KPMG continues support of Scottish arts with ballet partnership

KPMG is renewing its commitment to the Scottish arts as it announces the second year of its support for Scottish Ballet.

The partnership will continue to strengthen links between the business and the arts community, as well as support Scotland’s national ballet company’s aim to deliver award-winning productions and community outreach initiatives to make ballet and dance more accessible to the general public.

As well as bringing the Scottish business community together, funding will see schoolchildren from Cuthbertson Primary School in Govanhill, Glasgow, located near to Scottish Ballet’s headquarters, take part in ballet workshops in addition to attending the company’s production of Cinderella at Theatre Royal, Glasgow.

The sponsorship is supported with year two match funding from Arts and Business Scotland’s Culture and Business Fund Scotland, which aims to strengthen corporate partnerships in the arts and increase community engagement. The scheme provides up to £40,000 worth of funding to arts and heritage organisations.

Catherine Burnet, senior partner for KPMG in Scotland, said: “Whether participating or watching, the arts are a vital element of our communities and social engagement. Next year’s partnership will give pupils from Cuthbertson Primary School the opportunity to try something new and benefit from an experience that might not naturally happen. This type of outreach makes ballet, and arts in general, more widely accessible.”

Last year’s partnership supported the creation of a highly acclaimed short dance film ‘Haud Close Tae Me’ as part of Scottish Ballet’s ground breaking digital season, which gave the public free access to specially created performances online.

Christopher Hampson, CEO and artistic director at Scottish Ballet, said: “Our relationship with KPMG very much feels like a partnership, one which is delivering benefits to both organisations and we look forward to developing shared opportunities in the coming year. With thanks to Culture and Business Fund Scotland, we can genuinely deepen that relationship through additional community based projects, helping us deliver on our mission to inspire on stage and beyond.”

Carl Watt, head of programmes at Arts & Business Scotland, said: “We are delighted to support this creative partnership between KPMG and Scottish Ballet, through the Culture & Business Fund Scotland, and to help extend the community work being undertaken to open the door to new experiences for young people. This ongoing partnership between KPMG and Scottish Ballet is testament to the strength and the mutual benefits to be derived from the arts and businesses working together.”