Louise Zekaria

Often, there is a reluctance from the cultural and business sectors to work together. To each other, they can appear as vast, amorphous worlds. Both sectors have different mind-sets and vocabularies. When they do collaborate, they often have differing visions and working methods. Historically, the arts have looked to businesses to provide financial support only, through sponsorship paid out from marketing budgets. Some businesses have supported the arts by buying the work of new and established artists and creating corporate collections. But ownership brings its own challenges. However, the newplatform.art model is different – very different! It facilitates a new way for corporates around the UK to provide tangible support to local emerging artists and art schools, while providing the businesses with an exciting corporate responsibility project, which engages and educates its staff and its clients. As a CSR professional, I am always on the lookout for innovative and exciting projects which will not only deliver significant benefits to the communities being supported, but will also engage our people. This project does this in spades!