Siobhan Kenney

Innovation and Creativity Meet Social Responsibility

Posted by Siobhan Kenney, May 07, 2015 1 comment


Siobhan Kenney

The following piece by Siobhan Kenney was originally published on Applied Materials’ corporate responsibility blog.

As a company built on innovation, we understand the power of focusing creative minds on solving important problems … for our customers and for our communities. We recognize the tremendous benefit of bringing diverse people together to address issues, share experiences and design solutions.

Applied Materials support of the arts reflects our belief that creativity and innovation play an important role in fostering vibrant, healthy environments–in the workplace and in neighborhoods around the world. By increasing public access to and involvement in the arts, sponsoring new work by emerging artists, and funding arts education programs, Applied and its Foundation are living the corporate value of making a positive social contribution–while promoting arts and culture that help make local cities more interesting places for our employees to work and live.

The arts also provide the opportunity for communities to explore and discuss thought-provoking and, sometimes, difficult ideas and then take action that can transform the way we live. The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art’s Executive Order 9066: The Tag Project which is inspired by the Japanese-American internment during WWII did just that. Applied’s involvement with the Institute of Contemporary Art exhibit and its complementary programming was featured in a recent Americans for the Arts report on Corporate Social Responsibility & The Arts.

The report examines how companies engage in the arts as part of their corporate community involvement strategy. Based on information gathered from interviews with 16 corporate representatives, it looks at ways businesses are partnering with arts organizations and artists to help solve issues that impact their businesses and communities.

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1 responses for Innovation and Creativity Meet Social Responsibility

Comments

May 07, 2015 at 5:52 pm

Great to hear that all is not lost when it comes to alternative funding sources for the arts. Hope more corporations get on the bandwagon.

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