Visual Arts Center Gets Creative in the Workplace

Thinking differently. Getting out of the box. Sparking innovation. Driving creativity.

No matter how you want to phrase it, there’s a renewed demand within organizations for individuals and teams that can bring new ideas to the table, demonstrate their value to the bottom line and deliver something new to drive business.

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond thinks it has just what Richmond area organizations are looking for – their new Creativity at Work program is designed to provide tools and strategies that drive innovation in the workplace. It happens this fall as a team of business experts and artists come together to lead participants from across Richmond through a three-month program.

The three full-day workshops happen over three months. Each is focused on a different topic:

  • Igniting the Creative Spark is built around Leonardo daVinci’s principles for creativity, and will be facilitated by Harry Vardis of Atlanta-based Creative Focus Inc.
  • Seeing with Unique Vision will encourage participants to think outside of traditional patterns, and explore the value of bringing new perspectives to the table. Chip Ransler of Husk Power Systems will facilitate.
  • The Intersection of Collaboration and Innovation will explore the unspoken rules of creativity an experimentation, and will be facilitated by Steve Van Allen of QVC Network.

The artistic team will be ceramic artist Richard McCord, painter Amie Oliver and sculptor James Chalkey.

Working with the original design team for the Creativity Work program was one of my more challenging volunteer opportunities last fall – sorting through all of the possibilities to give shape to a focused series of creative lessons was no easy task! But the evolving team of educators, artists and businesspeople – led by Jo Kennedy and Amie Joyaux of the Visual Arts Center – landed a solid program framework, and it looks like the Visual Arts Center team has provided plenty of shape, color and texture to our original ideas.

Registration for the three-month program closes on June 1, and the Visual Arts Center is encouraging organizations to consider sending cross-functional teams and high-performing leaders. Tuition is $3,000, and you’re welcome to contact Jo Kennedy, President and CEO of the Visual Arts Center, if you want to discuss the program further. Her number is 804.353.3761.