For immediate release:
Four Canadian Companies Win for their Outstanding Leadership
July 5, 2007
Business for the Arts (formerly The Council for Business and the Arts in Canada) is proud to announce the 2007 winners of The Globe and Mail Business for the Arts Awards:
TD Bank Financial Group ( nominated by Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir – Toronto),
Blue Note Mining (nominated by Infinitheatre – Montreal),
Rosedale on Robson Suite Hotel (nominated by Pacific Theatre – Vancouver),
Rethink Advertising (nominated by Contemporary Art Gallery – Vancouver).
Tafelmusik talked about the value of their long and trusted partnership with TD Bank Financial Group, winner of Most Effective Corporate Program. With TD's dual focus of music and making culture available to young people, the Tafelmusik young musician training program – launched in 2001 – was a natural fit. In 2004, the relationship broadened with TD taking a leadership role in supporting the orchestra's teaching residency at University of Toronto. This program itself blossomed and with TD's support Tafelmusik has added a Summer Institute and Advanced Certificate in Baroque Performance. In 2008-09 they will launch a Masters program for Performance on Period Instruments. TD supports reduced ticket prices for young people not just for Tafelmusik but at performing arts companies across the country. TD has become synonymous with music in Canada – from jazz to baroque and everything in between – a Most Effective Corporate Program indeed.
The Most Innovative Marketing Sponsorship winner, Rethink Advertising, tackled the Contemporary Art Gallery's problem of low visibility. The first challenge was to visibly and uniquely brand the space – housed in a ubiquitous highrise – as a contemporary art gallery. Rethink covered the exterior of the building with removable buttons bearing the brand and identifying the gallery. As people removed the buttons, they not only realized that this was a gallery but, in wearing the buttons, they helped promote the brand and the space. Needless to say, the media loved it and that helped too. A second campaign brought people to the gallery space through a unique, self-serve drive-through art experience. Food, coffee, banks – why not art? This isn't the only award that Rethink is winning because of their work with the Contemporary Art Gallery. The advertising world agrees.
Another Vancouver company, Rosedale on Robson Suite Hotel, has won the award for Best Arts/Entrepreneur Partnership. Rosedale on Robson's involvement with Pacific Theatre is all-encompassing starting with THEIR ap oach to the theatre. Manager Jim Miller was interested in Pacific Theatre's thought-provoking programming and from there e relationship grew. Going well beyond the logical in-kind donation of hotel rooms and suites for visiting artists, the relationship has expanded to involve cash support of the International Writer's Festival, interaction between the hotel's employees and the theatre programs and promotion of Pacific The re to hotel clients. A well known supporter of the not-for-profit sector in Vancouver, Rosedale on Robson creates its own unique reputation as a corporate citizen within its downtown community.
New in 2006 year, The First Dance Award recognizes a business which has entered into a partnership with the arts for the first time. Blue Note Mining has done just that through its multi-faceted involvement with Infinitheatre – the Risk Theatre. Blue Note Mining's owner, Michael Judson, has been a “believer” for a few years – he sits on the Board a helps with fundraising; he even gets out his guitar to entertain at the a ual summer garden party. In 2006 he brought his ompany on board as well. Blue Note Mining started by purchasing tickets but within a few months they had signed on for a season sponsorship (Infinitheatre's first season sponsor and lar st corporate supporter). Mr. Judson purchased the tickets to make sure his employees we able to go to the gala. Now on board for their second season as sponsor – at an increased amount – Blue Note Mining proves that local businesses can play key roles in ensuring the health and longevity of heir cultural community. And, they can have a good time doing it.
Each of the four winners will receive a Globe and Mail Business for the Arts Award, created by sculptor Nobuo Kubota, at the Business for the Arts Awards Gala on October 2nd at Roy Thomson Hall. The evening will also include a celebration of Don Johnson as the 2007 Edmund C. Bovey Award Winner.
Members of the Jury for the 2007 Globe and Mail Business or the Arts Awards were: Duncan Low (former Executive Director, Vancouver East Cultural Centre; member of the GVRD Cultural Task Force and executive me er of Vision Vancouver), Janet Belanger (Assistant Vice-President, Community fairs, Great West Life), Jini Stolk (Executive Director, Creative Trust) and Marie Lavigne (Directrice générale, Place des Arts de Montréal)
For further information please contact:
Nichole Anderson,
B iness for the Arts
416-869-3016/229
n_anderson@businessforarts.org
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