Sept 11, 2011 Sunday Independent


Allianz Business to Arts Awards Finding all the silver linings


term view and, within a liter- ary context, tell us: “Now is the winter of our discontent”. But such generalisations miss something important. For if you read this much quot- ed Shakespearean extract, Richard III was actually cele- brating good fortune and not woe. Put simply, if you look deeply enough, there is always a silver lining and through the Allianz Business to Arts Awards we celebrate many such silver linings. As our economy recovers, I predict with confidence that great things will continue to flow from the relationships applauded as part of these awards. This year’s shortlist features some of the most innovative collaborations we have seen in the 20-year history of the event, and we applaud their achievements, acknowledge their co-operation and are inspired by their inventive- ness.


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But in these difficult times, we equally welcome the mon- etary contribution their actions make to our economy – in terms of tickets sold, jobs created and tourists attracted. Take the ‘Casting Light’


T a time where the economy weighs heavily on every- one’s mind, cynics can take a short-


homes around the country. As we marvel at the cultur- al contributions made by busi- ness and arts partnerships, it can be easy to forget the com- mercial dividend earned by such activity. The bottom line for busi- nesses today is that supporting the arts not only makes good commercial sense, but it also delivers significant advantages to individuals involved and to the wider communities of which we are all part. In 2010 Business to Arts


At the presentation of this year’s Allianz Business to Arts Awards at the State Apartments Dublin Castle were (l–r) Stuart McLaughlin, chief executive, Business to Arts; Brendan Murphy, chief executive, Allianz Ireland; President Mary McAleese, patron of Business to Arts; Declan Collier, chief executive of Dublin Airport Authority; and Gerard McNaughton, retail director, TileStyle


project by John Byrne and commissioned by Cavan Coun- ty Council, for example, which won the Jim McNaughton Per- petual Award for Best Com- missioning Practice in the Allianz Business to Arts Awards this year. This outdoor video instal- lation projected onto the front


of the Ulster Bank building attracted thousands of people and presented Cavan town as a progressive and forward thinking place to visit – as well as those who saw it on site, around 20,000 people viewed it via the internet in the space of a week. Indeed, technology in gen-


eral is playing an increasingly important role in today’s busi- ness and arts collaborations in terms of solving problems faced by both individuals and organisations. ‘Open Window’ by Denis Roche, winner of the Jim McNaughton/TileStyle ¤10,000 Bursary for Commis-


sioned Artists at the Allianz Business to Arts Awards is a case in point. This ground- breaking project is an inter- active web platform, showing video art, artworks and pho- tography in hospital rooms as an alternative to the dull views out physical windows. Roche hopes to roll out to nursing


worked with Pricewater- houseCoopers, Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival and the Belfast Festival at Queens to measure the economic impact of the festival and Ulster Bank’s sponsorship. This research showed that the total economic impact was ¤8.4m and the two festivals employed the equivalent of 67 full-time employees in 2009. In the funding model the sup- port of Ulster Bank was criti- cal, sitting alongside public funders and box office income. As the Allianz Business to


Arts Awards have progressed over the years, we have seen more and more creativity from communities addressing chal- lenges from within. We are, as a result, all the richer for it, as a society and economically. Again this year, I was blown


away by how individuals and communities using little more


‘If you look deeply enough, there is always a silver lining and through the Allianz Business to Arts Awards we celebrate many such silver linings’


than their creativity – but blessed by the support of like- minded entrepreneurs – have faced huge challenges by cre- ating bold, colourful, practical and long-lasting solutions. Their collaborations have shown us that we have the artistic, intellectual and busi- ness capacity to thrive. Two projects in Carlow stand out in this regard, in particular in the way they engaged so many people in the community to achieve great things. The Shelter Me From The


Rain opera, commissioned by Carlow local authorities, was a mammoth task made possible by a wide range of


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A supplement on business and the arts in conjunction with Independent Newspapers, Allianz and Business to Arts


Reflecting on the 20-year milestone that has been reached by the Allianz Business to Arts Awards, Brendan Murphy, CEO, Allianz Ireland, highlights how such collaborations and relationships benefit both the economy and society as a whole


stakeholders from the Nation- al Symphony Orchestra to the Seven Oaks Hotel to Carlow VEC. Over 100 local people performed in this production reflecting Carlow life. The other initiative was the


‘Mixed Colony of Beauty’ exhi- bition run by Pure Thinking Community Group. A local hairdresser managed to engage and involve various groups within the community to produce this photographic exhibition. In so doing, she contributed to her own busi- ness thriving and keeping peo- ple in jobs.


While we have seen great


change in recent years, there are some things that don’t change. Allianz has been underwriting insurance in this market for 110 years and throughout that long period has supported individuals and through them their commu- nities to achieve their potential. For 10 of these years, we


have embraced, encouraged and formalised this process through the Allianz Business to Arts Awards, and we are committed to being here for the long-term. We remain as partners to be inspired and to witness how both the business and arts communities through their collaboration continue to define and enrich both cul- ture and economic well being in the years to come.


Snapshots from the Allianz Business to Arts Awards in Dublin Castle on 5 September. The event, which was attended by around 220 guests, was a huge success, not least because the awards were celebrating 20 years of recognising a range of creative collaborations – award sculptures were created by Mark Hanvey; Julie Feeney presented a short surprise performance for guests; broadcaster Doireann Ni Bhriain hosted the ceremony in George’s Hall, the State Apartments, Dublin Castle


More than 20 reasons to celebrate


The Allianz Business to Arts Awards ceremony on 5 September demonstrated the continued enthusiasm and commitment to collaboration that exists between the corporate and cultural communities in Ireland


PRESIDENT Mary McAleese, patron of Business to Arts for all of her 14 years in office, joined leaders from the worlds of business and cul- ture for the Allianz Business to Arts Awards on 5 Septem- ber in Dublin Castle. The 220 guests ensured


that the rain and wind didn’t dampen spirits at the event, which was the 20th year of the awards. Collectively, they celebrated a wide range of creative collaborations from sponsorship agreements to community-based cultural events and in-kind partner- ships – all of which represent


the joining together of busi- ness and the arts for mutual benefit. There was a real sense of occasion this year as Presi- dent McAleese nears the end of her second term of office and there was a sense that the audience wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate the President’s unswerving sup- port of the arts in Ireland, both within Ireland and fur- ther afield. Marking the 20 years of the Dublin Airport Authority commissioning the awards sculpture, guests were treat- ed to a unique exhibition of all


20 sculptures in the entrance of Dublin Castle, as well as entertainment from critical- ly acclaimed Irish composer, singer and producer Julie Feeney and members of her ensemble. In her speech, the Presi- dent noted that many of the awards sculptures were com- missioned at a time when the artists were at the early stages of their careers, and the opportunity to create work that responded to this brief contributed to their develop- ment. “Looking back it is heart- ening to see that success and


international reputation that artists such as Felim Egan, Seamus Gill, Alva Gallagher and Grace Weir have achieved for themselves and for Irish art,” she said. This year Newtownards


artist Mark Hanvey created the awards sculpture, which was entitled ‘Flux’. It features a multi-centred turned-form in bleached oak, nestled in a maple frame and, in addition to the awards being given to the category winners, an edi- tion of the sculpture was pre- sented to President McAleese in recognition of her patron- age of Business to Arts.


A wide range of entries


The last three years of the Allianz Business to Arts Awards have attracted nom- inations whose total value


exceeds ¤18m. There was an increase in entries from last year, with the shortlist fea- turing projects from a wide range of sectors – everything from ICT to energy and trans- port, financial services as well as food and beverages. The visual arts are best rep- resented again this year, with a number of high-profile proj- ects. However, literature, music, film, craft and opera feature also and once again, projects bringing access for children to the arts are well represented. Google, BNP Paribas, Car- low and Cavan County Coun- cils and Bank of America Merrill Lynch were among the businesses and public bodies which made their way to the podium to collect well- deserved Allianz Business to Arts Awards.


Within the highly com- mended projects, initiatives from a number of high profile organisations such as KPMG, Bord Gáis and U2 were acknowledged for their excel- lence. The judges were heart- ened by the fact that many of these relationships are at the early stage of their develop- ment and expressed a hope that their initial success would encourage further sup- port into the future. Stuart McLaughlin, chief


executive of Business to Arts, noted in his speech that at a time when private support of the arts is becoming increas- ingly important, it’s good to see both the maturing of some relationships and the emergence of new players into the sponsorship arena. Drawing on the theme of ‘ learning from the past,


watching the present and cre- ating future he called for all of those in the room to work in partnership to create a future together. Meanwhile, Brendan Mur-


phy, CEO of Allianz Ireland commented on the important contribution such partner- ships make to Ireland as a whole. “After supporting these


awards for 10 years, I am always inspired by the sheer creativity and innovation of our winners. These awards demonstrate, yet again, the contribution and creativity in both the business and arts community, and its impor- tance to our economic and cultural recovery,” he said. “While global economists talk of a fragile recovery, we have seen the green shoots of creativity and collaboration


start to bear fruit both at a local and national level.” The theme for the 20th anniversary of the awards was that we would learn from the past, watch the present and create the future. Having noted the rich mix of highly commended and winning projects McLaughlin said that this blend of multi- national corporations repre- sented a shift in thinking on the island of Ireland. “We [Business to Arts]


believe that this is the time to stop talking about the ‘new’ reality and to recognise that this is the reality,” he said. “The partnerships that we recognise and celebrate here this evening demonstrate that plenty of us are simply getting on with discovering the opportunity that lay within the adversity we have faced.”


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