08 May 2010 Only two weeks remain before entries close to South Africa’s most prominent arts and sponsorship awards – the 13th Annual Business Day BASA Awards supported by Anglo American.  

Spanning architecture, design, visual arts, dance, theatre, physical performance, fashion and music the 2010 awards have already attracted significant entries that will recognise the important, creative and mutually beneficial relationship between businesses and the arts against the backdrop of a challenging economic environment.

This year’s awards have been reinvigorated with new and refined categories including the Innovation Award and the Champion of The Arts award.  The latter acknowledges the key role individuals play within organizations whilst highlighting the importance of philanthropy. (Recent UK Research into Arts Funding and Sponsorship found that individual support was more than double that business sponsorship in the cultural sector in 2009.)

The Innovation Award pays tribute to the very special relationship that’s needed to create highly original arts and business partnerships that can go from “seed to strength to sustainability”.

In total, the Business Day BASA Awards supported by Anglo American, features 12 categories with nine of these (see list below) being open for general entry.

“As a Business, either large or small, I would urge you to enter the Awards this year,” says Michelle Constant, CEO of Business and Arts South Africa.

“We believe that sponsorship of the arts can make a difference to an economy, which has been battered by a recession. And at a time when the term ‘enrichment’ has attracted such negative connotations in South Africa, we look forward to celebrating those businesses that have actively enriched our lives, after all a world without art, is no world at all.”

2010 also sees the awards launch a brand new, easy to use online nomination process to facilitate ease of entry. This is to be found on the Business and Arts South Africa website at www.basa.co.za.  The Awards section features guidelines, rules and regulations and the online nomination forms.

Shortlisted nominees may be required to do a presentation to the panel of judges in Johannesburg during July 2010. The closing date for entries is 21 May 2010.