We are in the midst of a cultural renaissance, with commentators across the media hailing this as a period of revolution for our society; placing culture, not politics at its heart. Madeline Bunting, Guardian columnist and former director of think-tank DEMOS, wrote that “culture and art have broken out of elitist circles in the past 10 to 15 years. Museums and galleries are no longer the preserve of the middle class, monuments are no longer just for leafy London squares or town halls; there has been a democratisation of culture… As our political life hollows out, as the politicians struggle to capture the public imagination, artists win themselves an unprecedented audience in their ability to do just that”.
Not only is the cultural sector and the arts leading a revolution in society, arts are also directly impacting the UK economy: the theatre alone generates £2.6bn a year and the estimated economic value of the Tate Modern is over £100m.
As sponsorship professionals working in the cultural sector the bigger picture is the key: the current renaissance can be traced back to an 80% real increase in public funding of the arts under Labour. Once the sector looked and felt healthy businesses were keener to partner the arts because they were increasingly dynamic, buoyant and vibrant.
Fine figures like these are exactly the kind that we need to leverage sponsorship in the arts. Businesses are increasingly proud to invest in and partner the arts because sponsoring the arts directly contributes to a thriving UK economy. It’s at the centre of our cultural and economic lives.
October’s national press also highlighted one of the most significant arts sponsorship stories of recent times. The Scottish Opera’s Richard Strauss opera, Der Rosenkavalier, which has just opened at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, has revolutionised arts sponsorship by offering individuals the opportunity to sponsor characters. This innovation and change demonstrate arts sponsorship’s ability to respond to the demands of the market.
Arts & Business is about to issue the most recent survey results into the level of private investment in the arts. One thing is becoming more apparent, as we extrapolate the data since 1976: if there is a dip in public funding, there is also a dip in private investment.
The recent renaissance can only have happened with business seeing the strategic value and bottom-line imperative of partnering with the arts. There is much we can do together to let the good times continue. We are always looking to champion the very best and the most innovative arts and business partnerships. Arts & Business will be honouring worthwhile and successful projects at the 29th Arts & Business Awards, to be held in March 2007.
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