This document summarizes a public art project called "The Points of Intersection" commissioned for the Allia Future Business Centre in Cambridge. It thanks the organizations and individuals who supported the project. It describes how the artists were selected to create works reflecting themes of nature and sustainability. A photo mosaic was created from over 15,000 images to represent the support received by Allia from the community and tenants. The art aims to illustrate how Allia supports its users and neighbors.

1. With our sincere thanks to the generous organisations and individuals who share our vision
CAMBRIDGE
Abcam plc
Alium Design
Anthony Quinn
ARM plc
Cambridge City Council
Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce
Cedric and Valerie Foster
Eddie Powell
Gibson Developments
Sir Hugh Duberly, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire
Interserve PLC
Jane Thompson
Method Creative
Sir Michael Marshall CBE
MPM Properties
Mr and Mrs G Rushby in memory of Mick Rushby
Real VNC Ltd
Roger and Alison Thornton
Rugby Cement Development Foundation
Simon Dazeley
Stephen Conrad
TTP Group plc
Xaar plc
5th Studio
Thanks also to the ERDF who provided
match-funding.
“The People’s Picture really enjoyed compiling the
images from the archives to make the final montage
composed out a 4,500 photos we edited down from
over 15,000 images. There were some impressive
images and a really diverse mix of contrasting
photographs, which once juxtaposed created stories.
We particularly liked the abstract forms, many of these
from science or technical based images. This influenced
our final choice of image, which has a soft and natural
shape despite the busy and contrasting number of
images contained within it.”
fb logoart artists
THE
POINTS
INTERSECTION
OF
A public art project by Allia managed by Acuity Arts
The Points of Intersection is a Public Art Project devised and managed for the
Future Business Centre by Acuity Arts. Artists were invited to respond to a brief and
then selected after a national call. Engagement was made with users and tenants
of the building, funders and supporters and the immediate community through
a series of workshops. The Project reflects the Centre’s social and environmental
commitment with artworks that respond to themes of nature and sustainability.
“From the outset of very early discussions with Allia we realised we always wanted
to consider the tenants and users of the Allia Future Business Centre and the
impact that the artwork would have on them. This included local groups and
nearest neighbours as well as local schools and communities. We became aware,
much like the new businesses formed in the Centre, that we would need to take
the seed of an idea and concept and gradually build that into a number of themes
and strands to meet finally at a series of points of intersection.
We were inspired by the social ventures and clean technology businesses that
use the Centre, impressed by the generosity of the funders and supporters of
the building and we wanted to be on the same journey. We liked the idea of
germination and growth, social and environmental values and wanted to convey
this in the work we undertook for the Future Business Centre.
So when considering which artists to choose, we wanted them to show us through
their previous work and their practice an understanding of these core beliefs.
However, we also wanted to see a fresh artistic approach, a sense of playfulness
and inspiration and ability to see just beyond the obvious.
Through a selection process of long and short listing candidates together with
the Future Business Centre Steering Group, we settled on our four artists as we
felt their creativity inspired us to think differently on a visual and conceptual basis
whilst positively challenging our perceptions and expectations.”
About Acuity Arts
Acuity Arts provide art advisory services for a wide
range of clients and sectors. We are matchmakers
bringing together the worlds of business and the arts.
We specialise in managing commissions, sourcing
artwork for offices and public spaces and we curate
exhibitions. We are also experienced in devising
and facilitating workshops and corporate social
responsibility initiatives in workplaces and the
wider community.
Acuity Arts connect organisations and individuals,
engage and enable employees and embed
businesses in communities.
“These commissions have been great for us as we
have worked closely with businesses, the wider
community and individuals. We love collaborative
projects and the challenge of helping people
express themselves creatively and artistically. The
best thing is to find an artist whose vision takes you
to a different world: a world where a deeper, richer
story unfolds every time you look. In the end we
found four artists.”
www.acuityarts.co.ukDipak Mistry, Acuity Arts
A vital component of the public art project
was to create “a piece of work that creatively
reflects the notion of a ‘wall of support’ –
acknowledging both the support Allia has
received from the local community, business
community and large number of individuals as
well as illustrating the support Allia offers to its
users and community neighbours.
“The People’s Picture were a clear selection
because of the inclusive nature and process of the
photo mosaic process. To be able to gather images
from Allia’s long journey to completely the Future
Business Centre, from our generous funders and
supporters who have been with us along the way,
from our growing number of tenants, incubator
cohorts and users, as well as those with whom
we have developed new relationships around the
Centre was a unique opportunity.
The Future Business Centre represents the
culmination of a 10 year journey for Allia which
started with the vision of creating a ‘community
innovation centre’ in Cambridge, to apply the
learning from the city’s successful incubators to
address social challenges. The last two years have
seen the Future Business Centre’s ambition as
a beacon for social and environmental ventures
realised – supporting new and early stage
businesses with a clear purpose to make a positive
impact on people and planet.
We hope that this final image represents several
things; the potential still in seed waiting to be
explored; the start of something that has so much
promise; the protection around the bud to ensure
its safe emergence; and the wall of support offered
by the leaves standing shoulder to shoulder.
The Future Business centre, like so many of the
ventures we in turn support, continues to grow and
live up to its potential – it just needed the support
of many people and organisations to come to
fruition. And for that, we are very grateful to all.”
Tim Jones, Allia
ABOUT THIS PIECE
OTHER PIECES
Chris Wood
“From the outset I knew
I wanted to create a
work for this exterior
wall so that neighbours
and passers by can also
enjoy its daily weather
dependent variations. For
me ‘A Step Up’ speaks
of the crucial support
that Future Business
Centre offers to a vibrant
mix of enterprises to
grow and develop their
aspirations.”
Vinny Stapley
Quotes from participants
of workshops
Tenants and users of
Future Business Centre:
“Collage Party! What
a great concept and
good fun”
“I haven’t done any art
since my GCSE’s”
(this participant made
two collages in a row)
“been lovely to do
something creative
and talk to other
businesses”
Bonnie Craig
“The corridor installation
designs were based on
research conducted at the
Future Business Centre
including working with
the building’s tenants and
hearing about their work.
The final designs took
inspiration from a range
of themes – including
research, science, energy,
information sharing and
wellbeing – and took
the form of applied-
vinyl artwork created by
patterns that occur in nature. They reflect the balance
achieved in the Future Business Centre between hard
work, productivity, professionalism and a strong work
ethic and the more relaxed atmosphere, flexibility and
potential to adapt as needed. Creating artwork that is
combined from many small, repeated elements shows
the prevailing sense at the Future Business Centre
that more can be achieved by working together and
supporting each other, as so often happens in the
natural structures that surround us. “