” by Jose Ramirez displays at Cal Wellness’ Los Angeles office. An artist and educator, Jose has painted and illustrated numerous murals and children’s books.
Step 2: Build a Budget
While art does not need to be expensive, you need a budget. The work can also take place over time. At Cal Wellness, we used affordable framed, high-quality prints in some spaces and original art in others. Whatever your budget, make sure that each piece reflects your organization’s mission, values and the issues you care deeply about. It’s also an opportunity to direct resources toward artists so that they can continue their work highlighting important issues in new and creative ways.
Step 3: Formulate a Point of View
Koy Suntichotinun’s bold piece, “Act (Fear Has No Place in Our Schools),” perfectly encapsulates Cal Wellness’ approach to gun violence as a public health issue. In addition to addressing this through our grantmaking (e.g., to Hope and Heal Fund), we use our walls to raise our voice alongside allies who speak out, including the hundreds of thousands of students who joined the March for Our Lives rally in 2018 and demanded that Congress tighten gun legislation.
It’s important to curate your collection with a stance on issues that matter to your organization and that helps to shape the narrative and meaning of the art on display. For Cal Wellness, each of our pieces must connect to California, its history and diversity, and our funding priorities. We also label each piece of art to explain how the artist and piece aligns with our mission.
Step 4: Apply an Equity Lens
At Cal Wellness, we recognize that not everyone has equal opportunity to have their voices heard and be visible. That’s why artists whose work we feature at our offices range from creators of Indigenous heritage to African American street artists.
Art offers a way for organizations to stay relevant while — more importantly — demonstrating that they are listening to their community, from those with whom they partner and support to those they employ. At Cal Wellness, our offices reflect issues related to social and racial justice, identity, health and wellness, and the social determinants of health.
Step 5: Buy Local
You can address national issues while supporting local communities. Created in his studio in San Francisco, Rodney Ewing’s “Rites of Spring” documents the trauma of having to navigate America’s physical, social and psychological spaces while being African American, specifically through the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Kaleif Browder and Jordan Edwards. His role as an educator and leader of an arts center in his city gives young people and fellow artists alike a platform to express themselves.
Portraits of Black youth killed by violence with the most common search results for their names: Colored, Last Words and Body.
Purchasing from local artists supports the local economy and invests in the communities you care about beyond your grant-making. Investing in local artists aligned with your mission can also further your mission by promoting new and diverse voices in art.
Act (Fear Has No Place in Our Schools)” by Koy Suntichotinun hangs in phone booths at both Cal Wellness offices. A multidisciplinary artist based in San Diego, Suntichotinun’s piece calls for an end to gun violence.
Art as an Investment, Not Just a Budget Line Item
All organizations have unique personalities and goals. By investing in workplace art, organizations can advance their missions, curate an inspiring environment where their people want to work, uplift historically underrepresented artists and communities, and communicate their values.
As we strive to make the post-COVID office more inviting and meaningful for employees, we must keep in mind that most employees cite purpose as an important consideration when selecting an employer. Art can be a tangible way to express purpose and give meaning to our work. With much of professional relationships taking place online, it’s more important than ever to make your office an inviting place to connect. A thoughtfully curated art collection invites partners, grantees and — your most valuable asset — staff to further your mission.