‘Compelling creative partnerships’ in the frame for this year’s Business to Arts Awards

The shortlist has been announced for this year’s Business to Arts Awards, which recognise businesses, philanthropists, artists, and arts organisations that develop “compelling creative partnerships”.

Shortlisted partnerships focus on arts sponsorship, philanthropy, commissioning of artists and CSR initiatives, such as employee and community engagement.

This year’s shortlist represents a mix of innovative partnerships initiated as organisations emerged from the pandemic, as well as recognition of partnerships that offer opportunities to under-represented artists and communities with a new Creative Access Award supported by Community Foundation Ireland.

Louise O’Reilly, chief executive of Business to Arts, said that choosing this year’s winners is a “mammoth task”.

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“A bumper year of high-quality applications post-pandemic meant that this was a very tough judging process, with a rise in the focus on community, societal issues and access to the arts seen across the board,” she said.

A total of €25,000 will be presented to successful artists and arts organisations through bursaries and awards at the awards ceremony on Tuesday September 12th at the National Concert Hall.

Award winners will also be presented with a limited-edition award sculpture, created by sculptor Chloe Lennon and commissioned by Dublin Airport operator DAA.

[ Wanted: ‘compelling’ nominees for 2023 Business to Arts Awards ]

The judging panel features representatives from Accenture, The Irish Times, Community Foundation Ireland, ESB, RTÉ, DAA, Irish Life, the Arts Council, TileStyle, Kmend, and Children’s Books Ireland and was chaired by Luke Reaper, managing director of Behaviours & Attitudes.

Mr Reaper said the awards are vital in illustrating the impact of businesses supporting the arts.

“This year’s shortlist makes it clear that businesses are engaging at a highly creative level across a breadth and depth of the activity in the sector, with exciting newer initiatives emerging alongside more established partnerships. I would especially like to thank the judges for their dedication and treating every entry as a potential winner. I wish the shortlisted partnerships luck on the night,” he said.

The full 2023 Business to Arts Awards shortlist

Best Large Sponsorship

Ebow The Digital Agency and Museum of Literature Ireland for ‘Digital at MoLI’

IPUT Real Estate for ‘Living Canvas’

KPMG and Children’s Books Ireland for ‘Reading Heroes’

Lioncor and IMMA for ‘Éirigh’

Best Small Sponsorship supported by Kmend

Walter’s Bar and ArtNetdlr

HLB Ireland and Graphic Studio Dublin for ‘Returning Home’

Amcomri Entertainment and Richard Harris International Film Festival

Future Planet and Cork International Film Festival

Best Long-Term Partnership supported by The Irish Times

Inspirational Arts and PhotoIreland

Mason Hayes Curran LLP and Royal Dublin Society for ‘The RDS Mason Hayes & Curran Centre Culturel Irlandais Residency Award’

KPMG and Children’s Books Ireland for ‘Reading Heroes’

Ecclesiastical Insurance and Wexford Festival Opera for ‘Wexford Festival Opera’s Volunteer Programme’

Best Creativity in the Community supported by Irish Life

ESB and National Concert Hall for ‘Quavers to Quadratics’

The Housing Agency and Irish Architecture Foundation for ‘Housing Unlocked’

Longford County Council and Tom Meskell for ‘Longford Lights Festival’

Irish Hospice Foundation and Axis Ballymun for ‘Deadly Conversations’

Best Creativity in the Workplace supported by ESB

BioMarin and Rachel Doolin for ‘The Giving Tree’

Walkers and National Concert Hall for ‘Primary Ensemble Project’

Connected Hubs (WDC) and Contemporary Irish Art Society for ‘Art in the Hubs’

Hair & Beauty Industry Confederation of Ireland (HABIC), Leitrim County Council Arts Office and Amanda Jane Graham for ‘The Coiffured’

Creative Access Award supported by Community Foundation Ireland

University of Galway, Cúirt International Festival of Literature and Speaking Volumes for ‘Breaking Ground Ireland’

Royal Bank of Canada and Axis Ballymun for ‘The RBC Reducing Barriers to Creation Programme’

University College Cork and Cork Opera House for ‘Autistic Theatre Artist-in-Residence Programme’

Accenture and National Concert Hall for ‘Creative Lab’

Jim McNaughton Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice supported by TileStyle

Pat McDonnell Paints and Ardú Street Art Ltd for ‘Ardú Street Art Project’

Iarnród Éireann and Fresco Consulting for ‘Actually I Can’

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and John Rainey for ‘Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery Portrait Sculpture Commission’

Henry J Lyons and Alex Pentek for ‘Primal Form’

Best Philanthropic Support to the Arts Award supported by the Arts Council

Suzanne Lopez and Museum of Literature Ireland for ‘The Edna O’Brien Young Writers Bursary’

ESB, LimeTree Theatre | Belltable and Theatre Royal Waterford for ‘ESB Brighter Future Arts Fund’

The Tomar Trust and Sample-Studios for ‘Studios of Sanctuary’

Rethink Ireland and Sing Ireland for ‘SongSeeking’

Judges’ Special Recognition Award supported by Accenture

National Concert Hall with Walkers, Accenture, the Tomar Trust, Grant Thornton and ESB

Cork International Film Festival with ESB Energy for Generations Fund, GATE Cinema, Future Planet and Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund

ESB with Cork International Film Festival, Lime Tree Theatre, Sunday’s Child, Theatre Royal Waterford and National Concert Hall