Inclusion, wellbeing and sustainability-focused partnerships honoured at this year’s ceremony.
Winners at the Business to Arts Awards 2024 show a strong focus on societal impact, with €25,000 in bursaries awarded on the night.
Winning partnerships at the awards comprised a variety of business sectors and art forms. Industries represented included construction, consulting, and public services - a strong indication of the relevance of the arts to all business sectors in Ireland. The myriad of art forms employed, spanning film, theatre, music, and both visual and digital art, highlighted the high standard of creativity and innovation of the winning projects.
Notable winners on the night were Waterways Ireland & CoisCéim Dance Theatre for BENCH, 16 original dance performances along Dublin’s canals, transforming everyday spaces into stages and encouraging shared values of sustainability and inclusivity; Press Up Group and The Dean Arts Studios for their providing free studio space to over 40 artists; and University College Cork and Dance Cork Firkin Crane for Inclusive Dance Cork, pioneering the first university-accredited training program in inclusive dance.
This year the CBRE Major Arts Partnership Award category celebrated an outstanding large partnership between Matheson LLP and the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) for The Matheson Creativity Hub in Memory of Tim Scanlon, serving as a dedicated space where individuals from diverse backgrounds can explore their creative potential and marking IMMA’s first permanent engagement and learning space. Bewleys Café was honoured for its highly engaging Lunchtime Theatre in The Irish Times Best Long-Term Partnership.
The Business to Arts Awards 2024, now in its 32nd year, was held at a gala ceremony in the National Concert Hall, hosted by journalist and broadcaster Dearbhail McDonald, with guest of honour Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. A total of 12 awards, including nine main categories and three bursaries worth €25,000 were presented to the projects by leaders in the business community.
Attendees of the 2024 Business to Arts Awards in the John Field Room, National Concert Hall. Credit Andres Poveda
Bursaries and monetary awards presented on the night included the Accenture €10,000 Digital Innovation in Art Bursary, which offers significant financial support to an artist creating work exclusively in the digital space. It was awarded to 1iing Heaney, for her work in exploring the interactions between technology and the natural world, using digital mediums such as CGI 3D computer animation to explore emerging technologies and laser 3D object scanning as a means of preserving organic organisms. Continuing to push the boundaries of digital and ecological art, reflecting a commitment to sustainability and the preservation of the natural world through technology-driven practices.
The 16th Jim McNaughton/TileStyle €10,000 Artist’s Bursary was awarded to Lauren Larkin, an actress and writer for the development of a documentary drama film, Punch Drunk. Inspired by her father, a former elite Irish amateur boxer recently diagnosed with dementia, the film will delve into the profound impacts of brain injuries in contact sports, focusing on safety in boxing and the enduring love for the sport.
The daa €5,000 Arts Award was awarded to Sing Ireland for Sing for Life, an initiative encouraging young people with additional needs to find their voice and communicate through the joy of singing. Through weekly sessions, the partnership has played a crucial role in building confidence, fostering community connections, and promoting wellness among participants.
Award winners were also presented with a limited-edition award sculpture, created by Kildare woodturner Emmet Kane and commissioned for the 32nd year by daa.
Performances on the night included the infectious percussion rhythms of samba band Morro 16, a specially commissioned piece from the experimental Nigerian-born Irish performer and dancer Mufutau Yusuf, the ethereal contemporary sean-nós vocals of Inni-K, and the viral sensation kid singers and rappers, The Kabin Studio.
“ I would like to congratulate Business to Arts and all the nominees and winners being recognised this year. The Business to Arts Awards are a clear demonstration of the powerful impact that can be had on society when the business and the arts worlds collaborate meaningfully together. It is inspiring to witness first-hand the very real benefits of these partnerships, on artists, communities and businesses across the country.”
The 2024 Business to Arts Awards winners are:
- CBRE Major Arts Partnership Award
Matheson LLP & Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) for The Matheson Creativity Hub in Memory of Tim Scanlon
- Kmend Arts Partnership Award
Waterways Ireland & CoisCéim Dance Theatre for BENCH
- The Irish Times Long-Term Partnership Award
Bewley's Cafe Grafton St Ltd & Bewley’s Café Theatre for Lunchtime Drama
- Irish Life Creativity in the Community Award
Workday & The Gate Theatre for Everyone Belongs Here
- ESB Creativity in the Workplace Award
Alternus Energy Group & National College of Art and Design for Alternus Sustainable Arts Initiative
- Community Foundation Ireland Creative Access Award
University College Cork & Dance Cork Firkin Crane for Inclusive Dance Cork
- Jim McNaughton/TileStyle Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice
ESB & Dublin Dance Festival for Kindred
- Philanthropic Support to the Arts Award
Press Up Group & The Dean Arts Studios
- Judges’ Special Recognition Award
Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland with Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Wexford Festival Opera & Kid’s Own Publishing
- daa €5,000 Arts Award
Sing Ireland for Sing for Life
- Jim McNaughton/TileStyle €10,000 Artist’s Bursary
Lauren Larkin, Actress & Writer
- Accenture €10,000 Digital Innovation in Art Bursary
1iing Heaney
“ As proud long-standing supporters of Business to Arts, we’re thrilled to celebrate this year’s winners. We’d like to congratulate the recipient of the Accenture Digital Innovation in Art Bursary, 1iing Heaney, for her incredible work exploring the interplay between technology and nature. Art has the power to generate insight, empathy and understanding, so that we can all thrive in a more inclusive society, and the winning partnerships truly demonstrate this”
“ We extend our warmest congratulations to all the nominees and winners of this year’s Business to Arts Awards, with special recognition to the CBRE Major Arts Partnership award winner. Their accomplishments underscore the successful collaboration between business and arts organisations, generating significant and lasting value for both themselves and society. These exemplary partnerships showcase the remarkable success that arts and business collaborations can achieve in projects nationwide.”
