The Pfister Hotel’s artist-in-residence program was featured in HotelNewsNow. Read about how the Pfister’s artist-in-residence adds to the guest experience here!

REPORT FROM THE U.S.—For the most part, the “artists-in-residence” at The Pfister Hotel, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, don’t actually reside on property; that’s because they’ve been almost entirely locals from the Milwaukee area.

But the artists certainly make themselves at home during their yearlong residency.

In fact, each artist becomes so intimate with the hotel and its art collection—84 works on display, and between 10 and 15 other pieces in vaults—that they give tours to guests.

That highlights a trend at some hotels with artists-in-residence programs: The art is just the first of a few focuses.

“I look at the artists as actually being another associate of the hotel—another sales person, another security guard, another concierge, quite frankly,” The Pfister’s GM Tim Smith said.

“Lots of times, guests will walk into the gallery before they do the lobby of the hotel, and they’ll ask questions. … I have another associate with me for the entire year who can further benefit the customer experience at the hotel,” Smith added. “The artists integrate themselves very easily. They mingle with staff. A lot will do paintings of staff members. It becomes a pretty cool relationship over a 50- to 51-week timeframe.”