Begbies Traynor, the leading business rescue, recovery, and restructuring specialist in the UK, is delighted to announce the formation of an annual Arts Fund in Devon and Cornwall, to be used to support local, amateur, creative activity. The Fund will be shared equally between its three offices, in Exeter, Plymouth and Truro, to support one strand of the Arts each year for three years.
The Fund is the brainchild of Regional Partner Ian Walker, who has had considerable involvement with the Arts over the past few years in a professional capacity. “I’ve been made very aware of how fine the line is in the professional Arts world, between running enterprises at break-even, and at a loss,” he says. “When you then look at the amateur and pro-am sectors, and at the organisations which provide talented, creative people with a platform in a tough commercial world, you realise that the weight of financial and management responsibility and expectation being carried, mainly by volunteers, is enormous. We at Begbies Traynor would like to acknowledge the work that goes into keeping these organisations on track, and make some contribution to their continuing success. They have had to box very clever to survive the Recession and the shrinking of sponsorship over the last two years. With the cuts to grant funding as well over the next few years, their lives are not going to get any easier.”
He continues, “We know too how constant financial pressure can dampen creativity itself. So we also want to give a spur to artists, and reassure them, even if only in a small way, that the importance of their contribution to society at large is recognised and valued, whatever their age and wherever their creative energy takes them.”
He continues, “The Arts Fund’s first project will be a Photographic Competition around the theme of ‘Recovery’ – in all its meanings. Full details of the competition and how to enter will be announced very shortly.”
James Taljaard of Arts & Business in Devon commented, “This an exciting project for the region and Begbies Traynor should be praised for creating this initiative for the benefit of the amateur arts community. Through the Arts Fund they are able to demonstrate their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility.”
