New AbaF Awards to Promote Health and Environment

The Australian Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) has announced two new awards to recognise the connections between the arts and health and the environment. The new awards will be presented as part of the 2010 AbaF Awards, which recognise relationships between business and the arts.

The Arts & Health Foundation Award – honours partnerships between healthcare organisations and organisations that work to improve health and wellbeing.

The Visy Arts & Environment Award – developed in collaboration with the Banksia Environmental Foundation, honours partnerships between businesses and the arts that contribute to environmental sustainability.

Jane Haley, AbaF CEO says these new awards will show effective partnerships can deliver real change for communities.

Haley says the Arts and Health Foundation Award is designed to highlight great work that is being done in art and health, in an effort to make it more visible and attract more corporate support. She says there are many arts programs that contribute to health outcomes in hospitals, community clinics and community-based programs.

Haley says previous Award nominations have shown arts organisations are promoting environmental sustainability through original and creative approaches. She says the Visy Arts & Environment Award will help to promote greater understanding of the role arts can play in achieving positive outcome for the environment.

The AbaF Awards will be presented at state level in September and at the national AbaF Awards in October.

Nominations for the AbaF Awards close on Friday 7 May 2010.

Find out more at www.abaf.org.au/awards.