THE IRISH Times, Ulster Bank, Bord na Móna and Mundipharma yesterday received Allianz Business to Arts Awards for innovative collaboration between the business and arts organisations. President Mary McAleese presented the awards to nine winners at a lunch in Castletown House.
She praised the winners: “Against a very discouraging economic backdrop, when resources are scarce, you keep on bringing such enthusiasm and commitment to the work of encouraging private and corporate business support of the arts in Ireland.”
The judging panel honoured The Irish Timesand managing editor Gerry Smyth for its ongoing commitment and support of the arts in Ireland, through editorial, sponsorship and The Irish TimesTheatre Awards.
Business to Arts winners
Best Use of Creativity:Mundipharma Ireland Strawberry Hill Creative for Cancer Tales
Best Sponsorship of an Event:Ulster Bank Group Gate Theatre for the Waiting for GodotNational Tour
Best Sponsorship by Small to Medium Enterprises:Arigna Fuels/Bank of Ireland/FDK Engineering/Feelystone/Gleeson's Guesthouse/Molloy's Bakery Roscommon County Council Arts Office for the Art@work project
Corporate (Cultural) Social Responsibility Award:Bord na Móna Sculpture in the Parklands
Jim McNaughton Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice:Murray Ó Laoire Architects/John Sisk Son Vivienne Roche for the CIT Cork School of Music Commission
Jim McNaughton/TileStyle €10,000 Bursary for Commissioned Artists:Paul Meade for his collaboration with the Irish Council for Bio-Ethics
Best Arts Champion:Dr Patricia Noone of The George Moore Society
Dublin Airport Authority €5,000 Arts Award:Ballymun Music Programme Music Room
Judges' Special Recognition:Gerry Smyth, Managing Editor and The Irish Times