Do the Arts inspire innovation in business?

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Permalink Reply by Curt Alexander on November 1, 2009 at 7:10pm

Arts seems to always be the distinguishing factor between communities that do well and those that don't. Twelve or 15 years ago, only a handful of towns and cities in Indiana had an art scene, but almost everyone knew about those places, and they were bustling because of it. I'll extend that to the increasingly popular walking/bicycling trail that more communities are developing. That's more athletics, but it seems to reach the same demographic.
Now, just about every city in Indiana is trying to focus (more) on the arts as those places that the passion that comes with it is almost self-generating, while the auto industry - so long the foundation for places like Kokomo, Anderson, Marion, New Castle - is at the mercy of more outside forces.
So, I think the arts keep places vibrant and can lead to innovations in business because the arts draw to certain regions the people who come up with those innovations, as they attract the client base that makes the innovations viable.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Weaver Smith on November 1, 2009 at 7:10pm

Great questions Pat! With no easy answers. Certainly people who patronize the arts acquire an appreciation for creativity and perhaps become more creative in their thinking and behaviors. But sadly it's been my experience that we tend to put on our business hats in business and our arts hats as nonprofit patrons and board members. There's a big gap between enjoying an artistic performance and having that performance influence your business behavior. It's a gap that could be bridged, for sure, but that would require serious conversation and even training. A very worthwhile goal for Smaller Indiana (online discussion space) and CICF (f-2-f discussion space). Given our community resources, it's also a challenge uniquely suited to Indy to take a lead nationally.

I'm speaking as a former pres of Indiana Humanities Council, current board chair of American Cabaret Theatre, and small business entrepreneur in Indy. Just so you know where I'm coming from in terms of experience with the issue you are raising.

This could be a wonderful discussion.

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Permalink Reply by Taylor Martin on November 1, 2009 at 7:23pm

Only if there's commercial potential. Innovations are only successful if there's money to be made; at least in the world today.

"Art is making something out of nothing and selling it."-F. Zappa

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Permalink Reply by Isaac Arthur on November 1, 2009 at 7:48pm

Most examples of business innovation I've seen have come from organizations dealing with complex problems and realizing that a new approach was needed to solve them.

I think art could lead to more business innovation, particularly if it inspires people to engage in more lateral thinking when dealing with problems.

All this aside, getting a creative shot in the arm is always beneficial — even if you just go back to work revitalized, art is a wonderful refresher.


a little more on lateral thinking if you're interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_thinking
a little more about me: http://cododesign.com/

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Permalink Reply by Terence "Tery" Snoeberger on November 1, 2009 at 7:54pm

I definitely believe in the Arts-Theater, Dance, Orchestra, and other entertainment avenues. Sorry, but let not get fitness and exercise confused with "Arts", if that was the case CIB would have kept funding the Arts instead of cutting them.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Feldman on November 1, 2009 at 8:18pm

Anytime you stretch and do something new, you will spark some new thoughts and ideas -- sometimes ideas that can be used in business. Certainly the example of discipline and planning that ballet provides can inspire more choreographed approaches to business activity as well. I believe that you will have a healthier worklife if you can learn to express yourself through your business, as people do through the arts.

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Permalink Reply by Stefan Bean on November 1, 2009 at 8:20pm

Absolutely! The simple answer is this. Today's true innovators are trying to make peoples lives better and easier. In many ways that also means by providing that innovation through a beautiful product. Often times these product designs are inspired by a simple brush stroke or the lines of a great ballerina. These are the ideas that are jotted down on cocktail napkins and turned into the phones (iPhone), Tea Pots (Michael Graves) and chairs (Ray Eames). It's amazing what inspires us to innovate in our businesses, the subtlest notes, colors, ensembles, etc. I believe the arts are what have inspired many of the great innovations both in the way businesses are run and in the products or services they provide that can work to make things a little easier and also a little more aesthetically appealing.

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Permalink Reply by Michael VandenBerg on November 1, 2009 at 8:28pm

The Indiana Ballet was tremendous. The skill and art combined to make for a wonderful Saturday afternoon. I was also able to take my 87 year old father-in-law who is a retired pastor and my wife and they had a marvelous time as well.I want to commend the troupe for their interpretation of the Phantom. It touched the emotions and filled the senses and by the end I felt as though I were no longer part of the audience, watching from a distance, but a participants in the midst of the flow.
My mind raced with ways that this would work together in my role as the Pastor of a church and I began to dream of the many possibilities. One would be to use this afternoon as an illustration for my preaching. Illustrations are windows to any message and this certainly brought much more light to lifes circumstances.
Another would be to bring the church to the dance or the dancers to the church to weave the two together in a new expression of some of lifes deepest emotions or faiths most difficult concepts to understand.
As a former social service director and community leader, I believe that the arts, dance, music, painting, sculpture, poetry, writing, etc. bring us to a deeper understanding of who we are and what we are about, and help us keep a northstar sighting on our humanity. I would hpe that the business leaders, community workers, and all who desire to build our community, would be a participant in the arts. and be a student of humanity. Like the Psalms in my faith background, the arts help us remain anchored to our deepest and innermost sense of who we are, both for good and for bad. Thank you to Elizabeth, Alyona and all of these who made this weekend a memorable one for me and for my family.We will take what we have learned about ourselves and try to work toward a better community.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Theobald on November 1, 2009 at 9:05pm

It may be an exaggeration but the only people who will make it in the next economy are artists and entrepreneurs. The innovative who can see new worlds of opportunity.

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Permalink Reply by Charles Calvin Deppert on November 1, 2009 at 9:16pm

I was there for the performance and loved it...My very first visit with the ballet and Yes I will attend again. I think that others will be inspired to think of ways to be more creative in business.

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Permalink Reply by Molly R. Thompson on November 1, 2009 at 9:17pm

The arts are an opportunity to inspire creativity in business.

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Permalink Reply by Laura Neidig on November 1, 2009 at 9:35pm

Yes! The arts definitely inspire innovation in business. If you've ever had a prescription filled at a Target pharmacy, you've seen a great example. Their bottle for prescription medicine - with it's easily read lable, unique shape and color-coded ring - was designed by an art student. It helped to solve the very real problem medicines getting mixed up in a household's medicine cablinet. The arts allow each of us to discover our own creativity, and can often be the spark that gets us thinking in a new direction. I work for the Indianapolis Children's Choir - so I see first hand how the arts inspire innovation, in all aspects of life. Hats off to the Indiana Ballet Company for letting a few more people discover that connection!

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