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Business and Arts South Africa lines up impressive 2014 calendar

Business and Arts South Africa (NPC) is again cementing its standing as the country’s leading art-business agency with an excellent line-up of events and programmes in 2014.

A significant portion of the 2014 calendar is aimed at BASA business members, underscoring the benefits of business membership to the organization.

 

There are also a number of events that continue BASA’s commitment to bettering business skills in the arts sector, in particular the extensive BASA Education Programme for 2014.

We have spent a great deal of energy and time preparing different programmes and initiatives that work in tandem creating an equitable and sustainable business-arts partnerships for the benefit of the whole of society says BASA CEO, Michelle Constant.”

Among the member-focused events are the upcoming BASA Africa Breakfasts series. These events explore how the arts act as a progressive enabler for business entering African markets, and will feature case studies and speakers both locally and from the continent.” The first event takes place in March.

 

Following on from the successful inaugural event in 2013, the 2014 Business and Arts South Africa Arts in Business Symposium will demonstrate how arts based initiatives can drive and develop innovation, create sustainable value and increase profitability in business. Globally renowned arts and business expert, Giovanni Schiuma kicked off the series last year and drew a capacity audience to the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in October.

 

A highlight is sure to be the 17th Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Hollard. The Awards jointly sponsored by Business Day and Business and Arts South Africa and supported by Hollard, recognise and reward excellence and innovation in the field of business support for the arts.

 

In addition, BASA will continue with its firm commitment to innovate in the business-arts terrain, as seen by last year’s development of the BASA | Middel & Partners SED Programme. Already in use by businesses, big and small, the programme provides a simplified on-line platform for businesses to maximise their SED points on their B-BBEE scorecard BASA’s three-tiered Education Programme is part of a commitment to developing innovative educational programmes that seek to ensure the relevance and sustainability of the arts in society.

 

Arts organisations and individuals wishing to start a non-profit or for profit organisation are the target of BASA Basics. The programme introduces emerging artists to the legal options and processes available in the establishment of an arts organisation, and further supports arts organisations with simple workable business models in order to take the organisation forward.

 

For arts organisations wanting to go the for profit route, BASA has established a partnership with Shanduka Black Umbrellas that enables BASA to jointly identify potential high impact businesses in the arts sector and provide these businesses with the skills, support and development they require in order to become sustainable and create jobs

 

BASA Intermediate is aimed at registered arts organisations with a basic business model and plan. The intermediate programme focuses on the strategic objectives developed from the overall business model/plan... Finally, BASA Professional is aimed arts organisations that have been in operation for couple of years but are faced with strategic organisational challenges including governance, marketing and HR.

 

As a demonstration of BASA’s holistic approach, the Business and Arts South Africa’s Mentorship programme continues to play a role in introducing better business skills into the arts sector, these are just some of the extensive range of programmes and events that BASA will be driving this year, to keep up-to-date, go to www.basa.co.za. The website also contains detailed information on membership and more.

 

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About BASA (NPC):

 

Business and Arts South Africa is an internationally recognised development agency which incorporates the arts into, and contributes to, corporate commercial success. With a suite of integrated programmes, Business and Arts South Africa encourages mutually beneficial partnerships between business and the arts in order to grow SHARED VALUE. Business and Arts South Africa was founded in 1997 as a joint initiative of government and the business sector, as a public/private partnership.

Finalists of 16th BASA Awards Announced

The finalists of the 16th Annual Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American, have been announced.

This year’s finalists offer a fascinating snapshot of the varied ways businesses of different sizes can work with art projects that cover everything from visual arts to music, film, dance, architecture and much more. 

From the small PENMAC Audio Visual, which is nominated for a Small Business Award, to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, whose work with the Three2Six School for Refugee Children has seen it nominated for an Increasing Access to the Arts Award, the spectrum of business and arts partnerships celebrated by this year’s nominations is impressive. 

A leading contender is Rand Merchant Bank, which this year has earned nominations in the Long Term Partnership Award category for the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company’s Instrumental Training and Development project, as well as two nods in the Youth Development Award category, for the Durban Music School and the Dance XChange Project. 

Another multiple nominated finalist is PPC Ltd, which earned three nominations – Innovation Award, Long Term Sponsorship Award and Youth Development Award, the latter two for the PPC Young Concert Sculptors Award and the first for Re-imagine Concrete: Suzaan Heyns Spring/Summer 2012. 

National radio station, Ukhozi FM, got two nods (Innovation Award and Media Sponsorship Award) for Unyaka Wesethembiso Season 2. 

Diverse businesses nominated for projects in various categories include Bidvest Group Limited, Adidas, Estee Lauder Companies, the MTN Group and Arcelor Mittal. 

“What we are clearly seeing with the nominations for several big and medium sized enterprises is the ROI that partnering with an arts project can bring,” comments Michelle Constant, CEO of Business and Arts South Africa.

“This is a strong signal to South African business that working with an arts project is far more than a feel good exercise but brings shared value.” 

The organisers of the only awards celebrating business and arts partnerships in South Africa report seeing a noticeable increase in entries in 2013. Just under 170 arts and business projects entered this year, an increase on the 2012 figure. 

Chairman of the judging panel, Dr Andrew Human, notes the evolution in the range and quality of entries this year. 

“There is definitely far more recognition of the mutual benefit and value that arts can lend to business, as opposed to seeing a partnership with the arts as a charitable sponsorship. BASA is also looking at the strategic value that the arts can play in business – and that is reflected in the kind of entries we are starting to get.

“I was surprised by the scope of work,” comments judging panel newcomer Fikile Moeti aka FIX. “It makes you realise how much is happening, how much people are doing and how much originality is being applied. Art is not only sitting in galleries. It’s everywhere – in the CBD and out on the streets.” 

A total of 12 categories were open for entry in the 16th Annual Business Day BASA Awards. The Art Champion and Chairman’s Premier Award will also be presented at a gala ceremony in Johannesburg on 26 August. 

The judges for the 2013 BASA Awards are CEO of The Loerie Awards Dr Andrew Human (chairman); media consultant and editor of Destiny Man Kojo Baffoe; Sunday Independent arts critic Mary Corrigall and CEO of the Mastrantonio Group Giovanni Mariano. Three new judges who joined this year’s panel are television host and arts advocate Dali Tambo. 5fm DJ Fikile Moeti and Experiential Marketing Director at Ogilvy and Mather Thresho Selesho. 

The independent panel of judges evaluated the success of each partnership in achieving its objectives and in bringing genuine value and benefit to both partners. The Awards are audited by Grant Thornton. 

For more information call the BASA offices on 011 4472295 or e-mail info@basa.co.za or go to www.basa.co.za 

Finalists in the 16th Business Day BASA Awards 

Innovation Award 

-uMngeni Municipality - Nelson - Mandela Capture Site 
-ArcelorMittal South Africa - Southern Guild Collectable Design Gallery 
-PPC Ltd - Re-imagine Concrete: Suzaan Heyns Spring/Summer 2012 
-Ukhozi FM - Unyaka Wesethembiso Season 2 

First Time Sponsor Award 

-MTN Group - Four MTN & BTE VO1SS Concert Series 
-Citiq Group - Ithuba Arts Fund 
-MultiChoice - National Children’s Theatre - SSA Senior Executive Challenge 
-Bidvest Group Limited - Opening of the new Wits Art Museum 

Increasing Access to the Arts Award 

-Rainbow Farms - Listen With Your Eyes – Deaf Theatre Festival 
-Johannesburg Stock Exchange -Three2Six School for Refugee Children 
-Johannesburg Development Agency - Diepsloot Public Artworks Programme 
-Barrow Family Trust - Klein Karoo Klassique 

International Sponsorship Award 
-Standard Bank of South Africa - 20th Century Masters: the human figure 
-Norges Musikkorpes Forbund (NMF or Norwegian Band Federation) - Field Band Foundation 
-Total South Africa - Danse l'Afrique Danse 2012 
-Air Botswana - Cape Town City Ballet “Ballet Classics" 

Long Term Partnership Award 

-PPC Ltd - PPC Cement Young Concrete Sculptor Awards 
-Rand Merchant Bank - Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company - Instrumental Training and Development 
-ABSA - ABSA Intensive Film Training 
-ArcelorMittal South Africa - Southern Guild Collectable Design Gallery 

Media Sponsorship Award 

-RSG FM - ATKV-Muziq 
-City Press - National Arts Festival 
-Ukhozi FM - Unyaka Wesethembiso Season 2 
-Electronic Media Network - Cape Town Carnival 

Small Business Award 

-PENMAC Audio Visual - Johannesburg Youth Ballet - Hansel & Gretel 
-Alexander Bar & Café - Alexander Upstairs 
-Minuteman Press Fourways – Symphony Choir Johannesburg 

Single Strategic Project Award 

-Cement and Concrete Institute-OH14 A¨le Naude Santos and Antonio de Souza Santos Architectural Tour 
-Interactive Africa-Blikkies Dorp Library 
-Adidas South Africa-I ART JOBURG 
-UJ Arts & Culture-ACT UJ Arts & Culture 'The Art of the Creative Economy' Conference 

Sponsorship in Kind Award 

-Estee Lauder Companies – MAC -South African Mzansi Ballet 
-University of Johannesburg Arts & Culture - The Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative (FATC) 
-Europcar-Clowns Without Borders South Africa 
-Cinema Nouveau-Opera Africa Young Artist Programme 

Youth Development Award 

-Air Products South Africa - SAMB / Air Products Development School-Alexandra 
-Sasol Limited-South African National Youth Orchestra 
-Rand Merchant Bank-Durban Music School 
-PPC Ltd-PPC Cement Young Concrete Sculptor Awards 
-Rand Merchant Bank-Dance XChange Project 

Arts & Environment Award, supported by Nedbank 

-Three City Events (Pty) Ltd-(eco)nversations GREEN ART 2012 
-uMngeni Municipality - Nelson Mandela Capture Site 
-Spier-The Dying Slave (2012) by Marco Cianfanelli 
-Plascon - Earth Hour Murals 

Mentor of the Year,supported by Etana Insurance 

-Niall Kramer - District Six Museum 
-Leanne Gitlin-Wits Art Museum 
-Hilton Lawler-Assemblage 
-Irma Albers-Jungle Theatre Company