Posted on 30 April 2010
Artwork by Nikki Cass (c) Nikki Cass
Two vastly different worlds converged last night in the 2010 Arts and Business Cymru Awards Ceremony at the Wales Millennium Centre. The University of Wales was delighted to be involved in this year's event sponsoring the pre-awards reception which attracted over 400 guests from the Welsh arts and business sectors. We were keen to participate as our key objectives include supporting Welsh businesses, the arts and culture as much as possible.
The nine best business partners of the arts in Wales were revealed last night. The awards, sponsored by Chevron and the Royal Mail, recognise the contribution made by business to the arts across the country.
This year's winners included:
Individual of the Year, sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government
Carl Grainger, The Information Network
Arts, Business & Brand Identity, sponsored by G4S
Legal & General
Arts, Business & the Community, sponsored by Wales & West Utilities
Arriva Trains Wales
Arts, Business & Young People, sponsored by Arup
Hospital Innovations
Arts & Small Business, sponsored by Hugh James
Hutchings – the Vauxhall Centre
Arts, Business & the Environment, sponsored by Windpower Wales
Café Direct
Arts, Business & Employees, sponsored by Barclays
Admiral
Arts, Business & Long Term Support, sponsored by ChandlerKBS
Principality
Business of the Year
Admiral
Legal & General Arts Award
Valleys Kids
The judges unanimously named Admiral as Business of the Year, and said that its “commitment to partnering the arts to engage, motivate and train staff while raising its profile in the areas in which it operates is a model of excellence”.
The Individual of the Year was won by Carl Grainger of The Information Network, for his outstanding contribution as Chairman of the Welsh Sinfonia. Apart from the business winners, a special cash prize of £2,500, the Legal & General Arts Award, was presented to Valleys Kids. The judges agreed that the organisation was “inspirational, with a creative and common sense approach to business partnership.”
Celebrities attending the event included former Commonwealth and Olympic athlete, Colin Jackson; Broadcaster and Journalist Kate Adie; Singer, Rhydian Roberts and actors Julian Lewis Jones, Suzanne Packer, Steffan Rhodri and Melanie Walters, who presented the winners with works of art specially commissioned from Swansea based artist, Nikki Cass.
Broadcasters Nicola Heywood-Thomas and Arfon Haines Davies hosted the ceremony which was interspersed with live performances. An after-dinner speech was delivered by Welsh icon Max Boyce.
Rachel Jones, Director for Arts and Business Cymru commented:
"The ongoing support the Welsh business community gives the arts is proof of the value these relationships can have for both sides, and the awards highlight just how much those partnerships can achieve.”
/Ends
For more information regarding the Arts and Business Cymru Awards please visit: www.artsandbusiness.org.uk
For more information regarding the University of Wales, please visit: www.wales.ac.uk/