Americans for the Arts’ Arts & Business Partnership Initiatives department provides resources, training, and professional development to its dual audience of arts services providers and business leaders, relying on The pARTnership Movement hub as the primary vehicle.

The pARTnership Movement demonstrates the underlying unifying nature of arts and business partnerships. It prepares arts organizations to position themselves as key partners to help advance business objectives, while communicating to business the value and importance of partnering with the arts to gain a competitive edge.

For Arts

Professional Development

We offer a range of opportunities for professional development to build capacity for partnership development. From 1-hour webinars, to half-day, deep-dive intensives, our programs cover a variety of topics including partnering with your chamber of commerce, building an inclusive creative economy, exploring the concepts of the pARTnership Movement, employee engagement and more. These programs are conducted via the Americans for the Arts ArtsU platform and are free or reduced-priced for members.

Networking

We provide ample opportunities for arts and culture leaders who are working to build relationships with businesses to connect and learn from one another. We offer regular peer networking conference calls, social opportunities during the Annual Convention programming, listserv connections (for members, see below) and topic-specific convenings such as through our United Arts Fund Network. Serving on our Private Sector Network Advisory Council also provides a leadership opportunity for members of Americans for the Arts to connect with peers and advise the organization on services and programming for the field.

Training

Americans for the Arts staff is available to provide training for local arts communities on building business pARTnerships. Rooted in the pARTnership Movement 8 Reasons and prinicpals, one to four-hour workshops are customizable depending on the audience and its interests, covering a range of topics including arts and business 101, relationship building, employee engagement, and program building. Longer training sessions are available. Additional focus on a group’s special interest area, such as partnering with the arts to further economic development, or arts advocacy efforts in a community can be included.

Workshops and trainings can be combined with other conversations to help position cross-sector partnerships. Staff is available to meet with your chamber of commerce, public sector, and foundation partners; in conversation or at events. Please contact us to learn more.

For Business

Arts & Business Partnership Awards

The Arts and Business Partnership Award is a national recognition given annually to businesses that have mutually beneficial, innovative, and sustained partnerships with the arts. Each year, winners of this award are celebrated at The Arts and Business Partnership Awards Gala in New York City and become part of a network of like-minded businesses and leaders. These companies set the standard for excellence and serve as role models for others to follow. Americans for the Arts has honored companies across the nation, including Microsoft, Hallmark, Scholastic, and Walt Disney World Resort.

Business Committee for the Arts

The Business Committee for the Arts of Americans for the Arts is comprised of companies and their leaders within who recognize the role the arts play in advancing business goals and transforming communities. Member companies and their leadership serve as ambassadors for the mission and engage on key initiatives including messaging, advocacy, and strategic alliances within the private-sector community. With access to a community of likeminded companies and peers, the network is a catalyst for greater leverage of the arts to address broad business, community and social issues.

Business Spotlight Series

The Business Spotlight series highlights some of the nation's most pro-arts business leaders whose work continues to push the boundaries of arts and business partnerships.

Partnerships in Practice

Through news items and long form success stories, the pARTnership movement highlights exemplary businesses partnerships with the arts. Learn about companies like yours who champion the arts!

Convenings and Conversations

• BCA members have access to an array of annual activities and resources curated to meet specific business needs and to create opportunities for peer-to-peer engagement and networking. 
• BCA Field Trips. Includes an annual 1-day immersive experience showcasing the best of business and arts collaboration. The tour rotates to a different U.S. city each year. In 2021 this will be in digital form. 
• BCA Knowledge Exchanges. Includes a suite of conference calls featuring peer guest speakers and experts; access to ArtsU online trainings; and Roundtables. Knowledge Exchanges deliver information and resources about the latest hot topics driving corporate innovation and impact. 
• BCA Speakers. An annual series of presentation opportunities for the CEOs of BCA member companies and/or their designated representatives at events organized by Americans for the Arts, including the BCA Knowledge Exchanges; the National Arts Action Summit in Washington, D.C.; and the Annual Convention, and National Arts Marketing Conference in rotating cities across the country. Speaking opportunities for BCA members may also be available through our strategic partner events and conferences. In 2021, these will be virtual opportunities.

Partnering Your Way to Success: The Arts as a Solution to Corporate Objectives

This digital series is intended for businesses and their executive and senior leaders across business units, and features representatives throughout the country sharing arts-based models of programs, exhibits, and partnerships that have benefitted their companies. With one session focused on case-studies and a follow-up roundtable discussion, we hope to provide business leaders with creative strategies to realize business goals. Each discussion will also feature an arts activation or performance to demonstrate how the arts can be used in business settings to engage and connect with employees and customers during this time of social distancing.

Arts & Business Connection

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, Arts & Business Connection. We feature exemplary partnerships, spotlights of business leaders, and more!

Employee Engagement

Workbooks, toolkits, and research to engage employees in the arts within companies and throughout the community.

Case-Making Resources & Toolkits

For quick reference, conversation starters, how-to guides, examples of great arts and business partnerships, and succinct data points, our pARTnership Movement Fact Sheets, Success Stories, and Toolkits are designed to help both arts and business leaders strengthen their connections.

Listservs

For Americans for the Arts Members, the Private Sector Network listserv is a way to connect directly with other professionals working at the intersection of arts and business across the country.

Research

Americans for the Arts conducts research that provides concrete evidence of the strength of the arts as an economic, community, and social innovation driver. We produce the following research studies:

• Americans Speak Out About the Arts, a Public Opinion Poll that shows how creativity and the arts lead to creative workers
• Arts & Economic Prosperity, measuring the economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture sector
• Business Contributions to the Arts, showing trends in business support of the arts
• Creative Industries Report, detailing by county and legislative district, the for-profit creative industries across America
• Profile of Local Arts Agencies, an annual report of America’s 4,500 local arts agencies, with information and special modules on cross-sector partnerships
• United Arts Fund Annual Statistical Report of Campaign Revenues, tracking the revenues and distribution of the nation’s United Arts Funds.

ArtsBlog

Arts and business leaders are regularly invited to provide thought leadership, share stories, and offer insight as to what makes a great partnership. Read through recent posts, and if interested in contributing, please contact our staff.

Social Impact Explorer

The arts make more things possible, from better education to greater health outcomes to a more civically-engaged citizenry—but people don’t always see the connection to the arts when change happens. From workforce development and job security to innovation, public safety, infrastructure, and more, this online tool illuminates the important ways the arts intersect with Americans’ day-to-day lives.

Strategic Partners

Strategic partnerships are crucial to Americans for the Arts because they champion an idea that is central to our day-to-day work: the arts are a vital tool that can address wide-ranging challenges across sectors and from every corner of our country. Our organization has a long history of partnering with individuals and organizations in sectors including government, business, philanthropy, and entertainment.

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives serves more than 7,500 chamber of commerce professionals, 1,300 chambers of commerce and hundreds of other businesses and organizations, like convention and visitors bureaus and economic development organizations. Chamber professionals hold positions requiring leadership, vision and exemplary management skills. ACCE helps chambers of commerce and the people who manage them make a difference in the communities they serve.

CECP (Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy) is a coalition of CEOs united in the belief that societal improvement is an essential measure of business performance.

The Conference Board is a global, independent business membership and research association working in the public interest. Its mission is to provide the world's leading organizations with the practical knowledge they need to improve their performance and better serve society.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Our members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations.