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ANDAZ ALIGNS WITH CULTURAL INSIDERS AND CREATES VIRTUAL SALON TO SPARK INSPIRATION AMONG TRAVELERS AND LOCALS
Andaz Salon Series Evolves with New Collaborations, Events and an Online Destination

CHICAGO (December 11, 2012) – To continue tapping into the cultural interests of its guests and neighborhood residents, Andaz announced today the next phase of the Andaz Salon series – a collaboration with The FLAG Art Foundation and the launch of a virtual Andaz Salon venue to connect and inspire creative minds. The Andaz Salon, which takes place at all nine Andaz properties around the world, delivers an occasion for guests and neighbors to mingle and engage in cultural discussions with the guidance of a unique and locally relevant host. Now, with the newly launched Andaz Salon website, new alliances with The FLAG Art Foundation as well as travel media brand AFAR Media, and a fresh calendar of on-property events, Andaz Salon will bring creative inspiration to even more culturally-savvy travelers.

Andaz Salon Cultural Insiders

Stephanie Roach is director of The FLAG Art Foundation, which is a New York-based visual arts not-for-profit organization that encourages the appreciation of contemporary art among a diverse audience. Roach will serve as the Andaz brand’s first Cultural Insider by hosting Andaz Salon events at Andaz West Hollywood and Andaz 5th Avenue and by contributing content to AndazSalon.com.            

“The role of our Cultural Insiders is to provide an authentic look at cultural happenings around the world, particularly in the markets where Andaz hotels are located. All of our Cultural Insiders bring so much to their respective industries and have a unique point of view in a variety of mediums,” said Sara Kearney, senior vice president of brands for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. “Extending and celebrating local culture in an authentic way is the heart of Andaz, and our Cultural Insiders offer another way to demonstrate that commitment. The FLAG Art Foundation shares our vision for making culture more accessible, and we are excited to expose our guests to its mission, which aligns so closely with what the Andaz Salon is all about.”

While Roach’s expertise is in visual arts, through Andaz Salon events and the Salon website, she will share her unique perspective on a variety of subjects – from finding inspiration in her local neighborhood to her favorite picks in fashion, music, dining, literature and more.

“As The FLAG Art Foundation continues to use unconventional methods to support emerging talent and make contemporary art accessible to a diverse audience, the Andaz brand uses culture as a point of connection between its guests and neighbors,” said Stephanie Roach, director of The FLAG Art Foundation. “It’s at this intersection that a unique relationship has formed. When two like-minded organizations come together, great things can happen.”

Andaz Salon Creates a Virtual Venue

To stay connected with guests before, during and after their stay, the Andaz Salon website will offer a platform for discussion about art, culture, music, fashion and film. The site’s content will highlight each Cultural Insider’s observations and insights into the world they know best, allowing users to get an inside look into industries that pique their interest, while also encouraging them to interact, share and learn in a creative setting. The site will also showcase the charm and uniqueness of each neighborhood where Andaz hotels are located.

AFAR Media, a multi-platform travel media brand that inspires and guides those who travel the world, will also provide content to AndazSalon.com to further bring the spirit of Andaz’s local communities to life online. Additionally, the site will highlight upcoming Andaz Salon events so guests and neighbors of Andaz properties have the full schedule right at their fingertips.

Highlights of upcoming and previous on-property Andaz Salon events include:

  • December 12: Andaz 5th Avenue welcomes back iconic tattoo and graffiti artist Mister Cartoon who will serve as the hotel’s “Tattoo Artist in Residence,” offering guests the chance to bypass the extensive waiting list to be inked by one of the world’s most sought-after tattoo artists.
  • December 18: Andaz West Hollywood will present The FLAG Art Foundation’s first Salon event as an Andaz Cultural Insider. Stephanie Roach will discuss perspectives on contemporary art while exploring the work of LA-based artist Lesley Vance with the artist herself and others who know her work well.
  • Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht recently worked with Dutch arts organization Capital A to celebrate the opening of Amsterdam Art Weekend by providing presentations of its unique video-art collection (the largest of any hotel) curated by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders.

To join the conversation with Andaz Salon Cultural Insiders or to learn more about Andaz and view the full calendar of Andaz Salon events happening in each location, visit AndazSalon.com.

About Andaz

Global in scale while local in perspective, Hyatt’s Andaz brand delivers an innovative hospitality experience and attentive, uncomplicated service designed to accommodate guests’ personal preferences. Hotels in this collection reflect the unique cultural scene and spirit of the surrounding neighborhood through their Andaz Salon events and are dedicated to creating natural and vibrant living spaces where travelers can indulge in their own personal sense of comfort and style. Nine Andaz hotels are currently open: USA - Andaz 5th Avenue and Andaz Wall Street in New York, Andaz San Diego, Andaz West Hollywood, Andaz Napa, and Andaz Savannah; Andaz Liverpool Street in London; Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht; and Andaz Shanghai. For more information, please visit www.andaz.com

About The FLAG Art Foundation

The FLAG Art Foundation is an exhibition space for contemporary art. Their programming includes three to five professionally-curated shows per year, each consisting of works by established and emerging international artists. FLAG is located on the 9th and 10th floors of the Chelsea Arts Tower, in the heart of New York’s art district on 25th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues. Their objective is to encourage the appreciation of contemporary art among a diverse audience. FLAG provides a unique educational environment in which visitors can view, contemplate, and engage in active dialogue with the artworks. Curators select and borrow from a variety of sources to include a wide range of work in each exhibition. FLAG is also a resource that facilitates loans of contemporary artworks to museums around the world.

About AFAR Media

AFAR is the multi-platform travel media brand that inspires and guides those who travel the world to connect with its people, experience their cultures, and understand their perspectives. Headquartered in San Francisco, with an office in New York City, the company launched in 2009. Its platforms include the award-winning AFAR magazine, AFAR.com, the AFAR mobile app, the not-for-profit AFAR Foundation and immersive travel series AFAR Experiences.

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For further information:

Jamie Rothfeld
+1 312 780 6070
jamie.rothfeld@hyatt.com