Americans for the Arts is excited to present the Arts and Business Partnership Awards on October 3 in New York City. These awards recognize businesses for their exceptional involvement with the arts that enrich the workplace and transform communities. We also honor an individual arts-champion with the Leadership Award, and an extraordinary collaboration between a business and its arts partner with the David Rockefeller pARTnership Award. Join us in celebrating these incredible arts champions.

Shoe company Rollie Nation has made artist collaborations an integral strategy from the beginning. To celebrate and empower women, the company partnered with artist Abby Lichtman to design prints for a campaign with the McGrath Foundation, a breast cancer support and education organization. By designing shoes with a cheeky print, the company aimed to kick the taboo around the subject, which also led to Rollie creating a platform for women to share their own stories and advice.

Chambers of Commerce are important partners in our communities. They convene businesses, advocate for business-friendly policies, and have a voice at the economic-development table. It's important for local arts agencies to establish partnerships with their Chambers to expand their network, explore new relationships with businesses, and provide the voice for how the arts can be part of community-building solutions. Hear from Nicole Mullet, Executive Director at Arts Now in Akron, Ohio, and Steve Millard, President & CEO of the Akron Chamber of Commerce, about their partnership and what they hope to accomplish.

Every year, Americans for the Arts partners with the Conference Board to measure business contributions to the arts. In the 2018 edition, we found some critical data about why and how businesses partner with the arts. Highlights include: 79 percent of businesses believe the arts improve the quality of life in the community, 63 percent of businesses believe the arts contribute to the economy of the community, and 53 percent of businesses agree that the arts spark creativity. Help us provide the best data we can to help businesses and arts organizations make informed decisions. Take the survey today!

 

 

Interview with BCA member Paul Kinley, Partner of Opsis Architecture in Portland, OR.

 

"Your work force is only as good as it is happy,"  said Andrés Holder, General Manager at the Washington Ballet, at a recent workshop presented by the Institute of Financial Wellness for the Arts, a company specializing in financial education and resources for career artists and arts professionals. Employee perks like 401k's and other benefits are a rarity at many arts organizations. More and more, however, arts leaders are recognizing that empowering their employees with financial wellness tools fosters organizational success over the long run. Learn how the IFWA is bringing financial wellness into the workplace at leading arts institutions.