Arts & Business launches a new Challenge Fund to stimulate individual philanthropy for Culture
11/06/2010
Pictured at the Northern Ireland launch of the new Arts and Business UK scheme, The Big Arts Give, at the Naughton Gallery, Queen's University Belfast are Peter Spratt, Arts Council of Northern Ireland Board member, Mary Trainor, Head of Arts & Business and Nelson McCausland MLA, Minister for Culture, Arts & Leisure.
Arts & Business UK has launched a new pilot scheme to help arts organisations build and develop the income they receive via individual giving. In partnership with UK philanthropist Alec Reed and his Big Give website, Arts & Business has designed The Big Arts Give to promote individual cultural philanthropy in this period of economic difficulty.
Through this scheme, Arts & Business aim to raise at least £3million for the arts across the UK by Christmas 2010.
Speaking at the recent launch of the scheme Nelson McCausland MLA, Minister for Culture, Arts & Leisure commented: "In Northern Ireland we are renowned as being a particularly generous nation but the arts are often perceived as being slightly out of the mainstream of charitable giving. I welcome the Arts & Business Big Arts Give as it will push culture further up the ladder of charitable causes, empowering people to support their local arts communities and assist arts organisations of all sizes to attract new donors."
Peter Spratt, Arts Council of Northern Ireland Board member, said: "Our sustained success in arts and culture is underpinned by a combination of funding from public and private sources, box office and commercial revenue. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to support Arts & Business and its Big Arts Give, designed to stimulate individual giving, so vital to the mixed funding economy needed to sustain our vibrant arts sector in this period of economic difficulty."
Mary Trainor, Director of Arts & Business Northern Ireland added: "In this era of pressure on public funding, philanthropy will become ever more vital to the success of arts and cultural organisations. Arts & Business will continue to support the sector by trailblazing new fundraising initiatives like the Big Arts Give.
In this pilot year, we anticipate raising £3 million in philanthropic donations for the arts across the UK by Christmas through the catalyst fund. We will promote this innovative approach for the benefit of organisations wishing to develop new relationships with givers. It is not about "quick fix" fundraising, but should be used by arts organisations to help foster a culture of life-long giving."
Mary went on to say: "It is appropriate that we launch this new arts challenge fund in the Naughton Gallery, a fine example of cultural philanthropy in Northern Ireland. Dr Martin and Carmel Naughton were one of the first five people in the UK to receive a Prince of Wales Medal for Cultural Philanthropy."
The Big Arts Give will be launched as part of The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2010 in December 2010. Funded by noted philanthropist Alec Reed, the 2009 program raised over £8 million in just one week.