Mayo based artist Emma Bourke, Vincent Harrison, Managing Director, Dublin Airport and Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive, Business to Arts unveil ‘Symbiotic’, this years limited edition awards sculpture commissioned by daa for the 28th year. Picture Conor McCabe Photography.

Each year daa generously commission an artist to create a suite of sculptures which are awarded to the Allianz Business to Arts Awards winning companies. The commission is now in its 28th year. This year, Mayo based glass artist Emma Bourke was commissioned to create the 2019 limited edition awards sculpture, ‘Symbiotic’.

Speaking about her piece, Emma said,

‘An awareness of our heritage is essential to understand our identity and to contextualise our cultures. My research into botanical mythology helps me appreciate how communities have developed. It enables me to construct a sense of place within increasingly international systems of communication and visual information.

‘Symbiotic’, a new work created for the Allianz Business to Arts Awards, refers to the complex relationship between people and plants. Essential to successful ecosystems, a rapport between the two allows both to thrive: from seed migration to cultivation to medicinal uses; from local to global contexts. Successful ecologies emerge, with people working together to develop results.

The bond between people and plants forms the basis of many tales and customs handed down through the ages: from the Foxglove’s association to fairies to a bride carrying her bouquet. Storytelling has commonly been used to pass on knowledge about plants through generations of people and my research for ‘Symbiotic’ draws upon this as my main resource.

‘Symbiotic’ is based on a wild flower known as Scarlet Pimpernel, a notorious poisonous plant that has traditional uses for treatment of the liver, jaundice, dropsy and depression. This bright, pretty plant which brings joy and eases pain is dangerous if used incorrectly, so it bears an abhorrent reputation. Drawing inspiration from Scarlet Pimpernel’s combination of beauty, danger and healing coinciding in one plant, I designed the flowers in Symbiotic using a similar pattern of five petals with golden stamen.

I took a scientific approach when creating the petals and branches in glass, to scrutinise the physicality, scale and fragility of the original Scarlet Pimpernel plant. Recreating the physical form of the plant in another material, such as glass, is another way to pass down information about a plant. ‘Symbiotic’ is made from two materials only: glass and wood. Both materials are timeless and sustainable, it’s important to me that I create works that exist both then and now; that speak both of our history and presence in 2019.’

If you would like to book tickets for this event, please complete the booking form here.

If you have any questions, please contact the Allianz Business to Arts Awards team.

Sean McGrath, CEO, Allianz; Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive, Business to Arts and Victoria McCormack, Macnas at Dublin Castle. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography.

The 2019 Allianz Business to Arts Awards received significant levels of entries in its 28^th year, showcasing a diverse range of creative partnerships incorporating architecture, dance, design, film, music, literature, theatre and visual art. This year saw high levels of entries from increased regional activity, community engagement and long-term partnerships that continue to evolve through diverse activation campaigns.

The 2019 Allianz Business to Arts Awards will be presented on September 3^rd at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.  The awards recognise businesses, artists and arts organisations that develop creative partnerships. The shortlist shows strong collaboration between business and arts focused on sponsorship, staff engagement, commissioning, CSR initiatives and community engagement. Many of the collaborations are the result of long-term relationships.

Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive of Business to Arts, said:

“Each year our Awards recognise the most outstanding examples of creative partnerships between the corporate and creative communities. On an annual basis we are inspired by the ever-growing levels of creativity, partnership and commitment displayed through our Awards shortlist. As we strive to achieve our organisations mission of enabling and developing best practice creative partnerships, we look forward to celebrating our shortlist and winners on September 3^rd with our partners, members and friends’.

Commenting on this year’s entries, Sean McGrath, CEO of Allianz Ireland, said:

“Yet again we are delighted and inspired by the scale and diversity of nominations in this year’s Allianz Business to Arts Awards.  Literature, architecture, design, dance, theatre, film, music and visual art are all represented through both new and long term partnerships between Arts and Business organisations.  Also, greater community involvement and an ever growing regional bias are welcomed as the benefits of    corporate and cultural collaboration are enjoyed across the country.”

For the 28^th year, the award sculpture has been commissioned by daa. This year’s award, ‘Symbiotic’ was created by Dublin based artist Emma Bourke who states:

“My research into botanical mythology helps me appreciate how communities have developed. It enables me to construct a sense of place within increasingly international systems of communication and visual information. Symbiotic, refers to the complex relationship between people and plants. Essential to successful ecosystems, a rapport between the two allows both to thrive, similar to that of a creative partnership between arts and business: from seed migration to cultivation to medicinal uses; from local to global contexts. Successful ecologies emerge, with people working together to develop results.”

The winners of the 2019 Allianz Business to Arts Awards will be announced on September 3rd at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.

The Allianz Business to Arts Awards 2019 Shortlist:

Best Large Sponsorship – over €50,000 value

• Dublin Port Company, Bitter Like A Lemon & Abbey Theatre for ‘In Our Veins’
• Grant Thornton & National Concert Hall for ‘Female Conductor Programme’
• RCSI & Accenture with various artists for ‘Women on Walls at RCSI’
• University College Cork & Cork Opera House for ‘Creating Together’

Best Mid-Size Sponsorship – over €15,000 – €50,000 value

• Arup & Crawford Art Gallery Cork for ‘Earth, Wind and Fire: Made in Cork Contemporary’
• BNP Paribas Group Ireland & Helium Arts
• Cartoon Saloon & Butler Gallery for ‘The Breadwinner Exhibition’
• Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards in association with TileStyle

Best Small Sponsorship – €15,000 value and under

• Coca-Cola Ireland & Children’s Books Ireland for ‘Family Hubs Libraries’
• Farmgate Café & the Munster Literature Centre for the ‘Farmgate Café National Poetry Award’
• Irish Rail & Fishamble for ‘A Play For Ireland’
• Medtronic & Baboró International Arts Festival for Children for ‘Creative Connections’

Best Long Term Partnership

• Avolon & Royal Hibernian Academy for ‘Avolon Global Studio Award’
• Bord Gáis Energy & Bord Gáis Energy Theatre
• ESB & the National Gallery of Ireland for ‘ESB Centre for the Study of Irish Art’
• Medtronic & Baboró International Arts Festival for Children for ‘Creative Connections’

 Best Use of Creativity in the Community

• AIB & Docklands Business Forum for ‘Docklands Volunteer Day’
• Algorithm & James Earley with various businesses for ‘Perpetua’
• Colourtrend & Waterford Walls International Street Art Festival
• Dublin Airport & National College of Art and Design for ‘Creative Journeys’

 Best Creative Staff Engagement

• A&L Goodbody & Suas for ‘Literacy Support Programme’
• Axonista & Irish Film Institute for ‘IFI Player’
• Deloitte & Maria Quinlan for ‘Photovoice Project’
• Walkers Ireland & Kate Nolan for ‘Walkers Photographer-in-Residence’

Jim McNaughton Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice

• Behaviour and Attitudes & Graphic Studio Dublin for ‘The Works – 30 years of the B&A/Graphic Studio Dublin Commission’
• Cairn Homes & Eileen MacDonagh for ‘Eyes for You’
• Dublin Airport & National College of Art and Design for ‘Creative Journeys’
• McGarrell Reilly Group & Alva Gallagher for ‘Rise’

Judges’ Special Recognition Award for Portfolio of Investment

• Avolon for ‘Global Studio Award and Youthreach Art Programme’ at Royal Hibernian Academy and partnerships with Abbey Theatre and Druid Theatre
• Arup for ‘New Now Next’ with Irish Architecture Foundation and ‘Earth, Wind and Fire: Made in Cork Contemporary’ with Crawford Art Gallery Cork
• Children’s Books Ireland for ‘Book-gifting’ with KPMG, ‘Bookbag’ with Brown Bag Films, and ‘Family Hubs Libraries’ with Coca-Cola Ireland
• Dublin Port Company for ‘Starboard Home Documentary’ with Moira Sweeney, Spirit Level Productions and South Paw Pictures, ‘In Our Veins’ with Bitter Like A Lemon & Abbey Theatre and ‘Dublin City Public Art Programme’

 Allianz Community Art Award

• Colourtrend & Waterford Walls International Street Art Festival
• Cork Film Festival for ‘Illuminate’ and ‘Intinn’
• Fishamble: The New Play Company for ‘Silent’
• SUBSET for ‘Grey Area Project’

At this year’s judging day in The Merrion Hotel were: (from left) Gerard McNaughton, TileStyle; Donal O’Donovan, Independent News & Media; Antonia McTaggart, Facebook; Robert McEvoy, Allianz Ireland; Rachel Hussey, Arthur Cox; Andrew Hetherington, Business to Arts; Petal Pilley, Blue Teapot Theatre Company. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

Members of this year’s Jury Panel were:

• Rachel Hussey – ‎Head of Business Development, Partner, Arthur Cox (Chair)
• Antonia McTaggart – Client Partner, Facebook
• Donal O’Donovan – Business Editor, Irish Independent at Independent News & Media
• Gerard McNaughton – Retail Director, TileStyle
• Petal Pilley – Director, Blue Teapot Theatre
• Robert McEvoy – Head of Market Management, Allianz

For ticket information please contact awards@businesstoarts.ie

      Máire Carroll performing with 2nd class pupils in Ringsend GNS

Concert pianist Máire Carroll is one of three recipients of the 2018 Docklands Arts Fund Small Grants, for her project ‘Hidden Pianos: Workshop’.

Máire is an international concert pianist who has performed throughout Europe, Asia, North America and Canada. She is also the recipient of the Jim McNaughton/TileStyle Bursary for Artists (Allianz Business to Arts Awards, 2015) and the 2012 winner of the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) Music Bursary.

‘Hidden Pianos: Workshop’ is aimed at bringing contemporary and classical music to new audiences in unexpected places. Máire worked with 2^nd class pupils in Ringsend GNS to engage and encourage them to explore music, and together they composed a piece of music titled ‘Onboard’. For information on Máire’s other work, please see her website here.

Commenting on her Docklands Arts Fund experience, Máire says:

 “In April 2019, I began my Hidden Pianos: Workshop in Ringsend GNS, with an excitable classroom of children curious to know more about the piano and composing, and what writing their own piece of music would entail. Over the course of four sessions and a performance, we composed our self-titled piece ‘Onboard’, detailing the journey of second class from Dublin Port to Australia by boat.

From the beginning of the project, the students were heavily involved in choosing the topic and the characters for our piece. They decided how the story would develop and were encouraged by me in the various musical aspects of composing the piece, which included picking the melody and instrumental lines. Each week the students would arrive in from the yard after lunch chanting the words and melodies of the songs that had stayed with them despite only having learnt them the week before. I deemed this a huge success after week one and was thrilled with their passion for the project and their continuous enthusiasm.

The level of imagination that developed over the course of the month working with the class was inspiring and at times very moving. One by one a hand would raise and someone would have a new idea or suggestion. All suggestions were considered and together we discussed how we wanted our piece to sound. How can we make the sound of a ship? What instruments might be suitable? Whose help might we need once we’re onboard the ship, will we meet anyone along the journey?

Our opening song ‘Where are we going, what will we see?’ was sung with such passion and commitment. To enhance their excitement of having created a musical piece of their own, l arranged for a flautist and a French horn player to join me for the final performance in May. The students loved being introduced to these instruments and hearing ‘Onboard’ come to life with different musical effects from both performers. They all agreed that the French horn made the music come alive by making frightening monster sounds when we were all onboard the ship.

My only wish with this project was that we could have had more than four sessions which would have resulted in being able to develop the piece further, and most importantly continue to nurture and develop the confidence and talent in these young students. I am incredibly grateful to the Docklands Art Fund for this opportunity to share my love of the piano and composing with Ringsend GNS and l am delighted to have encouraged a musical spark in the classroom with ‘Onboard’.“