Tips and guidelines for Corporate Collecting

Summary By Paul Vauchelet from COVA's Collectors Round Table on October 12, 2004. The Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High in Pont Loma graciously hosted this event. Guided by a great moderator, the panelists did an excellent job. Their delightfully candid revelations shed a new light on corporate collecting. To the surprise of many in the audience the panelists often did not consider investment return as the most important consideration when buying art for corporate collections.

1. The artwork in a corporate collection must not offend anyone. The corporate collector must consider the reaction of a diverse audience and how it reflects on the company image. Customers, staff, visitors, the public and even the media must be considered when choosing which art to collect. Nudity, for example, is generally a taboo for corporate collecting since it has the inherent potential to offend a large segment of society.
2. Corporate collections have a broad impact. Corporation's use collected art for many things other than just a return investment. They use art to convey a corporate image, impress their customers, stimulate their employees, and create unique environments .
3. The collection must go with the theme of the business. For example: Leading edge electronic firms dealing with bold ideas are comfortable with bold and bright abstracts. A bank or an investment firm can bolster their conservative image with a more classic collection.
4. Investment return is only a piece of the formula for corporate collections. Although investment return and diversification provide the motivation for corporate collecting, there are other considerations that steer the choice of which art is collected. Properly used a corporate collection can be a valuable asset to offset advertising, enhance image, and stimulate customers and employees.
5. Not "ORDINARY/EVERYDAY" art. Build a collection on original and unique work. Avoid commonplace art; seek out artists whose work stands out from the everyday clutter. Corporate collections are the engines that drive leading edge creativity and should be used to stimulate the arts locally and internationally..
6. Passion. Collectors corporate or private should collect with passion. Find an artist whose work stirs something inside you. Art that has a special appeal for you, this makes it desirable and exciting for you to collect. Earn money with normal investments. Buy art because it moves you. Buy it to enjoy it and appreciate it. Then a good return is a bonus.
7. Corporate collections should include local artists. Seek out local talent for corporate collection. There is appreciable value in supporting and stimulating the local art community. Great art and great value can be found with lesser-known artists.
8. One person, not a committee, should be responsible for purchasing work for the corporate collection. It is very difficult for a group to reach consensus when it comes to art.
9. Sculpture is an important part of collections. Often neglected,sculpture should be an important element of every collection.

The distinguished panel consisted of:

• Craddoc Stropes (Moderator) - Director of External Affairs for the La Jolla Music Society. Formally she was the director of art and business programs for the San Diego Performing Arts League overseeing more than $1 million dollars of in-kind management consultant services to hundreds of arts organizations. Before that she was director of public relations for the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and the Eclectic Orange Festival. Her responsibilities included national and international media relations, marketing, audience diversification, cultural tourism and corporate relations. She worked with world-renowned artists, including Phillip Glass, the Vienna Philharmonic, Mark Morris Dance Company and John Williams. Stropes also worked for the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Her own modern dance ensemble, Jigsaw Dance Company, has performed throughout Southern California. She is president-elect of the San Diego chapter of the American Marketing Association for 2004. She also serves on the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture Diversity Initiative Steering Committee; Cities of the Future Steering Committee; San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Arts; Business and Culture Committee; and the planning committee for San Diego's Cause Marketing Conference. Stropes holds a B.A. in public relations from California State University, Fullerton.
• Joe Vilella, President and CEO of the electronics firm Vectron Inc., 345 Sixth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101. Mr. Vilella is also owner of the soon to be established Sharis Viella Memorial Gallery of Modern Art at that same location. The gallery will use art as a vehicle to communicate the message of breast cancer awareness.
• Carole Laventhol, Curator; Brandes Art Collection: owner; Carole Laventhol Designs, interior design and Fine Art consulting firm established in 1972. Carole has served on many arts related boards including UCSD Mandeville Gallery, UCSD Art Council and the Public Arts Advisory Council for the County of San Diego. Carole is also an accomplished acrylic artist exhibited nationally.
• Todd Bradley, Owner Bradley Fine Art, 2168 Chatsworth Blvd., San Diego, CA 92107 TEL: 619-223-6278 hhstodd@sbcglobal.net www.bradleyfineart.com Bradley Fine Art specializes in investment quality collectable paintings including Plein Air Early California, Southwest and other American Artists.

Unfortunately two, of the original five, panel members, Victor Diaz the Director of the Institute of Photographic Art and CEO of XLNC1 Classic Music Radio and Janos Novak Owner of Dewers Fine Art Services, were unable to participate due to health issues.

Click here for Art Rocks! interview with Joe Vilella on Corporate Collecting

Look for other topics in the SmART Collector

Collecting Emerging Artist - Betti-Sue Hertz at the Oceanside Museum of Art (Report on the Art Collectors Round Tables, 2004)

Commissioning Art - Joan Seifried at Galerie D'Art International written by Lisa Roche (Report on the Art Collectors Round Tables, 2004)

For more information contact info@SDVisualArts.net