merrion street

Tuesday 10th September, 2013: Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, will be guest of honour at the Allianz Business to Arts Awards 2013 this evening, taking place in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin.

The Allianz Business to Arts Awards highlight the importance of philanthropy and corporate sponsorship of arts and culture, and recognise the businesses, artists and arts organisations that work closely together.

Speaking in advance of the awards, Minister Deenihan said:

"Creativity plays such an important role in the well-being of our society. The arts are essential to our national character and contribute greatly to how we are perceived on the world stage.

"These awards are important as they showcase the significant role that philanthropy can play in the development of the arts. These is the 22nd time these awards have been held, they are an important date in the arts calendar, and I want to pay tribute to the work of Business to Arts in supporting the development of a culture of philanthropy in the arts sector.

"I strongly support this development. Last year, I launched a Philanthropy Initiative in my Department to encourage arts organisations to find corporate sponsors for their activities. That initiative was very successful and delivered a boost of over €1 million to the arts last year, of which less than one-fifth came from the public purse."

For 2013, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht's Philanthropy Initiative has a fund of €210,000. The Philanthropy Initiative is providing an incentive to arts organisations to engage in fundraising, and for this year organisations that are engaging creatively with children and young people and adding to their education can also apply to the fund for support. This is in support of the Arts in Education Charter, launched by Minister Deenihan and Minister Quinn.