EMBARGO TILL 17 OCTOBER 2008
Freehills and Company B win two national partnership
awards
A law firm and a theatre company may seem like an unusual combination. But Freehills and
Company B have formed an award-winning partnership that assists disadvantaged young
people in Sydney and regional New South Wales.
Freehills funds Company B’s Youth Engagement Program. This is an arts education
program for young people affected by homelessness, drug addiction or other social
problems. The program enables young people to write and produce theatre for Company B
audiences. Freehills also subsidises tickets for young people to Company B productions.
These activities sit well with Freehills’ Shopfront Youth Legal Centre, which offers pro bono
legal services and a long-running student mentoring program.
For their efforts, Freehills and Company B won two national partnership awards at the 2008
Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) Awards presented in Melbourne last night. The
partnership was honoured in two categories: the Toyota Community Award and Australia
Council Arts for Young People Award.
AbaF Awards judges said that they were impressed that the partnership has enabled
Company B to create work, put on performances and educational programs, and develop
new audiences. They called the program “a fantastic example of where the arts should be
going” and said the partnership was based on “help, encouragement and inspiration.”
The AbaF Awards, presented annually, honour the best private sector relationships with the
arts. Winners are available for interview. Photos of all winners can be downloaded from
Contact: Glyn Cryer 02 9215 9317 mobile 0411 366 197
National winners of AbaF Awards – summary
AbaF Partnership of the Year: Ernst & Young and West Australian Symphony
Orchestra
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Arts Business Leadership Award: Elizabeth Ann Macgregor,
director, Museum of Contemporary Art
Macgregor has succeeded in turning the MCA’s fortunes around, by astutely raising funds
from government, sponsors and donors.
Richard Pratt Business Arts Leadership Award: Ian Darling
In 2001 Darling established The Caledonia Foundation to assist disadvantaged young
Australians. As a documentary film-maker, he has produced and directed award-winning
documentaries. He is chair of Sydney Theatre Company.
Goldman Sachs JBWere Philanthropy Leadership Award: Robert Albert AO
Over 30 years Sydney philanthropist Robert Albert has supported many of the country’s
finest arts organisations.
Australia Council Arts for Young People Award: Freehills and Company B
Company B and Freehills deliver a Youth Engagement Program to disadvantaged schools
and young people at risk.
City of Melbourne Encouragement Award: Queensland Gas Company and La Boite
Theatre Company
Drama at the Gasfields is an annual musical comedy performance staged at the gasfields in
regional Queensland, with the support of local Queensland Gas Company staff.
Bytecraft Entertainment Commitment Award: Ernst & Young and West Australian
Symphony Orchestra
An original $800-dollar sponsorship is now a relationship worth more than $1 million dollars
in total. The Ernst & Young Pops in the Park has become a landmark public concert.
Toyota Community Award: Freehills and Company B
Partnering to deliver a Youth Engagement Program is bringing playwriting and theatre-
making experiences to disadvantaged schools and young people at risk.
AbaF Giving Award: West Australian Symphony Orchestra
Patrons of WASO, the orchestra’s giving program launched in 2005, has more than doubled
donations to the orchestra and attracted long-term donors.
KPMG adviceBank Award: Michael Rowe, Run Property and Montsalvat
Michael Rowe advised the heritage artistic community Montsalvat on a business plan that
has helped achieve a major state government grant and secure the organisation’s future.
Marsh Partnering Award: Kraft Foods and The Big Book Club Inc
The Little Aussie Reader program makes reading to children part of every day.
National Australia Bank SME Award: B&E Ltd and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
A long-term commitment from financial services company B&E has saved the Tasmanian
Symphony Orchestra’s free, open-air concerts, Symphony Under the Stars.
QantasLink Regional Award: BHP Billiton Nickel West and AWESOME Arts
BHP Billiton Nickel West and AWESOME Arts provide young people in regional communities
with arts education programs.
NEWS 
