Law Firm And Theatre Company Win National Award

< BACK TO YOUTH starstarstarstarstar   People - Youth Press Release
17th October 2008, 09:01am - Views: 1469





People Youth Australia Business Arts Foundation 1 image

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

www.abaf.org.au. A full list of winners is provided on the next page.


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 articles logo NEWS ARTICLES
Contact News Articles |Remove this article