Most of us can agree that having art in the workplace is a good thing. But, how companies go about getting the right office art for their brand and space can vary. Companies seeking to add art to their office space are faced with several steps in order to get the job done right. Each of these steps can involve a different contact, and comes with its own set of costs. From the selection process through to installation and maintenance, companies looking to find and keep art affordably need to look at the bigger picture when approaching each of the steps below:
Finding the Right Art Consultant
Many companies will look to art consultants to help them find the perfect office artwork. After all, beyond looking good, having the right art in the right places can be crucial to improve employee productivity, client communication, and recruitment. Professional art consultants have the experience necessary to understand a particular office space and all of its features to make recommendations.
Companies should be taking advantage of this. However, there are traditionally two types of consultants that companies will have access to: consultants that work directly with a gallery, or independent consultants.
Gallery consultants usually will not charge for their services; however, the selection of artwork they can provide will be limited, and they’ll have more control over the price. Galleries are often able to provide framing and installation services as well, but this limits a company’s ability to shop around with other service providers. When working with a gallery consultant, companies can find they are subject to limited art and framing options, as well as arbitrary pricing.
Independent consultants, on the other hand, provide companies with greater flexibility in selection, as they’ll go “gallery-hopping” to find the ideal artwork for their clients, but this will come at a cost. The art world is also a relationship-driven industry, so these consultants may have loyalty to certain framers and installers, who may be more expensive than their competitors. But – other times this is not the case. It would be wise for companies to discover this first, before choosing a particular independent consultant. Another key consideration is that the process of researching and vetting other service providers can become a time suck, and depending on the company purchasing art, this may outweigh the savings provided by shopping around.
Framing
Frames themselves can greatly vary in cost. When choosing artwork, companies must look beyond their selection and assess what types of frames are most appropriate for their new art. In some cases, the cost of the proper frame can be much higher than expected—at times higher than the cost of the piece itself—and choosing a lower quality frame can diminish the impact of the art it is meant to complement.
Installation
While in some instances, companies can install artwork themselves, it can be a much more cumbersome process than expected (just take a look at this to see why). Bringing in professional installers can be pricey, but it reduces the risk of damaging the artwork and ensures that the job will be done properly and professionally.
Office Moves
Office moves, whether they consist of an expansion or a relocation into a completely new space, can lead to the highest costs of all and the biggest headaches. Currently, office turnover is 20% in the U.S. In other words, companies, on average, move every five years. If a company already has artwork in its space, it must consider whether or not that art will fit into its new office. Often, it won’t. Taking art down and selling it off can be a hassle, and it also brings a business back to square one.
The Office Art Rental Alternative
However, there is hope. Art rental services can mitigate several of these costs. First, the price of the artwork itself can be spread out over time and the commitment to one piece is eliminated, allowing companies to rotate new art into their offices. After all, art can become stale and companies may want to update their office decor to keep their space fresh from time to time. In fact, the “Fresh Art Effect” can have many of its own benefits (read more about them here). Or if a company is moving, they can simply return their current art and rent artwork that better suits their new space.
At TurningArt, we provide all of the services discussed here, from consultation to installation, saving you time and money. If you’d like to learn more about how we work, just let us know!
