ArtArtArtArt----WorkWorkWorkWork is a series of 5 innovative, breakthrough one-day workshops created by The Art Institute of Chicago and

Catalyst Ranch, which applies a unique, arts-based learning approach to corporate training. These interactive workshops are

designed to develop critical professional skills through the experience of art observation. The sessions are co-led by an

experienced Corporate Trainer and an Art Institute Educator using the vast resources available at the Art Institute of Chicago

and the stimulating environment of Catalyst Ranch, a unique conference center located in the West Loop.

How do you train using ArtArtArtArt----WorkWorkWorkWork?

The morning starts in the galleries of the Art Institute with a series of progressive exercises that utilize visual observation

techniques. The exercises and discussions are guided by the Corporate Trainer and the Art Educator, each leveraging their

unique skill sets to enrich the conversation and learning. There is no art training required from the participants, which levels the

playing field in the discussion. Everyone’s observations have validity and there is no one correct answer to what is being

depicted in the artwork. By listening to each other’s perspectives, a new dialogue is possible and the mind is opened up to a

different way of perceiving and interpreting the world around it.

The experience continues in the afternoon in the highly creative environment of Catalyst Ranch. Art-based activities are used

strategically to create safety, build trust, find shared values, and shift perceptions. Combining right-brain imagination with left-

brain logic and analysis increases the capacity for breakthrough ideas and insights that lead to success.

“Art-based activities can be used strategically to

create safety, build trust, find shared values, and

shift perceptions. Combining right-brain

imagination with left-brain logic and analysis

increases the capacity for breakthrough ideas and

insights that lead to success.”

Linda Naiman,

author of Orchestrating Collaboration at Work

Why an arts-based approach?

“Art is an essential discovery process that allows leaders to explore their creative potential, bring forth tacit

knowledge, synthesize understanding, develop collaborative skills, and transform abstract insights into products in

the physical world. By asking different questions, seeking different sorts of explanations, and looking at different

points of view, art helps different answers emerge. With America’s global competitiveness hanging in the balance,

the business community is a natural ally to the cause of art.”

Hamsa Thota and Harvey Seifter

There are many effective ways for people to learn to work together in new ways. Since your team is striving to create brilliance

in their own way at work, it makes sense to have them be inspired by real masterpieces. At the Art Institute, some of the finest

works of art in the world are available for your team to learn from. Whether your team is composed of AIC members or people

who’ve never set foot in a museum, arts-based learning challenges them to use their minds, to think differently and discover

new ways to work better. The subjective nature of art is the perfect analogy for work – there are many interpretations and

solutions, and even the original creator doesn’t always know what’s right. This dialogue, sparked by the genius of the masters,

is the perfect metaphor for what happens in the organization. Art provides another lens through which to look at business

problems and identify opportunities. Personal learning and group development seamlessly emerges from the facilitated

discussions.

The corporate community is hungry for new ways to spark creativity and innovation and build strong organizations. As

corporate enterprises seek alternative methods to facing the challenges of building effective and inclusive teams in today’s

competitive and demanding business climate, the ArtArtArtArt----WorkWorkWorkWork workshops are an exciting new tool.

Some Case Studies

The McGraw Hill Companies is a global pioneer in the use of arts-based learning to train leaders, help employees solve

problems creatively, and foster personal growth. Terry McGraw, chairman and CEO of The McGraw Hill Companies,

characterizes creativity as a “business imperative,” and puts his companies’ successful experiences with arts-based learning in a

broad strategic context of “surfacing creativity” through engagement with the arts.

Creativity is essential because it is at the heart of innovation, and innovation is a growth driver and, therefore, a business

imperative. That is why, for several years, The McGraw-Hill companies has been using arts-based learning as a training tool in

several key leadership initiatives…the arts have served as a complementary vehicle to more traditional learning approaches.

They have helped to change attitudes by letting employees confront their assumptions in a nontraditional and non-intimidating

environment….The results of using arts-based learning and training have been very positive for The McGraw-Hill

Companies…Arts-based training is part of an overall strategy and commitment of the corporation to help ‘surface’ creativity

— Excerpt from Journal of Business Strategy (Seifter, 2005)

Other companies who have used the arts for training purposes such as visioning, communication, customer service, and team

development, include: American Express, AT&T, BBC, British Airways, Coca-Cola, Daimler-Chrysler, Dell Computers, Ericsson,

Halifax, Hewlett Packard, Honeywell, IBM, Kodak, Lever Faberge, Lockheed Martin, Marks & Spenser, Mattel, Nike, Pfizer,

Saatchi & Saatchi, Sears, Shell, Skandia, and the World Bank.

ThThThThe Facilitatorse Facilitatorse Facilitatorse Facilitators

Museum Educators

Annie MorseAnnie MorseAnnie MorseAnnie Morse

Annie Morse is Senior Lecturer in Museum

Education and liaison to the academic community.

At the Art Institute, she coordinates the annual

Graduate Student Seminar and a Chicago-based

artist lecture series, Artists Connect. Annie has

been lecturing for the Department of Museum

Education at the Art Institute since 1996. She

graduated from the Master's program in Modern

Art History, Theory, and Criticism at the School of

the Art Institute after earning her undergraduate

degree at the University of California at Santa Cruz,

and recently received her Masters in Library and

Information Science from the University of Illinois

at Urbana-Champaign. She is an independent

curator who has worked with the Contemporary

Arts Council, The Three Arts Club of Chicago, and

the Hyde Park Art Center.

Jeff NigroJeff NigroJeff NigroJeff Nigro

Jeffrey Nigro is an independent art historian,

lecturer and educator. He received his B.A. at

Oberlin College and his M.A. in art history at the

University of Virginia. Jeff has had a professional

relationship with the Art Institute of Chicago for

over 20 years, first as a staff lecturer, then as

Director of Adult Programs in the Department of

Museum Education. He has acted as Study Leader

on Art Institute sponsored trips to Italy, Greece and

Germany, and received the Art Institute Chairman's

Award for outstanding service in 2003. Jeff has

given pre-concert lectures for the Chicago

Symphony Orchestra, both at Symphony Center and

at the Ravinia Festival, and is a frequent speaker for

The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA).

Jeff was The JASNA Traveling Lecturer for the

Midwest for 2001, and currently serves as Academic

Liaison for the Greater Chicago Region of JASNA.

Margaret Margaret Margaret Margaret FarrFarrFarrFarr

Margaret Farr is a lecturer in the Department of

Museum Education at the Art Institute of Chicago,

where she has also worked as Assistant Director

of Teacher Programs. She received her Ph.D. in

Art history from the University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill, where she specialized in

nineteenth-century French art, writing The

Mythologization of the Modern Artist: Van Gogh’s

Published Letters for her master’s thesis and The

Impressionist Portrait: A Study in Context and

Meaning for her dissertation. She previously

worked as the Assistant Director of Education at

the Museum of Contemporary Art, where she

lectured and helped shape education

programming, and has worked as a freelance

lecturer, editor, and evaluator. Margaret has also

taught at Columbia College Chicago and St. Xavier

University.

Corporate Trainers

Adam ShamesAdam ShamesAdam ShamesAdam Shames

Adam Shames (rhymes with “promise”) is a creativity expert,

organizational consultant, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker and

coach. As founder and principal of the Kreativity Network, he has

designed, organized, taught and facilitated interactive workshops and

events for thousands of adults and youth. He designs teambuilding

experiences, seminars and retreats that fully engage participants and

inspire innovation. Adam is a certified trainer for FourSight, an

assessment tool for creative problem solving. His clients include

Accenture, McDonald’s, Edelman Public Relations and the Promotional

Products Association International. Adam is also an accomplished singer-

songwriter and musician, published poet and writer--and occasional

filmmaker, improviser, actor and visual artist. He has a master's degree

in education from Stanford University and cut his teeth designing

experiential activities as a literature and creative writing teacher, voted

"Teacher of the Year" at Menlo School in Atherton, CA.

Leslie MarquardLeslie MarquardLeslie MarquardLeslie Marquard The phrase "we make clients wildly successful" began with a client describing

the Leslie Marquard effect. Her way with questions and on-target guidance have

created a global fan base of leaders and organizations that use her to help them

set, refine, and reach stunning new goals. Her high-tech, collaborative methods

produce actionable outcomes allowing clients to raise their own leadership bars.

Leslie is a veteran leader of Ernst & Young's Chicago-based think tank, and now

owns and operates Marble Leadership Partners. She is also a certified

leadership coach. Past clients include: Nestle, Deloitte Consulting, Wal-Mart,

Bristol-Myers Squibb, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park and Moody

Broadcasting. Leslie's vast corporate experience also covers utilities, textiles,

pharmaceuticals, aerospace and defense, insurance, banking and healthcare.

She earned her BS degree from Louisiana State University and her executive

coaching certification from Georgetown University.

Troy CiceroTroy CiceroTroy CiceroTroy Cicero

Troy Cicero is a dynamic and engaging Diversity and Inclusion facilitator and

consultant with nearly two decades of consulting services to various corporate

clients. Highly effective at communicating important ideas in practical, useful

ways that encourage individual and institutional accountability, Troy’s unique

facilitation style and use of hands-on strategies ensure that all individuals are

enlightened and empowered to achieve their organizational goals. An emotional

intelligence strategist, Troy has an uncanny ability to convey genuine empathy

and respect as he develops best methods to improve working relationships and

strengthen organizational culture.

Brendan SullivanBrendan SullivanBrendan SullivanBrendan Sullivan Brendan Sullivan is a creativity coach, helping

organizational teams and leaders to generate more

innovative ideas, and to develop the skills necessary to

create an organizational culture of innovation, where fresh

ideas are routinely encouraged, created, explored,

developed, evaluated and implemented. His clients

include Kellogg’s, GE, Nestle Purina, Aetna, Harley-

Davidson, Marriott Hotels, Sara Lee and Jenny Craig.

Brendan’s programs are informed by his career as an

advertising sales manager for the New York Times

Magazine Group, as well as his second career as a

professional Second City trained improvisational performer, coach and teacher since 1988. Brendan still

performs improv regularly on Monday nights at the iO

theater. Brendan’s first novel, “The Living Wills,” was published by Eckhartz Press in 2011. He lives in Chicago

with his wife and four school-aged children.

For additional information or to book a day of ArtArtArtArt----WorkWorkWorkWork, please call Becky Mattson or Arin Mulvaney at

(312) 207-1710.

Our group found the Artwork session incredibly

valuable thanks to the focus the Catalyst Ranch

team puts on ensuring the day and all the exercises

have practical application to the business

challenges you're facing. If you need to challenge

existing paradigms, this is the activity for you!

-Vincent Biroscak, Director of Marketing

Nestle Purina PetCare Company

Learning ObjectivesLearning ObjectivesLearning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Creativity & InnovationCreativity & InnovationCreativity & InnovationCreativity & Innovation

Using the visual experience of works of art, participants will:

� Understand the creative process and how to access it

individually, collaboratively, and organizationally

� Become aware of new sources of creativity

� Leverage diverse perspectives within

creative/innovative teams for effectiveness,

productivity, and success

� Learn skills for generating, evaluating, and actualizing

new ideas

� Create a culture of Creativity and Innovation

CommunicationCommunicationCommunicationCommunication

Using the visual experience of works of art, participants will

gain:

� A fresh perspective on how honing our

Observational Skills can play a key role in effective

communication in the workplace.

� An Experiential Learning Opportunity through

activities that promote observing, listening,

questioning, and responding to enhance team and

one-on-one communication with other co-workers

and clients.

� An increased awareness and understanding of both

Verbal and Non-Verbal means of communication to

positively impact the team and overall

organizational performance.

� The ability to Develop Deeper Dialogue with co-

workers and clients to solve key organizational

issues.

� Inspiration on how using different communication

methods involving different mental and physical

stimuli can enhance the workplace environment.

Teamwork & CollaborationTeamwork & CollaborationTeamwork & CollaborationTeamwork & Collaboration

Using the visual experience of works of art, participants will:

� Better understand themselves and the unique

perceptions they bring to the team

� Better appreciate the strengths and perspectives of

others

� Gain tools for improved communication and

collaborative process

� Learn how to leverage diverse perspectives to improve

effectiveness, productivity, and success

Diversity and InclusionDiversity and InclusionDiversity and InclusionDiversity and Inclusion

Using the visual experience of works of art, participants

will gain:

� A clear understanding of all forms of diversity

� Skills to better understand themselves and

others within an inclusive work environment in

order to create open, healthy, and productive

relationships

� Increased trust, respect, and communication

across cultures

� Reduced likelihood of judgment

� Improved accountability for personal behavior

LeadershipLeadershipLeadershipLeadership

Using the visual experience of works of art, participants

will:

� Gain new skills to engage with the

complexities of their organizations

� Awaken dormant powers of observation to

help them see more of what's right in front of

them

� Sharpen interpretation skills for confident

decision-making in complex and ambiguous

times

� Access the intelligence of their whole

organization

� Unlock under-developed "dimensions" of

leadership within themselves

Catalyst Ranch is a unique offering for companies who are looking to spark creativity and innovation in corporate teams. Eva

Niewiadomski, Ranch Czarina [owner, designer] of Catalyst Ranch, refugee from spending twenty years in Fortune 500

Corporate America says, “When you bring people off-site, irrespective of the reason, you want them to come with a fresh, open

mind, receptive to new ideas. One way to open the mind and clear it of stale, preconceived notions is to disorient it.

Disorientation is essential to creativity and new thought.” Catalyst Ranch has been successful disorienting its clients and

fostering mountains of new ideas and approaches for over 10 years.

Clients include: Pepsico, Leo Burnett, ConAgra, Beam Global, Chicago Public Schools, AbbVie, McDonald’s, Kraft Foods, AON,

Hillshire Brands, YMCA of the USA, Mondelez and MillerCoors.

Catalyst Ranch 656 W. Randolph St. #3W Chicago, IL 60661 (312) 207-1710