May 24, 2009 Sunday Independent ALLIANZ BUSINESS TO ARTS AWARDS 2009 7
This year’s Allianz Business to Arts Awards continues to recognise the importance of corporate social
responsibility and companies that aim to bring the arts to the community
Y forging partnerships
B
with arts organisations,
businesses can open up
cultural experiences to
new and wider audi-
ences. Indeed, as corporate social
Giving as good
responsibility (CSR) becomes an
increasingly significant part of
the business strategy, many com-
panies are incorporating the arts
into their policies.
Over the years, many enlight-
as you get
ened CSR managers have devel-
oped outstanding programmes
with their stakeholders and com-
munities in the CSR area.
The more CSR-savvy businesses
understand the necessity of keep- Children from St Laurence O'Toole's Girls Primary School receiving their
ing connections with voluntary books as part of the Docklands Schools Literacy Book Initiative from
and arts organisations, even dur- Docklands Authority representatives Catherine Mullarkey, Olive McKenna
ing the tough times. and Matt Bolton
Gerry Loughrey, group head of
corporate responsibility, Irish Life
& Permanent and judge at the
Docklands embraces books
Allianz Business to Arts Awards
2009, says even in the current cli-
mate firms should continue to THE Dublin Docklands has expanded hugely over the past two decades,
invest in their communities. with the arts playing a huge role in the development. Amidst this
“The arts are a very effective development, the Dublin Docklands Development Authority has reached
way of engaging with company out to the community, with its latest initiative reaching out to schools in
stakeholders,” he explains. particular through the Docklands Schools Literacy Book Initiative.
“CSR is about engaging with The programme was introduced as a direct result of recommendations
the community and giving some- ‘CSR is about engaging with the for the introduction of additional literacy and numeracy intervention
thing back to the communities programmes. Some 2,400 primary students received specially-chosen
where companies operate. It’s community and giving something back’ books for Christmas last year. The students were encouraged to read and
about making commitments and swap the books, and bring them back to school to begin their school and
doing things for long-term class libraries. Libraries are now established across all of the national
benefits.” Opera singer Yunah Lee as Madame Butterfly with Flavio Oliver and Louise Walsh, announcing the partnership between Sterndale Cinemas, schools in the Docklands area.
Loughrey says companies that Opera Ireland and the Metropolitan Opera, New York
identify the arts as a way of engag-
ing with the community will gain commit to all-island programmes,
tangible results. and it wants programmes that
“Companies involved in com- have a direct effect on the com-
munity activities can benefit a lot munity in which it carries out its
by developing partnerships. A part- business. The Up the Tempo pro-
nership approach allows people to gramme fitted in with that policy
share expertise and address each really well.”
other’s requirements.” Adds Hayden: “Anything that
helps the community helps Ulster
Reaching out Bank; anything that gives people
One programme that continues more education makes them bet-
to open up the world of classical ter citizens. For us, it certainly
music to communities is the ‘Up helps us get our name out there. It Above: Pupils from Marymount GNS, Ballsgrove, Drogheda, recording
the Tempo’ programme. The establishes links in the community their work for podcast on LMFM as part of the LEANBH Festival run
scheme has been highly recom- and gives people contacts, making by Droichead Arts Centre; Below, right: The ‘Pied Piper’ plays during
mended again at this year’s Allianz them more likely to come to us.” the ‘Up the Tempo’ launch, a partnership between Ulster Bank, the
Business to Arts Awards. To ensure that classical music National Concert Hall and Ulster Orchestra
Through the programme, the stays ensconced in the communi-
National Concert Hall (NCH) in ty, each residency school receives to find funding for its annual touch to say how pleased they
the south and the Ulster Orches- a classroom percussion pack. children’s arts festival, Leanbh, were. It’s good for us, it’s good for
tra in the north send quartets of Katie Wink, Learn and Explore Droichead Arts Centre approached the school and it’s good for the
musicians into communities to manager, (NCH), says the part- the two businesses for in-kind community.”
provide workshops for primary nership with Ulster Bank goes sponsorship. Marcella Bannon, director, Eugene Tobin, general manager,
schools. These schools are nomi- beyond financial support. Drogheda Independent helped Droichead Arts Centre, says the SGC Cinema, says Dungarvan has
nated by Ulster Bank and First “A long-term, large-scale project children from two schools in the project built upon the great rela- become a cultural hub in the
Active employees in the local such as Up the Tempo simply area produce a newspaper, while tionship the centre has fostered south east.
branches. wouldn’t be possible without the LMFM Radio produced a radio with both businesses. “It was great for the town, for
Over 3,000 students in 55 support of a partner like Ulster programme with the children. From an artistic perspective, if Waterford and for the south east.
primary schools have so far taken Bank,” she says. Some 12,000 newspapers were both organisations hadn’t com- We’re bringing culture to the area,
part in the workshops, which “The partnership goes beyond produced by 60 students, while mitted to the project it wouldn’t giving people the opportunity to
encourage children to compose the bank’s considerable finan- podcasts created by children were have happened, she adds. see opera, which they wouldn’t
and perform music in their cial support – the spirit of our played each day during the festi- “Support from businesses is inte- have had previously. It’s a whole
classrooms. partnership drives the energy, val. LMFM has followed on its gral to what we do. It’s about peo- new social outlet.”
The quartet spends a week in creativity and commitment to arts commitment to the project and ple in the community and it’s about Jennifer O’Connell, communi-
one local primary school where, in in the community that are key to features Leanbh every week on management of organisations. cations and development officer,
addition to learning about the the project’s success.” the radio station. Both managements in those organ- Opera Ireland, says the project
musicians’ instruments, the chil- Hubert Murphy, deputy group isations could see the benefits of has been fantastic for bringing
dren create original compositions Children and the arts editor, Drogheda Independent, this for both their organisations opera to a wider audience.
to perform for their peers, friends In Louth, employees at LMFM says the project was of mutual and developing the community She believes companies can ben-
and family on the Friday. Radio and Drogheda Independ- benefit to the businesses and the for the future.” audiences, Opera Ireland Sterndale Holdings negotiated efit hugely if they connect with
Nuala Hayden, community ent Newspapers got to give some- community. approached Sterndale Holdings, the inclusion of the SGC Cinema in their customers in a social way.
investment manager, Ulster Bank, thing back to the community in an “CSR is a good element to have Operatic moves owners of the Movies@Cinema Dungarvan, which turned out to “Whilst companies face chal-
says in the three years since its unusual partnership with Droic- within any business, and we were Meanwhile, in Dublin and Water- chain, to show live operas from be a huge success. The cinema has lenges, they do see the importance
launch ‘Up the Tempo’ has been head Arts Centre. delighted to be associated with ford, a unique partnership is bring- the Metropolitan Opera in New achieved sales of 1,550 seats, which of CSR. It takes years to build up
extremely successful. Recognising how the economic the project. The feedback was ing opera to a wider community. York in its Dundrum and Swords represents 70pc of the audience at a reputation and goodwill amongst
“Part of Ulster Bank’s policy is to downturn would make it difficult excellent. Many parents got in In an effort to grow opera cinemas. Movies@Dundrum. customers.”
Harnessing creative
creat
iv
e
talent
Feeling inspired?
This year’s winners demonstrate how the arts
can respond to real business challenges.
TileStyle’s unique relationship with the Allianz Business to Arts Awards lives on via the next generation From innovative ways to encourage creativity
of the McNaughton family, since the late Jim McNaughton first recognised the need to nurture the in staff to cost-effective sponsorships that
talents of burgeoning Irish artists uniquely enhance brand profiles,
Business toArts are available to help.
MIXING business and the arts might
not always seem like a natural
We’d like to thank and commend all our
combination, but the yin and yang
patrons, members, friends and arts affiliates
of these different worlds were
embraced and understood by the
for their continued support.
late Jim McNaughton, founder of
TileStyle and devoted patron to
www.businesstoarts.ie
the arts.
He has had two Allianz Business
to Arts Awards named in his honour:
the Jim McNaughton Perpetual
Award for Best Commissioning Prac-
tice and the Jim McNaughton/
TileStyle Bursary for Commissioned
Artists.
McNaughton passed away in recent Robin, Michele and Gerard McNaughton pictured with their late father,
years, but his son Gerard McNaughton Jim McNaughton
is eager to follow in his father’s foot-
steps and stresses the creative and However, heart-related problems ceramic artists who would have had the
economic importance of the Allianz led the elder McNaughton to take up opportunity to do pieces for us when
Business to Arts Awards. painting while resting for a few they were starting out.”
While Gerard currently serves on months, and this is where his love for Of course, another element to Busi-
the board of Business to Arts, his the arts blossomed. ness to Arts, says McNaughton, is giv-
siblings are involved too. Michele “He became friends with the artist ing the arts community the chance to
McNaughton is on this year’s judging John Skelton, did a painting course and develop business skills to better finance
panel, while Robin McNaughton has produced a number of works himself. and develop their artistic careers.
been a supporter of the organisation “It grew from there. Dad became a “It is absolutely essential, espe-
over the years. patron of the National Concert Hall, cially in the current climate, to do
“We would like to think that the and we went on to run some art com- this. We’re a very creative nation with
McNaughton family has a spiritual petitions ourselves over the years.” so many talented people. Art and
belonging to Business to Arts as much McNaughton recalls how his father This growth has also involved culture is who we are.
as a business attachment,” says Ger- was a typical Irishman, who started TileStyle going on to commission art- “Business to Arts gives business
ard McNaughton. TileStyle at 45, and loved nothing works for the past 16 or 17 years as acumen and business training to
“It was so important to our father. better than attending rugby games corporate gifts, as well as regular artists. It is an opportunity because
He was chairman of the organisation and enjoying a few pints while watch- charitable donations. businesses can be the patrons of
at one point and he got so much out ing football. “For the most part, we have com- the modern age and enable artists
of it, not just from a business point of “He wouldn’t have considered missioned bronze, ceramics, glass and to continue, without swallowing
view but also from a cultural one. It himself a very cultural person at all at so on. This has been a delight for us up who they are artistically,”
helped him grow as a person.” that time.” because there are some well-known he affirms.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8