REPORTS FROM THE ESRI, and more broadly, show that we are in recovery. But the last seven years have been tough for Ireland’s cultural community.

Seven years on, the funding landscape for both business and the arts has changed immeasurably. The amount and type of funding radically changed and forced innovation on both sides. Both the artistic and the business community have had to face some harsh truths. But to paraphrase Winston Churchill, never waste the lessons of a good recession.

I fully believe that our recession has taught us to look to our own individual strengths and to those of the community from which we come. From that perspective, we have learned the virtues of collaboration with like-minded people and above all, we have relearned the value of creativity. As a result, our challenging times have shown how important the relationship and interactions between individuals, his or her community and art and business communities can be. From our work with the Allianz Business to Arts Awards, we have learned that these relationships continue to have a positive impact on the bottom line of cultural, community and business values.

Community Partners to Help Themselves

Communities and economies thrive on creative thought and vision – our dancers, writers, thinkers, performers, artists create so much return on the small investments made in them. Artistic return, yes, but also societal benefits, community engagement and growth, health benefits (physical and mental) and yes, lots of economic return. That economic benefit comes from our spend to attend events, the tax return from the employment created, and of course the income from tourists here because they’ve seen Ireland in a movie, love our music, or love the books of our writers.

It is exciting to see business and artists use their creativity to connect and collaborate with local communities. And one of the dividends from this relationship is that in recent years, we have been inspired by communities using the combination of business and art to address local issues, when more conventional ideas have failed.

We understand that communities who empower themselves in challenging times will thrive as the recovery continues. This is a cultural, artistic and business evolution that will reap huge rewards for everyone.

Supporting the local economy

Sometimes those partnerships are about growing the local economy. Westport Chamber of Commerce, along with a host of Mayo businesses and tourism organisations worked with a local writer, Len Collin, and locals to create a web series, Covies, with the aim of promoting Westport as a place to do business and as a filming location.

Moth Productions are bringing theatre to communities across Ireland, and through partnerships in the past with Calor Gas and local GAA clubs, ensuring that even the most marginalised members of a community got to see an affordable show that had themes they were interested in.  A couple of years ago the people of Carlow staged a full-scale opera through a partnership between their local authorities, local businesses and an army of local artists. The cultural and economic dividend of these projects is increasingly being mirrored nationwide.

The business community must support this evolution, because it will add to the bottom line, and your customers expect it.

A recent report from Nielsen shows consumers reward organisations that work to support local communities.  In fact, the report concluded that 50% of customers surveyed are willing to pay more for goods and services from companies that have implemented programs to give back to the community.

So, support your community in their creative efforts, and your bottom line will be rewarded.

Brendan Murphy is the Chief Executive Officer of Allianz Ireland.  The Allianz Business to Arts Awards 2014 is open for nominations.  The closing date for applications to the Allianz Business to Arts Awards is Tuesday 6 May. Further details available on www.businesstoarts.ie/awards

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