3 May - Huntsman signs up to mima art loans scheme
US chemical company Huntsman is the first business to sign up to mima's newly launched art loans scheme
US chemical company Huntsman is the first business to sign up to mima's newly launched art loans scheme.
The scheme is part of a range of new business opportunities being offered by mima - Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art - to build closer relationships between art and business in Middlesbrough and the wider region.
Huntsman has signed a deal to hire seven art works, including paintings, photographs and works on paper, from mima's internationally acclaimed art collection, which the company will display in their new premises in Wynyard for an initial 12 months.
On Wednesday, May 9 at 11am, President of Huntsman's pigments business Simon Turner will visit mima's art store to talk about the works the company has selected and why Huntsman has signed up to the scheme, prior to the works being installed by mima art handlers at Huntsman's office later next week.
mima Development Manager Rachel French, who leads on the gallery's business partnerships, said: "We are delighted to have Huntsman on board as our first loans scheme business, and we are already attracting interest from other local companies on the range of flexible new corporate opportunities we are offering.
"We firmly believe in the power of great art to inspire creativity and innovation in business. We hope that Huntsman's employees will really enjoy being surrounded by these art works on a daily basis."
Huntsman Pigments president Simon Turner said: "We are a successful global business that strives for high performance and to that end we strive to align ourselves with other successful high performance organisations. The decision to work with mima was straightforward as they clearly demonstrate excellence in what they do and they are part of our local community, which aligns with our aims.
"We are also in the process of transforming our business, which includes a physical transformation from premises in Billingham and Wilton to new facilities at Wynyard Park where we are bringing together teams to better serve our global customers. We wanted to take advantage of having one of the UK's leading galleries for modern and contemporary art on our doorstep to deliver something special, in the form of original art and expertise, for our employees."
As well as the loans scheme, mima's new business offer includes partnership and sponsorship opportunities, team building and creative sessions, and venue hire in a range of spaces within the gallery. For further information, call Rachel French on 01642 726 712 or email rachel_french@middlesbrough.gov.uk