BLOCK T announced as David Manley Arts Entrepreneurs 2013
January 22nd, 2013
Block T – (L-R) Lili Heller, Johanna Archbold, Bean Readman, Grace McEvoy, Nick Linders and Laura Dovn – Winners of the 2013 David Manley Arts Entrepreneur Award
The 2013 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards were presented at a ceremony on Thursday 17th January in Business to Arts members Mason Hayes & Curran (also one of the Awards’ sponsors), Barrow Street, Dublin by Dr. Chris Horn and Michael Kearney, Manager, national Irish rugby team and co-founder of the Snap Printing and Home Instead Senior Care franchises in Ireland. Dr. Horn chairs the panel of judges for the Awards.
BLOCK T (represented by Laura Dovn and Ben Readman) a visual and performing arts collective based in Smithfield, Dublin was announced as the 2013 Arts Entrepreneurs of the year. Winner in the Business category was Ronan Clarke, Smart Wall Paint and winner of Social category (and overall David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur 2013) was Steven Menton and John Egan of Archipelago.
Dr. Chris Horn said, “We, the judges, were lookingfor entrepreneurs with qualities similar to David Manley – those qualities which made him such an iconic person – passionate, energised, invigorating and highly engaging! While we were well impressed by all the nine finalist teams, we were extremely impressed by John and Steve – and by what Archipelago has achieved to date and plans to do in the future. As they said themselves, if they do their job properly, hopefully in 5 years there will be no need for them! Ireland needs more people like them.”
Louise Manley, chair, David Manley Awards committee, comments, “David was a man who deeply loved his native Dublin and Ireland and dreamt of it flourishing through a thriving SME sector and an increasing flow of new entrepreneurs striving to add further value to our lives and communities. It is safe to say that that dream is in safe hands if the volume and quality of this year’s finalists and category winners are anything to go by.”