Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Bridge House
2 Paulett Avenue
Belfast
BT5 4HD
United Kingdom

Arts & Business Northern Ireland knows that when business and the arts work together in truly mutual partnership, both become stronger with the results benefiting our society in far reaching and tangible ways.

Arts & Business Northern Ireland knows that when business and the arts work together in truly mutual partnership, both become stronger with the results benefiting our society in far reaching and tangible ways.

Background & History of A&B NI

Arts & Business Northern Ireland (A&B NI), formerly known as the Association of Business Sponsorship of the Arts (ABSA), was set up in Northern Ireland in 1987 and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2012. It was originally set up as part of Arts & Business Limited a UK wide creative network that advocates and facilitates creative partnerships between the private and cultural sectors.

In November 2011 A&B NI became an independent Northern Ireland company and charity but still maintains its strong links with Arts & Business in England, Scotand and Wales. Arts & Business Northern Ireland's principal funder is the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI).

A&B NI’s arts remit covers the performing arts, literature, visual arts and crafts, museums, libraries, heritage and film. We facilitate creative partnerships between business and the arts through research, training and the promotion of culture. With 25 years of experience driving dynamic collaborations in Northern Ireland, we have extensive expertise in the interface between the arts and business. We invest in research to understand the value of collaboration between commerce and culture and we use that knowledge to identify and promote opportunities for outstanding collaboration. At the heart of our work is the belief that the arts have the power to transform and change lives on both an individual and corporate level. To make this happen, our extensive network connects the arts and business communities. Fundamental to our impact is to provide training and consultancy which will drive best practice and learning for both sectors. All of our work celebrates the courage of business and individuals in supporting the arts and culture of the UK. In Northern Ireland we have 97 arts members and 65 business members.

What We Do

  • We advocate the power of the arts and engage in business development in order to grow the corporate marketplace for partnerships with the cultural sector.

  • We work with businesses to develop a deeper relationship with the arts.

  • We offer incentives to new and returning business sponsors in order to grow the range of businesses engaging with the arts on a regular basis.

  • We deliver training, advice and support in arts sponsorship and engagement with business to the arts.

  • We advocate and broker business based creative development to position the arts as a catalyst to help achieve business solutions, while securing new income streams for the arts and cultural sector.

  • We enlist individuals in business through our Board Bank and Young Professionals programme placing them on cultural and arts boards to deliver skills and in-kind resources to the cultural sector

  • We deliver sponsorship training and support to the arts to help build their capacity to develop relationships with, and bring in funding from, the private sector.

  • We advocate, train and run programmes designed to increase individual giving for the arts.

  • We deliver board & governance training and development to arts and cultural organisations to strengthen and sustain the sector.

Arts & Business Northern Ireland's Content

Award winners Millennium Forum receive Arts Organisation of the Year Award
News

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Powerful partnerships between the corporate and cultural worlds took centre stage at the Arts & Business NI Awards in Belfast’s Lyric Theatre this week. Two North West organisations took home the top awards at the ceremony, attended by over 200 guests
News

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

The Shortlist for the Arts & Business NI Awards 2024 has been unveiled!
Event
Art & Culture Seminar Training/Advice Workshop

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Calling all Trustees and Arts Board Members (or those considering joining a Board)! Learn about all things Arts Board Membership and network with others at East Belfast Network Centre on 6th September 2-5pm.
Dates:
06 September 2023
belfast
Applications Open for Arts & Business NI Awards. Apply Now.
News

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Apply now for the Arts & Business NI Awards!
Event
Art & Culture Conference Training/Advice Workshop

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Tactics for the Tightrope with Mark Robinson; a creative resilience session full of practical tools and inspirational advice.
Dates:
09 May 2023
Belfast,
Event
Conference Training/Advice Workshop

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Join Arts & Business NI for the 2022 Cultural Governance Conference on Tues 6 Dec at the MAC in Belfast. This half day event will champion good governance, celebrate trustee voices, and tackle the big issues for charity boards.
Dates:
06 December 2022
Belfast
Arts & Business NI team members gather in Golden Thread Gallery to celebrate the launch of Blueprint
News

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Arts & Business NI have opened applications for their ground-breaking cultural sustainability programme Blueprint.
 Pictured for the announcement of this first larger investment from the Dormant Accounts Fund NI, a £500,000 grant to enable delivery of the Blueprint programme, are Martin Bradley, Chair, Arts & Business NI; Brona Whittaker, Head of Arts, Arts & Business NI; Mary Nagele, Chief Executive, Arts & Business NI; Paul Sweeney, Chair of Northern Ireland Committee, The National Lottery Community Fund; Conor Murphy, Finance Minister and Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director, The National Lottery Community Fund.
News

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

A £500,000 grant from the Dormant Accounts Fund NI has been awarded to the charity Arts & Business NI, to support its Blueprint, a ground-breaking five-year partnership programme which will support small and medium sized arts and cultural organisations.
Event
Art & Culture Online / Virtual Seminar Training/Advice

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

In partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses NI (FSBNI), Arts & Business NI presents an inspirational showcase of how one local arts organisation and SME adapted their business model in response to COVID-19, earning unprecedented international acclaim as a result.
Dates:
03 December 2020
Belfast
Allianz Arts & Business NI Awards 2019
News

Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Allianz Arts & Business NI Awards 2019 are now launched

More Information

Type of Organisation

Other

NI Charity Number

NI101603

Team

  • Kat Robinson
  • Sarah Mackey
  • Angela Mahon