Best Large Sponsorship partnerships
Giving something back to the artistic community is a strong feature of the partnerships on the Best Large Sponsorship shortlist in the Allianz Business to Arts Awards
The work of three up-andcoming Irish short filmmakers is available to view on Aer Lingus transatlantic flights throughout 2018 thanks to a new competition run by the airline in partnership with Screen Ireland (formerly the Irish Film Board).
Part of Aer Lingus’s CSR initiative ‘TakeOff Foundation’, the Irish Filmmaker Competition was launched to showcase the work of rising short filmmakers, many of whom struggle to gain exposure. The prize also included complimentary flights for the three winners to help them to promote their work at international film festivals.
“Aer Lingus launched this competition in conjunction with Screen Ireland to contribute in a meaningful way to the Irish film industry,” says Ruth Ranson, director of communications at Aer Lingus. “We are committed to providing a strong collection of rich and engaging content for guests travelling transatlantic and this competition allows us to do just that – while at the same time recognising home-grown Irish film talent.”
Screen Ireland was more than willing to join forces with Aer Lingus on this project, leveraging its guidance and expertise as well as giving the airline greater access to Irish filmmakers. “It is fantastic that the winning filmmakers are getting to promote their work to Aer Lingus’s huge captive audience through in-flight entertainment,” says Louise Ryan, marketing and communications manager at Screen Ireland. “Aer Lingus really recognises the value of the film industry and how important it is that these new voices be heard.”
AXONISTA AND IRISH FILM INSTITUTE
Irish Film Institute’s (IFI) Irish Film Archive collections have been brought to phone, tablet and TV-connected devices for the first time thanks to IFI’s partnership with Irish video technology company Axonista. On behalf of the State, the IFI Irish Film Archive collects, preserves and shares Ireland’s national moving image collection, which chronicles over 100 years of Irish achievement and experience. It launched its online platform, IFA Player, in 2016. Axonista’s Ediflo interactive video technology product enables brands to bring rich interactive video apps to market much more rapidly than was previously possible. Within a few months of working with Axonista, IFI Irish Film Archive was able to showcase its content for free to a global audience via a suite of apps available to download from Google Play, the App store, Amazon TV, Android TV and Roku. “This has been transformative for us,” says IFI director Ross Keane. “Instead of our 30,000 cans of film and 10,000 broadcast tapes being held in controlled vaults, the material is now real and vibrant and curated for people in a way that is easy to navigate on their chosen mobile device.”
One-fifth of users accessing IFI’s material now come from outside Ireland. The launch of the Irish Independence Film Collection last March was particularly remarkable in terms of take-up – within 24 hours 30,000 users had viewed the newsreel footage.
For Axonista, the partnership has allowed the company to test out its latest product before going to market with it. “The IFI was the perfect partner to build our video service with and productise it. It was great for us to be part of something of such national importance,” says Axonista CEO Claire McHugh. “Our target market is TV around the world. This project was a way for us to give back to the Irish film industry.”
IMMA AND GOODBODY
In the former stables that flank the IMMA building in Dublin artists are availing of six-month and 12-month residencies and bursaries made possible by Goodbody’s support of the IMMA 1000 fundraising initiative over the past three years. With Goodbody as an anchor fundraiser, IMMA has exceeded its fundraising targets from private donors and has generated one of the largest funds for visual artists ever achieved in Ireland.
“The idea of IMMA 1000 is to put money in the pocket of Irish artists. Residencies are one way of doing this,” says Andrea Marrinan, corporate development officer at IMMA. “IMMA 1000 is really important in allowing us to purchase work that we might otherwise not have acquired as well as commissioning new work. Through the fund we also pay fees to Irish artists that appear in the wider programme.”
Goodbody’s managing director Roy Barrett is very focused on supporting living Irish artists. “IMMA 1000 was attractive to us as it wasn’t just about sponsoring an exhibition, but would allow Goodbody and IMMA to do innovative things together,” says Sarah Moriarty, head of brand marketing at the stockbroking firm. “As well as meeting some of our CSR objectives, there was nice business alignment in the idea of us being an anchor fundraiser. The client engagement piece was also interesting.”
“The partnership has allowed Goodbody staff to have one-to-one time with clients in a unique setting and to connect with them through accessing art,” says Aoife Flynn, head of audiences and development at IMMA. One example of this has been a tour of the exhibitions given by curator Sean Kissane followed by dinner in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. “These events have made the partnership feel authentic and meaningful to our clients,” says Moriarty.