A total of 190 businesses were recognised for their contribution to the arts and cultural sector at this year’s 11th State Arts Sponsorship Awards. Marsha Jacobs and Julie-anne Sprague report.
A total of 190 businesses were recognised for their contribution to the arts and cultural sector at this year’s 11th State Arts Sponsorship Awards. Marsha Jacobs and Julie-anne Sprague report.
The number of nominations for the State Arts Sponsorship Awards has increased dramatically in recent years, indicating a real shift in business support for the arts.
Whereas in 2002 only seven businesses contributed $100,000 or more to the arts, this number increased to 14 in 2003 and up to 23 this year.
And while purely benevolent businesses sponsorship of the arts is admirable, it seems that a sense of corporate responsibility is not driving arts sponsorship so much as the mutual benefits available to both business and arts through the formation of strategic alliances.
In finding a partnership with a well-suited partner, businesses have the opportunity to enrich their own staff, gain acknowledgement in the wider community, use or display their product and have their altruistic intentions become part of a corporate profile.
Hawaiian Management Group, one of the new sponsors in the $100,000 or more category, and which manages Cable Beach Club in Broome, has formed an alliance with the West Australian Opera (WAO).
Later this year the WAO will perform at Cable Beach Club. It’s hoped the event will help establish the resort as an artistic and cultural centre, and extend occupancy rates beyond the high season, while also allowing WAO to extend its audience in rural Western Australia.
Hawaiian CEO Russell Gibbs said the health of a community could be demonstrated by the arts and that Hawaiian was proud to be part of the Western Australian business community and wider community.
“We try to integrate our sponsorship with our business activities, such as the opera at Cable Beach Club,” he said.
“It is part of corporate responsibility to sponsor the arts, but it can be in a way which promotes both your interests.”
Also contributing more than $100,000 in arts sponsorship for the first year is recruitment firm Gerard Daniels.
Director Lloyd Smith said the sponsorship had evolved over a number of years from a basic involvement to a real commitment.
“The relationship between business and arts for us is very important – we can develop good client relationships through innovative and cultural entertainment,” he told WA Business News.
“A lot of Western Australian arts entertainment is premium and we are absolutely convinced that it adds value to our organisation.”
At the awards presentation gala, Arts Minister Sheila McHale said business and arts partnerships played an important part in stimulating innovation and creativity in WA and in supporting the arts and cultural organisations.
“This year a record number of corporate and government bodies were involved, with 190 businesses recognised in just under 300 nominations – a 17 per cent increase from 2003,” Ms McHale said.
“The continual rise is indicative of the value businesses are placing on entering into strategic and targeted partnerships with the arts community.”
