2003 BUSINESS IN THE ARTS AWARD WINNERS HONOURED

October 22nd, 2003

The Honourable Hal Jackman, Chairman Emeritus of The Council for Business and the Arts in Canada, joined National Post Editor Matthew Fraser in presenting the 2003 National Post Awards for Business in the Arts to 16 businesses on October 20th.

Volkswagen, EPCOR and Burnet Duckworth & Palmer, LLP, the Award Winners in each of the three categories, received the bronze sculpture specially-commissioned for these awards from the late William McElcheran whose whimsical businessmen found their way into corporate and public collections throughout North America and Japan. du Maurier, Investors Group, Lexus, PARA Paints and TELUS were honoured as well with Awards of Distinction in this recognition program. An Award of Distinction also went to a consortium of seven businesses: Framework Partners; Richter, Allan and Taylor; Fraser Milner Casgrain; Communication Incorporated & Jock Osler Communications Inc.; The Development Group and Ipsos Reid shared the honour in recognition of their collaborative efforts to re-structure the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

Despite the fact that the Business in the Arts Award program is in its 25th year, there were a number of firsts. It was the first time that an Award had been made to a consortium; it was the first time that a law firm had won and for the first time, not just one, but two automotive companies were honoured for their partnerships with the arts. It was also the last time that the du Maurier Arts Council could be honoured for its extraordinary support of the arts over three decades: the Council ceased to exist on October 1st.

Arts and business leaders from across the country were on hand for the celebration which was held at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Winners from Vancouver to Montreal, active in a variety of industries from automotive to finance, were treated to a Tribute Performance by tenor Mark DuBois, and by Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra's Music Director Jeanne Lamon on violin playing a seven-part duet with harpsichordist Charlotte Nediger.

AGF, BMO Financial Group, Financial Models Company, Etherington's, KPMG, Mediflow and Rogers Communications generously sponsored the event.

The Business in the Arts Awards recognize businesses that have formed remarkable partnerships with Canadian arts organizations, effectively serving community needs while meeting corporate objectives. This prestigious national awards program was created in 1978 as a partnership between The Financial Post and The Council for Business and the Arts in Canada (CBAC), the national business association committed to increasing private sector support of the arts through its leadership. Over the history of the Business in the Arts Awards over 150 businesses have been honoured - businesses large and small, working in a variety of industries in communities across Canada

To be eligible to win, businesses must be nominated by an arts organization. An independent panel of judges drawn from business and the arts then adjudicates the nominations and selects the winners in each of three categories: Most Effective Corporate Program, Best Arts/Entrepreneur Partnership and Most Innovative Marketing Sponsorship.

The 2003 Awards were juried by: Louise Bellingham, Senior Director, Sponsorships, CSR & University Research, Bell Canada (Toronto); John Mayberry, Chairman & CEO, Dofasco Inc., (Hamilton); Jacques Ménard, Chairman, BMO Nesbitt Burns, (Montreal); Joanne Morrow, Senior Vice-President, Programming, The Banff Centre; and Jeffrey Spalding, Director, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, (Halifax).

For more information on the Award-winning partnerships, click on Winners' Profiles.