Collaborations with business sector

In Finland, collaborations with business sector as a determined part of private fundraising of the contemporary dance companies are still quite rare. The studied contemporary dance companies were willing to develop more collaborations with the private sector but had difficulties to find suitable models of co-operation with

124 corporates as well as suitable ways to approach corporates when not having personal contacts in that area. Especially smaller dance companies are lacking examples of functional collaborations, not to mention methods, personnel, time and courage to approach the businesses. These findings follow the main results of earlier research in Finnish cultural sector by for example Jokivuolle (2019), Lehmuskumpu (2017), Heiskanen et al. (2015) and Tujunen (2013).

According to this research, there are also concerns that sponsorships or partnerships with businesses would weaken the artistic freedom or the image of the dance company. Likewise, businesses’ investments in unfamiliar artistic processes of contemporary dance companies are understood as a risk for the businesses, and practical example cases together with more open communication are needed to overcome the distrust on both sides. Moreover, the concepts of co-operation, partnership, collaboration and sponsoring are interpreted in varying ways both in businesses’ and dance companies’ rhetoric, which may cause confusion regarding the targets of the chosen model of a co-operation or regarding the needed steps of the fundraising process.

Nevertheless, this study wishes to highlight the experienced successful collaborations between the studied dance companies and businesses (see chapter 4.3.3). Those could be divided into three main categories: 1) value-based collaborations or long-term partnerships for common projects, 2) co-operations for a common production with results serving both parties, and 3) production-based small-scale sponsoring for example in forms of receiving technical equipment or services, tools, props, costumes, rehearsal space or performance venues for free or with nominal prices. As return the sponsoring company’s logo or other information is shared on the dance company’s website or in a hand programme of the production. Most of the dance companies have some experience in this category, but only few on value-based partnerships.

One example of the first category is Tero Saarinen Company’s collaboration with Genelec audio system: the sound system provided by Genelec to Tero Saarinen Company’s new studio led to a residence programme promoting mutual values and missions to advance the development of art and society. The dance company was

125 actively searching for a suitable partner and initiated the co-operation, which resulted in a long-term value-based partnership with Genelec. In general, among the studied dance companies, Tero Saarinen Company’s fundraising procedures follow closest the typical fundraising cycles presented by for example Seiler (2011), Lehmuskumpu (2013), Haddad (2019) and Vogel (2019). It has also personnel dedicated to organise fundraising activities, a fulltime managing director, head of finance and development and supporting advisory board. As pointed out by Jung (2015), these elements are essential to enable fundraising from diverse sources effectively.

Dance Theatre Minimi’s multiyear collaborations between the dance theatre and varying restaurants, a combination of a dinner and an immersive dance performance in one production under Ruokateatteri-concept, represent the second category: ticket sales are shared and both parties reach additional new audience or customers. On the other hand, Minimi’s one-time collaboration with the waste management company Jätekukko was initiated and mostly funded by the corporate itself to promote the mutually accepted ideology of recycling. The dance company’s connection to the business sector was created through leisure time activities without intentional search for a collaboration of any kind. This example shows that in addition to committed work and strategic planning, also networking outside of work plays an important role in creating fruitful connections to business sector.

To summarise, to create an understanding of the different models of possible business co-operations will help the dance companies in clarifying their wished targets of each co-operation. It also helps them in strategic planning, approaching the businesses and in picturing the needed steps of the fundraising process. This study supports the observations by for example King (2021), Turrini and Voss (2021) and Varbanova (2013) that fundraising from businesses – whether it is searching for sponsors or long-term partners – requires clear and inspiring communication of the project and the mission of the dance company, finding a connection to build a fruitful relationship as well as investments in personnel and time to implement the agreed actions. Moreover, socializing and networking outside of official working environment improve the chances of making those connections.

126 As underlined by Turrini and Voss (2021), successful fundraising contains a step- by-step analysis of the capacity of the dance company in its own surroundings. That includes benchmarking, reviewing examples of others, and developing own ideas, which are fitting to the dance company’s own operational environment. This study offers some practical examples of how dance companies or bigger dance organisations do fundraising in co-operation with businesses (see chapters 2.3.4 and 4.3) – ideas that are adaptable to each dance company’s operational environment also in Finnish circumstances.