At the art of the community

Airport operators around the world are developing creative initiatives to improve the experience of travelers as they pass through their terminals. Past trends toward functionality in public spaces are giving way to dramatic and exciting venues.

What one sees inside and outside of terminals - the sights and sounds - are becoming important components in airport planning, customer service and community outreach.

Increasing numbers of airports are recognising that it makes good sense to become a “painting” of their greater community - a canvas on which they express not only who they are, but also what they want their constituents to know about them. One of the most effective tools in establishing such an identity is a wide-ranging arts and exhibitions programme that is airport-specific, yet serves as a tool for community outreach and positive passenger reaction.

Of course, successful arts and exhibition programmes must be well defined and cost effective with measurable results, so airport managers can justify the expenditure.  There must be a context to the initiative; a mission statement that follows the airport's goals; a flexible plan and a way to measure the impact of the programme.

The reasons for developing an arts and activities programme are clear. Firstly, a properly structured initiative banks capital within the community - capital that can be withdrawn by the airport as needed. For example, the Office of Fine Arts and Cultural Affairs at Miami International Airport put together 'Healing The World' - a display of artwork created by students who expressed their feelings about 11 September. The exhibition proved so successful it traveled to other airports, including Baltimore/Washington, Boston Logan, Chicago O'Hare, Albuquerque, New Mexico and Oakland, California. In each city, artwork created by young artists was added to the display as families learned that the work would be seen by millions of travelers.

Second, an arts and exhibition programme tells the community, and passengers, that the airport acknowledges their importance. Manchester International Airport in England uses its budget to support cultural organizations in the city and surrounding area, while Colorado Springs Airport presents dancers in celebration of holidays. Houston Intercontinental made the most of construction walls during major renovations, by using them as backdrops for student-created murals with an aviation theme.  Savannah, Georgia and Oakland, California work with area colleges and museums respectively to develop and sustain their programmes.

Some of these initiatives are stunningly successful. Brussels International Airport, for example, is the most visited “museum” in Belgium, hosting a stunning permanent collection of two and three-dimensional pieces. San Francisco International Airport has been designated an official museum by the American Association of Museums and Lester Pearson in Toronto promotes the heritage of Canada through large, glass-fronted displays.

Third, an arts and activities programme can become a positive public relations tool for an airport while fostering economic development. In Louisville, Kentucky, Albany and Nantucket, Massachusetts, artists can sell the work displayed in the terminals. Nashville, Tennessee, provides grants to artists who demonstrate their crafts at the airport, raising the artists’ profiles and providing a welcome diversion for passengers. At Albany International Airport, a show was mounted using work from 50 area museums – all in the airport’s target area.

Any successful arts and activities programme must be tailored to the particular airport’s needs, aspirations and budget.

While Albany's programme honours its immediate core area (the Capital Region), Phoenix Sky Harbor gives travelers a look at the south western part of the USA, Vancouver International commissions more site-specific installations than any other entity in Canada and Boston Logan has created “Artport,” which places exhibits both inside and outside the terminal.

Senior airport operators are increasingly recognising the value of a well-planned arts programme. JeffFegan, CEO of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, says, "We want to differentiate ourselves as an airport. Our passengers experience the wow factor through art, music and activities, so the airport makes a good impression on the traveler and the community."

Whatever the direction of an airport\'s arts and activities programme, all stakeholders need to buy-in to the programme's goals and provide the support necessary for success. My advice is to dream big, create partnerships, establish non-profit foundations that can accept donations, have the end result in mind before starting, and make these dreams come true.

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