The Movement
Behind the Movement
The pARTnership Movement is an initiative from Americans for the Arts to reach business leaders with the message that partnering with the arts can build their competitive advantage. Americans for the Arts is the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America.
Watch Americans for the Arts CEO discuss The pARTnership Movement
Find a Partner
Ready to get started? Use our zip code locator to find an arts partner in your community.
Success Stories
The pARTnership Movement Essays
Explore case studies profiling successful business-arts partnerships from across the nation. Each of the 8 essays illustrates one of the 8 reasons businesses partner with the arts.
The BCA Executive Board
Americans for the Arts’ private sector work is assisted by the support of the Business Committee for the Arts Executive Board, a group of business leaders that provide insight and support on key initiatives including messaging, advocacy and strategic alliances within the private sector.
Private Sector Council
The Private Sector Council of Americans for the Arts provides advice and guidance on the design and execution of programs and services that advance private sector support for the arts in America.
When you partner to support local theater, music, museums, dance and public art, you help to make your community more attractive to current and future employees. Happier employees make for a happier workplace. But you knew that already, naturally.
Read success stories from companies using the arts to recruit talent
Put Your Company in the Spotlight
The arts help you build market share, enhance your brand and reach new customers.
Celebrating the arts is a way to build a powerful presence and engage with multiple stakeholders quickly and effectively. Museums, symphonies, dance performances, festivals and more allow you to reach customers and are venues to entertain prospective and current clients. Businesses agree that the arts increase name recognition (79 percent) and offer networking opportunities to develop new business (74 percent).
Read success stories from companies using the arts to put their company in the spotlight
Advance Corporate Objectives & Strategies
The arts help you get your message across in engaging ways.
The arts can educate the public and your employees about core business issues such as informing them about your products or teaching them to make healthy choices.
Read success stories from companies using the arts to advance corporate objectives
Foster Critical Thinking
Did you know that creativity is among the top applied skills sought by employers?
More often than not, business leaders say creativity is of high importance when hiring. The arts are about critical thinking, solving and reframing problems and facts in ways that reveal insights and opportunities. Music, creative writing, drawing and dance provide skills sought by employers of the third millennium. In fact 72% of companies that give to the arts recognize that it stimulates creative thinking, problem solving and team building.
Read success stories from companies fostering critical thinking
Download the Ready to Innovate Report
Whether it’s showing off their own creative talent in a company art show or battle of the bands, or volunteering for a local arts group, the arts let your employees use their current skills and develop new ones. For instance, sitting on an art organization’s board is great training for sitting on your company’s board. In fact, studies show that millennials who frequently participate in workplace volunteer activities are more likely to be proud, loyal and satisfied employees.
Learn more about employee engagement programs around the country that use the arts
Read success stories from companies using the arts to engage employees
Embrace Diversity & Team Building
The arts create an environment that blends backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures.
Through exhibitions, performances and workshops, the arts provide opportunities for employees to grapple with workplace concerns and become more familiar with their coworkers in the next cubicle or around the world. What’s more, committing to the arts lets people inside and outside your company know that you value (and promote) innovative thinking and a creative culture.
Read success stories from companies using the arts to embrace diversity and team building
Providing tickets to events, museum memberships and other arts experiences is the perfect way to inspire employees and say “thanks.”
Read success stories from companies using the arts to say "thanks"
Contribute to the Economy & Quality of Life
When you partner with local arts, you partner with the whole city.
The arts are essential to the health and vitality of neighborhoods, cities, states and our nation. They enhance community development, create jobs, spur urban renewal, attract new businesses, draw tourism dollars, and create an environment that attracts skilled and educated workers.
Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $135.2 billion in economic activity every year—$61.1 billion in spending by organizations and an additional $74.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences.
Read success stories from companies using the arts to contribute to the economy and quality of life