Business to Arts

Business to Arts is the leading body in Ireland concerned with developing creative partnerships between the arts and business communities. Established in 1988 under the name Cothu, the organisation is currently celebrating its twentieth anniversary.

Charitable contributions by business form the primary source of funding for Business to Arts together with some funding from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. Department funding is directed specifically towards facilitation of a skills training programme for arts professionals.

The Allianz Business to Arts Awards

Each the year the organisation arranges the "Allianz Business to Arts Awards" which celebrate a range of relationships between the two communities. In 2008 the combined value of the 89 nominations receoved for the Awards was approximately €6 million cash and in-kind investment by businesses around Ireland.

The 2008 winners were [Allianz Business to Arts Awards Winners Brochure http://www.businesstoarts.ie/PDFs/Winners_Brochure.pdf] :

Corporate Social (Cultural) Responsibility Award
* Dublin Port Company & Fire Station Artists Studios

Best Sponsorship of an Event
* Ulster Bank Ireland & Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival

Best Sponsorship by a Small to Medium Enterprise
* Clem Jacob Hire & Red Kettle Theatre Company

Best Use of Creativity by a Business
* Accenture with arcana & Boz Temple Morris

Jim McNaughton Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice
* Behaviour & Attitudes & Graphic Studio Dublin

Jim McNaughton / TileStyle Bursary for Commissioned Artists
* Alva Gallagher commissioned by Beacon Medical Group

Best Arts Champion
* Ray Yeates, axis Arts Centre nominated by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd

Judge's Special Recognition Award
* AIB & Rough Magic Theatre Company

Dublin Airport Authority €5,000 Arts Award
* Monster Truck Gallery & Studios

Advocacy

Business to Arts is committed to increasing private investment in arts and culture and, as part of this objective, has publicly stated a number of policy initiatives for consideration in partnership with Government. [Irish Times, Monday 7th April "Minister Business is Playing its Part, http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2008/0407/1207500371439.html]
* The establishment of a role specifically aimed at developing philanthropic investment in the arts, initially supported by public funding but with reduced reliance on the public purse over three years as expertise in philanthropy and associated income increases
* A scheme of leveraged funding in which Government established a grant-based incentive/reward to encourage arts organisations to actively seek new income streams, while enabling businesses to achieve more "bang for their buck" in sponsorship terms
* Establishing a public-private partnership strategy for capacity building for the key role of Development Manager in the arts and culture sector to enable more effective relationships with business.

10,000 to 50: Contemporary Art from the Members of Business to Arts

In 2008 Business to Arts collaborated with the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) to create "10,000 to 50: Contemporary Art from the Members of Business to Arts" [IMMA Recent Exhibitions http://www.imma.ie/en/page_170639.htm] . This exhibition provided a view of the support of contemporary art in Ireland over recent decades by corporate and organisational bodies grouped by their membership of Business to Arts. The exhibition, held between May and early August 2008 attracted over 130,000 visitors.

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