Sticky Together

Sydney Morning Herald

Tuesday October 14, 2003

By Perrie Croshaw

Walking on hot coals? Abseiling? Try an easier bonding method.

Thinking about rewarding your staff by boosting their creativity and sense of wellbeing while at the same time inviting them to have fun?

Not all team-building exercises involve building rafts, abseiling, trekking through swamplands or whitewater rafting. Some activities are designed to stimulate the mind rather than the adrenal glands and many employers are turning towards these sorts of activities to give their staff a new creative boost.

Artescape

St Leonards

Jackson Pollack did it and we loved it. Now you can do it, too - dribble, splatter, spray, pound, smear, spread or dab paint onto a canvas. (And the more of these techniques you use, the better the result.)

Artescape is a creative development of artist Donna Rankin, who believes that life tension and pressures can be released by painting away the problems.

Participants don white coveralls, booties and protective eyewear and are given canvases, acrylic paints and a selection of painting tools - no paintbrushes - that range from Barbie dolls, flyswatters, chains, whips, potato mashers and eggs. Then they are let loose for two hours in the painting studio, where the more mess they make the better the place looks.

No artistic skill is required but many participants are surprised by their results.

One person who has experienced most team-building exercises available in the marketplace is Kathy Juleff, executive assistant to the managing director of Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. She says that Artescape was one of the funniest days in her life and it "was the most fun team-building activity we've ever done".

The aim is to encourage staff to relax and have fun together, while at the same time draw out of the participants that "ah-ha" experience that encourages creativity. The "painters" get to keep their works to remind them of their experience.

Simon Pearce, managing director at Burson-Marsteller, says: "We incorporated Artescape into our third-quarter business review. We were looking for a fun 'break the mould' experience that would inspire our staff in what was a difficult economic climate.

"Three months on and we still have at least a dozen paintings displayed in offices and workspaces. Needless to say, the Artescape experience has had longevity with our group and continues to inspire us to be creative and think out-of-the-box."

Although the group activity is designed for about 15 people a session, the studio can accommodate up to 70 people and has been used most recently by a cosmetic company for the launch of a new product.

For information about prices, special packages and catering, phone 1300 304 100 or visit www.artescape.com.au

Bandusia Country Retreat

St Albans, Hawkesbury region

Bandusia is well known for the adrenaline-producing activities that make best use of the Hawkesbury escarpment, which provides the dramatic backdrop to this 41/2-star retreat.

Managers Drew and Kerrie Mitchell have added some "quieter" team-building activities for corporate groups. That is, if you can call four workmates cooking up a storm in the retreat's kitchen a quieter activity.

Never thought of the kitchen as a venue for team building?

Drew says: "In our corporate cooking classes, we turn your team dinner into a great cooking class with leading chef Chris Chandler from the Sydney Seafood Cooking School. This is very popular, educational and fun, especially for the singles in the team.

"Even learning how to make a real Italian pizza brings the team together in a delightful, satisfying way.

"If you are here for two nights, you have a relaxed dinner - maybe a barbecue poolside - on the first night to get everyone together. That's when we can include a karaoke experience."

There's nothing like singing to break down barriers.

"A team that sings together stays together," says Drew. "It's a great way to get the party going. You can do anything in a team once you have all sung together. This is a huge fun way of closing out your team dinner on your first night."

On the second night of your corporate stay, the team breaks into groups of four to make each course for dinner: say an entree of bruschetta or aubergine cannelloni, a main of chicken Toscana and then a mouth-watering dessert.

"There's nothing outrageously skilful," says Drew. "It's really a great way of having a team dinner and often gives women team members a more dominant way of expressing themselves."

The cost of the corporate cooking class is $66 a head. The karaoke facilities are available for $110 a night. Conference packages start at $365 a person sole occupancy or $245 a person twin share.

For more information phone 4568 2036 or visit www.bandusia.com.au