Employee Engagement

Menu of Options

Employees are the heart of every business. Businesses that want to succeed and be creative are looking for ways to retain employees and inspire creativity, innovation, team-building and more.  Whether it is an individual volunteer opportunity, pro bono consulting, or bringing the arts into the workplace, partnering with arts organizations can offer many valuable benefits to business employees that lead to greater recruitment, retention and innovation.

For more information about the positive effects of engaging employees through the arts, visit the pARTnership Movement.  

At ABC/NY we provide volunteer opportunities and arts events for individuals or teams. Please review the menu of options below and contact us to create the right opportunity for you or your business.

Email us at [email protected] or call 212.279.5910.

Opportunities for Individual Volunteers

Volunteering or board service gives you the opportunity to build your professional network while gaining project management, technical and leadership skills that can benefit you at work.

  • Board Volunteering: Serving on an arts organization’s board helps business employees gain leadership skills and build valuable connections.
  • Non skills-based: Engage with the arts through volunteering at an organization’s art festival, performance or event to engage with the community.
  • Skills-based: Use your business skills to advance the arts. Are you good at strategic planning, marketing, web design, branding and more? Here is your chance to bring your business skills to an arts organization and assist with a specific project.
  • Virtual Volunteering: Provide pro bono consulting from your computer or telephone.
  • Mentoring: Serve as a mentor for an arts organization executive leader by giving input and insight gained from your own professional experiences.

Opportunities for Teams of Volunteers

Volunteering as a team gives employees the chance to work together to enhance team building and leadership skills.

  • Non skills-based: Paint a mural, work at an arts festival, participate in arts education programs, and more with your colleagues.
  • Skills-based: Collaborate with your colleagues to bring your business skills to an arts organization.

Customized Volunteer Events for Businesses
  • Skills Day: One or more arts organizations present a specific issue/need/opportunity, and employees work in teams to devise solutions. This event can be focused on one skill (e.g. marketing, HR, finance) or can include several different skills to utilize a range of volunteers from different areas. Employees will have the opportunity to engage with colleagues from across the business while enhancing their skills.
  • Arts Volunteer Fair: Arts organizations come together to present their volunteer opportunities to business employees, who can sign up to participate or schedule time to learn more about specific opportunities. This provides employees the chance to be social with their colleagues while engaging with the community.
  • Ask a Consultant event: Volunteers from your business make themselves available to provide arts organizations with advice in specific areas (e.g. marketing, finance, HR, IT).
  • Volunteers can provide consulting to multiple arts organizations at one event; arts organizations that need more in-depth assistance can be referred to ABC/NY to be matched with a dedicated volunteer. Employees have the chance to network with their colleagues and the community while utilizing and enhancing their business skills.
  • Employee art show: Employee art shows offer businesses an opportunity to discover, recognize, and celebrate the hidden creative talents of employees and enhance the work environment.

Bring the arts into the workplace or your employees to the arts

By bringing artists and the arts into the workplace, businesses can train employees in management skills, show their appreciation of the non-work-related accomplishments of every individual, and spark a new dynamic of interaction among employees which frequently leads to new dialogues, team building and new levels of creativity in the workplace.

  • Arts-based training: Artists create training programs around workplace topics including creative thinking and innovation, which help to build teamwork and facilitate communication.
  • Build a performing arts group: Host an employee volunteer rock band, jazz band chorus, a cappella group at a company meeting or event to show-off the creative talents of your employees.
  • Battle of the bands: Have your employees demonstrate their musical skills when they compete against their colleagues in a battle of the bands to build team spirit and collaboration.
  • Business Backstage: give your employees an opportunity to go behind the scenes and get an insider’s view of a local cultural event, including a presentation by an expert and a reception at the hosting arts organization to better connect them to the community.