Do you support local?
Perhaps, more than ever, now is the time to support local. Local foods, local suppliers and local artisans. Our carbon footprint is bigger than ever and we must create ways to minimise freight and travel time. According to a global survey by Nielson, four in five (81%) consumers surveyed feel strongly that companies should actively help to improve the environment. At the same time, reducing their carbon footprint can also help businesses cut their costs. But when it comes to creativity there are other reasons to go local not just environmental ones. When asked to design artwork submissions for hotel projects, we are usually sent interior mood boards to convey the overall look and feel that the project wants to create. 90% of the time the themes running through these boards are inspired by local customs, landscapes and attractions. Sometimes these themes can be broad, elaborating on the ‘ocean’ or forests but more than not they ask for more detailed imagery like specific flowers or attractions found in the immediate area. This helps build a narrative that runs through the whole hotel, from the menu, visual cues, marketing, interior finishes and bespoke artwork. It seems only natural to find a local artist that knows these local traits, experiments with local materials and can create something unique for that particular project.
When working on the new Hyatt Hotel in Queenstown, we were asked to source local NZ artists. We have tried our best to find artists that are in or around Queenstown which not only helps with freight costs and threading the narrative through the hotel but it also helps the local economy. It is not always possible to find the exact style of artist close to your project but where it is possible, all avenues should be exhausted to acquire a local artist for your project. This also helps spread the wealth through the arts community so that the same artists are not being used over and over again. Art consultants are a great way to find these local artists as they are not always easy to find through a quick google search. Good consultants are up to speed with up and coming new talent and often have databases of artists that are categorized in their field of expertise.
The end of the day, ultimately you want artwork that is both unique, contemporary and good quality. This should also be achievable by using local artists.