“It instantly gives people something to talk about when they visit other than telecom. Not that we don’t love what we do…but it can get monotonous. The color and the art give a reminder that we are trying to do it our own way and break some traditional stereotypes…not unlike many other start-ups or companies re-locating to Detroit looking for something different,” says CEO Mark Stackpoole.
In order to make things a little more exciting, Stackpoole and the GTS team ranked the artists. The top three artists, as voted by the staff, were Graffiti Artists Sintex, TEAD, and Fel3000Ft, whose art is featured on the first three entrance doors.
The art brings Detroit energy inside the building and creates a friendly and open tone. “It is definitely a work in process. We have plans to expand, and perhaps bring more art into larger walls of the interior, as we activate more of our space. We also thought about doing something on the exterior on one wall, that would be kid-friendly/inspirational since we are across the street from a school, but that is to be continued,” says Stackpoole.
“Try it out. Start small…maybe one wall or area, and see how it is received by staff and clientele. Most of these artists are visible on social media and are approachable for commissionable work,” says Stackpoole.
Generating a connection between the existing community and a new business in Detroit, and any other growing region, is vital to keep the culture alive and to create the new Detroit that we are dreaming of.
“Dare to be different!”