Albright Special

Wonderful to see this festival in London again - congratulations to long term sponsor Van Cleef & Arples for its commitment to the dance sector.

Great to see Savills moving into book festival sponsorship - at a time when many are nervous - and supporting the broadening cultural offering of the beautiful Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery with this new festival.

More fashion/ arts cross-over with the new awards announced by @ArtBasel and sponsored by HUGO BOSS. A whopping 36 medals for artists and curators awarded in three categories: 'icons', established and emerging, and a pool of 9 big name arts judges will provide profile, content and great networking at the fair in Switzerland each year. https://lnkd.in/expZVeZc

The Olivier Awards have always been an interesting sponsorship proposition - theatre, broadcast, stars and media profile. And one the lead sponsor, Mastercard, has really helped to elevate.

https://lnkd.in/dFqhnxmj If you're involved in premium client engagement, then art needs to be part of the mix. As in indicator of art's growing importance in the finance and investment space, FT reports on Deloitte and ArtTactic survey: 90% of art and finance stakeholders surveyed believed that art and collectibles should be part of an investment portfolio, up from 53% in 2014. The report finds "the conversation has shifted from whether art should be part of a wealth management offering to how it can be implemented effectively"

We keep hearing everyone wants positive news stories - well, is this a new type of cultural sponsor? As more artists tell wonderfully engaging narratives around climate change and potential ways forward, sponsors can share their own narratives and show that we can all work to a common goal.

Are we grateful enough to those who support the arts? Richard Morrison in the Times continues his excellent commentary calling for increased appreciation and celebration of individual philanthropists or corporate sponsors who choose to channel funds to cultural organisations As its behind a paywall I'll share this quote: "(Donors) ... appreciate gratitude. Unfortunately being grateful to rich people doesn’t come as easily to the British as it does to Americans. We tend to suspect that “behind every great fortune lies a great crime”, to borrow from the cynical observation usually attributed to Balzac. But that’s not only untrue (mostly), it’s also unhelpful. Without the wealth of the Medicis there would have been no Renaissance. And without philanthropists to fill the gap left by dwindling public funding our own arts scene will wither and we will be back in the Dark Ages." https://lnkd.in/ejDd5wnG

We had an inspirational morning earlier this week, talking to a group of Arts Sponsors about their New Year’s resolutions at The House of Koko in Camden. Here are three events, people and themes that businesses partnering with the arts should be aware of in 2025.

Ever since I became a university governor, I’ve been fascinated by the huge changes happening in the education space. We all love a bit of self-improvement, and the growth in online courses is staggering – over 900% since it all started in 2000. So, its interesting that this year is shaping up to be one of commercial arts education. Marc Spiegler, the former director of Art Basel has just launched a new hands-on course for those wanting to enter the commercial art world. Called Art Market Minds – The Academy its being offered for just £750 by the company behind the Art Business Conference. Meanwhile the Courtauld Institute of Art is launching an MA in Art and Business in collaboration with one of our clients, King’s Business School. Sotheby’s Institute of Art has been running its own Art Business course for decades – I’ve even delivered lectures on art sponsorship there myself – so I'm really interested to see what happens next .. The Courtauld’s online ‘open day’ is 16th January – sign up online https://lnkd.in/eEwSw626

The £8 billion impact of culture & heritage: Why should it matter to business New research from the DCMS’ Cultural and Heritage Capital (CHC) Programme, delivered by Frontier Economics in partnership with the University College London’s Social Biobehavioural Research Group, reveals that culture and heritage contribute £8 billion to the UK economy each year. For businesses, this doesn’t only highlight the clear social and economic benefits of investing in the arts, but also demonstrates the significant return on investment. Key findings: Health & wellbeing: Regular cultural engagement, such as visiting museums or attending concerts, is valued at £1,000 per person annually. Stronger communities: £7 bn of the total value comes from improved quality of life, better mental health, and stronger social connections. Increased productivity: £1bn is attributed to increased workplace productivity, showing the link between a thriving cultural sector and a more engaged workforce. Sponsoring culture is not just an act of goodwill—it’s a strategic investment that fosters a more engaged, creative, and productive society, benefiting both businesses and communities alike. Read the full report for more details: https://lnkd.in/dDztzqgk #CultureAndHeritage #EconomicImpact #Arts #Wellbeing