At first glance, technology and the arts may seem to require different skillsets, one relying on left-brain logic and facts, and the other relying on right brain creativity and imagination. Ask Chris Dornfeld, Arts and Education Council board member and former President and Co-founder of tech startup, Bonfyre, however, and he’ll tell you the two couldn’t be more interconnected.

“I think there’s a huge intersect between art and technology because you’re building and creating things. Although you’re doing things with rules and structure, it’s still a creative process,” explained Dornfeld. “If you study innovation, you realize exposure to all sorts of different ideas and different things is what enables us to be innovative.”

This belief is one reason that Dornfeld and his team decided to partner with A&E and hold a workplace giving campaign this fall.

Admittedly, Dornfeld was a little hesitant to hold the campaign, simply because of the size and age of Bonfyre in comparison to the larger companies that participate each year. Dornfeld decided to give the campaign a try, though, and he couldn’t be happier with his decision. 

“[Our workplace giving campaign]is a great way for us to expose A&E and what it does and its incredibly important mission of supporting arts and creativity in the community. In the startup world, it can help not only deliver the message to the corporate community, but the arts are also a really important component to attract talent to our region. The arts are critical to have as a tool of economic development; we have to have a vibrant arts and creative scene.”

To kick off their campaign, Bonfyre employees participated in a community art project, in which each member was responsible for painting a one-foot by one-foot square that would later be used in a complete representation of Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night.

Dornfeld notes that some team members, particularly those with artistic backgrounds, took to the project more easily than others, but that in the end, it turned out better than they could have expected.

“I think it was a really fun team-building exercise and honestly created a really beautiful piece of artwork that we all created together,” said Dornfeld. “It’s sort of a permanent memory of our collaboration, which I think is also special and pretty cool, and we raised a bunch of money,” he added with a smile.

Click here  to start your own workplace giving campaign.

To learn more about the arts and our creative economy, check out A&E President and CEO Cynthia Prost on CBS St. Louis’ C-Speak podcast here