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Left to Right Geoffrey Piper NWBLT, Brenda Parkerson A&B North West, Paul Dermody, Kevin Moore, Sir Tom Finney, Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Paul Lee NWBLT at this year's event

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Lever Prize 2010: Call for Entries

THE 2010 Lever Prize is officially open for entries – and business bosses are calling Northwest arts organisations to take part. The prestigious award, won this year by the National Football Museum, showcases the world-class arts organisations in the region and provides the winner with £10,000 cash and support from the Northwest’s most influential business leaders.

The Lever prize is judged by the North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT), which comprises of 28 of the region's largest companies, in partnership with support from Arts & Business Northwest.

Today Geoffrey Piper, chief executive of NWBLT, said despite the generous cash award, The Lever Prize is more than about money - it is about working relationships.

He said: “The Lever Prize is all about encouraging, acknowledging and celebrating exemplary partnerships between business and the arts – as well as giving recognition to the fantastic arts organisations in our region.

“In this the Lever Prize’s fifth year, we look forward to working together to help raise the profile of the 2010 winner  - just as we have with the National Football Museum and previous winners.

“2010 promises to be a very exciting and significant year for art and culture and in particular for the winner of the Lever Prize.

“Our mission is to establish the Northwest as a bright, contemporary place for art and culture to develop and that can be achieved best through collaboration with business.”

The award is not just for art groups - but buildings, events, festivals, libraries and archives who are all eligible not only for the cash prize but for a year long collaboration with the region’s top business leaders.

Previous winners include Liverpool Biennial in 2006, Manchester International Festival in 2007 and Tate Liverpool in 2008.

Kevin Moore, director of the National Football Museum, said: "Winning the 2009 Lever Prize has provided a fantastic opportunity to work with key major businesses in the North West.

"The Museum is built on foundations of partnership working for mutual benefit and we are now extending this with the region's top companies.

"What is really important is that we see that this prize is not just a prize but is of mutual benefit to the Museum and also to NWBLT.” 

Brenda Parkerson, regional director for Arts & Business, said: “The 2010 Lever Prize is a chance to champion, recognise and reward the region’s world-class arts organisations.

“Arts & Business knows how much time and energy arts institutions invest in developing successful arts and business relationships in the Northwest
 
“Figures show that the private sector is currently worth £686million to culture in the UK.

“Too often the contribution of the private sector is written out of the script.

“The Lever Prize adds real value to the culture offer and that is why we are delighted to partner NWBLT member companies today.

“We must work together here in the Northwest to ensure that the British mixed economy model is not damaged by the recession and we can all continue to enjoy our region’s cultural richness.

“At a time when many in the arts are facing real difficulties - our own new research figures show over 60% of smaller arts bodies experiencing a fall in business investment, we need to understand that the private sector’s contribution to culture will recover more quickly than the public sector.”

This year’s award is sponsored by the Northwest Regional Development Agency for the first time.

Peter Mearns, executive director of Marketing and Communications at the NWDA, added: “England’s Northwest is one of the most creative and culturally dynamic regions in Europe and part of its success is down to the unique relationships that exist between our cultural organisations and the business community.

“The Lever Prize is a great way to highlight and build on these successful relationships and provides a fantastic opportunity to add value to both the winning entry and the businesses involved.

“It has great potential as a model for business engagement in the arts and vice versa.”

The closing date for entries is June 30 2009. A shortlist will be announced in August before judging takes place on September 22 2009 in Liverpool.

For entry forms and more information please visit http://www.nwblt.com/prleverprize.asp

What the judges are looking for:

• The Lever Prize was the brainchild of one of the NWBLT members Michael Oglesby, and it honours the memory of William Lever – a great business leader and arts collector and benefactor. Lever was born and bred in Bolton and built up what we now know as Unilever, primarily through his pioneering work in Port Sunlight, in Wirral.