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AbaF Council
AbaF spreads its wings
Senior Australian business leaders, who have joined the Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) as Councillors, are establishing State and Territory chapters.
The first chapters are being set up in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart.
The Prime Minister, John Howard, attended the inaugural AbaF Council meeting in Sydney in August when 50 of Australia's most influential business leaders came together for the first time as AbaF Councillors in support of arts and culture.
At the Sydney meeting, AbaF Deputy Chair and former Qantas Managing Director, Mr James Strong told the Prime Minister: 'We are confident that we can meet the challenge that you set for the Australia Business Arts Foundation-to increase private sector support for the arts and culture in Australia.'
AbaF evolved from the former Australia Foundation for Culture and the Humanities into the national business for the arts organisation. It is made up of 50 Councillors, most of whom are business leaders.
Councillors are being asked to lead by example-by demonstrating best practice by developing their own business case for cultural investment and creating quality partnerships with cultural organisations.
Business people are able to join as associates through AbaF Chapters.
Issues and projects being considered by Chapters include:
- promoting and supporting the AbaF Partnership Awards;
- creating cultural partners marketing events;
- establishing a business arts appreciation scheme;
- supporting a business arts skills bank;
- assisting regional arts organisations; and
strengthening the business and financial management capacities of arts organisations to run their own business affairs.
In New South Wales, for example, Sydney business leaders are exploring ways they can help arts organisations attract business partners. AbaF's Sydney chapter discussed a cultural partners' marketing event at a forum chaired by the Executive Director of Macquarie Bank, Mr Warwick Smith. The idea is to give arts organisations opportunities to test their business case for investment on senior corporate executives.
The first meeting of the Victorian Chapter was held in February and was chaired by Mr Helmut Pekarek, Managing Director of Siemens Ltd. Senior cultural leaders will attend to discuss challenges faced by the arts, the assets they can provide in business-arts partnerships, and what they hope the partnerships will achieve. This will be the start of a process that continues throughout the year.
Consideration will be given to holding three small corporate functions throughout the year, each hosted by a Councillor, to recruit associates, present business case examples, and invite arts organisations to present their business case for a partnership. It is also proposed to hold an annual function with the State Premier, providing networking and marketing opportunities and an opportunity to showcase best practice business arts partnerships.
In Queensland, Mr Richard Cottee, Chief Executive Officer of CS Energy, has held two meetings of Councillors who have identified the need for support for regional arts organisations and the need for arts organisations to cooperate on their approach to business.
In South Australia, Mr Rick Allert, Chair of Southcorp Limited has chaired a meeting of Adelaide-based Councillors who are interested in supporting a business arts advisory service to strengthen the business and financial management capacities of arts organisations to run their own business affairs.
The Premier of Tasmania, Mr Jim Bacon and AbaF Councillor Mr Tony Stacey, CEO of Blundstone Pty Ltd will host a lunch for business leaders in March.
Over the last 12 months AbaF has already helped facilitate 35 partnerships, valued at over $3 million, and others are evolving.
AbaF Awards
The Prime Minister, John Howard, is scheduled to present the inaugural AbaF Business Arts Partnership Awards in Sydney on August 2nd. The Awards will recognise businesses and cultural organisations that have established strategic partnerships. The high profile event will showcase the country's best business-arts partnerships to an audience that includes Australia's most prominent government, corporate and cultural leaders.
The AbaF Business Arts Partnership of the Year will be selected from the winners of four categories covering large business, small business, government enterprises and regional partnerships. The business case for cultural investment will form the framework by which entries will be assessed.
Leadership awards will honour individuals who have worked for stronger links between business and the arts. The Richard Pratt AbaF Leadership Award will be presented to a business leader and the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AbaF Leadership Award will go to a leader from the cultural sector.
The deadline for nominations for the AbaF Awards has been extended from March 30 to May 30.
Contact
Brian Peck, AbaF's Deputy Executive Director
phone: (03) 9207 7020 or e-mail: peckb@abaf.org.au.