Last night (Wednesday 19 September 2007), Culture Minister, Linda Fabiani, celebrated the best of arts & business partnerships at the Arts & Business Scottish Awards at a ceremony hosted by broadcaster Janice Forsyth, held at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre.

43 partnerships have been short-listed, across 8 categories, from submitted nominations of business sponsored arts activity across Scotland. This year’s winning partnerships range from straightforward sponsorship to help promote brands and services, through to arts projects to foster communication and innovation among staff and community arts activities to meet corporate social responsibility objectives.

Winning partnerships announced on the night include Natural Power Consultants and Glenkens Community and Arts Trust; Total E&P UK and the National Galleries of Scotland; Dunfermline Building Society and the National Youth Choir of Scotland; and BAA Edinburgh and Grid Iron Theatre.

Arts & Business Scotland, the organisation dedicated to developing new and sustainable arts and business partnerships, commissioned this year’s Award pieces from artist Ruth Chalmers and these were presented by the Minister to the winning partnerships in each of the eight categories.

Linda Fabiani, Minister for Culture said: “I believe strongly in the mutual benefits that come from corporate sponsorship of the arts – and there were some wonderful examples recognised at the Arts & Business Scotland Awards. I look forward to working with Arts & Business Scotland to find the best ways to build relationships between business and culture in Scotland“.

Barclay Price, Director Arts & Business Scotland said: “That this year’s Awards include companies from Aberdeen to Dumfries, and in such diverse sectors as oil, finance, airport authorities and wind generation, underlines how the power of the arts is being utilised throughout Scotland's business sector to help drive success. More and more Scottish companies are recognising that they can profit through a partnership with Scotland's flourishing arts scene.”

390 guests from the world of business, arts and media enjoyed entertainment from Fèisean nan Gàidheal and the Blas Festival.

The Tartan Ribbon Award, created by Arts & Business to celebrate the long and imaginative relationship between The Pleasance and Waverley Care, Scotland’s leading HIV charity, was presented to Christopher Richardson, former Director and Anthony Alderson, Director of The Pleasance.