16 OCTOBER 2009
Best business-arts partnerships honoured
A partnership between Bangarra Dance Theatre and Boral Limited has won the
Partnership of the Year Award at the national Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF)
Awards, presented at Brisbane City Hall on the evening of Thursday 15 October.
Arts minister Peter Garrett presented the award to Stephen Page, artistic director of
Bangarra and Rod Pearse, CEO and managing director of Boral at the national AbaF
Awards dinner, attended by 700 leaders of business and the arts.
While a partnership between a building materials company and an indigenous contemporary
dance company may seem unexpected, the two have a long-term relationship.
Boral’s cash sponsorship pays for Bangarra to develop new work for performance in
Australia and overseas. The partnership creates opportunities for Boral’s 15,000 staff and
their families to enjoy Bangarra performances in Sydney and regional centres.
The AbaF Awards judges said: “This partnership provides significant community benefits in
key locations for Boral, while Bangarra is enabled to create and present new work to fulfil
important artistic and audience objectives.”
There were three major individual award winners:
Singer, artistic director and arts advocate Robyn Archer AO won the Dame Elisabeth
Murdoch Arts Business Leadership Award. Robyn Archer is a singer, writer, director, artistic
director, arts advocate and arts patron who has been artistic director of Melbourne
International Arts Festival, Tasmania’s Ten Days On The Island, and Adelaide Festival of the
Arts and many other arts festivals
Gallery owner and philanthropist Philip Bacon AM won the Goldman Sachs JBWere
Philanthropy Leadership Award. Brisbane art gallery owner Philip Bacon has been an
influential supporter of the arts for more than 30 years, and his personal donations have
assisted many organisations. He was a founder of the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation in
1985 and remains one of its principal benefactors. He has served on the board of Opera
Australia for 15 years.
Media magnate, chairman of arts organisations and art collector Kerry Stokes AC won the
Richard Pratt Business Arts Leadership Award. The owner of the Seven Network, Mr Stokes
owns one of Australia’s best private art collections. He has served as chairman of the
National Gallery of Australia (1996-2000), the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the
Canberra Theatre Trust, and was a director of Sydney Dance Company.
A special presentation was made to Jeanne Pratt and the Pratt family in recognition of
Richard Pratt’s exceptional contribution to the arts in Australia.
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National winners of AbaF Awards – summary
AbaF Partnership of the Year: Bangarra Dance Theatre and Boral Limited
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Arts Business Leadership Award: Robyn Archer AO
Richard Pratt Business Arts Leadership Award: Kerry Stokes AC
Goldman Sachs JBWere Philanthropy Leadership Award: Philip Bacon AM
Bytecraft Entertainment Commitment Award: Company B Belvoir and Optus
Marsh Partnering Award: Bangarra Dance Theatre and Boral Limited
Toyota Community Award: DADAA (Disability in the Arts, Disadvantage in the
Arts Australia) City of Swan and Midland Redevelopment Authority.
Australia Council Young and Emerging Artist Award: City of Swan and Midland Gate.
QantasLink Regional Award: Michael Leslie Foundation for the Arts and Rio Tinto
AbaF Giving Award: Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
AbaF SME Award: Bendigo Youth Choir and Bendigo Community Telco
City of Brisbane Encouragement Award: Tasmanian Regional Arts and
RACT Insurance
AbaF Business Volunteering Award: Gondwana Choirs and Brent Duffy,
Maximus International
Media contact: Nick Gadd, communications manager, AbaF. (03) 9616 0308 / 0425 862 119.
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