
From Left to right, Andrew Hetherington. CEO, Business to Arts, Dee Forbes, Director General of RTE, Lorelei Harris, Head of Cultural Strategy, RTE & Sean McGrath, CEO of Allianz Ireland pose for the 2016 Allianz Business to Arts Awards. Picture Conor McCabe Photography.
Sky Arts/Sky Ireland, Cartoon Saloon, Bank of Ireland, An Post and ESB were among the winners in 12 categories at the 25th annual Allianz Business to Arts Awards ceremony at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on Monday, September 19th.
This year’s Allianz Business to Arts Awards, attracted a record number of nominations with over 15% related to the 1916 commemorations. The Awards recognise businesses, artists and arts organisations that develop creative partnerships to bring businesses and the arts into mutually beneficial relationships across society. The evening was a celebration of the most innovative and creative partnerships in Ireland which use the arts to enhance communities and working environments.
In addition to the award winners, RTÉ received the 25th Anniversary Special Award from Allianz and Business to Arts in recognition of its long-term contribution to the development, support and promotion of the arts during the 25-year history of the awards.
The Allianz Business to Arts Awards recognise businesses, artists and arts organisations that develop creative partnerships, bringing the arts and artists into mutually beneficial relationships across society
The Allianz Business to Arts Awards 2016 Winners are:
Best Use of Creativity in the Community: Matthews Coach Hire & Louth County Council Arts Office and Monaghan County Council Arts Office – the Matthews.ie Arts Show
Best Creative Staff Engagement: Bank of Ireland ‘Be Our Inspiration’
Jim McNaughton Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice An Post for `GPO Witness History 2016 Commissions Programme’ & Barbara Knezevic ‘They are of us all’
Jim McNaughton / TileStyle €10,000 Artist’s Bursary Padraic Rowan
Allianz Community Art Award Helium Arts
Dublin Airport Authority €5,000 Arts Award axis: Ballymun
Best Small Sponsorship – under €25,000 value Lynders Mobile Home Park & Fingal County Council’s Arts Office
Best Long Term Partnership ESB & Feis Ceoil – ESB Feis Ceoil
Best Large Sponsorship – over €50,000 value Sky Arts/Sky Ireland & Brink Films, Landmark Productions, Wide Open Opera – The Last Hotel
Best Mid-Size Sponsorship – over €15,000 -€50,000 value Cartoon Saloon & Butler Gallery – Song of the Sea: The Exhibition
Judges’ Special Recognition An Post
25th Anniversary Special Award RTÉ
Leading the congratulations among over 500 business and arts leaders at the theatre was Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD.
Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD said:
“It’s great to see that this year’s Allianz Business to Arts Awards include such a high level of nominations from cultural events associated with the centenary of 1916. The Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme is woven through a number of this year’s winning entries, reflecting the huge impact the commemorative programme has had on the arts, and indeed the huge impact the arts have had on our commemorations. Now in their 25th year, the Allianz Business to Arts Awards continue to highlight the benefits of collaboration across the cultural and commercial sectors, facilitating new partnerships with large corporations and the arts for the benefit of communities across Ireland. I would like to commend all of the winners of this year’s Business to Arts Awards, and wish the organization and its partners the very best for the remainder of 2016.”
Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive of Business to Arts, said:
“Co-creation and wide-ranging collaboration are at the heart of the partnerships we celebrate in this very special 25th Anniversary year of the Allianz Business to Arts Awards. Each winner showcases the powerful impact artists, arts organisations and businesses can have on communities throughout Ireland. In this year of Commemoration, the cultural sector has been an important part of State and corporate events. The winners shine a spotlight on what can be achieved by working with artists to the interpret and re-imagine our heritage. Each year of the Allianz Business to Arts Awards builds on the previous, and it is always inspiring to see organisations from diverse sectors push boundaries and create world-class art”
2016 marks the 25th anniversary of the Allianz Business to Arts Awards, which recognise businesses, artists and arts organisations that develop and sustain creative partnerships. The awards recognise large, mid-sized, small and long-term sponsorships, staff engagement activities, commissioning, corporate social responsibility programme, community engagement and portfolio-based partnerships. Many of the short-listed collaborations are the result of long-term relationships.