May 24, 2009 Sunday Independent
1
Allianz Business to Arts 2009
A supplement on business and the arts in conjunction with Independent Newspapers, Allianz and Business to Arts
The business of CREATIVITY
As Ireland looks ahead, Brendan Murphy, CEO of Allianz, sees creativity as being a key skill to nurture for the future strategic success of Irish businesses
industry. Moreover, many are On the other hand, artists collaborating.
T
HE writer and
philosopher Henry willing to continue making too can reap the benefits of In a recent book by the
David Thoreau once monetary contributions to long and short-term benefits. Swedish economists Kjell
said: “The world is the sector. At a micro level, investments Norstrom and Jonas Ridder-
but a canvas to the The first Private Invest- can provide employment or strale called Karaoke Capi-
imagination”. This year’s ment in Arts and Culture Sur- work for artists, while at a talism, they concluded that,
Allianz Business to Arts vey Report produced jointly macro level they can help like karaoke, our economy is
Awards celebrate creativity by Deloitte and Business to drive the industry forward dominated by individuals
in the arts world, highlight- Arts was released earlier this and continue to place Ire- with endless choice, but that
ing the renewed importance year. It found that an impres- land’s arts sector on an inter- business has become home to
of our imaginations and abil- sive ¤13m worth of private national stage. institutionalised imitation.
ity to create inspiring tales investment in the arts came Norstrom’s and Ridder-
during this challenging time. from business in 2008. strale’s key lesson: become a
Indeed, as 2009 unfolds Nearly ¤10m came from first-rate version of yourself,
and Ireland and the world sponsorship, while ¤3m was
‘An impressive
not a second-rate version of
anticipate better times, we invested in the form of cor- someone else. Ireland can look
are seeing imagination and porate membership, corpo-
¤13m worth of
to the arts industry for inspi-
creativity become critical rate foundation grants and ration of that very lesson.
commodities. corporate donations.
private investment
Things change, and this
Recently, Ireland has felt There are some mutual current situation will not last
the pain of a shrinking econ- benefits to be had from such
in the arts came forever. But rather than wait-
omy and growing unem- investments. A partnership
from business
ing for that change, we need
ployment, but our strengths between business and the to start nurturing the green
lie in innovation, research arts can go a long way in
in 2008’
shoots of our recovery. From
and development (R&D). helping to create new forms Allianz’s seven years in spon-
No industry is more in of thinking. The arts can help soring these awards, we see
touch with innovation than businesses with marketing that the artists and the cre-
the arts, and over the years, and advertising, giving a Certainly, it is poverty ative mind are an integral
Ireland, to its credit, has company greater exposure to of imagination to perceive part of that recovery.
produced some wonderful, a wider audience. creative art as peripheral. Soci- But creativity can be frag-
world-renowned directors, The arts can also bring a ety is judged on its contribu- ile and we in the business
artists, actors, authors, sing- company into the heart of a tion, and the yardstick is how world need to fully support,
ers and producers. community through cleverly- we encourage innovation and harness and make the cre-
Perhaps not unsurprisingly, thought-out corporate social creativity. Through initiatives ative arts a more central
the National Competitiveness At the Allianz Business to Arts Awards were (from left): Brendan O’Mara, Business to Arts; Brendan Murphy, Allianz; President Mary responsibility (CSR) activities. such as Allianz Business to theme in our everyday lives.
Council has consistently advo- McAleese; Stuart McLaughlin, Business to Arts; Oliver Cussen, Dublin Airport Authority, Michele McNaughton, TileStyle In addition, the arts can act Arts, we are seeing the next Globally, creativity is the
cated the need for innovation as a great tool for the human chapter in our history. new currency and in this
within Irish businesses and local level deploy similiar in R&D or through better and inspired developments in be avoided. resources department with- As Albert Einstein said: respect Ireland is wealthy in a
the economy. strategies and policies, they use of procurement, we must both the arts and business On a positive note, Irish in a firm, at a time when many “Logic will get you from A to way that cannot be devalued,
It believes that by develop- too can regain or retain get more creative in our worlds have come about in firms and the many multina- businesses desperately need to B, imagination will get you or fall victim to global mis-
ing an innovation-driven competitiveness. approach. hard times like this. tionals based here continue to improve staff morale. An asso- everywhere.” We need to bring fortune. All that is needed is
economy, Ireland will drive Whether increasing inno- While it is easy to feel that While the temptation is support this argument. The ciation with the arts can help these qualities and abilities continued confidence in its
itself to the forefront of inter- vation within our economy we are in a tough spot, his- there for companies to with- vast majority recognise the businesses increase produc- to bear in finding new ways of ability and through collabo-
national competitiveness. and our businesses is through tory has shown that some of draw support and sponsor- importance of both sponsor- tivity, motivate staff and growing, new business ideas, ration with business, a deter-
Likewise, if companies at a lifelong learning, investment the most creative, innovative ship for the arts, it should ing and supporting our arts encourage creativity. new ways of thinking and mination to use it.
Inspired
Create
Innovate
Partners
A TRUE SYMPHONY: a selection of images from the Allianz Business to Arts Awards event, which took place on 20 May 2009 at Castletown House, along with some of the projects that were recognised
meant that the Awards were strives to look for all the pos- been of the highest standard,
A new chapter
not just hosted by OPW, but sibilities that might exist in and this is often achieved with-
the event itself also engaged collaboration between the in the confines of small budg-
the artists based at the House business and arts communi- ets and limited resources.
and allowed Allianz and Busi- ties, and this year's winners One could argue that a cul-
ness to Arts to showcase the truly represented this. turally engaged business
talent that lay within its walls. They range from the large- community will enhance
Amidst the chaos the economy has been plunged in right now, marrying the arts with business is one
Having given some 100
guests a unique perspective
way we can bring Ireland back to centre stage, as this year’s winners of the Allianz Business to Arts
on Castletown House, the
awards ceremony itself was a
‘The experience of all of the winners
Awards so vibrantly reflect
fitting tribute to the winners,
at this year’s Allianz Business to Arts
with speeches from President
THERE isn’t a cliché that has- Business to Arts were in com- financial pressures. was a tremendous honour for attention on the building. McAleese, Brendan Murphy,
Awards is that these projects have
n’t been used to describe the plete agreement on was that When planning the Awards those successful in this year's The Performance Corpora- chief executive of Allianz, and
period of unprecedented eco- after 18 years, it was more event itself, the notion of the competition. tion, a leading independent Stuart McLaughlin, chief exec-
transcended the times in which we
nomic and social change, important than ever to recog- traditional black-tie gala din- In many ways, Castletown theatre company, is one of utive of Business to Arts,
find ourselves’
which we find ourselves in. nise continuing relationships ner seemed at odds with the House was the perfect venue those organisations lucky before the presentation of the
But, rather than dwelling on between the arts and business current situation. A new for- for this event. Not only is this enough to call Castletown awards themselves.
the circumstances, it is incum- communities. mat that was both celebratory stunning property probably House home. In the spirit of The experience of all of the
bent on us all to work to adapt This belief was rewarded and appropriate was needed. the most important of its kind wanting to support the OPW winners at this year’s Allianz scale sponsorship of the Gate Ireland’s reputation at home
and discover the opportunity with 84 nominations for the In the end, the result could in Ireland, but it is also home concept, Business to Arts Business to Arts Awards is Theatre by Ulster Bank, and abroad, and as we all
that lies within the turbulence. awards, a small decrease on not have been better. to a number of arts organisa- worked with its artistic direc- that these projects have tran- through to the creative use of work to understand the new
This year's Allianz Busi- 2008, whose combined value With the kind support of tions, in line with OPW’s objec- tor, Jo Mangan, to re-imagine scended the times in which collaboration with theatre by world order, and re-establish
ness to Arts Awards were no represented over ¤6.4m of the Office of Public Works tive of establishing the House and rework a performance we find ourselves and provide both the Irish Council for Ireland’s leadership position,
exception to this, as the organ- investment in the arts. An (OPW), the event was held in as a cultural hub. originally created during the an example of what can be Bioethics and Mundipharma it is striking that the stan-
isations involved sat down to increase on the 2008 figure, the Long Gallery of Castle- This is being achieved Corporation's unique ‘Space’ achieved when we marry Ireland, or the creative artist- dards and success of these
consider what changes were this was a great achievement town House in Celbridge, Co through a residency pro- programme. together these two disparate in-residence programme of projects might provide an
needed, and what was the when you consider that these Kildare. A special invitation- gramme, where organisations ‘Space’ invites architects, worlds. the Art@Work project in example that allows us to
right response to the current relationships and projects only winner’s lunch was held, are invited to base themselves actors and choreographers to In his speech, Stuart Roscommon. take the advantage of oppor-
climate. took place during the past 12 with the awards presented by at Castletown House and find work together to design new McLaughlin noted that, in its Much of the artistic achieve- tunities that lie within
One area both Allianz and months, despite mounting President Mary McAleese. It ways of focusing cultural work within the House. This awards, Business to Arts ment that is celebrated has the chaos.
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