There have been a slew of discussions lately centered around the potential in combining art and technology, two sectors that operate differently but ultimately share many similarities. A recent article in the New York Times by Alice Gregory questioned if in the physical world, the arts and tech are clashing cultures, or “parallel universes that rarely intersect.” Stephen Tanenbaum, on the other hand, noted that “arts and tech are not in competition with each other,” but are at a juncture that offers exciting opportunities for collaboration and growth, pointing to San Francisco in particular.

Perhaps instead of asking: “Are the arts and tech in competition?” we ask: “How can the arts and tech partner to foster the next wave of culture and technology?”

Look at what’s already happening

In 2013, Americans for the Arts was pleased to honor Microsoft as a BCA 10 honoree. A company noted for commitment to employee volunteerism, in kind support, and an impressive art collection, Microsoft is one of a handful of tech based companies to receive this award (others include Adobe Systems and Alltech, Inc.). Microsoft hosted an artist-in-residency program that gave artist James George three months of free access to Microsoft’s technologies to create whatever he liked, and what resulted was a new way for Microsoft to view its work and hone its creative culture. Mr. George created three works from his exploratory time at Microsoft, all of which offer insights about consumer internet behaviors and algorithms.

Wall Queries, by James George. 2013. Created through Microsoft’s artist-in-residency program. Source: Fast Company.

 

Arrow Electronics, a Colorado based company that provides products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components, has demonstrated a firm commitment to the arts through its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. For example, Arrow commissioned the Colorado Symphony to create a new theme song for the company, which goes so far as to spell out A-R-R-O-W rhythmically in Morse code.

Behind the scenes of the Arrow Electronics theme song. Source: Arrow Electronics.

 

Salesforce.com partners with nonprofits across the country, including arts organizations, by providing software and training in-kind. More than 23,000 nonprofits have received Salesforce.com products for free and have logged over 8,000 hours of employee help and mentorship. The Salesforce system is one of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions that strategically aggregate donors and audiences for more effective organizational management.

StubHub, an online ticket resale company, consistently lends its skills and services to nonprofit arts organizations through initiatives such as the Rising Stars program and the Non-Profit Box Office program. The Roots of Music Foundation in New Orleans, for example, received a $50,000 donation from StubHub in support of its programs to serve at-risk kids through music education and mentoring, as well as pro-bono marketing support.

Remember that viral interactive video of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone”? The company behind the video, Interlude, partnered with the Tribeca Film Festival (an affiliate of the Tribeca Film Institute, a non-profit) this year by creating a video contest, inviting artists to try their interactive video platform and to submit work inspired by the Bob Dylan video. The top three videos were then screened at the Tribeca Film Festival. Interlude’s contest encouraged artists to test their product in creative ways, while creating content to share and promote the company (Check out some of the video highlights and winners here).

Source: Interlude.

 

How does this help the tech industry?

The buzzword in tech today is “innovation.” Companies like Google and Apple prove that creative workplaces and products are sources of competitive advantage and utilize the arts as a mechanism for honing creative thinking. Apple’s internal training program, Apple University, draws inspiration from Pablo Picasso’s artistic process when teaching the design thinking behind Apple’s elegant simplicity in its products.

A look at how Apple is inspired by Picasso’s artistic process when designing new products. Photo set originally appeared in the New York Times. Bull images by Art Resource, NY; 2014 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARD), New York.

 

An idea to start: tech based employee volunteerism

Art is more and more consumed through digital platforms, and arts organizations are enthusiastic about reaching broader audiences by presenting digitally consumable art. There is a huge potential for professionals in tech fields to volunteer their skills to help the arts manifest these ideas. A report from the Taproot Foundation found that only 3% of nonprofits have access to the services they require.

Sara Bennett, Senior Marketing Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at AOL noted, “AOL’s volunteer programs foster important skills such as creativity, provide networking opportunities, improve corporate culture, and help employees to feel positively about the company.”

Source: AOL.

 

Formal volunteering programs are offered through large corporations like Microsoft and AOL, but volunteer services are also available on an individual basis. In fact, volunteering is a fantastic way for individuals to practice programming and design skills, network within the creative sector, and help rejuvenate an arts organization.

Preparing for the next wave of culture and technology

The arts contribute to society by fostering curious and forward-thinking individuals who become future business leaders, customers, investors, and innovators. As competition in the tech sector continues to grow, so will the demand for more creativity and innovation in the workplace.

Through strategic partnerships, the arts and tech can thrive. They’re not such different worlds, after all.

To learn more about arts and business partnerships, please visit The pARTnership Movement, an initiative from Americans for the Arts.