Arts & Business Cymru Celebrates 21 years in Wales

Arts & Business Cymru (A&B Cymru) is celebrating 21 years of forging partnerships between businesses and the arts this month.

In the last five years alone, A&B Cymru has worked with 350 arts organisations and individual artists alongside 280 businesses, helping them work together in ways that benefit both sectors and communities across Wales.

When the office opened, annual business investment in the arts in Wales stood at just over £1 million. A&B’s latest survey, published in March, shows this has risen to an incredible £19.3 million – an increase of 14.6% on the previous year.

Director of A&B Cymru, Rachel Jones, said: “I am so proud of the partnerships we have brought together over the years.  It’s truly rewarding to discuss an initial idea with an arts organisation or business, introduce them to a suitable partner and see the project flourish and bring many benefits for both sides.

“Over the years, we’ve helped bring together hundreds of amazing projects ranging from traditional sponsorship, to work in the community, to the training of businesses’ staff through the arts. 

“The best part of our work is seeing the results of a partnership we’ve brokered; when the business has really deepened its relationship with the arts.  Seeing how much stronger business and the arts can make each other when they work together in true partnership makes A&B Cymru an inspiring place to work.”

A&B Cymru, an independent charity and membership organisation, is funded both through the support of business and, since 2008, through funding from the Welsh Assembly Government.

In the first year of this funding, A&B Cymru generated an impressive £8.78 of investment from businesses to the arts in Wales for every £1 of public money spent, and the Assembly Government has recently committed its support of the organisation for the next 12 months.

Jones continued: “Without the extremely valuable support from the Welsh Assembly Government, we could not create the partnerships we do at the level and importance they take place.

“As a charity, we are also funded by the membership of businesses and arts organisations, which along with Welsh Assembly Government support helps us to deliver our programme of tangible benefits to the arts and businesses in Wales.”

A&B Cymru has 60 business members, who work proactively with the arts to achieve core business objectives.

“Over 98% of our business members have renewed membership for 2009 and an incredible 15 new companies have joined us,” said Jones. “During tough times this is a strong testament to the real value businesses get from being part of Arts & Business Cymru, and is something I hope to see flourish and grow over the next 21 years.”

The charity’s 21^st anniversary will be marked by a special event at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, an organisation celebrating its milestone 60^th birthday in 2009. The evening will feature performances by students of the college, as well as from the Cardiff International Academy of Voice.

Speeches will be given by key business and arts representatives involved with A&B Cymru, including the Royal Mail’s Director of Welsh Affairs, Huw Roberts and Director of Award winning choir Only Men Aloud, Tim Rhys Evans. 

Jones continued: “In this gloomy economic climate, it’s wonderful to have something to celebrate and our 21^st birthday is a great opportunity to thank the many organisations and individuals who have helped ensure the success of A&B Cymru over the years.  I am particularly excited that the first director of the organisation in Wales, Guy Silk, is going to be there, as well as Mike Salter, who was A&B Cymru’s Chairman from 1990 to 2002.”

To find out more about A&B Cymru visit the website on www.aandb.org.uk/wales

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