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With our sincere thanks to the generous organisations and individuals who share our vision CAMBRIDGE Abcam plc Alium Design Anthony Quinn ARM plc Cambridge City Council Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce Cedric and Valerie Foster Eddie Powell Gibson Developments Sir Hugh Duberly, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire Interserve PLC Jane Thompson Method Creative Sir Michael Marshall CBE MPM Properties Mr and Mrs G Rushby in memory of Mick Rushby Real VNC Ltd Roger and Alison Thornton Rugby Cement Development Foundation Simon Dazeley Stephen Conrad TTP Group plc Xaar plc 5th Studio Thanks also to the ERDF who provided match-funding. “The People’s Picture really enjoyed compiling the images from the archives to make the final montage composed out a 4,500 photos we edited down from over 15,000 images. There were some impressive images and a really diverse mix of contrasting photographs, which once juxtaposed created stories. We particularly liked the abstract forms, many of these from science or technical based images. This influenced our final choice of image, which has a soft and natural shape despite the busy and contrasting number of images contained within it.” fb logoart artists THE POINTS INTERSECTION OF A public art project by Allia managed by Acuity Arts The Points of Intersection is a Public Art Project devised and managed for the Future Business Centre by Acuity Arts. Artists were invited to respond to a brief and then selected after a national call. Engagement was made with users and tenants of the building, funders and supporters and the immediate community through a series of workshops. The Project reflects the Centre’s social and environmental commitment with artworks that respond to themes of nature and sustainability. “From the outset of very early discussions with Allia we realised we always wanted to consider the tenants and users of the Allia Future Business Centre and the impact that the artwork would have on them. This included local groups and nearest neighbours as well as local schools and communities. We became aware, much like the new businesses formed in the Centre, that we would need to take the seed of an idea and concept and gradually build that into a number of themes and strands to meet finally at a series of points of intersection. We were inspired by the social ventures and clean technology businesses that use the Centre, impressed by the generosity of the funders and supporters of the building and we wanted to be on the same journey. We liked the idea of germination and growth, social and environmental values and wanted to convey this in the work we undertook for the Future Business Centre. So when considering which artists to choose, we wanted them to show us through their previous work and their practice an understanding of these core beliefs. However, we also wanted to see a fresh artistic approach, a sense of playfulness and inspiration and ability to see just beyond the obvious. Through a selection process of long and short listing candidates together with the Future Business Centre Steering Group, we settled on our four artists as we felt their creativity inspired us to think differently on a visual and conceptual basis whilst positively challenging our perceptions and expectations.” About Acuity Arts Acuity Arts provide art advisory services for a wide range of clients and sectors. We are matchmakers bringing together the worlds of business and the arts. We specialise in managing commissions, sourcing artwork for offices and public spaces and we curate exhibitions. We are also experienced in devising and facilitating workshops and corporate social responsibility initiatives in workplaces and the wider community. Acuity Arts connect organisations and individuals, engage and enable employees and embed businesses in communities. “These commissions have been great for us as we have worked closely with businesses, the wider community and individuals. We love collaborative projects and the challenge of helping people express themselves creatively and artistically. The best thing is to find an artist whose vision takes you to a different world: a world where a deeper, richer story unfolds every time you look. In the end we found four artists.” www.acuityarts.co.uk Dipak Mistry, Acuity Arts A vital component of the public art project was to create “a piece of work that creatively reflects the notion of a ‘wall of support’ – acknowledging both the support Allia has received from the local community, business community and large number of individuals as well as illustrating the support Allia offers to its users and community neighbours. “The People’s Picture were a clear selection because of the inclusive nature and process of the photo mosaic process. To be able to gather images from Allia’s long journey to completely the Future Business Centre, from our generous funders and supporters who have been with us along the way, from our growing number of tenants, incubator cohorts and users, as well as those with whom we have developed new relationships around the Centre was a unique opportunity. The Future Business Centre represents the culmination of a 10 year journey for Allia which started with the vision of creating a ‘community innovation centre’ in Cambridge, to apply the learning from the city’s successful incubators to address social challenges. The last two years have seen the Future Business Centre’s ambition as a beacon for social and environmental ventures realised – supporting new and early stage businesses with a clear purpose to make a positive impact on people and planet. We hope that this final image represents several things; the potential still in seed waiting to be explored; the start of something that has so much promise; the protection around the bud to ensure its safe emergence; and the wall of support offered by the leaves standing shoulder to shoulder. The Future Business centre, like so many of the ventures we in turn support, continues to grow and live up to its potential – it just needed the support of many people and organisations to come to fruition. And for that, we are very grateful to all.” Tim Jones, Allia ABOUT THIS PIECE OTHER PIECES Chris Wood “From the outset I knew I wanted to create a work for this exterior wall so that neighbours and passers by can also enjoy its daily weather dependent variations. For me ‘A Step Up’ speaks of the crucial support that Future Business Centre offers to a vibrant mix of enterprises to grow and develop their aspirations.” Vinny Stapley Quotes from participants of workshops Tenants and users of Future Business Centre: “Collage Party! What a great concept and good fun” “I haven’t done any art since my GCSE’s” (this participant made two collages in a row) “been lovely to do something creative and talk to other businesses” Bonnie Craig “The corridor installation designs were based on research conducted at the Future Business Centre including working with the building’s tenants and hearing about their work. The final designs took inspiration from a range of themes – including research, science, energy, information sharing and wellbeing – and took the form of applied- vinyl artwork created by patterns that occur in nature. They reflect the balance achieved in the Future Business Centre between hard work, productivity, professionalism and a strong work ethic and the more relaxed atmosphere, flexibility and potential to adapt as needed. Creating artwork that is combined from many small, repeated elements shows the prevailing sense at the Future Business Centre that more can be achieved by working together and supporting each other, as so often happens in the natural structures that surround us. “
