Major philanthropic gifts making a big difference. The award winning Lewis Glucksman Gallery in Cork

Philanthropy and the Arts in Ireland

Over the past two decades, Business to Arts has helped increase support for the arts and cultural sector by forming strategic partnerships and undertaking reforms to build greater community and business engagement, philanthropy and corporate social responsibility.

In 2009, a new initiative, New Stream, which is supported by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, was launched to increase the capacity for fundraising in the arts sector in Ireland. New Stream has since played a leadership role in providing the arts and cultural sector with skills and resources to confidently engage with private funders and to diversify funding sources for greater sustainability.

Today, individuals and philanthropic trusts/foundations recognise that the arts are capable of addressing a vast number of social and community needs including at-risk youth, health and education. However, much more can still be done and Business to Arts remains committed to helping artists, arts organisations and the philanthropic and business sectors to unlock this capacity and forge a stronger community of arts philanthropists.

Meet the Team
Business to Arts has three staff in Ireland. The team has extensive experience in fields such as fundraising, marketing, finance and arts management, philanthropy and charitable giving. Read our advice on Making a Major Gift.

Case Studies
Since 2008, Business to Arts has advised a Japanese Corporate Foundation on their philanthropic investments. These have included multi-annual gifts to institutions such as the Royal Hibernian Academy, Opera Theatre Company and ICHAWI.

Our relationship with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and their Foundation has seen us play a role in advising and supporting philanthropic gifts and sponsorships at the National Gallery of Ireland, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Chester Beatty Library and Carrick on Shannon Water Music Festival.

Since winning a €50k grant from the Arthur Guinness Fundfor Fund it in 2011, Business to Arts has been an advocate in the cultural sector for this strategic grant making fund which helps address key social issues in Ireland. In partnership with the Arthur Guinness Fund, we’ve hosted information briefings on the fund and advised many arts organisations on their applications. Arts grantees of the Arthur Guinness Fund include Open Window.

So far in 2012, we’ve also hosted information briefings for Irish arts organisations with Sky Arts Futures Fund andThe Ireland Funds.