This year’s Business to Arts Awards’ nominated partnerships recognise businesses, philanthropists, artists, and arts organisations who have developed compelling creative partnerships that dive deep into our connection with nature, digital innovation, mental health, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and more, reflecting the rich tapestry of modern Irish society.
A highlight of Ireland’s social calendar
The National Concert Hall in Dublin will be the epicentre of corporate-cultural celebration as the 32nd annual Business to Arts Awards takes to the stage on Monday, September 9th. This event, a highlight of Ireland’s social calendar, brings over 500 business and arts leaders together to celebrate creative collaborations while enjoying some of the finest emerging talents performing throughout the night.
Real estate giant CBRE makes a grand entrance as the sponsor of the Major Arts Partnership Award, and Accenture returns as Innovation Partner for the Awards, enabling a seamless nominations experience and championing digital innovation in the arts.
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Honouring best-in-class arts sponsorship and philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and creative community engagement, the awards encompass 12 categories, each highlighting the synergy between business-minded planning and artistic brilliance.
After the challenges faced by the arts during the pandemic, business support and corporate partnerships have become a lifeline for many in the arts sector as they merge financial support with expertise exchange. The results are innovative, sustainable, and profoundly impactful projects.
Spotlight on Sustainability
In 2024, sustainability plays a central role. The energy industry’s involvement in the arts is particularly noteworthy, with projects emphasising social impact and community engagement. A relatively new entrant to the field of arts sponsorship is Alternus Energy Group, whose initiative with NCAD students fosters sustainability in the arts supporting early-stage artists to create artworks with recycled or repurposed materials including retired solar panels. The partnership is shortlisted for the ESB Creativity in the Workplace Award, while ESB itself is also a nominee for the Jim McNaughton/TileStyle Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice for a highly ambitious commission combining art, technology, and dance on the theme of our human connection to our environment and the drive to Net Zero. Projects from Drogheda and Cork will also vie for the win in this category.
The CBRE Major Arts Partnership Award category (celebrating partnerships valued at €25k or more) was as competitive as ever. Legal firm Matheson collaborated closely with the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) to develop the Matheson Creativity Hub in honour of a departed colleague, Tim Scanlon. The Hub aims to create an environment that encourages breaking down barriers and fostering creativity among all age groups and backgrounds. Another standout is the partnership between Three Ireland and the Association of Independent Music, empowering 50 Irish musicians to hit the big stages and hone their craft through educational support. Ecclesiastical Ireland celebrated 10 years of their enduring Volunteer Programme with Wexford Festival Opera with testimonials to bring a tear to the eye, such is the dedication and passion of their volunteers.
Community Access
The Irish Life Creativity in the Community Award welcomed another new corporate entrant, Workday in their partnership with The Gate Theatre to increase access and participation with the diverse community in Dublin 1. The North Inner City featured twice in this category, demonstrating strong community vibrancy, while not far away the National Botanic Gardens lit up with beautiful sculptures during the First Fortnight mental health-focused festival.
A much-loved entrant for The Irish Times Long Term Partnership Award is Bewley’s iconic café and Bewley’s Theatre Café for Lunchtime Drama. Since opening its doors on Grafton Street in 1999, Bewley’s Café Theatre has grown to be a popular destination for lunchtime drama Monday to Saturday year round and has built an international reputation for innovation and excellence while maintaining its charm.
The second year of the Community Foundation Ireland Creative Access Award recognises partnerships that offer the opportunity for marginalised and underrepresented groups to participate in the arts. Extraordinary projects enabled by ESB, UCC and Dublin City Council with their respective partners Cork International Film Festival, Firkin Crane Dance Theatre, and Axis Ballymun highlight inclusivity and mindfulness towards those experiencing mental health issues, exclusion from freedom of dance expression, or have sensory needs.
The Kmend Arts Partnership Award category, celebrating partnerships under €25k in value, also welcomed several top-class nominations from newcomers to the Awards including the Central Bank of Ireland, Clinch Wealth Management, and Waterways Ireland, alongside long-time stalwart supporter of the visual arts, Mason, Hayes & Curran LLP.
Dance performed on Dublin’s canals saw CoisCéim Dance Theatre deliver a programme inspired by the canal waters and surroundings, entertaining passers-by and changing their perspectives on their everyday spaces. Clinch Wealth Management saw its client engagement soar to new heights with world-class music at the stunning new recital hall of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and the Central Bank paid close attention to its hyper-local community, developing an employee-engaged relationship with the Five Lamps Festival.
Additional categories to be awarded on the evening include the Best Philanthropic Support of the Arts which recognises an individual, corporate foundation, trust or other philanthropic organisation that has displayed an outstanding commitment to supporting the arts; the Judges Special Recognition Award; the daa €5000 Arts Award for an arts organisation that has shown excellence when engaging with a corporate partner. Bursaries will include the Accenture €10,000 Digital Innovation in Art Bursary recognising an artist whose work delivers on the promise of technology and human ingenuity and the longest-running bursary, the Jim McNaughton/TileStyle €10,000 Artist’s Bursary, now in its 16th year, will award an emerging artist in any artform looking to expand their practice.
The full shortlist for the 2024 Business to Arts Awards is:
CBRE Major Arts Partnership Award
- Matheson LLP & Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) for The Matheson Creativity Hub in Memory of Tim Scanlon
- Three Ireland & Association of Independent Music Ireland for City Stages
- Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland & Wexford Festival Opera for Volunteer Programme
Kmend Arts Partnership Award
- Mason Hayes & Curran LLP & RDS Visual Art Awards for Centre Culturel Irlandais Residency Award
- The Central Bank of Ireland & The Five Lamps Arts Festival
- Waterways Ireland & CoisCéim Dance Theatre for BENCH
- Clinch Wealth Management & Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) for The Wigmore Hall Festival
The Irish Times Long-Term Partnership Award
- Dublin Port Company & The Little Museum of Dublin for ‘Port | River | City’ Partnership
- ESB & National Concert Hall for Quavers to Quadratics
- Bewley’s Cafe Grafton St Ltd & Bewley’s Café Theatre for Lunchtime Drama
Irish Life Creativity in the Community Award
- Workday & The Gate Theatre for Everyone Belongs Here
- Dublin City Council (DCC), The North East Inner City Initiative (NEIC) and St Patricks Festival for The Power of the NEIC
- National Botanic Gardens & First Fortnight for Silva Lumina: Lights of Growth
- The Ireland Funds & Sing Ireland for Sing for Life
ESB Creativity in the Workplace Award
- Alternus Energy Group & National College of Art and Design for Alternus Sustainable Arts Initiative
- Bewley’s & Bewleys Café Theatre for Artists in Residency Scheme
Community Foundation Ireland Creative Access Award
- ESB Energy for Generations & Cork International Film Festival for Intinn Youth Film & Mental Health Programme
- University College Cork & Dance Cork Firkin Crane for Inclusive Dance Cork
- Dublin City Council & Axis Arts & Community Resource Centre for Sensory Inclusive Sessions
Jim McNaughton/TileStyle Perpetual Award for Best Commissioning Practice
- LOVE Drogheda BIDS & Droichead Arts Centre for Drawda Mural Trail
- ESB & Dublin Dance Festival for Kindred
- Failte Ireland & Cork City Council for Island City, Cork’s Urban Sculpture Trail
Philanthropic Support to the Arts Award
- Kilkea Castle & YouthINK for Creative Mentorship Programme
- Science Foundation Ireland & National Concert Hall for Quavers to Quadratics
- Community Foundation Ireland & Helium Arts
- Press Up Group & The Dean Arts Studios
Judges’ Special Recognition Award
- Cork International Film Festival with ESB Energy for Generations, Irish Examiner, Babelfis, Murphy’s, Future Planet & University College Cork
- ESB with Dublin Dance Festival, National Concert Hall & Cork International Film Festival
- University College Cork with Cork Opera House, Cork International Film Festival & Dance Cork Firkin Crane
- Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland with Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Wexford Festival Opera & Kid’s Own Publishing
The Judging Panel was:
● Pamela Barry, marketing & communications lead, Accenture
● Meadhbh McClean, COO & executive director, CBRE
● Denise Charlton, chief executive, Community Foundation Ireland
● Cathy Burke, head of Internal Communications, daa
● Samuel Javid, head of Commercial & Marketing, Dublin International Film Festival
● Sarah Sharkey, corporate reputation manager, ESB
● Emmet Scanlon, director, Irish Architecture Foundation
● Susan Jackson, senior marketing manager, Irish Life
● John McGrane, founder, Kmend
● Gerard McNaughton, creative director, TileStyle
● Arthur Beesley, current affairs editor, The Irish Times
For more information head to https://www.businesstoarts.ie/awardsshortlist