The Arts & Business (A&B) New Partners scheme is being scrapped in favour of a new two-strand funding stream known as Reach and Invest. The Reach element of the programme is an open application scheme that aims to encourage businesses to try something new with arts organisations, or to broaden and deepen an existing arts partnership. £2.25m will be available from this fund in 2007/08, with applications handled by the 12 regional A&B offices.
The Invest strand, approaches to which are by invitation only, is designed to enable A&B to initiate relationships between business, the arts and public sector bodies. Through this scheme, A&B aims to leverage new private sector money into the arts, and will invest in projects that will stimulate the sponsorship market and increase business collaboration with the arts. The new programmes will open in April.
Published: 12-02-2007