Two Connaught-based partnerships on shortlist for Business to Arts Awards
Business to Arts has today announced the shortlist for this year’s Business to Arts Awards, taking place at the National Concert Hall on Tuesday, September 20.
The shortlist represents the corporate-cultural partnerships undertaken, enhanced and delivered during the depths of the pandemic, giving insight into the creativity, resilience and adaptability of the arts sector when engaging with the corporate world.
Two Connaught-based partnerships are on the shortlist. Ballinglen Arts Foundation & Museum in Ballycastle, Mayo, has been shortlisted in the Best Philanthropic Support to the Arts Award supported by the Arts Council, while NUI Galway and Galway International Arts Festival have been shortlisted for the Best Long-Term Partnership Award supported by the Irish Times.
The judging panel featured representatives from Accenture, the Irish Times, ESB, Mermaid Arts Centre, daa, Irish Life, the Arts Council, TileStyle and Arthur Cox, and was chaired by Clare Duignan, a board member of Business to Arts and The Chester Beatty Library, the Irish Times, IMRO and Fáilte Ireland.
The Business to Arts Awards recognise businesses, philanthropists, artists and arts organisations that develop compelling creative partnerships. Shortlisted partnerships focus on arts sponsorship, philanthropy, commissioning of artists and CSR initiatives, such as employee and community engagement.
This year an exciting new bursary, the Accenture Digital Innovation in Art Bursary, was introduced to support an artist working exclusively in the digital space.
Award winners will be presented with a limited edition award sculpture created by sculptor John Rainey. The award sculpture ‘Assemblage’ has been commissioned by daa for the 30th year. John uses both old and new methods of object-making, such as ceramic casting and 3D printing.
The title of his award sculpture ('Assemblage') refers to the bringing together of people and things, and the sculptural practice of unifying separate elements. The sculpture combines references to art, design, technology and the built environment as a representation of innovative collaboration between business and the arts.
The 2022 Business to Arts Awards will take place on Tuesday, September 20, at the National Concert Hall. A total of €25,000 will be presented to successful artists and arts organisations through bursaries and awards on the night.
Louise O’Reilly, chief executive of Business to Arts, said: “The shortlist for the 30th anniversary of the Business to Arts Awards showcases the incredible resilience and ingenuity of creative partnerships between the corporate and cultural sectors. The nominees have gone above and beyond to bring art to their communities when they needed it most, often tackling challenging subject matter or providing a creative sanctuary during the pandemic. We are honoured to recognise these exceptional partnerships and look forward to finally celebrating them in person on September 20th.”
Clare Duignan, judging chair, added: “It was a real privilege to chair the Business to Arts Awards judging panel in this the 30th anniversary year of the awards. These entries were all for projects realised and delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I was very struck by how imaginative and adaptable so many arts organisations were in how they managed to deliver their work despite the restrictions of lockdown. I was also encouraged by the way in which their sponsorship partners were willing to stick with projects, allowing them to, for example, move online, or perform to very small audiences, or in some cases to be completely re-imagined.
“The strong desire from locked-down audiences for access to drama music, poetry, film, literature, opera – so many art forms – and their appreciation of the work was inspiring.”
For more information on the awards, head to businesstoarts.ie/awards.