CBS Westland Row TY students Genoveva Nemes (age 16) and Ademola Oke-Eko at Walkers offices. Photo: Conor McCabe

Business to Arts and global financial services law firm and corporate services business, Walkers, have announced the second year of the ‘Walkers Stories from the Docklands Photography Competition’. Members of the public are invited to submit photographs, that fit under one of four themes – architecture, people in motion, life on the water and daily life. Photographs where possible should be taken in the Dublin Docklands area. Due to the current situation, photographs are also welcomed which have been captured in any local area (e.g. home, garden, neighbourhood). There are four categories of entrant:

• Children 12 years and under
• Teenagers 13 to 18 years of age
• Adults
• Walkers Staff Members

Images may be taken on cameras or mobile phones. The closing date for entries is 20 July 2020.

A panel of experts will convene to select the shortlisted and winning images. Shortlisted and winning images will receive One4all vouchers. A number of selected photographs will be printed and displayed in the Walkers offices, with printed images presented to the participants as a prize per category.

This project builds on the Walkers Photographer-in-Residence programme which is now its third year. In February 2018, Irish photographer Kate Nolan was announced as the Walkers Photographer-in-Residence. The residency includes a series of workshops, where Kate has introduced documentary photography to CBS Westland Row transition year students and Walkers staff through ‘story walks’ of the Docklands. The residency supports Business to Arts’ wider programme of activity, which promotes the Arts collaboratively with businesses, artists, audiences and communities.

2020 sees Walkers celebrating 10 years in Ireland. Garry Ferguson, Managing Partner, Walkers commented:

“We are pleased to extend Walkers Photographer-in-Residence programme to also enable members of the public as well as our staff and the students of CBS Westland Row, to enter photographs under this competition. The photography competition theme centres on the architecture, movement of people and life on water in the picturesque and inspirational Dublin Docklands area where new and traditional parts of Dublin come together to form a flourishing centre for commerce, entertainment and urban living.”

At the announcement, Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive, Business to Arts stated:

‘We are very happy to announce the second annual Walkers Stories from the Docklands competition. This project builds on our collaborative partnership with Walkers, Photographer-in-Residence Kate Nolan, CBS Westland Row and the Docklands Arts Fund. The Docklands is continuously evolving and we look forward to receiving submissions that capture the day-to-day life and activities of those who work, live and commute through the area.’

For further information please click here.

An open call to artists for a series of new portraits of outstanding females in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) has been announced at DCU. Accenture Women on Walls at DCU will recognise the pioneering achievements of a group of extraordinary women and enhance the visibility of female leaders in STEM. When completed, the new portraits will be hung in The Future-Tech Building located at DCU’s Glasnevin Campus. The flagship building will be at the forefront of DCU’s international reputation for excellence in science, computing and engineering disciplines.

Speaking ahead of the announcement, Prof Brian MacCraith, President of DCU said:“Thanks to the ‘Accenture Women on Walls at DCU’ initiative, DCU will be able to give female STEM pioneers pride of place at the heart of our new Future-Tech building. DCU hopes the presence of these portraits will inspire future generations of female leaders in STEM, based on the powerful idea that ‘you cannot be what you cannot see’. We are delighted that this is happening as we celebrate our 40^th year as a higher education institution and it reflects a core value of DCU in our drive to foster equality, diversity and inclusion.”

Dr Michelle Cullen, managing director and Head of Inclusion & Diversity, Accenture in Ireland added: “Accenture is delighted to be working with DCU on the next chapter of Women on Walls. The existing portraits at RIA and RCSI continue to create many important conversations about extraordinary women leaders in Ireland and beyond. As a young undergraduate and post-graduate student, DCU was the place that formed and inspired me and it is a particular honour to be working with DCU on this important commission in the year of their 40th anniversary. I am looking forward to meeting the chosen artists for this commission. They will get the opportunity to paint historical women in STEM including Katherine Johnson, a former NASA mathematician whose calculations were critical to America’s first human spaceflight.”

Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive, Business to Arts said: “We are proud to work with DCU and Accenture on the next phase of the Women on Walls Campaign. Art is a powerful means of visual communication and these portrait commissions will be seen by students, staff and visitors to the DCU Campus for generations to come. Through portraiture we can acknowledge and celebrate the great achievements of these outstanding women ensuring that Irish and international female academic and industry leaders are visible.”

DCU is committed to promoting gender equality among staff and students for the advancement of the university’s mission to transform lives and societies.

The university is a recipient of the Athena SWAN Bronze Award in recognition of its commitment to advancing gender equality for women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and creating cultural change within the university.

It has consistently demonstrated a strong passion and dedication to advancing women in STEM as evidenced by initiatives such as the Improving Gender Balance Ireland Programme, which aims to improve students’ experience of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) as well as leading a global research consortium to help tackle gender equalities in Ireland’s entrepreneurial sector.

Women on Walls is a campaign that seeks to make women leaders visible through a series of commissioned portraits that will create a lasting cultural legacy for Ireland. Accenture’s Women on Walls began in 2016 with the Royal Irish Academy followed by a second campaign with RCSI in 2019.

Artists are welcome to submit a proposal to Business to Arts before 5pm on Friday, 17 April 2020. It is anticipated that the successful artists will be selected in June and that the completed artworks would be launched in Winter 2020. Further information is available here.

Photo: Jason Clarke

Last night, Fundraising Fellows Aoibhie McCarthy (Marketing & Development Officer, Cork Film Festival); John Mc Evoy (Development Executive, Druid); and Fiona Garvan (Development Executive, Dublin Theatre Festival) graduated from the Fundraising Fellowship programme. The programme, a partnership between Business to Arts, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Dublin City Council Culture Company, aims to develop the pool of fundraising expertise in Irish cultural organisations.

As part of the 24-month Fundraising Fellowship Dublin programme, the Fellows worked in a fundraising or a marketing & fundraising role at their arts organisation. The programme saw Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Dublin City Council Culture Company fund 50% of each role, with the partner organisation matching that figure. Over the two years, the Fellows took part in an intensive programme of training and mentorship, worth in-excess of €80,000 per institution led by Business to Arts and industry experts, to build capacity and to diversify revenue streams. As part of this, leading Irish experts offered masterclasses to develop knowledge and offer practical and real life expertise.

The Fellows have raised a combined €772,000 directly attributable to their role in their organisation. Three case studies have been published highlighting the challenges, implemented strategies and outcomes of the Fellows and their organisations participating in the course. Each can be viewed here:

• Druid Theatre Company
• Cork Film Festival
• Dublin Theatre Festival

To date over €2 million has been raised by Fellows who have participated in the programme. These include Helium Arts, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Fishamble: A New Play Company alongside the three organisations mentioned above.

Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive of Business to Arts states:

“This two-year programme has enabled Business to Arts; the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; and Dublin City Council Culture Company to provide an intensive programme of training and support to three arts organisations. We now have six Fellows that have graduated from the programme. Each Fellow has secured new funding for their organisation and we are very proud of their achievements to date. Developing sustainable fundraising ability in the arts takes time, resources and partnerships with all stakeholders. We thank the Department of Culture and Dublin City Council Culture Company for their foresight and investment in the programme”

At the graduation, Conor Falvey, Assistant Secretary Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht said:

“I wish to congratulate to Business to Arts on the resounding success of the Fellowship Scheme which has promoted a new approach to arts funding, strengthened the confidence and the capabilities of the Fellows and of their organisations, and achieved impressive results in 2018 and 2019. The values represented by their effort echo the values stated in the recently launched National Cultural Policy Framework Culture 2025.”

At the graduation, Iseult Byrne, Chief Executive, Dublin City Council Culture Company said:

“Capacity building one of our core values so we are delighted to have had the opportunity to work in partnership with Business to Arts on developing this programme. We are delighted to see how the programme has had an impact Dublin Theatre Festival, increasing the funds raised and the development of new partnership for the organisation. Perhaps more importantly though is the investment of Fundraising Fellowship Dublin in developing and sharing a skillset that will impact positively on cultural and community organisations long after the programme has ended.”

For details on the Fundraising Fellowship programme please click here.

Business to Arts Awards Picture Conor McCabe Photography

It was with great sadness that we heard of the death of our friend Keelin Shanley. We had the pleasure of working with Keelin over a five-year period as Master of Ceremonies for the Business to Arts Awards. During that time she also worked as MC at the Irish Book Awards and Accenture’s International Women’s Day Events.

Speaking about Keelin, Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive of Business to Arts said, “Keelin was a natural choice as master of ceremonies for our Awards. She had a great ability to hold an audience and seamlessly move between official ceremony and lighter conversation with winners. She was a strong advocate for women in media, and the arts, and was interested in the work of Business to Arts. As well as being an accomplished journalist and presenter known to everyone, she was a close friend of many people that are a part of our organisation. Our heartfelt sympathies to her husband Conor, her children, family and colleagues at RTE.”

Keelin’s obituary in on RTE can be read here and on Irish Times here.

Following the launch of Galway 2020, the team at Business to Arts look forward to attending some of the cultural events that will happen across Galway city and county in the coming year. From immersive theatre to street fairs, light shows to circus spectacles there is something for everyone. Galway 2020 events run all year until January 2021 culminating in Lumiere Galway, which will see Galway city transformed by artists through large-scale projections, light sculptures and interactive digital installations.

Here are some of our highlights:

• Joeleen Lynch – Membership & Projects Manager

To the Moon (March 31st-April 12th) 

A collaboration from NASA’s first artist-in-residence Laurie Anderson and new media artist Hsin-Chien Huang. I am excited for ‘To the Moon’, which promises a dreamlike immersive experience that takes the audience on their own 30 minute lunar exploration. A timely VR experience commenting on humans transitory experience on earth and our impact on other life forms that are threatened by extinction including the polar bear and the honey bee. Click here to learn more.

• Andrew Hetherington – Chief Executive

Druid: The Galway Tour (May 7th- July 5th)

Druid will perform a series of one act plays, which will be performed in local communities across Galway County and City. We’ve had the pleasure of working with the Druid team from 2018 – 2020 through their participation on our Fundraising Fellowship, Ireland programme. Druid’s reputation for bringing their productions to different locations in Galway means seeing one of these performances should not be missed. Click here to learn more.

• Helen Carroll – Head of Communications & Partnerships

Gilgamesh (April, June, November, December)

Macnas and Marina Carr bring the legendary adventures of Gilgamesh to life across the four seasons with the story beginning to unfold in fragments in spring and moving outdoors for summer. Playing out in multiple sites across the city, county and digital realm, Macnas are magical storytellers who constantly surprise, creating powerful and visual theatrical shows for audiences of all ages. Click here to learn more.

• Eileen Hanratty – Senior Membership & Projects Manager

Fire Garden (August)

To mark the start of Lughnasa and the long wild nights of this enchanted season, fire alchemists Cie Carabosse will create a magical fire garden on a huge scale in and around one of County Galway’s most impressive monuments. It will be a poignant experience, reflecting on the most basic and elemental human need for warmth and light as humanity is battling with the consequences of Earth’s increasing temperatures. Click here to learn more.

• Michelle Reid – Arts Programme Manager

Waterlicht (October)

Responding to the pressing risk of rising sea levels brought on by global warming, Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde will transform an area deep within Connemara into a virtual underwater world. Connemara has long been on my list of places to explore. With the prospect of being enveloped in a virtual flood in the depths of Connemara, as well as confronting the ever-growing threat of climate change in an immersive installation, I could see no better way to develop and deepen my connection with this beautiful landscape. Click here to learn more.

To see the full Galway 2020 programme click here

Picture Jason Clarke

Business to Arts’ current strategic plan (2018-2023) outlines our ambition to increase our Corporate & Arts Affiliate membership across Ireland. As a non-profit organisation with a national remit, we recognise and acknowledge the fundraising and development challenges faced by regional artists and cultural organisations. Restricted access to training and networking events impedes the development and implementation of fundraising strategies for these individuals/organisations. We are currently working to increase our presence in cities and regions outside Dublin to combat these challenges.

To increase our engagement with regional Corporates and Arts Affiliates we are currently implementing the following activities:

Increasing our presence in Munster & Connacht

From January 2020 Business to Arts will be in the Cork/Munster region one day per month and are available to meet with companies/individuals interested in connecting with members of the team. We will also be working in Galway one day per month from April to August. Fundit.ie, Business to Arts’ crowdfunding platform for creatives will also host a number of regional workshops throughout 2020.

Business to Arts’ AR Programme

The AR Programme covers a broad spectrum of activity, with programmes involving community engagement, staff engagement and work-place creative activities by host companies and artists. We work with companies and artists to create programmes that engage staff and local communities through arts participation. Currently, programmes include ‘SOAR’ at NUIG supported by LK Shields, ‘Harmony’ at the Mid-West Simon Community Family Hub, Limerick supported by BHP Insurance and ‘Calling Home’ at The Ludgate Hub, Skibbereen. Learn more about our AR Programme here

New Stream & capacity building

New Stream is our long-term, capacity-building programme for arts and cultural organisations. A key strand, Fundraising Fellowship Ireland, provides matched funding and a two-year professional development programme for arts fundraisers and their organisations. In total, the investment from this programme is valued at €80,000 per organisation. Cork Film Festival and Druid Theatre have recently completed the programme. Read case studies on both organisations here. We will announce the next two organisations to participate on the programme early next month.

Did you know?

Arts Affiliates

In 2019, our annual regional Arts Affiliate membership increased by 8%. Currently, the largest number of Arts Affiliates are based in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Limerick respectively.

Fund it Regional Statistics

Between 2011 and 2019, over 1,500 projects have been funded through Fund it. 55.7% of projects were based in Dublin, 11.5% from Cork, 8.2% from Galway.

If you are an artist or cultural organisation interested in meeting with a member of the Business to Arts team please contact Michelle at michelle@businesstoarts.ie

If you are a business interested in meeting with a member of the Business to Arts team please contact Eileen at eileen@businesstoarts.ie

Mentors/Artists Liam De Frinse and Brid Higgins Ni ChinnŽide. Photographer: 1IMAGE/Bryan Brophy

Business to Arts are very happy to work with EZ Films & TG4 on the TV series ‘Creative Company’. The new arts-based competition 6-part series airs on TG4 on Thursday evenings at 9.30pm. Working with an artist, ten Irish companies take on the challenge of creating a piece of large-scale public art.

The project is judged by a team of expert art critics, Evelyn O’Rourke, Broadcaster RTÉ; Caomhán Mac Con Iomaire, National Gallery of Ireland; and Helen Carroll, Business to Arts.

Watch the episodes here:

• Episode 1: The Gleneagle Hotel versus Maurice Ward
• Episode 2: Circle K versus Dingle Hub
• Episode 3:  Standún versus Energia
• Episode 4: Donegal Yarns versus Raidió na Life
• Episode 5: Big O Taxi’s versus Donegal ETB
• Episode 6:Grand Final