Artsy business: integrating arts and culture with international trade.

• Author: Joyner, Amy
• Position: Montana World Trade Center - Related Article: Pacific trade partnerships sought

Editor's note: The paintings pictured in this article are by artists who are part of the American West exhibit. Their work has been displayed at MWTC gatherings in Ireland, England, New Zealand, and Australia.

Geoff Sutton has always known that art opens hearts and minds. After trips across both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans this year, he now knows that art also opens doors to international trade.

"It is difficult to find products to export from the Rocky Mountain region in general," Sutton noted in an interview after returning from his third trade visit to Ireland. "Montana is a very culturally rich area. We have a plethora of the arts."

In October 2002, Sutton sold his Missoula art gallery and joined the Montana World Trade Center as a consultant on fine art from the Rocky Mountain West. His position is partially funded through the U.S. Department of Commerce Market Development Cooperator Program.

His assignment: to integrate arts and culture with MWTC's development of international trade.

The Montana World Trade Center is a nonprofit organization that helps businesses establish and strengthen their international commercial capabilities. The Center develops untapped international trade opportunities, then works with businesses to capitalize on those opportunities.

Since joining MWTC, Sutton has traveled to ireland, England, New Zealand, and Australia, as has Fraser McLeay, the Trade Center's senior manager. Their initial visits to Ireland--McLeay traveled in April 2002 and Sutton in October--provided a preliminary assessment of potential European markets for Montana and regional businesses.

McLeay explained: "We were trying to identify their industry sectors for our products and services in Ireland. There are a large number of art galleries. So, we chose art." The resulting list of art exhibits is part of MWTC's work to generate trade relations between Ireland and companies from the Rocky Mountain region.

Subsequent trade missions to Dublin in July and September each began with an artists' reception at a prominent location, rich in cultural esteem. The premiere events welcomed business, government, and cultural leaders and acquainted them with contemporary Western art, while beginning conversations that could lead to new business agreements.

In July, a delegation of companies, accompanied by staff from MWTC and U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg's office, participated in a trade mission to Dublin, which has resulted in roughly $2 million in sales, including numerous pieces of regional artwork.

"It's a very innovative way of introducing new products and services to a new environment," McLeay said. "These countries value their artists. Our exploratory visit showed that art and industry made sense in Ireland. People really see Montana and regional art as something that is unique. It really creates an interest."

During the initial search for a venue to house an art exhibit, the Irish were skeptical, Sutton found. "I knocked on a lot of doors, visited galleries and Irish cultural centers. I got rejected time after time," he said. A break came when he met with Barry O'Kelly, cultural attache for the Bank of Ireland in Dublin. O'Kelly signed on when he saw Sutton's portfolio containing the work of 24 Rocky Mountain artists, 12 men and 12 women.

The Bank of Ireland Cultural Center agreed to host an exhibition during a trade mission to Dublin held June 28 through July 4. Representatives from three businesses went on the trip, while McLeay hand-carried promotional information from seven other companies.

This type of trade mission is affordable for many businesses interested in reaching new markets, McLeay said.

For about $100, some marketing materials and samples to send to Ireland, a company learns exporting basics, he said. "They are getting a lot for that little bit of money, and the end aim is to put businesses in a position so that they have larger accounts in Ireland and Europe, and can handle the export process themselves."

Officials at the Montana World Trade Center do the legwork, and for very little money a company can test the performance of their product in a foreign market. In July, the test market included the art brought by Sutton. Seventy...