Arts & Business News - Scotland

Arts & Business figures for 2010-11 reveal significant increase in private investment in culture in Scotland in spite of recession - Arts & Business

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

• Amount of private giving to culture in Scotland rose to £43 million in 2010/11.

• Percentage increase of 3.3% in Scotland was slightly below the UK average of 4%.

• Scottish business investment was £9.9 million – a 4% decrease but this was less than the UK average fall of 6%.

• Individual Philanthropy rose significantly – up 14% to £21.9 million.

• Although investment in Scotland by Trusts and Foundations was down 7% from the previous year, the figure is still significantly higher than in the years prior to 2009.

Arts & Business Scotland’s new figures released today reveal that in 2010/11, private investment in culture stood at £43.1 million, a 3.3% increase from the previous year. Since Arts & Business first started capturing this data in 1976 for private investment in the arts across the UK, this is the highest level ever achieved.

In Scotland, the overall private investment increase was driven by a 13.8% increase in individual philanthropy. Although business investment fell to a small extent, given the difficult economic times this was a positive result. Similarly, while investment by Trusts and Foundations decreased, the level has remained high compared with the period before 2009/10.

The significant increase in Individual Philanthropy is a welcome sign and underlines the potential in this area. Arts & Business Scotland has been working with the Centre for Individual Giving and Philanthropy to assist cultural organisations increase donations from individuals and has just launched Angel Shares Scotland, a new crowdfunding site to harness fundraising through internet social networks.

The small fall in Business Investment is understandable as corporate money is discretionary and hard to sustain in difficult trading times. However the Scottish decrease is slightly lower than the UK average, and over the two years, 2009 and 2010, Scottish sponsorship fell by only 7% against a UK average decrease of 17%. This was, in part, due to the Scottish Government in partnership with Creative Scotland having provided £300,000 in each of those years to enable Arts & Business Scotland to incentivise new business sponsors. This scheme which offers a £1 for £1 investment for new arts sponsorships encouraged 58 businesses to invest in the arts the first time in 2010/11.

Although the year saw a small decrease in Trusts and foundations funding this should be seen in the context of the figure for 2009 having significantly risen by £4 million over previous years.

New Figures for Private Investment in Culture reveal contrasting fortunes for the arts world - Arts & Business

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Arts & Business figures show slight overall growth in private sector investment in culture to £686m

• Business falls for the fourth year in a row to £134.2m

• Growth as Individual Giving climbs to £382.2m

• Trusts and Foundations increase to £170.3m

• New figures almost hit record high of 2007/08

• Additional falls in business support offset by growth in Trust and Foundations

• North’s share rises over the last three years whilst the South’s (excluding London) declined

• London captures 81% of all individual giving

• Heritage and museums bring in just over half of all private sector support

Arts & Business’s new figures reveal that in 2010/11, private investment in culture stood at £686 million, a 4% increase from the previous year. Since Arts & Business first started capturing this data in 1976, private investment in the arts has been following a general upward trend, which has been interrupted in recent years with decreases from various sources of investment.

• The overall private investment increase of 4% (not allowing for inflation) includes a 10% increase of trusts and foundations funding, a 6% increase of individual philanthropy, and a 7% decrease of business investment.

• The rise in Individual Philanthropy follows a decline in the previous two years, and is in line with its relatively fast-paced growth since 2001. The 6% increase brings the levels of arts philanthropy to £382.2 million, which is higher than at any point in the past.

• Business investment has fallen 7% to £134.2m. Although businesses are still committed to working with the arts, they are not hardwired to do so. Corporate money is a discretionary spend; particularly in hard times. As a result, business investment in 2010/11 is now lower than it was in 2004/05.

• Funding from trusts and foundations increased in 10/11 by 10%, and is higher than business investment for the second year in a row, thereby helping the overall moderate private investment increase. Funding from this source now accounts for 25% of the total private investment received in the sector and now stands at £170.2 million.

Philip Spedding is available for interview, please contact: Jonathan Tuchner, 07970 224471 jonathan.tuchner@artsandbusiness.org.uk

New Crowdfunding Site for the Arts in Scotland Launched - Arts & Business

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

An international arts project spanning Ethopia and Huntly has launched Arts & Business Scotland’s (A&BS) brand new crowdfunding website for the cultural and creative sectors. Angel Shares Scotland offers a new way for organisations and individuals to raise valuable funds for their arts projects. Founded by Sarah Gee, a professional fundraiser and marketer for nearly 20 years, it aims to help the arts build stronger relationships with donors. Gee claims that it is "the only arts and cultural crowdfunding site that collects Gift Aid on donations".

Angel Shares Scotland will help diversify income streams for the arts, offer new ways for individual supporters to engage with arts projects and raise awareness of inspiring Scottish arts projects across the world. It is the latest in a series of A&BS initiatives to develop extra funding for the arts from private donations, so maximising the amount of philanthropic support for the arts in Scotland.

Supported by Creative Scotland the site is part of the Year of Creative Scotland, offering a route for the wider public to support the creative ambitions of Scotland’s artists.

Anyone interested in the latest arts and creative projects can visit Angel Shares Scotland to see what is going on Scotland and what projects Scottish organisations are delivering across the world and choose to support any project they like the look of.

Those running creative projects submit their information to the site and have their projects advertised across the site. Participating organisations promote it through their own marketing channels and the site generates more and more visitors the more projects it features.

The first project on the site, Walk Sans Frontières, is an innovative project from Deveron Arts. Ethiopian artist Mihret Kebede will create a Slow Marathon involving 225 people jointly walking the distance of 5850 miles from Addis Ababa to Huntly, Aberdeenshire on March 17th 2012. The project is now open for donations, with rewards to donors ranging from a copy of the accompanying publication to a pair of Ethopian shoelaces!

Throughout 2012 A&BS will deliver a series of seminars in different locations across Scotland to raise awareness of AngelShares Scotland and further digital fundraising opportunities for the arts.

www.angelsharesscotland.com

Arts & Business Scotland becomes independent Scottish charity - Arts & Business

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Arts & Business Scotland (A&B Scotland) is celebrating 25 years of successful partnerships sparked between commerce and culture, and at this important milestone the Arts & Business UK Board has agreed to devolve the Scottish operation and set up A&B Scotland as an independent Scottish charity from 1 November 2011.

Jane Ryder, until last month Chief Executive of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, will Chair the new Board. Other Board members are Lucy Bird, Chief Executive of Marketing Edinburgh Ltd and previously Director of Marketing and Development at The Sage Gateshead; Rhona Brankin, former MSP and Scottish Government Culture Minister; Barry O’Dwyer, Deputy Chief Executive, Prudential UK and Europe; Simon Sharkey, Associate Director, National Theatre of Scotland, and Douglas Smith, Scottish Chairman of CB Richard Ellis.

Since the Scottish office of Arts & Business UK was established in 1986, it has engaged with more than 1,300 businesses and directly invested more than £7 million into the Scottish arts sector through Government supported sponsorship incentive schemes. It has also placed over 400 business volunteers onto arts boards and to work as skills advisers with arts managers.

Through becoming independent A&B Scotland will be able to develop even stronger strategic relationships with key partners including businesses, the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland. A&B Scotland will continue to advocate the power of the arts to business and to broker creative business and arts relationships that bring demonstrable benefits to both.

Help us shape the landscape, please fill in our Private Investment in Culture survey 2010/11 - Arts & Business

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

These figures will give you the information you need in your conversations with your boards and funders with regards to your planning.

Last year, following suggestions from the sector, we made the results of our Private Investment in Culture survey more useful and easily accessible via our interactive map and benchmarking toolkit (on our website).

It is now more important than ever that the results of the survey are representative and rigorous and accurately reflect what is happening on the ground in the cultural sector in the UK.

You do not have to complete the survey in one sitting. If you exit the survey without submitting, your data will be saved and will be available the next time you go into it.

The findings will be published mid January 2012

Please note any information you will disclose through the survey is strictly confidential and will not be attributed to you or your organisation in any way. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact our research team on 020 7940 6439, or at survey@artsandbusiness.org.uk

Arts & Business Scotland receives continuation funding for sponsorship incentive scheme over next three years - Arts & Business

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Scottish Government has announced it will continue to support the Arts & Business Scotland New Arts Sponsorship Grants (NASG) scheme with £300,000 each year over the next three years, helping to encourage new business sponsorship and boost further private investment into the arts in Scotland.

The NASG match funding scheme, launched in 2006, has seen over 300 new and returning business investments matched resulting in a total investment of over £4 million to the arts, demonstrating that securing new business sponsorships of the arts is still possible, even in the current climate.

Businesses that have seen their sponsorship packages doubled through the grant scheme range from some of the largest corporations operating in Scotland to sole traders and come from a range of sectors including finance, legal, retail, technology, energy and the creative industries. The arts projects supported have taken place in locations across Scotland from the Western Isles down to Dumfries and Galloway and include a variety of art forms from a giant eight foot puppet to parkour (free running), Scots piping, Japanese animation, opera and magic to name but a few.

Click here for full details on the NASG scheme

The Arts, giving and Tax... public consultation and final legislation - Arts & Business

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The government are in the process of implementing a number of significant changes to the tax treatment of philanthropy. It is sensible to be aware of these, in part because some of them are still open for consultation and in part because donors may well want to know about them.

There are four main changes being proposed:

1 – From April 2011 a new upper limit has been set on the benefits you are allowed to give a donor in return for their donation.

These are now as follows:

• Donation - Value of benefits given in return
• £0 to £100 - 25% of the donation
• £101 to £1,000 - £25
• Over £1,000 - 5% of the donation up to a maximum of £2,500 (previously £500).
Note that this change has already been implemented

2 – A new element is being proposed within Gift Aid to help reduce the amount of administration required on small donations. The current proposal is that from April 2013 the Government will pay up to £5,000 in Gift Aid on donations of up to £10 without the need for the charity to have retained a Gift Aid form from the donor. There is obviously still some discussion as to what documentation the Charity will have to produce to make this claim. A public consultation is being planned.

3 – A change in Inheritance Tax is being proposed to encourage giving in wills. At present any donation to charity made through somebody’s will is deducted from their estate before the calculation of inheritance tax. In other words, if someone’s estate is worth £400,000 and they stipulate in their will that £80,000 is to go to charity, then inheritance tax, currently at 40%, is charged on the remaining £320,000 of the estate.
The new proposal is that if someone leaves 10% or more to charity in their will, then the rate of tax to paid on their remaining estate will go down to 36%. Using the above example (where the person is leaving more than 10% to charity) the tax bill on their estate will go down from £128,000 (40% of £320,000) to £115,200 (36% of £320,000).
Inevitably individual cases can get a lot more complex than this and, in any case, Government figures suggest that only 3% of estates are larger than £325,000 needed to trigger inheritance tax in the first place. So the end result of this change might not be that dramatic but it could still be a useful starting point to start a conversation with your donors about leaving a legacy to you in their will.

4 – After considerable lobbying by the Art Fund, major museums and Arts & Business(amongst others), the government have at last relented and proposed a new form of tax relief on the Gift of Works of art – or, to be more accurate, “pre-eminent objects and works of art”.

They appear to have taken, as their starting point, the perfectly sensible wish to ensure that these important items will stay in the UK. However, this means that a rather complex system has to be put in place to remain compliant with EU law.

At present if someone gives a picture to a charity they will not have to pay any capital gains tax on the picture but they cannot claim any relief against their income tax (as they could if they have given shares instead).
Under the proposed new system that will not change. However the donor may be able to get income tax relief if they offer it to the “Nation” instead of to the charity. The government would then hand this offer to the very successful administration behind the Acceptance In Lieu (AIL) scheme that handles art objects given in lieu of inheritance tax. They, on behalf of the “nation” will determine whether the item is sufficiently pre-eminent to be accepted. If it is, then the donor will get a tax credit equivalent to a proportion of the value of the item (the current proposal is 25%). The pre-eminent object will remain in public ownership but it will be lent to organisations for public exhibitions. The donor can “suggest” where is should be lent but they cannot demand it goes to a particular organisation.

As you can imagine, this opens up all sorts of complications (who pays for its conservation, for instance, and who gives permission for the item to tour). But there is perhaps an even bigger problem. Although the AIL scheme has a budget cap of £20m, over the last three years it has only needed half of that cap. So the proposal for this new tax relief is that it shares the same £20m cap. The problem is that this year the AIL scheme has almost reached its £20m limit. If this happened again, it would mean that there would be considerable competition for the money available, potentially leading to a number of dissatisfied donors.

The public consultation on this proposal finishes on the 21st September and the final legislation would hopefully appear later this year.

Through its position on the Treasury’s Charity Tax Forum, Arts & Business is well informed on changes being proposed or enacted.

If you want to know more, email Philip Spedding at Philip.Spedding@artsandbusiness.org.uk

Jeanie Scott is 2011/12 Creative Scotland Fellow on the Clore Leadership Programme - Arts & Business

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A&B Scotland Business Development Manager, Jeanie Scott, has been selected as the 2011/12 Creative Scotland Fellow on the Clore Leadership Programme.

Since 2004 the Clore Leadership Programme has awarded Fellowships to outstanding individuals drawn from organisations in areas ranging from archives to theatre production, and including visual and performing arts, film and digital media, heritage, creative industries, museums, libraries and cultural policy. The Programme aims to shape emerging creative leaders through in-depth, tailored learning and includes residential courses, an extended placement, individually-selected training, mentoring and coaching. Fellows have unparalleled access to senior cultural leaders and to extensive networks.

The Fellowship takes place over an intensive seven month period, plus an introductory two-week residential course. In addition, Fellows have the option of applying to undertake a three-month research project, once they have completed the rest of their programme, which is supervised by a higher education institute and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Jeanie will be the first Fellow to be supported by a Creative Scotland Fellowship, established to support an exceptional candidate who lives and works in Scotland and is committed to developing their career as a cultural leader in Scotland.

The list of Clore Fellows for 2011/12 is:
Elizabeth Crump from London; Daniel deAndrade from Middlesbrough; Claire Hodgson from Dorset; Yasmin Khan from London; Rachel Knight from Stockport; Laura Kriefman from London; Jo Mangan from Kildare; Charlie Morrisson from Lancashire; Penny Nagle from London; Tonya Nelson from London; Marie Nixon from Sunderland; Conor Roche from London; Jeanie Scott from the Scottish Borders; Nina Steiger from London; Iain Tidbury (Tid) from Bristol; Michael Trainor from Manchester; Joanne Verrent from West Yorkshire; David Wilson from Cardiff; and Georgina Young from London.
International Fellows: Dina Abu Hamdan from Amman; Winnie Fu from Hong Kong; Nandita Palchoudhuri from Calcutta; Gargi Sen from New Delhi and Jing Judith Zhu from Bejing.

Arts & Business Scotland announces partnership with Heineken UK - Arts & Business

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Arts & Business Scotland (A&BS) is pleased to announce that Heineken UK has agreed to support Arts & Business Scotland’s Skills Bank Programme to 2013.

Skills Bank is a body of business volunteers from a wide range of sectors looking to offer their time and expertise to guide and support an arts organisation. The Skills Bank programme was originally launched in the early 1990s and since then, over 280 arts organisations from around Scotland have benefited from the advice and support from the business volunteer placed with them.

During the current challenging economic climate, those who support the arts and creative industries believe that now is the right time to re-launch the skills bank programme to provide business support and advice both to the not-for-profit arts sector and to micro pre-profit creative companies.

Skills Bank for the arts and creative industries

The Creative Industries Partnership Report ¹ recognises that “those involved in creative industries need a range of skills from the creative and technical relating to the demands of their specific industry, to more general entrepreneurial, management and business skills”. Creative & Cultural Skills, the Sector Skills Council for the creative industries, in The Creative Blueprint for Scotland ², also goes on to identify technical and specialist skill gaps as well as a need for higher skills in business and enterprise as amongst the key challenges which need to be addressed by the sector.

Arts & Business Scotland’s Skills Bank programme, a work-based learning programme, is uniquely suited to assist such businesses.

What difference will Heineken UK’s support make?

Heineken UK’s support allows A&BS to make this service free to both business volunteers and the supported arts and creative industry organisations, in order to encourage take-up amongst large and small organisations alike.

Kieran Simpson, Corporate Relations Director, Heineken UK said:
“At Heineken we take a lot of pride in the time and resource we commit to the development of our people, and we were keen to spread this ethos by supporting the Skills Bank programme. Headquartered in Edinburgh, we are passionate about supporting, and sharing best practice with, the Scottish arts and creative industry community.

In addition to the financial support we will provide, Heineken UK will also have the opportunity to involve our employees directly in the programme, as Skills Bank volunteers. This opportunity will allow our colleagues to develop their own potential, to use and build their professional skills in a different and challenging environment, and to play a personal role in making a difference for an arts organisation.”

Barclay Price, Director, Arts & Business Scotland said:
”The arts and creative sectors face a period of economic uncertainty and technological change, and if Scotland is to sustain and grow a resilient creative eco-system, it is essential that creative companies are equipped to meet such change. This scheme is a cost effective way of developing the management skills of arts and creative industries workers and enabling businesses to foster coaching skills among their workforce. We are delighted that Heineken’s valuable support will help us to deliver relevant skill transfer linked to on-the-job issues, offering arts workers effective learning.”

How does Skills Bank work?
The Skills Bank programme matches up business volunteers with relevant skills to coach individuals in arts organisations on specific management issues or tasks, such as strategic development, business planning, financial control, project management, marketing or HR, and to transfer those skills to the arts worker. The Skills Bank involves the volunteer in coaching on a specific, defined issue with clear goals to achieve by the end of the placement period. The business volunteer gains an overview of the arts organisation’s work while assisting the arts manager gain new skills.

Business volunteers:
-   build on their areas of expertise
-   enhance their communication, motivation and delegation techniques
-   develop new skills in a different and sometimes challenging environment
-   bring about demonstrable and measurable behavioural change.

Arts workers:
-   develop new skills with expert support
-   enhance their learning and communication techniques
-   improve the arts organisation’s operation.

[1] http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/ArtsCultureSport/arts/CulturalPolicy/creative-scotland/partnership-report

[2] http://www.ccskills.org.uk/Research/Scotland/tabid/90/Default.aspx

For further media enquiries please contact:
Catriona Reynolds
0131 556 3353
catriona.reynolds@artsandbusiness.org.uk
www.artsandbusiness.org.uk/scotland

25th anniversary Arts & Business Scotland Awards... shortlist announced - Arts & Business

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Arts & Business Scotland Awards celebrate and showcase exemplary partnerships between business and the arts across Scotland. For a business, being shortlisted provides an opportunity to have its arts engagement given public recognition, while for the arts organisation, nominating its business partner is a way of showing thanks for the company’s sponsorship support. This year there are shortlists in six categories:

Community Award sponsored by McGrigors LLP
• Scott Co & Citizens Theatre
• ScottishPower & National Theatre of Scotland
• Shell UK Limited & Theatre Modo/Reaching Out Project
• Standard Life & The Village Storytelling Centre
• Talisman Energy (UK) Limited & Ferryhill Primary School
• TOTAL E&P UK Limited & Royal Scottish National Orchestra
• United Auctions Livestock Ltd & Stirling Smith Arts Gallery and Museum

Sponsorship by a Small Business Award sponsored by Bank of Scotland
• A1 Comics & Children’s Classic Concerts
• Barnetts of St Andrews & The Byre Theatre of St Andrews
• Ludometrics & Cryptic
• Shaw Marketing and Design & Fringe by the Sea
• Tsuko Limited & The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Young People Award sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management
• Bank of Scotland & Imaginate
• Cairn Energy PLC & Traverse Theatre
• Mobil North Sea LLC & Scottish Ballet
• Riverside Inverclyde & The Glasgow School of Art
• Robert Wiseman Dairies & Arts and Theatres Trust Fife
• Scottish Friendly Assurance & Scottish Book Trust
• TAQA Bratani Limited & Moving Flicks

New or Returning Sponsor Award sponsored by Whitespace & Allander Print Limited
• A1 Comic & Children’s Classic Concerts
• Barnetts of St Andrews & The Byre Theatre of St Andrews
• Brooks Brothers & Scottish Ballet
• FirstGroup plc & Glasgow Life
• Ludometrics & Cryptic
• Orkney Aggregates Ltd & The Pier Arts Centre

Cultural Branding Award sponsored by Shell UK Limited
• BNY Mellon & National Galleries of Scotland
• Glasgow Restaurant Association & Citizens Theatre
• La Bonne Auberge & Royal Scottish National Orchestra
• MacB (Sangs) & Aberdeen International Youth Festival
• Reid & Scottish Ballet
• The Ubiquitous Chip & UZ Arts

Sustained Partnership Award sponsored by TAQA Bratani Limited
• Accenture, Scotland & Scottish Opera
• Bank of Scotland & Edinburgh International Festival
• Bibliographic Data Services & The Bakehouse
• The Royal Bank of Scotland Group & The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
• Scottish Friendly Assurance & Scottish Book Trust
• ScottishPower & Celtic Connections
• Stobo Castle & Rowan Tree Theatre Company
• Teknek & Glasgow School of Art

Four additional Awards will be announced at the Awards event

Aberdeen City Arts Award sponsored by Aberdeen City Council
Leadership Award sponsored by Chevron Upstream Europe
Creative Scotland Award for the Support of Talent sponsored by Creative Scotland
Philanthropy Award Each winner will receive a specially commissioned Award created by Fraser Reid and Nick Ross of Grays School of Art in Aberdeen

The Awards are kindly supported by: Aberdeenshire Council and anCnoc Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

The panel of Judges for the 2011 Awards are:

Peter Sharp Employment Partner at McGrigors LLP in Aberdeen (Chair)
Robert Collier Chief Executive, Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce
Lucy Bird Chief Executive, Marketing Edinburgh
Alice O’Rawe Head of Development & Alumni Relations, Queens University
Imogen Russon-Taylor former Head of Communications, The Glenmorangie Company
Susan Bruce Chief Executive, City Of Edinburgh Council

Peter Shand explains SCIOs (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations) - Arts & Business

Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Peter Shand, Murray Beith Murray Solicitors tells Arts & Business about SCIOs, the new legal form that is now available for charities in Scotland

"No one, not least David Cameron himself, has provided a clear definition of ‘The Big Society’ although many take it to mean greater emphasis on self and communal help, without necessarily involving the State. And this at a time of spending cuts.

Whatever it eventually comes to stand for, The Big Society will, almost inevitably, lead to a greater role being played by charities, whether limited companies or, on the other hand, some arts organisations that might be euphemistically described as more ‘loosely constructed’.

Consequently, the latter may no longer be able to operate on ‘a wing and a prayer’ as many of them have done up to now – all of which makes new charity law in Scotland all the more timely, albeit coincidental to the Prime Minister’s pronouncements on The Big Society.

From 1 April all new arts charities in Scotland and any existing ones that don’t yet have company status will be able to apply to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator to become a “Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation” (SCIO). The aim of the new regulation is to make charities, particularly small to medium sized ones, more soundly structured from a legal point of view, thus enabling them to achieve the same kind of status as charitable companies without the equivalent set-up and administrative costs that this can involve.

So far so boring, but in addition to better governance, there are likely to be real, practical, everyday advantages to having the new legal template. Those involved in the management of unincorporated arts organisations, including those who act as volunteers (and especially those with ‘executive’ positions of responsibility) may be unaware of the potential financial exposure that their activities could lead to.
If an arts organisation experiences a substantial loss of capital or earnings, or bills go unpaid, then personal liability could fall on the secretary or treasurer. The group’s director or managing committee could also be held personally liable for any injury or loss caused in any dealings they have with organisation’s staff or membership (or a member of the public) unless proper insurances have been put in place.

The main draw of the SCIO is that becoming ‘incorporated’ will provide arts professionals who run their own business with greater protection from liability and claims from third parties against their own assets. This is the same kind of protection that those involved in the running of a limited company would expect to have and it should help to encourage those people who are keen to get ‘hands on’ in charitable organisations to take up the responsibilities that go with it.

But while one primary purpose of setting up SCIOs is to tackle some of the more negative aspects of being on a charity, there are also positive reasons for it too. A SCIO will be treated as a separate legal entity (just like a company), enabling it to acquire title to property, take on a lease, enter into contracts with third parties and employ staff in the name of the charity. This implies that some arts groups which have, up until now, been less formally regulated can become more professional and efficient in their business dealings without themselves having to take on all the expensive, but necessary, legal trappings of a limited company. At its most basic level this may give these organisations more power to ‘bargain’ for deals on everything from leases of halls and meeting rooms to catering.

SCIO accreditation will be open to any arts organisation in Scotland with charitable objectives and there are no monetary limits, so even a charity with minimal earnings may see a SCIO as a desirable structure if, for example, it holds large levels of non-income producing capital assets. For those arts charities that are already in the shape of a company, conversion to a SCIO will become an option from 1 January next year.

The introduction of the SCIO will be, in itself, be a big step towards better governance of the charity sector in Scotland but Mr Cameron’s pronouncements on The Big Society – no matter how coincidental – seem to emphasise the benefits even further."

Peter Shand
Murray Beith Nurray Solicitors

Tax proposals for budget day to encourage more giving to the arts - Arts & Business

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In preparation for the budget on Wednesday (23 March), Arts & Business has prepared 5 briefing papers on various tax proposals that might encourage more tax efficient giving to the arts and cultural sector.

We are clear that the onus can never lie solely at the Treasury’s door. As Lord Aldington said to the BBC this week the tax arrangements in the UK “are more beneficial than many donors realise.”

He continued: “In this country the tax deductibility arrangements are very generous. The thing that is wrong is that nobody knows they're generous because the government has steadfastly failed to sell the message about how good the current system is.”

As well as better promoting the current system, there is much that the Government can also do in terms of simplification and clarification that would make a real difference.

But a core challenge is for both charities and donors to make better use of the current system. Only when this is achieved will we be in a strong position to persuade the Government to introduce new incentives.

Scotland artists’ brush with success in Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance Competition - Arts & Business

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

(L - R) Mandy Tait, Sophie Stubbs, Guilherme Maueler

Four student and graduate artists from Scotland have been selected as finalists in Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance’s national Art of Nurture competition.

Now in its fifth year, and open to graduates for the first time, Art of Nurture is designed to support and encourage UK artistic talent. The competition has been developed in partnership with Arts & Business, a national not-for-profit arts agency.

Announced last night at the Mound, Edinburgh, Guilherme Maueler from the Edinburgh College of Art and Nicky Cairney from Gray’s School of Art were student winners, with Sophie Stubbs, a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and Mandy Tait, previously of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design scooping the Scottish graduate prizes.

The winners will now go head-to-head at the national final for a chance to see their work used in a national Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance advertising campaign and secure a paid work placement with a leading creative agency.

Last night’s final was judged by Scottish artist Leo du Feu, whose 4-metre paintings are on permanent display at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Edinburgh and graphic designer Andrew Wolffe who heads up local design agency GP Wolffe.

All the art reflects Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance’s core values of success, simplicity, knowledge, ownership and its commitment to going the extra mile.

The winners will have their work exhibited at the national finals at the Victoria and Albert Museum on 6 April. A prestigious panel will judge the competition, including Jonny Hannah, the award-winning illustrator, whose work has featured in Vogue and The New York Times and Arts & Business chief executive, Colin Tweedy.

Scottish Government to further incentivise business sponsorship of the arts through Arts & Business Scotland - Arts & Business

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop announcing funding for the New Arts Sponsorship grants scheme in 2011/12.
Photo: Douglas Robertson

Arts & Business Scotland has been awarded £300,000 by the Scottish Government to encourage further private sector investment in the arts in Scotland.

Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop made the announcement at the Arts & Business New Arts Sponsorship Grants Reception. The event took place at the National Gallery of Scotland to celebrate 50 arts and business partnerships in receipt of a New Arts Sponsorship grant over the last year.

The Scottish Government’s New Arts Sponsorship match funding grants scheme has been delivered through Arts & Business Scotland since 2006, attracting nearly 200 new or returning business sponsors and leveraging nearly £2.4 million of business investment to the cultural sector.

UK figures released in January 2010 as part of the Arts & Business Private Investment in Culture Survey revealed that in 2009/10 private investment in the culture in Scotland increased by 6% and business investment in Scotland increased in line with inflation to £10.3m, in contrast to an average fall across the UK of 11%. This success is in part due to the Scottish Government’s support or arts sponsorship.

The news that the New Arts Sponsorship grants scheme will be continued into 2011/12 will help encourage business to invest in culture in the current economic climate.

New arts sponsorships for Scotland announced - Arts & Business

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Two new exciting sponsorships have been announced in Scotland.

The National Theatre of Scotland has announced an exciting new partnership with Bank of Scotland

The Bank of Scotland Pioneering Partnership will be working for the first time with the National Theatre of Scotland. The partnership represents a new approach to sponsorship, with Bank of Scotland supporting not just one production or strand, but a large part of the National Theatre of Scotland’s wide reaching programme over the next two years.

The partnership will offer geographic spread and reach across productions, initiatives, workshops and events, particularly in the area of supporting creativity and emerging talent.

Virgin Money has been announced as the new sponsor for Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s free street performances on the High Street and the Mound.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has been managing the daily outdoor performances on the Royal Mile since 2000. Over this time, the managed area has grown to include The Mound precinct with its Half Price Hut, and provides a vital arena for fringe performers to publicise their shows.

The 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe will run from 5 - 29 August.

Reflecting Glenfiddich in London - Arts & Business

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Ten years ago Arts & Business Scotland helped William Grant to set up an artists in residence programme at the Glenfiddich distillery in Dufftown, helping to demonstrate a contemporary image and reposition the brand worldwide.

The residencies are now entering their 10th year and the programme has an established international reputation. It is an outstanding example of how a business can engage with the arts in an innovative way to gain a wide range of benefits.

To help promote the programme, Arts & Business brokered an exhibition of artworks created over the last nine years and gifted by resident artists to the company at the Fleming Collection gallery in London.

The exhibition is a further element in the company’s use of the high profile residency programme as a marketing tool. This summer will see six artists, including ones from China and Taiwan, two emerging markets for the brand, living and working at the distillery over the summer months.

Arts & Business figures reveal private investment in culture in Scotland increases by 6% in spite of recession - Arts & Business

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Scottish increase of 6% in real terms to £41.7m compared with UK average decrease of 3%

Business investment holds steady in real terms

Individual Philanthropy down 7% in real terms

Trusts and Foundations increase by 48% in real terms

View interactive map and benchmarking tool:

Arts & Business’s survey figures released today, reveal that in 2009/10, private investment in culture in Scotland stood at £41.7 million, a 6% increase in real terms from the previous year. Since Arts & Business first started capturing this data in 1976, private investment in the arts has been following a general upward trend. Although 2008/9 saw an overall decrease, the combined sources of private giving have again shown an increase.

The overall private investment increase is due to a significant boost from Trusts and Foundations, that is the result, in part, from support for major capital projects.

Individual Philanthropy decreased for the second year in a row, continuing the interruption of its growth since 2001. In recognition of this negative shift, Arts & Business is working with the Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy to attempt to redress the fall in arts philanthropy.

Business investment in Scotland increased in line with inflation in contrast to an average fall across the UK of 11%. We believe that this was in part to the Scottish Government’s continued funding to Arts & Business Scotland for the New Arts Sponsorship grants scheme that encourages new business sponsorship.

Trusts and foundations – Scottish cultural organisations raised an additional 48% in funding from trusts and foundations compared with the previous year. This is far in excess of the UK average increase of 11%. This success built on the previous year’s significant increase of 20%. In both years large grants for major new capital projects was a major element.

#BigArtsGive success for arts organisations from Scotland - Arts & Business

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The #BigArtsGive proved a great success with the six participating Scottish arts organisations raising over £140,000 for a variety of projects over one week in early December.

The #BigArtsGive Challenge Fund Scheme was a partnership between UK philanthropist Alec Reed and his Big Give website, and Arts & Business. The Scottish arts organisations that participated were Byre Theatre of St Andrews, Citizens Theatre, Dunedin Consort and Players, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, Glasgow Film Theatre and Scottish Ballet. Two other organisations – Scottish Opera and the Fruitmarket Gallery – took part in the overall Big Give Christmas Challenge at the same time and their fundraising also proved successful.

The aim of the initiative was to build and nurture new givers and this was fully achieved. This success indicates the potential for arts philanthropy and in 2011 we will be working with the Edinburgh University Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy on a range of seminars for arts organisations to develop their skills and so encourage more individual giving to support the arts in Scotland.

#BigArtsGive ... and we're off - Arts & Business

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Support the arts at a local and national level starting from today with the launch of the #BigArtsGive

Almost 100 arts and cultural charities from across the UK are taking part in a new fundraising challenge helping to stimulate philanthropy for arts and culture.

These arts organisations are aiming to develop relationships with new givers and they have the potential to leverage additional funds from the Arts & Business Big Arts Give Challenge Fund: £1 from an online donor may be matched pound for pound.

So...

• today the #BigArtsGive give has gone live for one week until the 10 December, ready for your donations

• Your donations will have the potential to double in value thanks to the challenge fund and, in addition, may also be eligible for Gift Aid

• Please note that the #BigArtsGive will be paused each day of the week 6-10 December to ensure that the Sector Challenge Fund does not run out on the first day!

• You can donate every day, until the daily donation limit is reached, this will be clear on the big give website, if that is the case then please try the following day

• The Challenge will be paused each day irrespective of whether a charities donations are being doubled by their pledges or the charity matching fund at that time

• Participating charities will have a timer visible in their account area indicating how long is left each day

• To see a list of projects and links to their respective pages, please click here

• Or you can go directly to the #BigArtsGive home page

Support the cause with our #BigArtsGive twibbon this week (and spread the word).

In association with

Winners of 32nd Arts & Business Awards announced - Arts & Business

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Top accolades given to inspirational collaborations between business and arts

HSBC, Travelex, Siemens plc, Ekspan and Sky Arts are among the big business names to be named as this year’s top collaborators with arts at the 32nd Arts & Business Awards. Nine awards were announced at a ceremony attended by the Minister for Culture and 400 leaders in business and the arts, hosted by novelist Kate Mosse, and held at the Museum of London.

The winners

Ekspan & Open Door Theatre
Jaguar Land Rover A&B Community & Young People Award

Siemens Plc & Hallé Concerts Society
Prudential A&B People Development Award

Travelex & National Theatre
Lloyd’s A&B Business Innovation Award

HSBC & The British Museum
Classic FM A&B International Award

John Middleton & The Broadway
Prudential A&B Board Member of the Year Award

Classic FM & Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
BP A&B Sustained Partnership Award

HSBC & The British Museum
Telegraph Media Group A&B Cultural Branding Award

Vanessa Swann, Chief Executive, Cockpit Arts
Recipient of The Garrett Award

Sky Arts
Recipients of the The Simon Hornby Award

This year's Awards were created by silversmith Alex Ramsay
All photos: Amit Lennon

What they said

Ekspan & Open Door Theatre
Jaguar Land Rover A&B Community & Young People Award

Sheffield engineering firm Ekspan transformed a 15,000 square foot factory into a theatre with Open Door Theatre Company. It is now a fully licensed arts venue hosting a wide range of community projects which involve young people and showcase local talent. The judges applauded the journey for both partners resulting in a long-lasting outcome for the local community. They wanted to recognise the cost effectiveness of the project and the level of engagement with staff and customers as well as the community.

Anthony Bradbury, Marketing Director, Land Rover said:
“We are delighted that a company that has shown such commitment to bringing art to their local community has won this Award. Ekspan have set themselves apart by helping to create such a legacy.”

Siemens Plc & Hallé Concerts Society
Prudential A&B People Development Award

Siemens found a way to improve change management and drive business by working with Hallé. Singing workshops aimed to push employee boundaries and results showed that actual business performance improved. Employees experienced increased confidence and a willingness to stretch themselves. The judges felt this project was imaginative in its design and covered the dynamics between individual and collective performance. They were impressed by the involvement of all parts of business from senior management down. For the arts partner it was an excellent example of widening its business model and deepening engagement with an existing sponsor.

Rob Devey, Chief Executive, Prudential UK & Europe said:
"Siemans showed insight and imagination in their partnership with Hallé to tackle some key business performance issues. People are at the heart of business and using culture as the common language can bring the best out in employees."

Travelex & National Theatre
Lloyd’s A&B Business Innovation Award

This impressive programme pushed digital and technical boundaries by delivering broadcast theatre live (or as-live) from the stage in London to over 300 cinemas in the UK and around the world. Travelex, long-time sponsors of National Theatre, helped make NT Live a reality as well as supporting the global transactions. The judges felt that this was a partnership in the truest sense, with a very innovative range of collaborative activity and campaign platforms. They felt it closely met all of the criteria for the category – breaking new markets and attracting new audiences. In addition, the partnership had very clear and quantifiable objectives for both partners, which were not only met, but exceeded.

Suzy Black, Head of HR at Lloyd’s, said:
"We applaud partnerships that strive to push boundaries - to take risks and reap the dividends. Travelex and National Theatre show how ambitious projects can be realised, backed by the confidence of a sound partnership."

HSBC & The British Museum
Classic FM A&B International Award

This project exemplified HSBC’s ‘world’s local bank’ strapline. Their support of the British Museum’s Indian Summer programme reached 2.78 million people and 5,000 HSBC customers internationally across the UK, India, Australia, the USA and the UAE. They judges felt this was a true partnership, where both organisations extensively leveraged the sponsorship to extend their brand reputation in an international market. It demonstrated true global impact with clear measures of success.

Darren Henley, Managing Director, Classic FM said:
"This exceptional winning partnership shows how culture speaks the world over. HSBC and The British Museum have truly used culture to engage global audiences."

John Middleton & The Broadway
Prudential A&B Board Member of the Year Award

During his two years as Chair of The Broadway John ensured the rise of a much needed cultural outlet in Barking. He brought in a new Artistic Director / CEO, steered in a new brand and helped diversify their funding base. A 30% increase in Black, ethnic minority and refugee audiences and participation is one key success of his tenure. The judges were impressed by John’s personal commitment, enthusiasm and leadership style. He clearly exercised judgement about when to intervene, when to step back and when to take calculated risks.

Barry O'Dwyer, Managing Director, Retail Life and Pensions from Prudential UK & Europe, said:
"Strong leadership builds strong organisations. It is fantastic to see such impact from an individual who rolled up his sleeves and delivered real support to an arts organisation at the right time."

Classic FM & Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
BP A&B Sustained Partnership Award

With a common goal in mind to increase live classical audience numbers, this progressive partnership has outstripped both partners’ expectations. The flagship ‘Classic FM Orchestra in North West England’ brand is now well established in the region and innovative promotions continue to drive audience numbers. The judges thought that this partnership was a supreme example of how collaborations can be sustained and then evolve significantly over time. The venture continues to go from strength to strength and displays clear commercial benefits and community outputs every step of the way.

Mrs Des Violaris, Director UK Arts & Culture, BP said:
“When cultural partnerships are nurtured, challenged and developed over time, their relationship gives both organisations an edge. Particularly in these challenging times, I applaud the commitment shown by Classic FM and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.”

HSBC & The British Museum
Telegraph Media Group A&B Cultural Branding Award

For HSBC’s support of the British Museum’s Indian Summer programme. The judges felt that this was an exemplary collaboration that linked to a core business proposition. The brands were superbly leveraged across a variety of platforms, audiences and locations.

Tim Jotischky, Deputy Editor from the Telegraph Media Group said:
“HSBC and The British Museum show how culture can lift your brand off the page and into people’s hearts and minds. It’s fantastic to see a global brand like HSBC leading the way.”

Vanessa Swann, Chief Executive, Cockpit Arts
Recipient of The Garrett Award

Vanessa transformed Cockpit Arts into a Social Enterprise and creative business incubator for designer-makers. They now generate surpluses and have a wide support base, bringing in new income from Individual Giving and Major Gifts. The judges wanted to award a person who clearly demonstrated that they are enterprising and innovative, exploring less obvious possibilities for funding. The judges wanted to applaud Vanessa for her overarching strategy that has supported continued growth and strength for the Cockpit Arts.

Steve Williams, Chair of Arts & Business said:
“Honouring exceptional fundraisers is so vital to helping the sector right now. Vanessa is a fantastic example of how strategy and skill combine to help sustain an arts organisation.”

Sky Arts
Recipients The Simon Hornby Award

Sir Simon Hornby, chairman of Arts & Business from 9 years from 1989 to 1997, passed away earlier this year. He was a strong and vocal advocate for business engagement in the arts. This special Award, with the support of Lady Hornby, goes to a business that has, continuously placed culture at its heart. The A&B Simon Hornby was awarded to Sky Arts as an organisation that is focused on changing and advancing the relationship of business and the arts.

Colin Tweedy, Chief Executive of Arts & Business said:
“Now, more than ever, we need captains of industry to be recognised for their work with culture. Sky Arts is a shining light as an example of a business who has worked with numerous arts organisations to realise and activate their artistic projects while helping to grow audiences in their tens of thousands.

Partners

England-wide Award Partner

Media partners

Event partners

Drinks partner

This year's awards were created by silversmith Alex Ramsay.
For details visit: www.alexramsay.co.uk
Photos: Amit Lennon

Prince of Wales Medal honours great arts philanthropy - Arts & Business

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:00:00 GMT

Arts & Business announces recipients of The Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy

HRH The Prince of Wales will present his five Medals for Arts Philanthropy at a special ceremony at St James’s Palace on November 22nd 2010. The medal celebrates individuals who support the arts and recognises the contribution of the most inspiring cultural philanthropists in the UK.

This year’s honourees:
Click on the names below to read their full biogs

• Mr Richard Broyd

• Mr Anthony d’Offay & Mrs Anne d’Offay

• Helen Thorpe

• Mr and Mrs David Seligman OBE FRWCMD

• (The late) Lord Wolfson & Family

Colin Tweedy, Chief Executive of Arts & Business, comments: "In these difficult times we are collectively looking to corporate philanthropy and individual philanthropy as the cornerstones for growth for our cultural community. It is always vital to honour the remarkable commitment of individuals who have found the love and passion to allow the arts to flourish for future generations.

"These honourees tell very different stories. They come from different worlds and have given and supported the arts in many different ways. What unites them is an unfailing belief in the importance of the arts and the desire and commitment to see the arts flourish.

"Arts & Business is honoured to create this Medal for our President, The Prince of Wales. These honourees are an inspiration to us all. We congratulate all the recipients on receiving their prestigious and well-deserved medals for arts philanthropy this year."

Welcoming this year’s medals, Secretary of State for Culture Jeremy Hunt said: “The arts in this country will continue to flourish thanks to a combination of public subsidy, corporate support and the profound generosity of private donors. The five honourees being recognised today epitomise the philanthropic spirit. I thank and congratulate them and hope others will be encouraged to follow their lead. I would also thank the Prince of Wales for his unstinting support for our arts and heritage and his initiative in establishing this Medal and Arts & Business for continuing to show leadership in this vital area."

Labour Shadow Culture Minister Ivan Lewis said: "We must not let a dark shadow fall across our cultural world. The Prince of Wales philanthropy medal is a fantastic way to thank and profile those individuals who do so much to balance the UK’s delicate funding ecology. We always need to celebrate and recognise passionate people who make significant contributions to our cultural life. Arts & Business has created a special and unique award that goes to people whose generosity and philanthropy enrich the lives of millions.”

The five honourees were selected after an extensive decision making process. The Prince of Wales’ Arts Advisory Group drew up a short list of twenty philanthropists which went forward to a final judging panel of artists, who chose the first five honourees. The final panel consisted of Sir Ronald Harwood (writer for stage and screen), Dame Monica Mason (Director of The Royal Ballet) and Christopher Le Brun (artist). The medal was first presented in 2008.

Supporting the Big Arts Give organisations from Scotland - Arts & Business

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Six Scottish arts charities have successfully applied to take part in The Big Arts Give along with around 120 arts organisations from across the UK.

By taking part in the challenge fund, the participants will develop relationships with new givers and leverage new funding through every £1 from an online donor being matched pound for pound by advance donor pledges.

Each organisation will raise a fixed amount from their donor pledges and this will set challenge targets for individual giving on the Big Arts Give website during the beginning of December. All web donations in excess of the pledge target have the chance to be doubled from funds provided by the Scottish Government and the Reed Foundation. Thus the Big Arts Give aims to dramatically re-animate individual cultural philanthropy by potentially raising £3m (plus Gift Aid) for the arts across the UK by Christmas.
We hope you would like to support one or more of the organisations participating from Scotland. Click on the links below to get full details of the projects and how to make a donation.

But please note that all donations should not be made until the launch date 6 December 2010, to ensure your donation is doubled in value.

The six arts organisations participating from Scotland are:

Dunedin Consort and Players
http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/projects/view/8103

The Byre Theatre of St Andrews Ltd
http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/projects/view/8527

Scottish Ballet
http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/projects/view/7784

Citizens Theatre Ltd
http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/projects/view/7689

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop (ESW)
http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/projects/view/8321

Glasgow Film Theatre
http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/projects/view/8119

New research pinpoints the potential impact of technology on culture - Arts & Business

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

New growth for business investment in culture found in the evolution of digital partnerships

Evolution of Partnerships, download the report on digital collaborations between business and the arts

On the eve of the Chancellor’s CSR announcement and anticipated budget cuts to the cultural sector, a new research report by Arts & Business has identified how the arts can own a special value in a digital world – one that can drive business investment and engagement.

The report identifies that convergence between creative technology, the arts and brands is opening up huge opportunities in the UK’s digital cultural landscape and recommends that these sectors must join forces to attract additional new investment.

The Report recommends that the impact of digital collaborations on future arts and business partnerships could be a significant area of growth. The pioneering research by Arts & Business offers ideas on these types of partnerships and ‘a how to guide’ on how to develop them; exploring the nature of these innovative partnerships, the benefits, the pitfalls and real life success stories from across the UK.

The report concludes that the level of transparency that the digital world has opened up has stretched the communications industry and created a fantastic opportunity for the arts industry to help businesses connect and innovate in a much more impactful way.

Your #BigArtsGive... spreading the digital word - Arts & Business

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As you know the Big Arts Give is a wonderful opportunity to promote your organisation, unlock additional funding for your cultural body and lead the way with a new arts fundraising initiative. Ideally you will tell you story every step of the way.

You can do this through traditional media outlets (local/regional newspapers, tv and radio) and also through the digital media (Twitter, Facebook your website etc)

Please find below:

• Examples of the coverage Big Arts Give partners have already achieved
• Tips on achieving local media profile
• Tips on using Social Media

We hope you find different pieces of this material will help your PR campaign. We will be here every step of the way, so please call us if you need to share some ideas or ask for ideas.

Here is some coverage already achieved:

Big Arts Give - Pallant House Gallery
The project has been selected as a candidate for the 'Big Arts Give', a new Challenge Fund initiated by the Government to encourage individual philanthropy ...
www.pallant.org.uk/about/news/big-arts-give

Oxford Playhouse | Support Us
Oxford Playhouse has been selected to take part in The Big Arts Give ... The Big Arts Give is a nationwide scheme developed by The Big Give and Arts ...
www.oxfordplayhouse.com/supportus/biggive/

Contacting your Local Media
Simply contact your local paper, radio and TV station. Ask if they have a regional news reporter and an arts reporter. Both will be interested, the first for a news piece, the latter for a feature. Inform them that your organisation has been selected in an online race for funding, The Big Arts Give, organised by Arts & Business and The Big Give. Ask them to link to your Big Give profile page from their online articles and to mention the ‘hashtag’ #BigArtsGive.

Messages to interest media:

• It will be a hard time for regional arts organisations and if they fail the cultural heart will be ripped out of communities across the UK. The Big Arts Give is a chance for local people to rally round to help preserve the access to culture they deserve.

• The Big Arts Give is a trailblazer as the first national ‘crowdfunding’ campaign for the Arts. Social media allows local audiences to connect with and donate to their local arts orgs in a new and targeted way. The Big Arts Give both promotes and takes advantage of this new digital relationship. A new way to help traditional community culture.

A Guide to Social Media

In geek speak the #BigArtsGive is a digital trailblazer. You are in fact taking part in the first national 'Crowdfunding' campaign for the arts in the UK. Put simply this means it is asking lots of people to give money using digital comms. Even the logo ‘#BigArtsGive’ is a Twitter hashtag.

What’s a hashtag? Keep reading and all will be revealed but don’t worry too much. All you need to do is make as much noise as possible online and we're going to help you do it!

The #BigArtsGive is an enormous opportunity social media wise – if 'done' digitally it will gain every every BAG participant attention, boost your digital footprints and (best of all help) get the money in.

Philanthropy Report reveals Potential for Growth in Arts Funding - Arts & Business

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT

At a time of uncertainty and financial challenges, Arts philanthropy: the facts, trends and potential, aims to assess the potential of individual giving for the arts and where the growth can come from.

Based on the current trends and how and why they are changing, the findings suggest that growth will come from those already interested in and engaged with the arts.

Key findings of the report include:

• The year-on-year trends of individual giving to wider charitable causes and the arts in particular, suggest that philanthropy is far from reaching a plateau

• Only 52% of the sector currently receives any individual giving

• Only 2% of philanthropically active individuals contribute to the arts. NCVO/ CAF (forthcoming) UK Giving 2010

• In 2008 individual giving grew by 25% above inflation to reach an all-time high of £382 million

• Individual giving decreased by 7% primarily in light of the recession and a particularly high one-off donation received the year before, to stand at £363 million by the end of 2008/09

• Individual giving increased by 4% in the English regions, even in light of the recession and a national average of 7% decrease, and after a 38% increase from the year before

• Individual giving accounts for on average 8% of arts’ total income

• 73% of arts organisations increased their fundraising activities in the past 6 months and 48% increased their marketing and online drive

• The lack of memberships within smaller organisations is more of a supply rather than demand-led issue

• Legacies are undercapitalised by the arts, with only 8% attracting this source of income, though they are incredibly lucrative for other charitable causes, estimated to be worth around £1.9 billion a year

• More people attend the arts than are philanthropically active to all charitable causes combined

• The potential for the arts is therefore not necessarily in attracting a greater slice of the existing philanthropy pie, but in turning more individuals who engage with the arts into supporters

• An overarching increase in tickets and attendances, as well as sales from gift-shops and cafes/ restaurants, suggest that audiences are prepared (and able) to attend more often and spend more during their visit

• Collaboration and innovation within the sector will be the way forward as maximum impact will be expected with minimum resources

• There is also potential for growth from the higher (but not highest) -end of the market

• The ‘mass affluent’ allude to the arts’ competitive advantages, namely their creativity and their entertainment value as ways that would make them increase their philanthropy to the arts.

The report concludes that though philanthropy will not be able to fill the imminent gaps from public funding, targeted interventions and campaigns will help: Friends schemes, crowdfunding, and mobilising the ‘mass affluent’ could ensure growth in the medium to long term.

Arts & Business Scotland Awards 2010... winners & commended partnerships - Arts & Business

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The winners of the Arts & Business Scotland Awards 2010 were announced on Wednesday 22nd September 2010 at a ceremony held at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow. The Awards are held each year to celebrate the most outstanding and creative partnerships between business and arts organisations. The Minister for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop MSP, presented specially commissioned award pieces to the winners in eight categories in front of an audience of 350 guests from business, the arts and the media.

Winners...

Arts & Business Scotland Young People Award
Sponsored by Creative Scotland
Scottish Friendly Assurance and Scottish Book Trust

Commended
• Standard Life and Royal Scottish National Orchestra
• Shell UK Ltd and Theatre Modo

Arts & Business Scotland New Sponsor Award
In association with Scottish Government
BNY Mellon and National Museums Scotland

Commended
• Pufferfish and Inspace, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh
• Cameron Presentations and Scottish Opera

Arts & Business Scotland Sustained Partnership Award
Sponsored by Whitespace
Royal Mail Group Scotland and Scottish Book Trust

Commended
• Shell UK Ltd and Aberdeen International Youth Festival
• ScottishPower and Celtic Connections
• Bank of Scotland and Imaginate

Arts & Business Scotland Community Award
Sponsored by Glasgow City Council
Vieta Pro Brand and Limelight Music (formally Sounds of Progress)

Commended
• Total E&P UK Limited and Royal Scottish National Orchestra
• Shell UK Ltd and Theatre Modo

Arts & Business Scotland Cultural Branding Award
Sponsored by Stewarts
The Glenmorangie Company Ltd and National Museums Scotland

Commended
• Lumison and Edinburgh International Festival
• Adam & Company and Hamilton & Inches and Scottish Ballet

Arts & Business Scotland Leadership Award
Sponsored by Chevron Upstream Europe
Dr Richard Holloway

Arts & Business Scotland Special Award
Lord and Lady Macfarlane

The Glasgow City Council Award 2010
Andy Arnold

I Value the Arts - Arts & Business

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Public urged to show how much they value the arts

A new campaign, I Value the Arts, will go live on Monday 13 September 2010 urging the public to voice their support for the arts. Anyone who values the arts in their community is being asked to register their details on a new website: www.ivaluethearts.org.uk.

All those who register will be kept in touch with plans that could affect arts provision nationally and in their local neighbourhood, with practical suggestions on what they can do to strengthen the arts in their area.

I Value the Arts is led by the National Campaign for the Arts (NCA), the independent umbrella body for all the arts in the UK. Industry bodies are lining up to support the promotion of the campaign, including the Society of London Theatre, the Theatrical Management Association, Visual Arts and Galleries Association, the Association of British Orchestras, Equity and Audiences UK. The campaign website and associated technology has been made possible thanks to generous donations of skills, time and resources by industry suppliers. No public money is being used to fund the campaign.

Louise de Winter, Director of the NCA commented: “Three quarters of the adult population attend or participate in arts activities every year and an even higher proportion of young people. At a time of recession, more and more people are turning to the arts and culture. Reduced opportunities to take part in the arts could have a major impact on the quality of people’s lives and the vibrancy of their communities. As the Government is encouraging us all to get engaged and create a ‘Big Society’, we believe it is important for those people who care about the arts to get involved in the decision-making about what their communities will look like. This campaign gives everyone who cares a chance to have their voice heard and collectively show that the arts provide a valued public service.

“This is a really simple and straightforward campaign. It will take thirty seconds for someone to visit the www.ivaluethearts.org.uk website to register their email address and postcode, and then we’ll be able to keep them up to date with information about plans for their local area. The website will go live from 9am on Monday, 13 September. With a wide base of support within the sector, we hope this campaign will gain public momentum and snowball throughout the UK.”

Vote for your favourite shortlisted partnerships in the 32nd Arts & Business Awards - Arts & Business

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A whisky brand, an international airline, a PR firm, a retail chain and a leading tech company are among the 21 business that are shortlisted with their arts partners in this year’s 32nd Arts & Business Awards.

The Awards recognise the very best of innovative cultural and commercial partnerships from around the UK.

This year, for the very first time, we would love you to vote for your favourite partnership.

Voting is open until Friday 1 October.

The independent judging panels who selected the shortlist will then consider all votes before making the final decision on the winners.

Each category is supported by a leading business committed to working with the arts: BP, Jaguar Land Rover, Lloyd’s, Prudential and media partners Telegraph Media Group and Classic FM.

You can follow the awards on twitter using the hashtag #ArtsBusinessAwards

The shortlist

BP A&B Sustained Partnership Award

• Classic FM & Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
• The Co-operative Group & Cambridge City Council
• Unilever & Tate Modern

Jaguar Land Rover A&B Community & Young People Award

• Ekspan & Open Door Theatre
• John Lewis Newcastle & Tyne and Wear Archives and Museum
• Scottish Friendly Assurance & Scottish Book Trust

Lloyd's A&B Business Innovation Award

• Philips Electronics & National Theatre
• Scottish Friendly Assurance & Scottish Book Trust
• Travelex & National Theatre

Prudential A&B People Development Award

• Lansons Communications & High Tide
• QinetiQ & Salisbury International Arts Festival
• Siemens Plc & Hallé Concerts Society

Prudential A&B Board Member of the Year Award

• Bill Thompson & Writers Centre Norwich
• John Middleton & The Broadway
• Norman Armstrong & aspex

Telegraph Media Group A&B Cultural Branding Award

• Finnair Plc & Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)
• HSBC & The British Museum
• The Glenmorangie Company Ltd & National Museums Scotland

Classic FM A&B International Award

• Finnair Plc & Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)
• HSBC & The British Museum
• Travelex & National Theatre

The winners will be announced at an invitation only ceremony in London on Thursday 18 November 2010

Partners

England-wide Award Partner

Media partners

Event partners

Drinks partner

Arts organisations queue up to join The Big Arts Give - Arts & Business

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Arts & Business announces the participants for the Big Arts Give as cultural bodies develop new relationship with donors.

At a time when the threat of swingeing cuts to public subsidy for the arts loom large, the 125 arts charities who have successfully applied to take part in Arts & Business’ The Big Arts Give have been announced. The Big Arts Give aims to dramatically re-animate individual cultural philanthropy in this period of economic difficulty.

Charitable arts and cultural organisations from all nations and regions of the UK are taking part and together aim to raise at least £1m in private sector pledges, which could subsequently result in £3m (plus Gift Aid) being donated to these charities by Christmas.

Since Arts & Business and Alec Reed created a challenge fund of more than £500,000 in April, 145 charities applied to take part.

Arts & Business is promoting this innovative approach for the benefit of arts and cultural charities wishing to develop relationships with new givers. This challenge fund is all about leveraging the maximum potential from your contribution to the arts: £1 from an online donor is matched pound for pound, while every £1 invested by Arts & Business is on course to help generate at least £8 of new cultural wealth through the Big Arts Give.

So the Big Arts Give is an online giving campaign right? That's why our logo is also a twitter hashtag!

This is a 'Living Logo' designed to get as much digital attention as possible. How can you help? Simply Re-Tweet the logo whenever you see it!

In association with

Annual Review for 2010 - Arts & Business

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Arts & Business has published our annual review for 2010. It is a snapshot of our work across the UK, as we continue to build the UK’s cultural ecology at a time when there is pressure on all budgets.

We are determined to continue to work for both business and the arts, articulating the value of both working together. At a time of proposed cuts, the potential growth for sponsors and donors is genuine. Yet we know that philanthropy cannot in the short-term fill the gap made by cuts of 25% or more. The UK model of a mix of public money, private money and earned income must be protected.