DAA, Barry’s Tea and The Irish Times among Allianz Business to Arts winners

The Dublin Airport Authority, Barry's Tea, Bord Gáis Energy, Accenture and The Irish Times were among the winners at this year's Allianz Business to Arts awards.

Bord Gáis Energy won the award for best large sponsorship (value of more than €25,000) for its naming rights deal on the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, while management consultancy firm Accenture won in the small sponsorship category for its association with the LGBT film festival Gaze.

The award for best long-term partnership went to the DAA and the Dublin Theatre Festival for the DAA's sponsorship of the festival since 2007, and specifically for its Dubliners@DublinAirport campaign, which highlighted the festival's 2012 production of James Joyce's Dubliners.

The award for best use of creativity in the community was won by animation company Brown Bag Films, The Irish Times and Fighting Words, the non-profit creative writing organisation founded by Roddy Doyle.

Brehon Capital Partners, McCauley Daye O'Connell Architects, Fire and Enda Cavanagh won the best commissioning practice award for the Marker Hotel. A €10,000 artist's bursary was awarded to playwright Deirdre Kinahan for God's Hotel, while Blue Teapot Theatre Company and Graffiti Theatre Company were also recognised.

“The Allianz Business to Arts Awards have, once again, shown us the broad range of possibilities when these two worlds collide,” said Business to Arts chief executive Stuart McLaughlin.

There was a record number of entries for this year’s awards, featuring projects worth almost €7.5 million.

Minister of ArtsJimmy Deenihan was guest of honour at the ceremony in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin last night.

Mr Deenihan described the awards, which are in their 22nd year, as “an important date in the arts calendar”.