Commissions

Commissioning is the purchasing of tailor made new art. Typically commissions are made by corporations or by local authorities.

There are many benefits of commissioning for business. Commissioning artwork in the premises helps to make the workplace a more attractive place to work for the employees; it gives a unique point of reference for customers and suppliers and sets the business apart from its competitors. However, “Corporate Art” is not just about pretty pictures, new and challenging artwork is can also promote lateral thinking, educate and challenge all the stakeholders in a business. Artwork can also ‘give something back’ to community if exhibited externally.

North East local authorities have been embracing Commissioning over the past few years, with public art emerging all over the region. The benefits of public art are wide ranging. Public Art is an excellent tool in regeneration; it improves the visual appearance of the area, whether that is urban, suburban or rural. Which in turn gives the local residents and users of an area something to cherish and feel pride in. Public art can also act as a catalyst for tourism or improve the fortunes of businesses in its vicinity.

Barriers and Dinghies is a new work by artist Wolfgang Weileder and the first of three pieces commissioned for the gates at the site of Blue River Design Company in Newcastle.

In 2000 Blue River moved into the Forth Banks Offices close to Newcastle city centre and realised that the large and derelict steel gates built across the entrance of the former railway yard did not give the best first impression to clients and staff. Having decided they wanted to do something ‘arty’ to brighten up the site, the idea of making it a site for temporary sculpture came from talking to Matthew Jarratt at Commissions North.

With a high visibility site like the gates, which people see every day as they drive past without ever having a close look, Blue River wanted the commission to not only be initially striking but to attract interest for a long time. By changing the sculptures every 9 months the aim is to keep surprising passers by and establish the site as a recognised space for new, temporary work.

Simon Douglas, MD of Blue River, initially approached the Sponsors Club for advice and was then able to apply for financial support for the innovative idea from the Arts & Business New Partners programme. With New Partners investment, the project developed to include closer links with Newcastle University, where the first artist Wolfgang Weileder is based, and the launch of Barriers and Dinghies provided the first opportunity for other companies based on the Forth Banks site to find out more about what Blue River are doing and how it could benefit them too.

Art Commissions can be in any art form. Commissions are not be exclusively visual art forms, although most is. Art commissions can also be temporary. The key to commissioning is that it need not have to be costly. Commissioning can relate directly to residencies, which lowers the cost. The Sponsors Club and Commissions North can also help to reduce the cost of commissioning. For more details contact us or Commissions North on 0191 255 8500.