Buddle Findlay takes top prize at NBR Awards

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Buddle Findlay takes top prize at the 10th Annual NBR Awards for Sponsorship of the Arts

AUCKLAND, 13 September 2007 – Buddle Findlay has won the 2007 National Business Review Awards for Sponsorship of the Arts. The Prime Minster, Rt. Hon. Helen Clark, presented the Overall Winner prize to the law firm at the glittering black tie gala last night. The gala included performances by Dame Malvina Major, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the New Zealand String Quartet, Southern Symphonic Brass – players from Christchurch Symphony, and an excerpt from Massive Company’s acclaimed show ‘Up Close. Out Loud’.

Buddle Findlay, one of the country’s top corporate, commercial and public law firms, was awarded the overall prize for its sponsorship of the Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship, a national literary fellowship offered annually in partnership with The Frank Sargeson Trust. The judges said: “This is the tenth anniversary of a major arts partnership in which the name of Buddle Findlay has become synonymous with the Sargeson Fellowship and literary arts in general. The law firm is a partnership whose members are personally involved and committed in this very close relationship.”

Multi-Media Systems Ltd, an audio-visual staging and production company, won the 2007 Creative New Zealand Award for Bravery for its partnership with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra’s 60th anniversary was celebrated with a live outdoor concert which made use of big screen technology and was streamed as a live webcast.

The Edge Pathway Award went to ASB Bank for its sponsorship of the ASB Polyfest, the largest Polynesian festival in the world, while ABE’s Real Bagels won the Liberty Press Award for “Best Arts Sponsorship under $15,000” with their sponsorship of AK07.

SKY CITY was awarded the Long-Term Partnership Award for their substantial financial contribution over a sustained period of time to the massively popular SKY CITY Starlight Symphony. Infinity Investment Group won the Best Regional Sponsorship Award for its partnership with the Southern Lakes Festival of Colour in Wanaka. In addition, Special Merits were awarded to AUT University, New Zealand Post, Norsewear of New Zealand, Hesketh Henry, Vector, Mazda New Zealand and Audi also receiving a Special Merit for their sponsorship of the NZSO.

About the NBR Awards for Sponsorship of the Arts
The NBR Arts Sponsorship Awards, which celebrated the 10th annual gala awards night at the Auckland Town Hall, are aimed at recognising businesses that support the arts through commercial enterprise. The Awards acknowledge those partnerships between business and the arts that demonstrate a high level of creativity, commitment and vision and:
- Deliver genuine business benefits to their own organisation as well as meet the objectives of the arts partner;
- Demonstrate a high level of interaction and involvement on the part of the sponsor as well as the arts partner in the joint setting of common objectives as well as in the execution of the partnership;
- Use inherent strengths and qualities of both parties for the benefit of the partnership;
- Introduce new concepts and a creative approach to sponsorship of the arts, and set an example of excellence and innovation in the entire process of the partnership.
In particular, the judges focus on clearly defined and deliverable business benefits. Previous winners include Meridian Energy, AMI Insurance, Ernst & Young, Vero, Bank of New Zealand, Telecom New Zealand, TOWER, and Forsyth Barr.

ENDS

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