The 29th Arts & Business Awards were announced last week, and showcased some 45 shortlisted collaborations between arts organisations and businesses across the UK.
One of the shortlisted collaborations was an unlikely relationship between Microsoft Research and Flour, who describe themselves as a “fabulously eccentric art and design studio”. Flour is the baby of Brazilian born, London based Fabiane Perrella, who wanted to give something back to her homeland, and thought a larger than life art project that melded technology, photography and design and empowered disadvantaged children in Brazil could be the answer. Fortuitously she met Microsoft Research as they were looking for art projects to get involved with, which gave her the much needed funding, in exchange for an exhibition at their offices, and some community programmes. The result was Manual Colourido, a unique art project involving 300 street children in Brazilian favelas. It was anything but a simple sponsorship arrangement: The project helped to engage and build community locally and internationally through art, widening debate about culture, diversity and internationalism.
