Benjamin Wolff

In 1993 Xerox PARC created PAIR, a unique artist-in-residence program. As we look to an AI-mediated future, the lessons from that experiment are more important than ever.

Hiring is risky. But in an era of exponentially rapid change, the real danger is playing it safe. Those with a background in the arts represent a valuable and untapped source of talent.

Artistry and craft are the foundation of MycoWorks, a biomaterials company partnering with some of today’s leading fashion brands. According to its artist-founders, Phil Ross and Sophia Wang, these core values lend them a competitive edge in a high-tech industry.

On November 8, California voters passed Proposition 28, an act that guarantees 1% of the K-12 budget go towards arts and music education. With almost no opposition, the success of this effort shows that the public is ahead of its leaders when it comes to valuing the arts.

The next generation of virtual worlds must focus on our shared humanity. That’s why EY’s Cognitive Human Enterprise and the New Museum’s NEW INC are bringing together artists and engineers to imagine a different kind of metaverse.

With an innovative residency program at Ginkgo Bioworks, artists are helping to shape the future of synthetic biology.

A nearly ten year commitment to bringing the arts in-house is giving Thoughtworks a unique perspective on the value of pairing artists with engineers.

The French painter Henri Matisse created his most joyful images while incapacitated and bedridden for the last decade of his life. In a time of pandemic, he can teach us how flights of imagination overcome deprivation, and how we can find strength in solitude.

The Art Students League is now offering a full roster of online classes because of the current pandemic. For an institution that prizes the tactile experience and person-to-person interaction, this rapid shift to online learning has revealed challenges and opportunities.

"I wanted to start a network that showed the world, but especially corporate America, the value of studying the arts and the power of having an arts background."