With its inherently innovative nature, contemporary art aligns well with the business world. Art transforms the office into a space where people feel more fulfilled and perform better, while also enhancing the company’s brand image.
Art serves as a valuable counterpoint in any organisation or community that needs to generate ideas, overcome challenges, and achieve objectives—regardless of its size or sector, whether private, public, or non-profit. From startups to corporations, companies increasingly encourage employees to think creatively, and art provides a powerful resource in this endeavour.
Visual art plays a particularly significant role. Our primary interaction with the world is visual, and art helps us develop the critical vocabulary needed to better understand the messages we encounter. However, many employees do not have regular access to high-quality visual culture. Locally, unlike music, film, or theatre, there are relatively few internationally relevant events in the field of visual arts.
The pandemic shifted the work environment into a major HR concern. Many companies realised they could not foster a strong organisational culture without encouraging at least partial office attendance—but they also understood the need for a different kind of space, one that motivates people to return. Too often, offices are generic and under-invested in terms of design. This isn’t necessarily about lacking proper facilities, but rather about the scarcity of truly inspiring workplaces. Through the aesthetic and social framework it offers, art provides that motivational anchor needed to draw people back to the office.
In our experience, companies turn to art when they aim to redesign their offices to create a more pleasant and welcoming environment. Others seek to stand out from competitors by embedding art in the workspace to attract talent or support recruitment. Some prioritise employee learning and personal development, looking for initiatives that go beyond traditional team-building events and place art at the forefront.
These needs inspired us to create Art Set by GAEP, a flexible subscription-type solution adaptable to any kind of company and budget. The service includes rotating art displays installed at the company’s headquarters, updated every six months, along with various activities and events. These may range from seminars connecting art to the company’s field of activity to hands-on workshops led by artists in painting, collage, photography, and more. A key component is continuous cultural mediation: the exhibitions are accompanied by digital presentations accessible via QR codes, offering both information about individual works and an overview of the exhibition—essential when installations span multiple floors and involve numerous artists. Art Set by GAEP ensures consistent exposure through a structured programme, amplifying its long-term impact.
Depending on their goals, companies can choose the full package or opt for specific components, such as individual artworks or particular events. For example, an accounting firm might enhance its workspace with a curated selection of pieces, while a larger organisation might use Art Set by GAEP to position itself as a socially and culturally engaged player committed to art, creativity, and leadership. Monthly budgets range from €500 for around 10 artworks (without activities) to €4,000 for over 40 works distributed across thematic mini-exhibitions on seven floors, alongside three annual activities.
Our experience shows that no company is inherently incompatible with art. Any artistic medium—be it painting, drawing, photography, installation, digital, or video—can find its place in a corporate setting. One example is the interactive textile installation created by Wanda Hutira for the Kuehne+Nagel logistics hub in Bolintin, Giurgiu County. Inspired by motifs from traditional Romanian textiles, the work employs a pixel-art aesthetic. It also includes a digital component: a text message embedded in the piece changes periodically based on employee input. The project demonstrated that workers in a logistics centre can respond to art just as meaningfully as those in office environments. Such initiatives are memorable and help foster a sense of connection and shared identity.
How does art influence employee performance?
Any organisation that wants its employees to reach their full potential should consider the role of art in supporting well-being. Among studies that explore this connection, the Art of the Workplace report (1) is the first post-pandemic research to highlight the benefits of incorporating art into office environments.
According to the study, employees who work in spaces with artwork and thoughtful design are significantly more likely to feel inspired—39% versus only 24% of those in environments without art. Inspired employees tend to be more engaged, which translates to increased productivity and job satisfaction. Among those offered cultural or social activities at work, 34% reported feeling inspired by their jobs, compared to just 13% of those without such opportunities.
Additionally, 64% of respondents said that cultural and social events help them work more effectively, and 69% agreed that having artwork in the office contributes significantly to their well-being.
Employees working in well-designed spaces with art are also more inclined to return to the office: 75% prefer in-office work over remote work, compared to just 53% of those in uninspiring environments.
Beyond these statistics, our experience with Art Set by GAEP supports similar conclusions. We consistently encounter employee interest in art-related programmes. There’s always a core group of enthusiastic participants, and as new initiatives are introduced, that group often grows. Despite staff turnover, participation tends to increase over time.
Feedback from partner companies has shown us that consistent, meaningful exposure to art creates emotional connections with specific works. Some companies told us they can no longer imagine their offices without art. Others felt that the selected artworks resonated deeply with their field and values, as if they had been chosen specifically for them.
A powerful association
Art in the workplace is also a symbolically rich marker of prestige. Artworks are not merely decorative; they carry intellectual, cultural, and even reputational capital—akin to corporate art collections, which have become integral to some organisations’ identities.
Large companies that maintain such collections often run internal programmes to engage employees with the art, turning them into ambassadors of this cultural legacy. In some cases, the collections are exhibited in museums or international venues, advancing cultural diplomacy efforts.
This prestige stems not just from ownership, but from the fact that these collections are built in collaboration with professional curators or galleries, and often reflect the vision of founders or executives who value the intrinsic qualities of art—its aesthetic, cultural, and intellectual merit—beyond its monetary worth.
We also see growing interest at the local level. In recent years, several banks have initiated open calls for artworks, particularly from Romanian artists. There is substantial potential in this space, and we believe some of the companies currently subscribed to Art Set by GAEP may eventually move toward building their own collections.
The future development of such projects—and others that facilitate meaningful encounters between employees and art—depends on how companies define their priorities. If they operate with an impact-driven mindset, the budget allocated to art is not a cost, but an investment in human resources, organisational future, and a distinctive identity.
Op-ed by Andrei Breahnă, Art Set by GAEP’s founder, for Republica.ro
- The study was conducted by conducted by the real estate company Brookfield Properties and the platform The School of Life with the help of the agency Perspectus Global among 1000 respondents in London and another 250 in each of nine other cities in the UK. They worked between two and four days a week at the office.