Art education for law firm staff

BOSSES at law firm Beachcroft have decided to educate staff in highbrow culture, and are offering to send them on an art appreciation course.

The firm has joined forces with Manchester Art Gallery to create the bespoke six-month course, which will focus on the development of paintings from the 16th century onward.

The programme is open to all Beachcroft employees and so far 30 of the 120 staff in Manchester have attended the first three sessions. It is part of a social responsibility programme that will also include lectures and guided tours.
 
Lesley Hughes, partner at Beachcroft and chair of the firm’s arts committee, said the firm wanted to offer staff “of a more artistic persuasion” an outlet.

She said: “We have such a wealth of art and culture here in Manchester that it seemed appropriate for us to try and run an arts appreciation course. We asked the gallery to do something it hadn’t done before and together we were able to put together a programme which has proved enormously popular.”

Chris Whitfield, development manager at Manchester Art Gallery, said the affiliation tied in with the gallery’s well-being agenda.

“[It ] is based on the understanding that visiting an art gallery can reduce stress levels. We have been keen to develop stress busting initiatives by encouraging people to visit the gallery in the hope of helping to ease the tensions of everyday life.”