Special report : Hotel art
Andrea Fuchs , general manager , Hotel Sans Souci , Vienna .
Personal contact with the artist , especially if there is a deliverable , is still the gold standard among promotions . Master classes with guests are one way to do that . Another is allowing guests to commission art during their stay at the hotel if there is a signature artist — a win-win for the hotel ( which often takes a part of the commission ) and the artist . For The Kessler Collection , the signature artists come face-to-face with guests and boost the bottom line . Each stop on the 17-day tour with one of the collection ’ s signature artists , Jean Claude Roy , brought in an average of 30 people for a five-course dinner and sold 34 artworks . Plus , Kessler ’ s exclusivity clause gives guests a powerful incentive to return .
Market the artist
Whether it ’ s a local notable , an iconic name or an up-and-coming art world darling , an artist in residence can be a powerful tool for hotels to have both art that ’ s tailored to the hotel ’ s branding and a strong differentiator .
Obviously , it ’ s key that an artist in residence fit with each hotel ’ s location , target market and design . But hoteliers have different views on what constitutes that perfect fit . The Fairmont Empress ’ interview process is key for a position that requires artists to work in a public studio during their residency .
For Art ’ otel Amsterdam , the need for a permanent artist in residence meant a different set of qualifications . Atelier Van Lieshout fit the bill with local name recognition and a budding international reputation , but Art ’ otel felt integrating his work with the hotel meant working with the interior designer . “ Installing artwork in a hotel requires a very strong understanding of space , structure and interior design ,” says Art ’ otel General Manager Dirk Beljaarts . “ Joep Van Lieshout worked closely on a daily basis with Eyal Shoan — the interior designer and architect of
The Raffles in Dubai featured a Culture & Arts of Spain exhibit .
Harumi Ota was an artist in residence at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria , British Columbia , Canada .
the hotel and public spaces — to ensure artwork not only fit the building from a practical and technical perspective , but also that the pieces fit with the mood , the look and the ethos of the space as a hotel and lifestyle environment .”
Beyond the BottoM line
While there ’ s no question art programs have an impact on ROI , the buzz going forward could focus more on their ability to build a hotel ’ s soft power .
“ The art program at the hotel has also allowed us to initiate successful partnerships with Vienna Art Fair , Vienna Fashion Week and Dom Perignon ( specifically for the exhibition of the Jeff Koons VENUS ),” Fuchs says . “ Due to the special design of the hotel , the hotel has been a major point of interest for many renowned brands for photo shoots and product presentations , ranging from Chloé and Nivea to Moet Henessy , Michael Kors , Boucheron , Cavalli and Jimmy Choo .”
In other words , consider art the newest power tool in the branding arsenal .
30 HOTELS January / February 2014 www . hotelsmag . com