Business and art make winning partnerships

Aboriginal Art Directory | 28.08.08

Author: Aboriginal Art Directory
News source: The Sydney Morning Herald

The Sydney Morning Herald reports on Rio Tinto and the State Library of NSW win at the Australian Business Arts Foundation Awards at the Museum of Sydney last night. Rio Tinto and the State Library of NSW created an online catalog of the library's materials on Aboriginal art, language and culture.

Louise Schwartzkoff reports: Corporate sponsorship of the arts is traditionally an exchange of cash for publicity. But the winners at the Australian Business Arts Foundation Awards at the Museum of Sydney last night were the more creative and collaborative partnerships between companies and arts groups in NSW.

The Community Award went to Company B and the law firm Freehills for their work with disadvantaged schools. With Freehills' sponsorship, Company B has provided free and subsidised theatre tickets to 21,000 students.

"We do often run on a bit of a shoestring, so the financial support is important to us. But this partnership is also about knowledge sharing," said Company B's general manager, Brenna Hobson.

"Freehills help disadvantaged kids through the Shopfront Youth Legal Centre, so they use that experience to tell us what young people in need are looking to access."

The two companies work together to bring theatre workshops to schools across NSW and pool resources in a high school mentoring program. Freehills staff teach the students about leadership and Company B helps them pass their drama exams.

Other winners included Rio Tinto and the State Library of NSW, for creating an online catalogue of the library's materials on Aboriginal art, language and culture. The Regional Award went to Country Energy for its $35,000 painting prize. The Foundation for the Historic Houses Trust of NSW won for its program to conserve Glenfield house in Casula.

The national winners will be announced on October 16.

URL: http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/business-and-art-make-winning-partnerships/2008/08/27/1219516558058.html

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