Partnerships between Western Australian businesses and arts organisations have won four out of 13 awards at this year's Australia Business Arts Foundation Awards.
Partnerships between Western Australian businesses and arts organisations have won four out of 13 awards at this year's Australia Business Arts Foundation Awards.
The affiliation between the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Ernst & Young took out the top award, AbaF Partnership of the Year, at a ceremony in Melbourne last night.
The partnership between the AWESOME Arts and BHP Billiton Nickel West won the QantasLink Regional Award.
Below is the full announcement:
Business-arts relationships from Western Australia have won four of thirteen national awards on offer at the 2008 Australia Business Arts Foundation Awards presented in Melbourne last night, including the top award.
The West Australian Symphony Orchestra and its business partner Ernst & Young have won the top award, the AbaF Partnership of the Year.
The honour crowned an extraordinary night for the orchestra. WASO and Ernst & Young also won the Bytecraft Entertainment Commitment Award, and WASO won the AbaF Giving Award for the arts organisation with the best giving program.
Another Western Australian winner was AWESOME Arts and its business partner BHP Billiton Nickel West, which won the QantasLink Regional Award.
- Ernst & Young and WASO's relationship began with an $800 dollar sponsorship in 1995, which has evolved into a relationship valued at more than $1 million dollars in total. A key aspect is the Ernst & Young Pops in the Park, which pairs top popular artists with the orchestra. WASO has appeared with household names such as Ben Folds, Ben Lee, Tex Perkins, Tim Rogers and The Whitlams.
- WASO won the AbaF Giving Award for Patrons of WASO, a giving program launched in 2005, which has more than doubled donations to the orchestra and attracted long-term donors.
- BHP Billiton Nickel West and AWESOME Arts won the QantasLink Regional Award for a partnership that provides young people in regional communities with arts education programs. It began in 2006 with Bike Lab, featuring a giant set of bike parts used to create mechanical sculptures, in Wiluna, Leinster and Leonora. The program expanded to Kalgoorlie and Laverton with Make your Move, featuring workshops in dance, sound and performance. In 2008, it included Kwinana.
"With five winners last year and four this year Western Australia is consistently producing business arts partnerships of the highest calibre", said Henry Boston, AbaF WA Manager.
The full list of winners is below:
National winners of AbaF Awards - summary
AbaF Partnership of the Year: Ernst & Young and West Australian Symphony Orchestra
Australia Council Arts for Young People Award: Freehills and Company B
- Company B and Freehills deliver a Youth Engagement Program to disadvantaged schools and young people at risk.
Bytecraft Entertainment Commitment Award: Ernst & Young and West Australian Symphony Orchestra
- An original $800-dollar sponsorship is now a relationship worth more than $1 million dollars in total. The Ernst & Young Pops in the Park has become a landmark public concert.
City of Melbourne Encouragement Award: Queensland Gas Company and La Boite Theatre Company
- Drama at the Gasfields is an annual musical comedy performance staged at the gasfields in regional Queensland, with the support of local Queensland Gas Company staff.
AbaF Giving Award: West Australian Symphony Orchestra
- Patrons of WASO, the orchestra's giving program launched in 2005, has more than doubled donations to the orchestra and attracted long-term donors.
KPMG adviceBank Award: Michael Rowe, Run Property and Montsalvat
- Michael Rowe advised the heritage artistic community Montsalvat on a business plan that has helped achieve a major state government grant and secure the organisation's future.
Marsh Partnering Award: Kraft Foods and The Big Book Club Inc
- The Little Aussie Reader program makes reading to children part of every day.
National Australia Bank SME Award: B&E Ltd and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
- A long-term commitment from financial services company B&E has saved the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra's free, open-air concerts, Symphony Under the Stars.
QantasLink Regional Award: BHP Billiton Nickel West and AWESOME Arts
- BHP Billiton Nickel West and AWESOME Arts provide young people in regional communities with arts education programs.
Toyota Community Award: Freehills and Company B
- Partnering to deliver a Youth Engagement Program is bringing playwriting and theatre-making experiences to disadvantaged schools and young people at risk.
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Arts Business Leadership Award: Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, director, Museum of Contemporary Art
- Macgregor has succeeded in turning the MCA's fortunes around, by astutely raising funds from government, sponsors and donors.
Richard Pratt Business Arts Leadership Award: Ian Darling
- In 2001 Darling established The Caledonia Foundation to assist disadvantaged young Australians. As a documentary film-maker, he has produced and directed award-winning documentaries. He is chair of Sydney Theatre Company.
Goldman Sachs JBWere Philanthropy Leadership Award: Robert Albert AO
- Over 30 years Robert Albert's has supported many of the country's finest arts organisations.