Jan McNulty Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 NatWest to become English National Ballet’s first Principal Partner English National Ballet is thrilled to announce NatWest as its first Principal Partner supporting the Company over the next four years. NatWest believes that a more inclusive society is a stronger one and this principle sits at the heart of this ground-breaking partnership. NatWest’s support will allow English National Ballet to bring more communities together by providing them with increased access to the very best in British ballet. Last year English National Ballet gave 175 performances to audiences of over 295,000 people with over 30,000 tickets being sold for £14 or less. Digital innovation is essential in ensuring English National Ballet provides access to ballet to the widest possible audience. Video content for its production of Akram Khan’s Giselle has received over 7.5 million views, while the production was recently screened in over 175 cinemas across the country. English National Ballet is a UK leader in engagement practice and delivery, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship initiatives such as its national Dance for Parkinson’s programme. This partnership with NatWest will see both companies work together to ensure English National Ballet’s activity reaches as many people across the country as possible. Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director, English National Ballet said: “This support from NatWest allows us to continue our ambitious aim to push the boundaries of ballet for both the Company and audience by honouring and reinvigorating traditional works, introducing innovative new works, and allowing us to be even more open with our local communities through our offstage projects including our ground-breaking Dance for Parkinson’s programme. We believe that ballet has no barriers and is for everyone, everywhere, and I am thrilled to be able to continue to share our artform with as many people as possible.” Patrick Harrison, Executive Director, English National Ballet added: “This four-year commitment from NatWest gives us strong support and security from a valued partner. Working together will help deliver on the significant opportunities our move to a purpose-built new home in East London offers, and allow us to continue to invest in our art form for generations to come.” Alison Rose, CEO of Commercial & Private Banking, NatWest, said: “I am delighted to be announcing our four-year partnership with English National Ballet. As the company’s Principal Partner, we will be working collaboratively to take ballet to a wider and more diverse audience in communities across the country. We look forward to sharing the positive values of this dynamic and captivating art form.” Notes to Editors About English National Ballet English National Ballet has a long and distinguished history. Founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by the great English Dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, it has played a major role in the growth and history of ballet in the UK. Today, English National Ballet is renowned for taking world-class ballet to the widest possible audience through its national and international tour programme, offsite performances at festivals including Glastonbury and Latitude, its distinguished orchestra English National Ballet Philharmonic, and being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice and delivery, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as English National Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s. Under the artistic directorship of Tamara Rojo, English National Ballet has gained new acclaim as it introduces innovative new works to the Company’s repertoire while continuing to honour and reinvigorate traditional ballet. NatWest NatWest serves customers in England and Wales supporting them with their personal, private and business banking needs, and supports large corporates in Western Europe. Alongside a wide range of banking services, NatWest offers businesses specialist sector knowledge in areas such as manufacturing and technology, as well as access to specialist entrepreneurial support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 This is wonderful news for ENB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Agree it's great news but have I missed the bit where they say how much money is involved? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 1 hour ago, Lizbie1 said: Agree it's great news but have I missed the bit where they say how much money is involved? Probably not because RBS' "beleaguered" shareholders may not be amused! Great news for ENB! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Here's hoping that it will facilitate performances being put to DVD. I was interested to read that the video of Akram Khan's Giselle received over 7.5 million hits since being put online plus the cinema broadcast bodes well for future DVD's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwissBalletFan Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 22 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: Probably not because RBS' "beleaguered" shareholders may not be amused! Great news for ENB! You are all majority shareholders of the company, as the UK government still has a roughly 70% stake in RBS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 13 minutes ago, SwissBalletFan said: You are all majority shareholders of the company, as the UK government still has a roughly 70% stake in RBS. I think that was Jan's point 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 A timely reminder about who actually owns the bank. I doubt that its shareholders would be that happy about the news but I suspect that this announcement about it providing financial support for ENB will have little or no impact as it is unlikely to be front page news and is almost certainly going to be buried on the arts pages or have a paragraph or so in the business section. Although I am not sure that the same will be true of the government's rumoured plans to return the bank to private ownership as soon as possible. If what we have been hearing proves to be correct then it would seem that the bank's beleaguered shareholders, the taxpayers who bailed the bank out in the first place, are unlikely to get their money back let alone get a decent return on their "investment". But as you may have noticed Swiss BalletFan Her Majesty's Government has some very strange ideas about public property and even odder ones about other areas of policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Not that RBS has anything to do with the initial announcement, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwissBalletFan Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Sorry for stating the obvious I wasn’t aware of the significance of the term I will stay away from any comment about the UK government. The partnership description seems like something an arts council or government would be responsible for anyway, so I hope it is successful in reaching more of a diverse group of fans. I am not sure how many of the original diverse inhabitants still live in East London after the redevelopment for the Olympics etc.. but hopefully it seems that there will be some television/cinema screenings to reach such a larger number of people and benefit everyone. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 10, 2018 Author Share Posted May 10, 2018 Large companies' sponsorship of arts organisations was fairly common until several recessions ago. I remember well that the Halifax Building Society was a major sponsor of Northern Ballet. As several partnerships have been announced over the last couple of years I wonder if such practises are becoming more common again. The workings of HM Government are a total mystery to me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrancingMum Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 First Direct have been sponsoring Northern Ballet for several years now. Those will accounts can take advantage of their 2-4-1 offers! https://www1.firstdirect.com/1/2/uncovered/partnerships/northern-ballet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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