Can a sculpture really pay for itself?
I recently shared a blog about maximising your sculpture’s potential. In the blog I share how sculptures have the potential to be more than just a static art piece. I talk about a sculpture being a way to bring community together, to tell a story, and to generate conversation. And I also talk about them being an investment for your business and community.
That’s right, it’s an investment to commission a sculpture! It can seem expensive, but whilst there is an initial outlay, a sculpture can also generate publicity and income for your business and ultimately, pay for itself. That’s why I wanted to write a second part to that blog and focus a little more on a sculpture’s Return On Investment…
WHAT IS RETURN ON INVESTMENT?
Before I go any further, let’s just take a couple of minutes to chat about Return On Investment (ROI).
ROI is sometimes also referred to as Return On Costs, and it’s basically a ratio that compares how much you paid for an investment to how much you earned. It’s the way that businesses measure the efficiency of an investment and a high ROI means the gain is favourable compared with the cost.
SCULPTURES FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
I often talk about Sculpture Trails as being a great investment, and really, their benefit is clear. They give people a reason to visit your attraction and increase the amount of time they spend there. However, today I want to highlight the significant role sculptures can play in enhancing the hospitality industry.
Sculptures encourage engagement and interaction. This interaction can lead to increased social media sharing which further promotes the attraction. In fact, one couple was able to sell their property because of the publicity generated from a Batman sculpture they commissioned!
But back to hospitality…
STEAK OF THE ART
In the past my team and I have created sculptures for a small group of restaurants called Steak Of The Art. The sculptures are based on literary themes, one on Alice in Wonderland and one on Charlie and the Chocolate factory (photo above). The aren’t just standalone sculptures though. Rather, the sculptures form booths with a table to seat six people. The characters emerge from the walls around you which gives an immersive experience while enjoying quality food.
The restaurant regularly gets people booking those specific booths, which clearly shows the value added to their restaurant by sculptures, and the all important return on investment.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
The same return on investment can apply to tourist attractions. A great example of this is the Giant Hand of Vyrnwy, where people travel to Vyrnwy specifically to see the hand. In fact, the reason we created the map of my sculptures in the UK is because we get so many people asking where they can go and see them! Commissioning a sculpture isn’t a dead end spend, it’s an investment that will continue to generate public interaction and gets people talking.
NEXT STEPS
So where would you begin if you wanted to commission a sculpture that would provide great return on investment?
Well, a trail is always going to be of benefit to your business, but there are some more creative and immersive ideas we discuss. There are so many possibilities for installations in hotel rooms, bars, and restaurants.
Booths, tables, benches, a whole feature wall… Even a reception space could become an incredible experience rather than just a functional space.
Sometimes it will be all about telling a story and bringing out the history of a place (for example, my King Charles II sculpture), but sometimes you’ll want to go for something novel.
Whatever direction you want to go in, if you’re ready to explore how a sculpture can enhance your business get in touch via www.treecarving.co.uk/contact and we can chat through some ideas. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Until then, I leave you with the timelapse of my Alice Booth at Steak of the Art, Bristol.