Company: BNIM Architects
Headquarters: Kansas City, Missouri
Industry: Architecture
Company Size: Midsize

"The arts offer an endless source for dialogue and help to shape our ideas and physical spaces. Our firm is privileged to provide venues for artists and their ideas.  We get great joy watching people connect with the arts."
                – Steve McDowell, Principal

Objectives
To contribute to the revitalization of downtown Kansas City making it a better place to live, work and do business, to showcase local talent and creativity, to enliven and beautify the streets surrounding its building, and to provide an opportunity for the public to connect with the arts.

Process

• BNIM has devoted 10 ground-level windows of its downtown Kansas City building to showcase the work of local artists, employee art, student works and organizations such as the Kansas City Ballet, the Mattie Rhodes Center and the Kansas City Art Institute.
• To coincide with the First Friday and Third Friday gallery openings throughout downtown, the Firm hosts Meet the Artist receptions for the artists whose works are shown in the windows. The Firm also advertises the program to raise awareness and to notify the art community of upcoming display opportunities.
• The program – 10 at BNIM – is managed by employee volunteers who scout the community for artists, arts organizations and events for the windows and manage the window schedule.

Results
10 at BNIM sets BNIM Architects apart from its competition, establishes the Firm's strong connection to the arts and fosters creativity and interaction among employees. In 2005, BNIM received the Kansas City Business Committee for the Arts Partnership Award to recognize its innovative partnership with the arts that benefits the community.

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