The dance between companies and performing arts; corporate sponsorships of performing arts and its mutual benefits

Abstract

These days, it really does take two to tango. Have you ever thought about this saying in its literal meaning? When you do, you will find out that the saying has a very straight forward message. Without the other partner, the dance would not exist. Just like the dance between the major players of the Turkish Economy and the Independent Performing Arts sector, without the support of the Private Sector, the Independent Performing Arts sector would not exist in Turkey. Over the last ten years, Turkish corporate giving to Performing arts, under sponsorhip agreements, have acted as a strategic alliance between the sponsor corporations and the performing arts groups, which has provided mutual benefits to each party, such as enabling the corporations to build themselves the desired corporate image and sustain a brand equity, while improving independent performing arts by enabling them to reach out to larger audiences without having any financial difficulties. The budgets allocated for the corporate sponshorhips of the performing arts are shaped into long-run marketing communication vehicles that are targeted towards developing the corporate image and reputation of the sponsor companies, while collaborations with these corporations and the support received from them brings economies of scale to the performing arts organizations, helping them improve their audience development strategies, lower administrative costs and be able to survive as independent perfoming arts organizations.The MA thesis ?The Dance between Companies and Performing Arts; Corporate Sponsorships of Performing Arts and its mutual benefits? concentrates mainly on the shared value and mutual gains generated from corporate sponsorships of the performing arts by leading Turkish companies in the last five years. It discusses that the corporate sponsorship projects contribute to the development of independent performing arts, while creating strategic advantages to the companies, in terms of corporate image, brand equity and corporate reputation. This argument is explained by an empirical study conducted among the major sponsors of Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, which have been sponsoring performing arts festivals, Istanbul Music Festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival and Istanbul Theatre Festival specifically, over the last five years. The findings of the empirical study is evaluated as a case of best practice, which could potentially be utilized to build an action plan by other civil organizations such as Çağdaş Gösteri Sanatları Girişimi (?Contemporary Performing Arts Initiative?, ?ÇGSG?), which are in need of funding mechanisms.

These days, it really does take two to tango. Have you ever thought about this saying in its literal meaning? When you do, you will find out that the saying has a very straight forward message. Without the other partner, the dance would not exist. Just like the dance between the major players of the Turkish Economy and the Independent Performing Arts sector, without the support of the Private Sector, the Independent Performing Arts sector would not exist in Turkey. Over the last ten years, Turkish corporate giving to Performing arts, under sponsorhip agreements, have acted as a strategic alliance between the sponsor corporations and the performing arts groups, which has provided mutual benefits to each party, such as enabling the corporations to build themselves the desired corporate image and sustain a brand equity, while improving independent performing arts by enabling them to reach out to larger audiences without having any financial difficulties. The budgets allocated for the corporate sponshorhips of the performing arts are shaped into long-run marketing communication vehicles that are targeted towards developing the corporate image and reputation of the sponsor companies, while collaborations with these corporations and the support received from them brings economies of scale to the performing arts organizations, helping them improve their audience development strategies, lower administrative costs and be able to survive as independent perfoming arts organizations.The MA thesis ?The Dance between Companies and Performing Arts; Corporate Sponsorships of Performing Arts and its mutual benefits? concentrates mainly on the shared value and mutual gains generated from corporate sponsorships of the performing arts by leading Turkish companies in the last five years. It discusses that the corporate sponsorship projects contribute to the development of independent performing arts, while creating strategic advantages to the companies, in terms of corporate image, brand equity and corporate reputation. This argument is explained by an empirical study conducted among the major sponsors of Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, which have been sponsoring performing arts festivals, Istanbul Music Festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival and Istanbul Theatre Festival specifically, over the last five years. The findings of the empirical study is evaluated as a case of best practice, which could potentially be utilized to build an action plan by other civil organizations such as Çağdaş Gösteri Sanatları Girişimi (?Contemporary Performing Arts Initiative?, ?ÇGSG?), which are in need of funding mechanisms.