The relationships awarded at last week’s State Arts Sponsorship Scheme Awards are dynamic and varied, with the range of collaborations demonstrating that partnerships between business and arts organisations can be harmonised to achieve mutually advantageo
The relationships awarded at last week’s State Arts Sponsorship Scheme Awards are dynamic and varied, with the range of collaborations demonstrating that partnerships between business and arts organisations can be harmonised to achieve mutually advantageous outcomes.
In finding a well-suited partner, businesses not only can support the arts, but have the chance to enrich employees, use or display products or brands, engage in communities in which they are involved, and increase corporate social responsibility.
The awards have been held in Western Australia for the past 12 years, with this state the first to acknowledge partnerships between business and the arts.
Culture and Arts Minister Sheila McHale said the 12th annual awards highlighted the vital role business-arts partnerships played in creating stronger societies.
“The awards are not just about business sponsoring arts programs – they show how both parties benefit,” Ms McHale said.
“Government and business have an important role in nurturing the arts while also benefiting from that investment in the short and long term.
“This, in turn, helps develop the state’s unique lifestyle, improve regional Western Australia and create jobs and opportunities.”
Ms McHale said this year’s awards attracted 305 nominations, representing 187 businesses and nearly $11 million in support of WA arts and culture, about the same dollar amount as last year.
“Such a strong field reflects the recognition by businesses of the value in partnering with arts and culture,” she said. “The winning partnerships displayed tangible benefits for the arts organisation, the business partner and ultimately the community.”
Eight business-arts partnerships received ‘partnership awards’, while a further were highly commended.
Eighteen WA companies/ organisations have contributed more than $100,000 to the arts in the past year: Alcoa World Alumina Australia; BHP Billiton Iron Ore; BHP Billiton Petroleum; Channel Nine; Channel Seven Perth; City of Perth; Curtin University of Technology; Ernst & Young; Insurance Commission of WA; Marketforce; Mix 94.5; Pilbara Iron (Rio Tinto); Royal Australian Navy; Water Corporation; Wesfarmers Arts; West Australian Newspapers; Western Power; and Woodside Energy.
Most of the big donors to the arts are well-established organisations in charge of big budgets, and have partnered with the heavyweights of WA’s arts community, including the WA Symphony Orchestra, WA Ballet, WA Opera, the Art Gallery of WA, Black Swan Theatre, the UWA Arts Festival and the WA Museum.
But it’s not just the big corporate hitters that are forming these partnerships; many smaller organisations are also aligning with smaller arts groups.
In total, 185 WA businesses partner with 46 different arts organisations; 63 partner for $3,000 or more, 46 for $15,000 or more, 30 for $30,000 or more, and 18 more than $100,000.
This year, for the first time, the awards’ criteria has been closely aligned with that for the Australia Business Arts Foundation awards, which are separate from the State Arts Sponsorship Scheme Awards.
ABAF state manager Henry Boston said the organisation had been working very closely with the Department of Culture and Arts to align the awards so the best outcome was achieved for everyone.
“The outcome is about achieving best practice, and it has been terrific working together with the state to increase the capital of the corporate cultural sector to increase good fit partnerships,” Mr Boston said.
“A great issue for businesses these days is attracting and retaining staff – smart businesses have engaged with the arts and are using that to also engage with their workforce and community in which the workforce operates.”
Mr Boston said there were many different kinds of partnerships, some more commercial partnerships with tangible benefits, while others were broader and engaged the community in a meaningful way.
