An Post and RTÉ among bodies given Business to Arts awards

Businesses from An Post to Bank of Ireland and Cartoon Saloon have been recognised for their work with the arts in the annual Business to Arts awards.

The awards attracted a record number of entries this year with the 1916 commemorations featuring prominently, accounting for 15 per cent of all nominations.

The awards, sponsored by Allianz and celebrating their 25th anniversary, recognise business, artists and arts organisations that "develop and sustain creative partnerships", according to Business to Arts chief executive Andrew Hetherington.

Minister for the Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Heather Humphreys said it was great to see the number of nominations for cultural events associated with the centenary of 1916.

“The Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme is woven through a number of this year’s winning entries, reflecting the huge impact the commemorative programme has had on the arts and indeed the huge impact the arts have had on our commemorations,” she said.

Bank of Ireland won the Best Staff Creative Engagement award for a programme that saw staff who always wanted to play a musical instrument in public realise their dream, raising money for Barnardos at the same time.

Best Midsize Sponsorship

Cartoon Saloon and the Butler Gallery won the Best Midsize Sponsorship award while the prize for the Best Large Sponsorship went to Sky Arts/Sky Ireland and Brink Films, Landmark Productions and Wide Open Opera. A creative space provided by Lynders Mobile Home Park in Portrane in association with Fingal County Council’s arts office took the Best Small Sponsorship.

Other winners include ESB/Feis Ceoil for the Best Long-Term Partnership, Matthews Coach Hire/ Louth County Council arts office (Best Use of Creativity in the Community), An Post (Judge’s Special Recognition Award for Portfolio of Investment) and also with Dublin Dance Festival and Barbara Knezevic (Jim McNaughton Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice); Helium Arts (Allianz Community Art Award); Axis Ballymun Creative Space (DAA Arts Award); and Padraic Rowan, nominated by the Royal Irish Academy of Music (Jim McNaughton/Tilestyle Bursary).

RTÉ received a special 25th anniversary award for its long-term contribution to and support for development of the arts.