Award-winning social enterprise, ColourSpace, is bringing art-as-a-service to Sydney, on a mission to turn cities into galleries supporting local artists.
As Australia’s first art social enterprise, ColourSpace transforms staid environments into dynamic, carefully curated galleries – displaying and regularly changing art.
Similar to fresh flower delivery services that brighten offices, ColourSpace curates a selection of fresh artworks – delivering, installing and changing them every three months – with art sourced from local emerging artists, who share in the revenue.
Since launching in 2016, ColourSpace has contributed over $45,000 in revenue to artists through royalties and sales, with a further 10% of revenue supporting art programs for local, disadvantaged communities.
“We’ve displayed over 500 individual pieces of artwork to date and have helped artists sell more than 10% of them,” shares founder Scott Ko. “In essence, we’re able to pay artists to get their works out on display and for sale.”
With obvious benefits to artists, whose unsold works often sit in studios or storage when not on display in expensive gallery spaces, it was the benefit to workplaces that originally sparked the idea for ColourSpace.
What is the story behind ColourSpace?
Founder and CEO Scott Ko formed the idea while sitting in a stale office environment where the same picture had hung above his desk for years.
“When I asked if it was possible to change the artwork that had been on the walls for almost a decade I was met with a chorus of “too expensive, too hard, we don’t know how,” he shares.
Resultingly, he took it upon himself to launch a certified social enterprise breathing new life into spaces.
“Regularly changing office art gives employees something new and inspiring to engage with. Workplaces benefit from improved staff wellbeing, increased productivity and reduced stress, all while creating economic opportunities for local Australian artists.”
For businesses competing to attract and retain talent, ColourSpace helps create inspiring, stimulating environments without requiring the deep-pockets and perks of Google-esque startups. Prices start from just $50 per piece, per month.
ColourSpace has reinvigorated walls of the Reserve Bank of Australia, the Victorian Governor Solicitor’s Office, University of Melbourne and Property Exchange Australia.
After being accepted into and graduating from QUT’s Collider Accelerator, ColourSpace has tripled its revenue and is looking to Sydney as the focus for expansion. The funded social enterprise is also planning a capital raise later in the year to support growth Australia-wide.
