I haven’t done any travelling since August but soon that’s about to change with several trips planned which I’ll be writing about in future posts. What I love about stopovers be it for a few hours or so is how airport terminals are becoming the perfect place to showcase art.

Hubs around the world are using art to create a sense of place which can be enjoyed not only by travellers but by airport staff as well.

This year Skytrax’s awards for the Top 10 Airports voted for by airport customers from across the world went to:

Singapore Changi

Tokyo Haneda

Seoul Incheon

Doha Hamad

Hong Kong

Centrair Nagoya

Munich

London Heathrow

Tokyo Narita

Zurich

OK so let’s face it, air travel is not the equivalent to a trip to the spa for you ladies and now gents out there. Travelling is stressful and Art can and is filling that space. Art combats frustration and stress. Art acts as an intervention to comfort, distract, and entertain anxious travellers. Art can provide a welcome distraction for those with delays or those waiting in an endless security line. An Art exhibition gives travellers time and space to unwind. Also Exhibitions are a gateway to local culture and serve as both a welcome and farewell to the community in which they reside. By exhibiting local art, airports give a taste of what lies outside those arrivals' doors. Installations provide a way of finding.

It doesn't matter if an airport is a small county operation or an international hub, it will always have overwhelmed travellers. Art helps travellers navigate the maze of an airport. A hurried flier may recognize a sculpture next to the terminal entrance that reminds them that their gate is just a few strides away. Also Artwork can be a valuable marketing tool. Chances are that the majority of travellers have social sharing apps like my favourite, Instagram installed on their phones and that they’re on the app while waiting in the terminals, in line at the food court, or parked at the baggage carousel. Art gives those glued to their phones a subject matter to share and post.

Boarding gate announcement, let’s go, calling for more Art in airports!