For example, Queensland Gas has just re-signed its partnership with La Boite, a Brisbane theatre company. The company pays for special performances and productions by La Boite in a remote part of Queensland. It’s also supported the building of a new outdoor theatre. This adds to the cultural energy of the place, provides cash for the theatre company, and connects the company to the community.
Another great motivator is staff benefits. In an era of full employment, retaining and developing staff is critical for business success. Many business people enjoy the opportunity to participate in the arts, by attending a play or an exhibition or a festival. Many go so far as to volunteer their skills with an arts organisation.
We are seeing a steady increase in the numbers of business people volunteering to share their knowledge and skills - either on specific projects or by joining their boards.
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Enlightened companies know that volunteering helps staff stay motivated, develops their expertise and communication and mentoring skills, and gives them a healthy dose of creativity. The arts know that they can benefit from the expertise of business people in specific areas.
Theatre director, Wesley Enoch, recently told us: “adviceBank (a business-arts volunteering program) is one of the secrets which every artist should find out about. It's great to meet dedicated and talented people who can be both detached and enthusiastic for a project. It worked well for us because it helped hone the ideas we already had and provided that much needed outside eye."
So I believe that mutually useful connections between business and the arts are here to stay - regardless of economic fluctuations.
First published by ABC News online on August 20, 2008.
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