When the Narragansett Improvement Co. was planning its annual safety-training meeting for employees, Christopher Beauchamp, a superintendent at the Providence business, came up with an unusual idea for a location, one his bosses readily supported.
“We wanted to get a new venue, to give people a fresher perspective, if you will,” Beauchamp said. “We thought it would be interesting for our workers to see something a little bit unique.”
Aware that many of the company’s 100 workers are union members, Beauchamp suggested that the Museum of Work & Culture at Market Square in Woonsocket could host the March 28 dinner.
Narragansett Improvement is a family-owned, asphalt-paving company, in business more than 115 years. In the past, it has held its annual safety dinner at banquet halls in such places as Rehoboth and Seekonk, according to Beauchamp. This year, workers will receive a guided tour of the museum in the morning, enjoy brunch at a nearby restaurant and then gather for the safety-training session in the afternoon in an event that also will include door prizes and raffles.
“Over the years, we have had more of these types of businesses utilizing the museum as a meeting venue,” said Anne Conway, co-director.
The same is true at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art in Providence, particularly since the Chace Center expansion opened last year, according to Suzanne Fortier, director of museum development. Holding a corporate meeting at the museum “is a wonderful way to show off the cultural riches of Providence,” said Fortier, noting that participants in out-of-town conventions particularly enjoy the experience.
Besides adding a 210-seat auditorium, lecture halls, board rooms and more gallery space to the venerable museum, the Chace Center relocated the front door from a basement-level entry on Benefit Street to a prominent spot on North Main Street downtown, a move that Fortier said has improved the museum’s general visibility and “encourages more people to come here.”
Fortier says several major corporations that have held meetings for employees at the RISD museum in recent months, including Hasbro and Amica Insurance, which have headquarters in Pawtucket and Lincoln, respectively. Marketing employees taking part in “brainstorming sessions,” she said, “were inspired by the artwork right outside the door [of the meeting room].” Being in the presence of so much exceptional artwork “helped them think out of the box a little bit,” Fortier suggested.
A meeting hall, replicating an International Textile Union gathering place from decades ago, can seat up to 100 people in a theater-type setting, Conway said. A stage provides a platform for musicians or other performers. Docents are available to provide tours and some companies have brought in caterers for their events, she noted.
At a time when companies are looking to reduce the cost of corporate outings, reserving a meeting place like the Museum of Work & Culture can be “extremely affordable,” Conway said, depending on the number of attendees at an event and how long it will last. For example, for up to 50 people, the International Textile Union Hall can be reserved for two hours for $150 during the day and $250 at night, with an extra $3 fee per person for museum tours (a discount from the usual $7 admission fee).
At the RISD museum, corporate events are held right inside some of the art galleries, although food and drink are strictly prohibited in other sections. The gallery setting allows attendees to appreciate the artwork on display, but Fortier said guided tours with docents also are available for corporate events. The museum has a permanent collection of 84,000 objects, ranging from modern art to Renaissance paintings and classical pieces from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome.
Only companies that are corporate partners with the museum can reserve the space. Partnerships cost $1,000 for a small business, $2,500 for a corporate member and $5,000 for a corporate contributor. Each level of partnership comes with a different set of benefits, including family passes to the museum and customized private tours. Companies at all three levels may host special evening events when the museum is closed.
An additional fee is charged for use of the museum on top of the partnership cost, but Fortier was reluctant to be specific about how much the extra fee might be. She said it depends on such individual factors as the space requested and the nature of the event. The fee “is not prohibitive,” Fortier said. “We are not making a lot of money on this.” •
