Series partners:

A series of four seminars examining the relationship between cultural organisations and the private sector (individuals and business).  Each session focussed on a specific aspect of business relations with case studies presented from innovative examples in the UK.
Location: Lloyd Hotel, Amsterdam.

Seminar 1: Friends Schemes and Committed Giving
Thursday 2 December 2004

For museums and galleries and large/medium scale public spaces

Cultural organisations in Europe face ever lower government funding and must look for additional sources of income. In the UK many cultural organisations have found that their audiences and visitors are very generous when asked for support in an appropriate way; that involving their public has in a sense ‘democratised’ their organisation. Committed Giving programmes and Friends schemes have been found most effective in providing secure, long-term income to support revenue budgets.

Guest speakers: David Dixon, DDA associates; Russel Le Page, Royal Academy of Arts
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Seminar 2: Major Gifts and Capital Campaigns
Thursday 10 February 2005

For medium/large scale arts companies, venues and organisations

Major Gift Fundraising tends to be synonymous with capital campaigns in the minds of many fundraising professionals. However, big gifts can be obtained in other fundraising contexts, including annual campaigns, specific projects and planned giving (legacies). The US is held up as a benchmark in this area, however cultural differences in Europe inhibit a straightforward implementation of the US model. Understanding and applying cultural sensitivities to campaign planning and gift asking ensure the success of a Capital Campaign, which is the most cost-effective method of raising large sums of money.

Guest speakers: Julian Marland, former Campaign Director at the South Bank Centre and Senior Fundraiser at the British Museum; William Conner, Managing Director Brakeley Ltd.
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Seminar 3: Business, Community and the Arts - Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Thursday 7 April 2005

For both business and arts-based organisations

In the UK as well as in the Netherlands CSR is an important issue in the corporate sector. Companies can no longer afford not to contribute to society in some way and they have ever increasing budgets for their activities. In the UK this is stimulated by recent fiscal measures. There is also a wider- reaching agenda under CSR in which the business sector supports community and other initiatives in collaboration with arts and cultural organisations, i.e. schools workshops in the visual arts or a community performing arts project. Through partnering with arts and cultural organisations, the corporate sector can achieve wider recognition for its social responsibility which can in turn contribute to its economic value and performance in the market.

Guest speakers: Phil Gibby, Arts & Business; Andrew Giaquinto, Institute of Physics Publishing; Mark Baldwin, Rambert Dance Company
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Seminar 4: Arts and business sharing the dialogue
Thursday 2 June 2005

For both business and arts-based organisations, private and public sectors

Alongside the reduction of state subsidy to the arts, the 1980s and 90s in the UK saw deregulation of state industries, escalating technological power and issues of environmental and human rights rise up the agenda. Policy makers and businesses testified that profound attitudinal changes were required to remain competitive or to envision policies for the next economic generation. Different forms of discourse and working relationships were needed across conventional divides.
The LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre) Business Arts Forum was started in 1995 to generate engagement from people working in business, the public sector, professional artists and organisations in facilitating a new form of civic discourse. Forum participants attend performances in the context of LIFT and subsequently participate in a seminar or creative workshop with people of different ages, cultures and working perspectives. This style of engagement is acknowledged by experts in social and economic transition as being a precursor to tackling structural change and mores sustainable forms of wealth creation, public policy, artistic endeavour and education.

Guest speakers: Julia Rowntree, LIFT Business Arts Forum; Sally Bibb, The Economist Group
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