Art at work

The modern world provides businesses with rapidly developing technological capabilities, but do these tools offer a suitable replacement for traditional skills? Whatever the industry, technology is often at the forefront – communicating with customers, providing pivotal support in presentations, assisting in product design, taking payments – the list goes on. Whilst technology has enabled businesses to progress at dramatic rates, how do we ensure that we are making the most of our own capabilities, and continue to provide a bespoke and innovative service to our stakeholders? This is where arts-based training has proved to be an invaluable tool for us at Mosedale Gillatt Architects (MGA).

We work with a number of cutting-edge IT programmes and packages. However, creativity and drawing skills lie at the heart of this design-led industry, and both are paramount to the success of any architectural business. Computer programmes enable architects to deliver high-quality end products, yet it is the creative input that determines a project’s success. We therefore wanted to find a way of developing traditional skills further, whilst offering our staff an exciting and enjoyable opportunity in the workplace.

MGA has always been committed to working closely with artists and the arts world, having taken part in the Arts Council England Artist Placement Scheme. We were also commissioned to work with an artist to design interior elements of Northern Print’s gallery in Newcastle, which we designed and renovated as part of a wider regeneration project. From these successful partnerships, a dynamic initiative was born, which has seen us working with a professional artist to help the team get back to basics, unlock traditional skills and instil a more fluid approach to the design process.

We contacted artist Angela Hughes, who had recently launched ‘Drawing – Space’, an enterprise designed to create new dialogues and aid professional development within regional workforces through the medium of art. Angela not only has a wealth of artistic experience, but has also taught for a number of years as an Associate Senior Lecturer at Northumbria University and a Visiting Lecturer at Newcastle University, specialising in Fine Art and Architecture. Through the delivery of art classes, Angela aims to tap into creativity within workforces and encourage people to think outside the box.

MGA’s classes commenced in October 2007 and the response from staff has been extremely positive, with some outstanding and imaginative pieces of work being produced by the team. Angela tailored the classes to suit our needs, encouraging participants to explore architectural situations by examining the space around them. The classes, which were open to the full team of staff, were designed to break down barriers created by the continued use of technology and to inspire freedom of thought.

Staff have since adopted a fresh approach to design, and, whilst we have always been proud of the team’s output, there is now a noticeable increase in lateral thinking and creativity. Staff have also benefited through this shared experience in terms of team-building and morale, which are incredibly important factors for any organisation.

Whilst the discussion around and creation of visual art has been highly beneficial to MGA’s core practice, it is also apparent that creative training generally can make a difference on many levels, be it team building, increased staff morale, customer service, management or presentation skills. We anticipate that the benefits of Angela Hughes’s art classes will be evident within our firm for many years to come, but ongoing staff investment will continue in order to retain talent, stay ahead of competitors and ensure that MGA is operating to its full potential.