Arts & Business News - Central

South West Cultural Champions: Celebrating those who give to the arts - Arts & Business

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What do a business man from Bath, a celebrated playwright and a Bristol fireman all have in common?

They, amongst others, have all been successfully nominated by arts organisations to be recipients of Arts & Business Cultural Champions awards.

On Friday 2 March 2012 we will be celebrating Cultural Champions at a special invitation-only reception hosted by Don Foster MP at The Holburne Museum in Bath.

Recipients on the day will be:

Gordon Mitchell Create Gloucestershire

Catherine Johnson Myrtle Theatre Company

Vanessa Stevenson  Bristol Old Vic

Tony Greenfield New Devon Opera

Julian Thomas Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory

Penny Horne  Somerset Art Works

Chris Luffingham Studio Upstairs

Gitte Dawson Sustrans Ltd

Lady Evelyn Strasburger  Bath Festivals

Isabel Aimee The Art Tree

Brian Roper MBE The Holburne Museum

Adrian Mantle  Tobacco Factory Theatre

Dr John Savage CBE Bristol Cultural Development Partnership

Andrew Brownsword Bath Preservation Trust

Phyllis Dickinson  Thelma Hulbert Gallery

Andrew Fletcher Theatre Royal Bath and the egg

Arts & Business believe that it is essential that we celebrate the work of people like these, who play a vital role supporting the cultural sector across the country.

For this reason we created our Cultural Champions initiative to publicly acknowledge the tremendous value such people bring to the arts and to encourage others to get involved. We hold a number of local prestigious events each year, with a Government Minister or VIP as guest of honour, to celebrate our Cultural Champions.

These events provide an opportunity to thank those who are making the most difference to the arts, and highlight their stories to inspire others.

Celebrate your fantastic arts and business collaborations at the 33rd Arts & Business Awards - Arts & Business

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Nominations are now open for these awards that showcase the very best of innovative business brands in the UK who work alongside culture

If your business or organisation is getting results from a cultural partnership and you want to shout about it then enter the 33rd Arts & Business Awards.

This year's categories:

• A&B Corporate Responsibility Award

• A&B Innovation Award

• A&B Long-term Partnership Award

• A&B Sponsorship Award

• A&B Volunteering and People Development Award

Past winners include, Sky Arts, HSBC, Ekspan, Travelex, Siemens PLC and Classic FM, who have all been recognised for their innovative cultural programmes. Programmes that support local communities and brought growth in their business through by developing staff or increasing their profile.

The shortlist and winners will be businesses who the judges believe invest in partnerships with cultural organisations in valuable and impactful ways. We are highlighting the benefits the partnerships bring through corporate responsibility, innovation, sponsorship, staff retention and training and long-term investment.

The winners will be announced at an invitation only event mid-March in London (details to be confirmed on a later date).

Key dates:

Closing date for nominations 5pm, Friday 30 March 2012

Shortlist late early May 2012

Winners announced at invitation only ceremony at Central St Martin's, Kings Cross, London on Tuesday 22 May 2012

Sponsors:

Media partner:

Judging day hosts:

Plus one! Google searches out culture and joins Arts & Business as newest Principal Member - Arts & Business

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

People are consuming and connecting with culture online like never before. That is why we are delighted that Google (recently voted the number 1 brand in the UK) has become our most recent Principal Member.

Google has recently announced a number of partnershipswith cultural bodies, in particular with Bletchley Park and the Science Museum. Google executive Simon Meacham has been supporting Bletchley Park's fundraising efforts and last year helped the Trust to purchase Alan Turing's papers. Peter Barron, head of external relations for Google in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: "I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that without Alan Turing, Google in the form we know it would not exist.”

Google and the Science Museum have also announced that the Museum will use a gift from Google to fund an exhibition in 2012 marking the centenary of Alan Turing’s birth and a new permanent display, Making Modern Communications, that will explore the history of information and communication technologies and is scheduled to open in Summer 2014.

Google has also been at the forefront of increasing awareness of the possibilities of digital marketing for arts and heritage bodies. The Let’s Get Real campaign in conjunction with Culture 24 was the start of an undertaking to bring the arts and the internet closer together. As part of Arts & Business’ joint work Google will be hosting a special day linking macro digital themes alongside practical issues around Adwords, Places, G and Google Grants - all looking to build audiences and funding streams for our arts partners.

Celebrating those from and around London who give to the arts - Arts & Business

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

All photos: Rodrigo Orrantia

On Tuesday 31st January 2012, individuals, arts organisations, and businesses from London, Sussex, Kent, Norfolk, and Devon came together for a reception at the Foundling Museum in Holborn to celebrate cultural philanthropy and individual giving where it matters most...in the local community!

Hosted by Nick Hurd MP, the Minister for Civil Society, this was an opportunity to recognise and thank those who give so much to the arts, with their time, money and experience. The 30 Cultural Champions were acknowledged by the Minister and Arts & Business for their invaluable support, and presented with certificates.

Part of an England-wide programme, Arts & Business Cultural Champions, which began in 2010, commends those individuals and businesses who support the arts. The receptions show that philanthropy doesn’t have to be just about the well-off, but can be part of a much bigger story from all elements of society up and down the country, helping local communities through supporting the arts.

The event at the Foundling Museum kick-started our Cultural Champions Celebrations for 2012. And we're very keen to celebrate Cultural Champions from the South West, Midlands and North West so please do nominate your local arts heroes - see the righthand side for details!

"The Proof Principle"... Arts & Business help celebrate Unilever’s century of research at Port Sunlight - Arts & Business

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Bluecoat to stage first public viewing of ‘The Proof Principle’, a photography project celebrating Unilever’s century of research at Port Sunlight

In 2011 Unilever celebrated one hundred years of research and development at Port Sunlight, Wirral. To help celebrate this anniversary, the R&D laboratory commissioned photographer Colin McPherson to undertake a commemorative project to mark the year. The result was ‘The Proof Principle’, a multi-layered exhibition which combines photography, installation and a film of 'moving stills'. The photography was inspired by conversations McPherson had with staff at the R&D facility and is a response to the work of the scientists, researchers, psychologists, mathematicians and technicians at Port Sunlight.

‘The Proof Principle’ was unveiled to staff at Unilever’s Port Sunlight R&D laboratory in December 2011 and will be shown in public for the first time at the Bluecoat, Liverpool’s creative hub from 20th February until 11th March, 2012. It is the culmination of a year’s work on a commission which was originated by Unilever Port Sunlight Research & Development in conjunction with Arts & Business.

Colin McPherson said: “As an artist using photography, my work is shaped by three principles: interpreting what I discover, making a permanent record of the discovery and telling a story using the photographic image. I was delighted to have been approached by Arts & Business to undertake this commission to commemorate what is not only a significant milestone for Unilever and its staff but also for the local community and Merseyside.”

Further information about the project can be found at www.colinmcpherson.co.uk

About Colin McPherson (born 1964)
Colin McPherson was born in Edinburgh and began working professionally as a photographer in the late-1980s. His work specialises in documenting human intervention in social and natural environments as well as reportage on important ongoing political themes. His work is published internationally and he regularly shows his project work in both solo and group exhibitions. He lives with his family in Hoylake, Wirral, a few miles from the Port Sunlight facility.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch Art Conservation Project helps restore twenty art works at institutions across the Globe - Arts & Business

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

At an event at London’s Courtauld Gallery last night (31 January 2012), Bank of America Merrill Lynch announced this year’s conservation funding recipients through its unique Art Conservation Project.

This year, participating institutions span the globe from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), to Asia, Australia, Latin America and the United States. The Art Conservation Project will see the restoration of 20 art works and artifacts with important cultural and historical value from 19 countries.

Jackson Pollock
Sea Change Seattle
Courtesy: Cohn & Wolfe

The 2012 award selections for EMEA include one of Leonardo Da Vinci’s earliest manuscripts at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan; five Marc Chagall paintings at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and a collection of 1st century BC Urartian jewellery at the Rezan Has Museum in Istanbul. The programme aims to strengthen public awareness about the importance of art conservation, and the value that it holds in underpinning museum and gallery programming throughout the world.

At last night’s event, guests received a preview of the newly restored Rubens’ ‘Cain Slaying Abel’. This iconic work was restored as part of the bank’s inaugural project and will be on public display at the Courtauld Gallery, which is an international centre of expertise for conservation, from today (1 February 2012).

Introduced in 2010 in EMEA, the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Art Conservation Project is a unique programme that provides grants to nonprofit museums throughout the world to conserve historically or culturally significant works of art that are in need of restoration.

“As a company with employees and clients in more than 40 countries and 100 markets around the world, we learn every day that cultural understanding and respect are essential for economies and societies to thrive,” said Rena DeSisto, Global Arts and Culture executive at Bank of America. “We believe that understanding cultures through the arts is an important foundation for promoting innovation and tolerance in an increasingly integrated world. This programme makes real investments in the cultural treasures of many nations while at the same time helping museums with the growing cost of art conservation.”

“In these economically challenged times, and as art conservation consumes ever greater portions of tightened museum budgets, the need for private arts funding has become even
more critical,” added Ms DeSisto.

The Bank of America Merrill Lynch Art Conservation Project is an extension of the company’s global commitment to supporting the arts. Partnering with more than 5,000 arts organisations worldwide, Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s multi-faceted Arts and Culture Programme provides assistance for a wide spectrum of the arts, with an emphasis on programmes that foster greater cultural understanding.

DaDaFest wins the Lever Prize 2012 - Arts & Business

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:00:00 GMT

DaDaFest 2012, the UK’s largest Disability and Deaf Arts Festival, has scooped this year’s prestigious £10,000 Lever Prize award.

DaDa – Disability and Deaf Arts, who organise DaDaFest, became the seventh organisation to receive the annual accolade. DaDaFest will be taking place in Liverpool from 13th July – 2nd September 2012.

The Lever Prize, launched seven years ago, has successfully revived the philanthropic traditions of the industrial past, embodied by soap magnate and patron of the arts, William Lever, after whom it is named. Each year it is judged by the North West Business Leadership Team, which comprises senior representatives of the 30 largest companies, in partnership with Arts & Business North. The award is not just for arts groups, but buildings, events, festivals, libraries and archives are all eligible. In addition to the cash prize the award opens the door to a yearlong collaboration with the region’s top business leaders. A high profile example of how working with the NWBLT has benefited winners was when in 2008 the Lever Winner had a Virgin Pendolino train named after it - “Tate Liverpool”. A more practical approach was needed when 2011 Winner, The Whitworth Art Gallery, found storage provided by Manchester Airport for 15 pallets of historically significant wallpaper which would otherwise have been lost to the region.

Accepting the award, Ruth Gould, CEO of DaDa said "We are delighted the NWBLT have acknowledged the unique work DaDaFest does in representing disability and deaf culture in the North West and internationally. The award and resulting creative collaborations with NWBLT members will allow us to present an even more relevant and enticing Festival later this year.”

Geoffrey Piper, chief executive of NWBLT responded ”DaDa’s success in landing the 2012 Lever Prize is a truly outstanding achievement, having beaten off an extremely impressive range of the North West’s other well-known arts organisations to win this major accolade. The business leaders look forward to working with the DaDa team and making a real difference to this ground-breaking festival for deaf and disabled arts.”

Previous winners include Liverpool Biennial in 2006, Manchester International Festival in 2007, TATE Liverpool in 2008, The National Football Museum in 2009, FutureEverything in 2010 and The Whitworth in 2011.

2012 Catalyst Arts Consultancy Services... let us help you - Arts & Business

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Over the last few weeks, we have received a number of emails and telephone calls from arts organisations who are preparing applications for Stage Two of the Catalyst Arts fund from Arts Council England.

To help you assess the costs of organisational development to include in applications, we have prepared a summary of our bespoke consultancy services here.

If you would like a more detailed quote, the following people are available to take your call:

Philip Spedding, 07970 224472

James Taljaard, 07870 625056

Gill Bloomfield, 07870 1564576

Our services are geared towards arts organisations who want to build their internal fundraising capacity and need guidance on tools and techniques and easy access to information to kick start a fundraising strategy. Our aim is to create sustainable fundraising and development functions within arts organisations.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Jonathan Moulds Leads Campaign to Drive Investment in the Arts - Arts & Business

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:00:00 GMT

Following its merger with Business in the Community (BITC), Arts & Business, the leading charity for encouraging private sector investment in the arts, has today launched a new leadership campaign led by Jonathan Moulds, Europe president of Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Jonathan Moulds is Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s European president and the chief executive officer of Merrill Lynch International. He is also a board director of Banc of America Securities Limited, Merrill Lynch International Bank Limited and MBNA Europe Bank Limited. He is based at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s European headquarters in London.

Moulds is responsible for overseeing all of the bank's business activities in Europe. These include corporate and investment banking, sales and trading, wealth management and credit cards.

Moulds joined Bank of America in 1994. He was instrumental in building the bank's presence in over-the-counter derivatives markets and for the integration of its Chicago research and trading platform. In 1998, Moulds was appointed global head of Rates Derivative Trading and in 2001, he took over management of the Global Derivatives group. In 2003, he was appointed global head of Liquid Products. In 2005, Moulds assumed overall responsibility for Bank of America’s international businesses; in 2006, he was promoted to president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as Asia Pacific.

Moulds joined the board of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (ISDA) in 1998 and was chairman from 2004 to 2008. He currently serves on the board and the executive committee of the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) and the capital markets senior practitioner committee of the U.K. Financial Services Authority.

Moulds is a strong supporter of the performing arts and sits on the board of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) and serves as chairman of the LSO Advisory Council. In 2010, he joined Carnegie Hall’s International Council. He is a keen collector of fine musical instruments.

Nominate your Cultural Champions in London, Midlands, the South West and the North West - Arts & Business

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Celebrating people who generously give their time, expertise, and money to help our cultural organisations flourish

Midlands Cultural Champions event 2010, with Ed Vaizey MP

The arts in this country could not survive without the passionate support of thousands of people who generously give their time, expertise, and money to help our cultural organisations flourish.

For this reason we created our Cultural Champions initiative to publicly acknowledge the tremendous value these individuals bring to the arts, and to encourage others to get involved.

We hold a number of prestigious events each year, with a Government Minister or VIP as guest of honour, to celebrate these Cultural Champions. The events provide an opportunity to thank those who are making the most difference to the arts, and highlight their stories to inspire others. 2011 has been a particularly important year because of our role as an official partner of the Office for Civil Society as part of the European Year of Volunteering 2011.

Free one-to-one arts surgeries on engaging business effectively, 2012 - Arts & Business

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Why not book a session if your arts organisation is looking to raise funds from the private sector.

These sessions cover:

• proposal writing

• costing sponsorships and media value

• researching businesses and drawing up your prospect list

• constructing a sales pipeline

• how to make the approach

• discussing approaches for setting up an individual giving campaign

• assessing whether your organisation would benefit from a legacy programme

Confirmed dates

Salisbury
17 January 2012, Salisbury Playhouse
Contact: James.Taljaard@artsandbusiness.org.uk

Taunton
23 January 2012, The Brewhouse
Contact: James.Taljaard@artsandbusiness.org.uk

Hereford
7 February 2012, The Courtyard, Herefordshire's Centre for the Arts
Contact: James.Taljaard@artsandbusiness.org.uk

London*
South Bank Centre, meet with one of our fundraising advisors w/c 30 January
Contact: Amy.Dickenson@artsandbusiness.org.uk

North West
To arrange a time, date and venue...
Contact: Claire.Barlow-Orton@artsandbusiness.org.uk

*Please note that for London, Arts Members receive priority access and that spaces are limited

Enhance your Board in 2012 with our Board Bank - Arts & Business

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Our Board Bank service connects business people with arts organisations, allowing them to bring their distinctive qualities to the cultural sector.

They come to us with business acumen, vision and energy. In addition, they bring to the table a range of diverse skills in areas such as marketing, finance, project management, legal and more.

But moreover they have a strong passion for the arts!

We train them in good governance and help them understand their new roles and responsibilities. Then we match them with boards of suitable arts and cultural organisations to achieve a mutually valuable, lasting board level relationship.

While we cannot guarantee to find you a board member, since 1988 we have placed more than 5,000 business people as non-executive board members and advisors with not-for-profit arts organisations.

We are most successful in matching individuals with charities that have:

· An existing board
· A turnover of more than £100k and
· Three or more staff

If you are already an Arts member, fulfil the above criteria and would like to apply please contact:

Nicole Emmenegger (London)
nicole.emmenegger@artsandbusiness.org.uk 020 7940 6680

Rachel Pyke (South West & South East)
Rachel.Pyke@artsandbusiness.org.uk 07815 755 471

Janice Moraitis (Midlands & North West)
Janice.Moraitis@artsandbusiness.org.uk 07970 224 488

BITC Arts & Business Award For Excellence 2012 - Arts & Business

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Nominations Now Open and Workshop Slots Available

The Awards for Excellence are independent peer-assessed corporate responsibility awards. Run in association with The Financial Times, they recognise and celebrate companies who have shown innovation, creativity and a sustained commitment to corporate responsibility. Following the announcement that Business in the Community have acquired Arts & Business, the 2012 scheme also includes a new award recognising the role of business and the arts in stimulating cultural regeneration.

Click HERE for overall information on the BITC Awards for Excellence 2012.

Click HERE for detailed information on the Arts & Business Award as well as an application form and guidance notes.

If you work for a company in the UK and are considering putting your arts partnership forward for nomination we'd like to invite you to come along to a workshop offering businesses practical support in completing an application. The next session will be on Friday 27th January from 09:00-13:00 in London.

This is an interactive session where you will meet with your business peers and start thinking about how to measure your impact. This workshop will have a particular focus on the community categories: Bank of America Merrill Lynch Education Award, Jaguar Land Rover Building Stronger Communities Award and the Arts & Business Award.

This session will also include a presentation from Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

To book your place, click HERE.

There is no cost for attending but we advise early booking as places are limited.

If you have any queries please contact Nicole Emmenegger nicole.emmenegger@artsandbusiness.org.uk

AMA press and PR summit – a collaborative future for arts and the media? - Arts & Business

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Museum of London, 8 March 2012, 10.00am to 4.45pm

Sponsored by Target Live / Media partner ArtsProfessional

www.a-m-a.co.uk/summit

The AMA press and PR summit will provide an opportunity to hear from visionary keynote speakers about likely future directions for press and media and how the arts could benefit from emerging opportunities, trends and predictions.

This year’s event will also provide a rare opportunity to meet in small groups to review how the changes identified by our keynote speakers could impact on the arts. Joining delegates in these group discussions will be journalists and other practitioners from across a range of media – newspapers, radio, TV, online etc.

Keynote speakers:

Paul Bradshaw media consultant, author and trainer
Martin Belam Lead User Experience Architect, Guardian News and Media

Paul Bradshaw and Martin Belam will consider the impact of the latest developments in online journalism (data journalism, citizen journalism, multi-platform journalism, etc.) on cultural journalism and outline challenges and opportunities for the arts sector.

This will include reviewing not only the impact on increasing access and integration with cultural news, but also the positive impacts on the media’s ability to provide high quality cultural coverage and critique.

Round table discussions:

How can arts organisations and arts journalists work together to find and improve cultural journalism of the future? What barriers might exist? And how can we overcome these?

Delegates will have the opportunity to join round tables to chat to a journalist or media expert about the implications of the changes identified by our opening keynote speakers. Delegates will be able to choose two tables to attend during the round table session – each will last for 30 minutes.

Round table hosts include:

Rebecca Jones Arts Correspondent, BBC News

Rob Sharp arts journalist (formerly The Independent)

Mark Shenton theatre critic, Sunday Express and The Stage

Regine Debatty blogger at we-make-money-not-art.com

David Bloom Head of PR and Deputy Managing Director, Target Live

Liz Hill Consultant Editor and Director, ArtsProfessional

Phil Miller Group Arts Correspondent, The Herald and Times Group, Scotland

More speakers will be confirmed shortly.

For further information on the programme and speakers visit www.a-m-a.co.uk/summit

The cost is £147 VAT for AMA members or £207 VAT for non-members.

To book a place, go to www.a-m-a.co.uk/summit or email jacqueline@a-m-a.co.uk

Hollis Sponsorship Awards 2012 - Final Deadline: 23 January 2012 - Arts & Business

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

The build-up to the Hollis Sponsorship Awards 2012 is underway. And this year we have expanded the number of categories companies can compete for. Innovation, Entertainment, Digital and Green sponsorship all feature more prominently this year, reflecting recent developments in the sponsorship business.

“The Hollis Sponsorship Awards have stood the test of time - and come to be recognised as the Oscars of the industry,” said organiser Rosemary Sarginson. “But there have been many changes in the profile of the sponsorship sector and we want to reflect that. We’re anticipating that this will trigger a wave of new entrants, ensuring that we recognise the very best in our business.”

The biggest change is the expansion of the media category to reward developments across all media including digital. “But we’ve also looked at Arts,” adds Sarginson. “By adding an Entertainment and Events category we can now cover everything from MTV to Mozart and T in the Park to the Tate Gallery.”

Efforts have also been made to expand the scope of key categories. We want to see more entries in areas like Green and Learning, which is why we have rebranded those categories away from Environment and Education. We also want to inspire people which is why we’ve added an Innovation Award.

The Hollis Sponsorship Awards team is delighted to welcome back all our partners - Arts & Business, Artista, the European Sponsorship Association, the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers, the Public Relations Consultants Association, Sport England and the Sport Recreation Alliance and welcome new partners iSportConnect and UK Sport. And our sponsors Icon, Inkerman, Marketlink Research and SMG Sports Marketing. Details on all these companies and organisations can be found under the Sponsors & Partners tab and by clicking on their logos. We do have a number of sponsorship opportunities still available so please do click on the Sponsors & Partners link.

The shortlisted and winning entries will be celebrated at our Gala Dinner on March 27th 2012 at The London Marriott Grosvenor Square.

Celebrate your fantastic arts and business collaborations at the 33rd Arts & Business Awards - Arts & Business

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Nominations are now open for these awards that showcase the very best of innovative business brands in the UK who work alongside culture

If your business or organisation is getting results from a cultural partnership and you want to shout about it then enter the 33rd Arts & Business Awards.

This year's categories:

• A&B Corporate Responsibility Award

• A&B Innovation Award

• A&B Long-term Partnership Award

• A&B Sponsorship Award

• A&B Volunteering and People Development Award

The winners will be announced at an invitation only event mid-March in London (details to be confirmed on a later date).

Key dates:

Closing date for nominations 5pm, Friday 30 March 2012

Shortlist late early May 2012

Winners announced at invitation only ceremony at Central St Martin's, Kings Cross, London on Tuesday 22 May 2012

Sponsors:

Media partner:

Free one-to-one arts surgeries on engaging business effectively...new dates for 2012 - Arts & Business

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In this session we will be offering an overview of:

• proposal writing

• costing sponsorships and media value

• researching businesses and drawing up your prospect list

• constructing a sales pipeline

• how to make the approach

• discussing approaches for setting up an individual giving campaign

• assessing whether your organisation would benefit from a legacy programme

Confirmed dates

Salisbury
17 January 2012, Salisbury Playhouse
Contact: James.Taljaard@artsandbusiness.org.uk

Taunton
23 January 2012, The Brewhouse
Contact: James.Taljaard@artsandbusiness.org.uk

Hereford
7 February 2012, The Courtyard, Herefordshire's Centre for the Arts
Contact: James.Taljaard@artsandbusiness.org.uk

Arts & Business renews mission to strengthen relationship between business and the arts - Arts & Business

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Arts & Business, the leading charity for encouraging private sector investment to the arts, today announces a new alliance with Business in the Community (BITC).

This merger will see Arts & Business return to its business roots, working with corporate members to promote their support of cultural projects across the UK.

Financial restraint in both the public and private sector is putting increasing pressure on many of our country’s leading cultural institutions and the partnerships cultural organisations develop with business are ever more important to their future growth.

The merger with BITC will ensure Arts & Business is best placed to demonstrate that supporting arts and cultural projects, no matter how big or small, can have a positive impact on business performance and transform communities.

The charity was founded thirty five years ago on the principles that a strong relationship between the arts and business worlds is mutually beneficial and encourages both to prosper.

On November 1st 2011 the Trustees of Arts & Business agreed to devolve the national operations and Arts & Business Scotland, Arts & Business Cymru and Arts & Business Northern Ireland became independent charities.

About Business in the Community

Business in the Community Stands for Responsible Business

Business in the Community is a business-led charity focused on promoting responsible business practice. It has a growing membership of over 850 companies and a further 10,700 companies engaged in its campaigns globally. It works with its members to transform communities by tackling key social and environmental issues where business can make a real difference.

Business in the Community also offers its members practical support to help them to integrate responsible business practices wherever they operate. Business in the Community is also one of the Prince’s Charities.

For all responsible business and cultural partnerships... BITC and Arts & Business launch new category within the Awards for Excellence 2012 - Arts & Business

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Business in the Community has thrown down the gauntlet to responsible businesses across the UK to enter its prestigious annual Awards scheme.
With increasing public scrutiny on the role of business in society, Business in the Community’s annual Awards commends the best examples of business as a force for good. The Awards for Excellence recognise the powerful and positive role that business is playing in local communities by awarding companies for the impact and innovation of their responsible business programmes across a number of categories.

Following the announcement that Business in the Community will formally acquire Arts & Business, the 2012 scheme also includes for the first time a new Arts & Business award recognising the role of business and the arts in stimulating cultural regeneration.

Paul Drechsler, Chairman and CEO Wates Group, who picked up the 2011 Responsible Business of the Year prize said:
“We regard these awards as a honour to win and are extremely proud. However the real privilege and value comes from the collaboration with BITC and the many other excellent companies making a lasting difference to communities.”

Stephen Howard, Business in the Community Chief Executive said:
“As we approach our 30th year there has never been time to scale up responsible business and champion those organisations and individuals making real difference at grassroots level. There are hundreds of companies right across the UK spearheading the responsible business movement by delivering creative programmes that truly make a difference. As friction between communities and business continues to dominate the headlines it’s time to showcase that business can be a force for good – for the mutual benefit of both business and the communities in which they live and operate. I would encourage responsible business of all sizes to enter today.”

Applications are open to companies of all sizes and the closing date for entries is Monday 5 March 2012, unless otherwise stated on the application pack. The Business in the Community regions will be holding special awards workshops for local companies interested in entering the scheme.

Visit www.bitc.org.uk/events for location details.

For further information about the 2012 Awards categories and sponsors, or to download an application pack visit www.bitc.org.uk/awards

Prince of Wales Medal honours great arts philanthropy - Arts & Business

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Arts & Business announces recipients of The Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy

All photos: Amit Lennon

A multimillionaire philanthropist, who saved a collection of religious paintings for the Church of England, has been awarded a prestigious honour for his efforts. Jonathan Ruffer bought 13 historic paintings from the church for GBP15 million - only to give them back to be put on public display.

The investment manager was one of six individuals recognised for their financial support of the arts by the Prince of Wales at a Clarence House reception today (17 November 2011) where he presented his 2011 Medals for Arts Philanthropy at a special ceremony.

Others receiving the award were Lloyd Dorfman, founder of foreign currency exchange firm Travelex, for his contribution to the National Theatre.

Also recognised were Lady Marina Hobson, supporter of the Royal Opera House and the Royal Ballet; Michael and Jean Oglesby, for their contribution to the arts in Manchester; and Theresa Sackler, for her worldwide support of the arts with her late husband Mortimer Sackler.

The Medal celebrates outstanding individuals who support the arts in the UK.

2011 honourees:

• Lloyd Dorfman

• Lady Hobson

• Mike and Jean Oglesby

• Jonathan Ruffer

• Theresa Sackler

The five honourees were selected after an extensive decision making process. The Prince of Wales’ Arts Advisory Group drew up a short list of twenty five philanthropists which went forward to a final judging panel of artists, who chose the first five honourees.

The final panel consisted of Sir Ronald Harwood (writer for stage and screen), Dame Monica Mason (Director of The Royal Ballet) and Christopher Le Brun (artist). The medal was first presented in 2008.

For full biogs please click to our special medals section

Sky Arts Ignition Series: General Feedback Session - Arts & Business

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:10:00 GMT

Did you apply to be one of the first projects in the Sky Arts Ignition Series?

Are you thinking of applying for the next round in 2012?

This session will provide feedback from the key decision making teams at Sky, exploring what it is we’re looking for, how best Sky and arts organisations can work together and a refresher on guidelines, timings, and how to apply.

Sky Arts Ignition Series is a new initiative from Sky aiming to bring more arts to more people by investing in the creation of the best of new and innovative arts. Sky Arts will partner with six leading arts organisations over the next three years, directly investing up to £200k into the creation of each of these new groundbreaking art works, projects, events and performances, using Sky’s reach and innovation to take them to more people – on the ground and on screen.

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the session.

Speakers:

James Hunt
Channel Director, Sky Arts
(London and Dublin)

Jo Fox
Director of The Bigger Picture, Sky
(Manchester and Edinburgh)

Programme:

10.30am – 11.00am    Coffees and registration
11.00am – 11.45am    Presentation by Sky Arts
11.45am – 12.30pm    Q&A, conclusion and close

Fees and bookings:

Arts & Business and BITC enter into merger talks - Arts & Business

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As reported in The Sunday Times this morning (October 23 2011), two of The Prince’s Charities, Arts & Business and BITC have declared they have entered into merger talks.

It is also the intention that Arts & Business Scotland, Arts & Business Northern Ireland and Arts & Business Cymru will become independent charities.

The negotiations began in July 2011 with any potential announcements later this year.

Playing Cupid with 80 cultural organisations & 500 volunteers - Arts & Business

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:00:00 GMT

We have now held all six of our matching events, visiting London on 13th September, then Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, and finally London on 17th October in the process.

Over 500 potential volunteers have had the chance meet with around 80 cultural organisations.

The format was simple: each arts representative had 4 or 5 minutes to present to a small group of would-be volunteers – a bit about their work and the kind of opportunities that were available. When time was up, a bell rang and each group moved onto the next table!

However, this wasn’t just a series of arts presentations – it was a stage set for two-way conversations, where prospective volunteers had the chance to put forward their skills too, giving both prospects more choice and flexibility.

By the end of our six week road-show, each of the arts organisations walked away with lots of potential volunteers to contact and the would-be volunteers had a new outlet to grow their skills-base, network and help enrich their cultural landscape.

The photos!

Double click on the albums below to see the photos from 2 events in London, Birmingham and Manchester...

Online listings

If you didn't make any of these events, then why not browse our listings of arts volunteering opportunities near you. Simply click here, enter your post code and begin searching.

About

The European Year of Volunteering is both a celebration and a challenge to promote community heroes across the continent with an aim to recruit more volunteers. Arts & Business has been selected as an official partner of the Office for Civil Society as part of the national work programme for the European year of Volunteering. We have so far led the project for the arts and culture in England and bringing our business network along with us.

Help us shape the landscape, please fill in our Private Investment in Culture survey 2010/11 - Arts & Business

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

These figures will give you the information you need in your conversations with your boards and funders with regards to your planning.

Last year, following suggestions from the sector, we made the results of our Private Investment in Culture survey more useful and easily accessible via our interactive map and benchmarking toolkit (on our website).

It is now more important than ever that the results of the survey are representative and rigorous and accurately reflect what is happening on the ground in the cultural sector in the UK.

You do not have to complete the survey in one sitting. If you exit the survey without submitting, your data will be saved and will be available the next time you go into it.

The findings will be published mid January 2012

Please note any information you will disclose through the survey is strictly confidential and will not be attributed to you or your organisation in any way. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact our research team on 020 7940 6439, or at survey@artsandbusiness.org.uk

Volunteers matched up to their ‘arts’ partners... - Arts & Business

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 01:00:00 GMT

Our first matching event got underway on the evening of 13 September. Our hosts Deutsche Bank, London, helped bring 50 prospective volunteers together with ten of the best contemporary arts organisations in London.

The format was simple: each arts representative had 5 minutes to present to a small group of would-be volunteers – a bit about their work and the kind of opportunities that were available. When time was up, a bell rang and each group moved onto the next table!
However, this wasn’t just a series of arts presentations – it was a stage set for two-way conversations, where prospective volunteers had the chance to put forward their skills too, giving both prospects more choice and flexibility.

By the end of the evening, each of the arts organisations had walked away with lots of potential volunteers to contact the following morning and the would-be volunteers had a new outlet to grow their skills-base, network and help enrich their cultural landscape.

Why not be a volunteer, gain new skills, grow your network and help culture in your local community? Come to our last event...

London
Monday 17 October, 12 - 2pm, Unicorn Theatre, London

Already happened

London
Tuesday 13 September, 6 - 8pm, Deutsche Bank
See photos from this event

Birmingham
Monday 19 September, 6 - 8pm, Etc. Venues
See photos from this event

Bristol
Tuesday 27 September, 6 - 8pm, TLT LLP, Bristol

Manchester
Monday 3 October, 6.30-8.30pm, Peoples History Museum

Leeds
Tuesday 11 October, 6 - 8pm, Royal Armouries, Leeds

If you didn't make any of these events, then why not browse our listings of arts volunteering opportunities near you.

Simply click here, enter your post code and begin searching.

Philanthropy in the UK - Arts & Business

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Past honourees of The Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy

Each year we invite nominations for the Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy. The resulting submissions form an interesting snapshot of not just who is giving to culture, but also how.

Although this is hardly scientific research, some of the statistics on the nominations may be of interest:

• A third of these people were nominated as part of a couple, underlining the way that many philanthropists see their giving as a family decision.

• Of the individuals that were nominated alone, three quarters were men. Perhaps this partially reflects the research that has suggested that women tend to be broader in their philanthropy, preferring to give smaller sums to a larger number of charities. Fortunately the breakdown amongst recipients of Princes Medal for Arts Philanthropy is more even; 11 men and 10 women.

• Just under 50% of the nominated individuals this year focused on cultural organisations outside of London. Of course this also means that just over 50% concentrated their giving London organisations - and that may not, on the surface, seem like good news for arts organisations across the rest of the country. However, given that the last Private Investment survey run by Arts & Business showed that London based cultural organisations were raising over 80% of money from individuals, perhaps the strengthen of non-London nominations suggest that change is happening.

• Finally, 21% of those nominated were either born or still live outside of the UK. Over half of these people were American.

What marked out the nominated Americans from the others was not their act of financial generosity per se but what they did on top. Many had become trustees of the organisations they supported but these were clearly not honorary appointments – those nominated actively brought innovative thinking, sage advice and contacts to their chosen organisation. In short, they were as generous with their time as with their money. Of course the Americans were not alone in doing this - a significant proportion of the British people nominated were likewise engaged, committed and innovative supporters of their cultural charities - but somehow the Americans seemed to have embrace this additional activity with more gusto!

However, the overriding impression from the nominations was the astonishing range of supported organisations involved, from tiny operations with few staff through to large national organisations. Indeed some individuals were remarkable in the breadth and number of cultural organisations they supported, clearly agreeing with their Victorian predecessors that a thriving local cultural sector can truly make a better community.

The Princes Medals for Arts Philanthropy 2011 will be awarded in November. For more information click here

The Arts, giving and Tax... public consultation and final legislation - Arts & Business

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The government are in the process of implementing a number of significant changes to the tax treatment of philanthropy. It is sensible to be aware of these, in part because some of them are still open for consultation and in part because donors may well want to know about them.

There are four main changes being proposed:

1 – From April 2011 a new upper limit has been set on the benefits you are allowed to give a donor in return for their donation.

These are now as follows:

• Donation - Value of benefits given in return
• £0 to £100 - 25% of the donation
• £101 to £1,000 - £25
• Over £1,000 - 5% of the donation up to a maximum of £2,500 (previously £500).
Note that this change has already been implemented

2 – A new element is being proposed within Gift Aid to help reduce the amount of administration required on small donations. The current proposal is that from April 2013 the Government will pay up to £5,000 in Gift Aid on donations of up to £10 without the need for the charity to have retained a Gift Aid form from the donor. There is obviously still some discussion as to what documentation the Charity will have to produce to make this claim. A public consultation is being planned.

3 – A change in Inheritance Tax is being proposed to encourage giving in wills. At present any donation to charity made through somebody’s will is deducted from their estate before the calculation of inheritance tax. In other words, if someone’s estate is worth £400,000 and they stipulate in their will that £80,000 is to go to charity, then inheritance tax, currently at 40%, is charged on the remaining £320,000 of the estate.
The new proposal is that if someone leaves 10% or more to charity in their will, then the rate of tax to paid on their remaining estate will go down to 36%. Using the above example (where the person is leaving more than 10% to charity) the tax bill on their estate will go down from £128,000 (40% of £320,000) to £115,200 (36% of £320,000).
Inevitably individual cases can get a lot more complex than this and, in any case, Government figures suggest that only 3% of estates are larger than £325,000 needed to trigger inheritance tax in the first place. So the end result of this change might not be that dramatic but it could still be a useful starting point to start a conversation with your donors about leaving a legacy to you in their will.

4 – After considerable lobbying by the Art Fund, major museums and Arts & Business(amongst others), the government have at last relented and proposed a new form of tax relief on the Gift of Works of art – or, to be more accurate, “pre-eminent objects and works of art”.

They appear to have taken, as their starting point, the perfectly sensible wish to ensure that these important items will stay in the UK. However, this means that a rather complex system has to be put in place to remain compliant with EU law.

At present if someone gives a picture to a charity they will not have to pay any capital gains tax on the picture but they cannot claim any relief against their income tax (as they could if they have given shares instead).
Under the proposed new system that will not change. However the donor may be able to get income tax relief if they offer it to the “Nation” instead of to the charity. The government would then hand this offer to the very successful administration behind the Acceptance In Lieu (AIL) scheme that handles art objects given in lieu of inheritance tax. They, on behalf of the “nation” will determine whether the item is sufficiently pre-eminent to be accepted. If it is, then the donor will get a tax credit equivalent to a proportion of the value of the item (the current proposal is 25%). The pre-eminent object will remain in public ownership but it will be lent to organisations for public exhibitions. The donor can “suggest” where is should be lent but they cannot demand it goes to a particular organisation.

As you can imagine, this opens up all sorts of complications (who pays for its conservation, for instance, and who gives permission for the item to tour). But there is perhaps an even bigger problem. Although the AIL scheme has a budget cap of £20m, over the last three years it has only needed half of that cap. So the proposal for this new tax relief is that it shares the same £20m cap. The problem is that this year the AIL scheme has almost reached its £20m limit. If this happened again, it would mean that there would be considerable competition for the money available, potentially leading to a number of dissatisfied donors.

The public consultation on this proposal finishes on the 21st September and the final legislation would hopefully appear later this year.

Through its position on the Treasury’s Charity Tax Forum, Arts & Business is well informed on changes being proposed or enacted.

If you want to know more, email Philip Spedding at Philip.Spedding@artsandbusiness.org.uk

Volunteering matching events coming near you - Arts & Business

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Arts & Business is delighted to have been selected by the Cabinet Office as an official partner for the European Year of Volunteering

The European Year of Volunteering is both a celebration and a challenge to promote community heroes across the continent with an aim to recruit more volunteers. Arts & Business has been selected as an official partner of the Office for Civil Society as part of the national work programme for the European year of Volunteering.

We will be leading the project for the arts and culture in England and bringing our business network along with us.

A new programme bringing skilled professionals to the arts…

We will be casting the net wide to recruit a new generation of people willing to give their time to the arts. Arts & Business will also add value by leveraging our business network offering volunteers who can advise and help on topics from marketing to business planning, IT to accountancy, as well as 'on the night' volunteering, helping front of house or wherever arts and cultural organisations might need extra support.

Arts organisation can register their volunteering requests here, and volunteers can search for placements here, simply tap in a post code to find the placements nearest to you.

How will we be making it happen?

During the coming six months, we have plans to take the Arts & Business European Year of Volunteering across the country.

• running a series of volunteering matching events in major cities across the country where you can meet and network with great volunteers
• running a targeted campaign to increase interest in volunteering generally in the arts and culture
• celebrating and thanking volunteers in the arts for their contributions at a number of high impact networking events
• keeping you up to date with networking and matching events through our website for which we have developed interactive 'opportunity' forms

Our programme will endorse the ethos and values of the European Year of Volunteering. We aim to help connect the arts with skilled people who want to help.

Tunstall Students Have Designs on a Career in Art - Arts & Business

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Pupils from The Co-operative Academy at Brownhills in Tunstall are taking part in an unusual art project that will continue to evolve throughout the school summer holidays.

Renowned artist Ruth Spaak spent three days with Year 10 BTEC art and design students at the end of term, sharing her knowledge of the art world and encouraging pupils to work with different materials such as glass and metals. Ms Spaak will then spend the holidays reinterpreting the students’ work before presenting the finished piece to the school when it re-opens in September.

Photos Natasha Kowarin
Courtesy: The Co-operative Academy at Brownhills

The project has been funded by The Co-operative Group and organised by Arts & Business, a not-for-profit organisation that fosters relationships between business and the arts. Themes include identity, transition, co-operative values and sustainability, and the project serves to highlight the transfer of the school into an academy, whose main sponsor is The Co-operative.

What is an Academy?

Academies are state-funded schools for people of all abilities. They aim to raise standards of education, provide new opportunities and new ways of doing things, and encourage everyone to strive for success.

Academies are established and managed by sponsors, who could include other high-performing schools and colleges, universities, individuals, businesses, the voluntary sector and faith communities.

The Co-operative Academy at Brownhills is one of three Academies led by The Co-operative Group, The Co-operative Academy of Manchester and The Co-operative Academy of Leeds. The Co-operative Academies are part of the Co-opereratives Groups programme of Co-operative Schools, with school throughout England.

The funding for the academy comes from the government. Unlike other schools, this money is paid directly to the school and not to the local authority. While this means that academies are independent schools, they still work in partnership with the local authority and other local schools. They do not charge fees and do not select pupils on the basis of their ability.

Academies still have to follow many of the same rules as other schools in the areas of admissions, special education needs, attendance and exclusions.

Academies also follow the national curriculum in English, maths, science and information and communication technology (ICT). All academies – just like the majority of secondary schools – specialise in one or more subject areas.

Visual For Business is an inspiring and flexible contemporary art service for business and business people. We provide sales, loans and commissions together with events, employee engagement and consultancy.

The Only Way is Ethics? - Arts & Business

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

First published in ArtsProfessional magazine

Ethics in the Arts - In these shaky financial times should the arts accept cash from anyone? Who should a sponsorship policy exclude?

We know more money is needed. It might save your venue, create a striking community project or be the icing on the cake for a totemic show. It might save your job.

So there you sit, trying to make the figures balance, looking at how to bring the money in. How often do you say “I will never work with them?” I wonder how long this list is, how clear are your guidelines?

The ethics of #artsfunding money is not the most burning issues in the arts at the moment, yet I sense it will bite some well known cultural brand soon. I wonder how potential funders think about the arts collective opinion regarding corporate money. Is there one? No, not in my experience. Attitudes to private cash are patchy and confused, without a clear moral logic.

You ask a handful of arts and cultural bodies the same questions. What happens? You get five different answers. Some regions seem more picky and prickly, others prompt and practical. Are smaller bodies more precious, bigger ones more mature? There is no discernable rhyme or reason to any of it.

Perhaps this is because creating a coherent response, balancing the ethical and financial imperatives is such a complex task. The recent ructions in the education sector are instructive, notably the controversy surrounding some of the individual funding to the LSE. What a tightrope this process can be. How quickly can a bone fide funder turn into a pariah? Where is Vilar’s Floral Hall now?

Sometimes we all agree that we cannot accept an offer of business money for sponsorship. Could they however be squeezed in as corporate members, or maybe fund discrete community work. On the other hand should we have their employees in your audiences, or as patrons and hang on wasn’t that funder a board member previously...?

Here are my thoughts. Any legal money coming to the arts will become good money. There I said it. We are in such a fluster about this issue it seems as if people would rather say nothing, but we must get it out in the open. Recent demonstrations at the Tate and National Portrait Gallery (criticising recent business collaborations) reveal our societal tensions, our well meaning but inconsistent sensitivities about corporate funds but what good comes from turning this money down? Taking 'bad' money may mean protesters chant outside your door, but at least you will have doors left to open.

Of course, it comes down to personal choices, made by fundraisers, management teams and groups of the board.

You might be told that public money is good and private money is bad. Surely this is nonsense. Perhaps you could rifle all government finances and identify the unethical funds mixed in with the good, aggregating out all the 'bad' taxes paid by business operating and driving growth. Yet hang on this is the same money which finds its way into government coffers to then be given out in terms of pubic investment. Surely it is one and the same? The water system of society, happiness, business and progress is a difficult one to judge when we honestly look at it.

I do not think it helps to be didactic, or preachy on these issues. I do think though it would be a good idea to sort out the confusion that currently exists. We need to make it easier for the right choices to be made by investors and recipients alike. Should we aspire to clear criteria and grids, as other charity sectors seek to provide, where it is clearly stated for all the 7,500 bodies we engage with who they would or would not partner with.

Should we just be more open about the choices we have made and perhaps say. 'We do not agree with all actions of our sponsor, as some may cause social harm. However, they are legal businesses and in funding us and our arts we believe they are doing good.' Will business accept this more honest approach?

It won't be easy however we try. Let me tell you a story. A little while ago, I worked in international development. If you had businesses interested in working on your campaign, you had to run them past an ethics committee. It took a while, as there were often knotty issues to address. In one particular instance, after an interminably long wait, I was told that it was okay to work with this brand on a global project. All the necessary checks and balances had been undertaken; I was given the go-ahead for this campaign to improve the lives of children working in the sewers of Mumbai. The business approved... Enron.

Jonathan Tuchner
Director of Business Membership at Arts & Business