How is cultural sponsorship influenced by the economic crisis?
MúzeumCafé 10.
Zoltán Igaz, Communications Manager of ING Bank
Prior to the current crisis the ING Group in Hungary decided to support the Cézanne exhibition scheduled to be held at the Museum of Fine Arts in 2011. Sponsoring the earlier Van Gogh exhibition was a success story for Hungary, the Fine Arts Museum and the ING companies in Hungary. In addition, in these ways I think we are also providing something for the employees of ING, since they can be proud of our sponsorship. Naturally, the arts cannot remain immune from the economic crisis but companies and individuals respond to sponsorship needs differently. Considering the post-2009 period it is difficult to predict how sponsorship of the arts might work out – just as it is extremely hard to make forecasts about the crisis itself.
Gábor Gulyás, Director of MODEM
A short, precise answer can be given: it cannot be expected that companies which have lost their markets and exist from day to day will sponsor culture. They simply do not have the resources. We rather have cooperation agreements based on mutual advantages, since to sponsor a good exhibition can be good business – this construction is feasible. At least it was before the crisis. In post-socialist countries the situation is definitely bad. In this respect in Hungary we have got into a situation near catastrophe. How can we move forward? Personal contacts (which regarding sponsorship in Hungary are determining, besides business considerations) can somewhat help. If present trends continue, the decline may reach 50 per cent by the middle of the year. In Hungary there will likely be fewer cultural programmes of a high standard. We must calculate with a significant and long-term decline.
András Török, Director, Summa Artium
Our mission is to increase private support for culture, be it from a company (sponsor) or an individual (donation). Things have dramatically come to a sudden halt. We have lost our two largest partners, a big bank and a large insurance company. Five of our six recent negotiations have been left uncompleted. However, individual patronage has not fallen back so much. A first generation which has enjoyed a good career since 1989-90 and become wealthy is slowly retiring. Among them are many who are attracted to culture. They must be personally won over to support the arts. Summa Artium has been offering a product for one and a half years – a new art award in cooperation with the Kunsthalle with a concept like Britain’s Turner Prize. This is continuing despite the crisis, since a large insurance company not making losses has come forward. Moreover, its undertakings are long-term and it wants to play a role in terms of sponsorship. The implication is that there are companies still making money during the crisis. We keep looking for them.