Standard Life, Publicité Sauvage, Pierre Bourgie and Derek A. Price honoured at the Prix Arts-Affaires de Montréal 2011

MONTREAL, May 31, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - This evening at L'Astral, the winners of the 2011 Prix Arts-Affaires de Montréal were announced. Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, and Louise Roy, President of the Conseil des arts de Montréal, Co-Chairs of the Honorary Committee for the awards, presented honours to Standard Life (Large Enterprise category), Publicité Sauvage (SME category), Pierre Bourgie (Arts/Business Personality category) and Derek A. Price (Business Volunteer category).

The Prix Arts-Affaires de Montréal, an initiative of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and the Conseil des arts de Montréal, recognize companies and individuals who have provided outstanding support to Montréal arts organizations and who are actively involved in culture. The awards raise awareness among the business community about the crucial role cultural organizations play in the city's development and encourage partnerships between the business and arts communities.

"Culture is both the foundation of our collective identity and an indisputable source of wealth creation," says Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. "Plus it makes a major contribution to our city's reputation. I am thrilled with the jury's choices. They testify to the significant impact that the long-term commitment of patrons and businesses can have on the exposure of arts and culture at home and abroad. I congratulate the 2011 winners, and I hope that many others will draw inspiration from them."

"It is important to recognize the exemplary commitment of all of this year's nominees for the Prix Arts-Affaires de Montréal," says Louise Roy, President of the Conseil des arts de Montréal. "These caring businesspeople have built real partnerships and sincere connections with the artists and managers of the cultural organizations they support. This relationship is a mutually beneficial one, because the arts also have a lot to offer in terms of creativity, innovation and visibility, not to mention original, stimulating emotional experiences."

"Thanks to the conviction and generosity of business people who lend their support to Montréal cultural organizations, our citizens enjoy a rich, diverse cultural scene," says Helen Fotopulos, Executive Committee Member Responsible for Culture, Heritage, Design and the Status of Women for the Ville de Montréal. "I would like to offer my sincere thanks to those who, through their commitment, forge connections between the business and the arts worlds, contributing to Montréal's image as a great cultural city. I encourage other businesses to draw inspiration from this dynamic relationship between the arts and business to further stimulate the arts and culture, which are part of the lifeblood of our city."

The winners
Standard Life, sponsored by the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM), has won the award in the Large Enterprise category. For the past 20 years, Standard Life has been offering its staunch support to the OSM for the OSM Competition. Essential to the next generation of local musicians, this support is also formative for the OSM, which can affirm its role as a leader in and proud representative of the city's cultural excellence on the national and international scene.

In the SME category, Publicité Sauvage, sponsored by Théâtre de Quat'Sous, receives the honours this year. This small business, which has had a lasting and formative relationship with its sponsor organization since 1994, has transformed, thanks to its passionate commitment, Montréal's urban landscape by deploying its outdoor billposting for the cultural sector with intelligence and perseverance.

The Arts/Business Personality Award goes to Pierre Bourgie, President of the Société financière Bourgie, sponsored by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. This businessman's contribution to the arts kicked off a major fundraising campaign that enabled the multidisciplinary and multipurpose expansion of the Museum. Thanks to this beneficial partnership that enriches the entire community, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is one of the most dynamic cultural institutions in the country.

Finally, the Business Volunteer Award is given to Derek A. Price, Corporate Director, sponsored by the McCord Museum. Sensitive to Montréal's cultural issues, a history buff and a firm believer that Montréal deserves a major international-calibre history institution, Mr. Price was the man behind the McCord Museum as we know it today.

The jury was composed of Giuseppe Catanzaro, General Manager, Banking Services at Scotiabank, Séverine Souchon, Director, Marketing Research and Planning at Métro-Richelieu Inc., Maya Azzi, Brand Ambassador at La Roche-Posay and Marketing L'Oréal Canada, Angèle Dubeau, violin soloist, and Michel Dumont, actor.

About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.

About the Conseil des arts de Montréal
A dynamic partner of Montréal artistic creation, the Conseil des arts de Montréal supports and recognizes excellence in professional artistic creation, production, and distribution through financial support, advice, and cooperative and development actions. For over 50 years, the Conseil des arts de Montréal has contributed through its actions to the development of "Montréal, cultural metropolis."  

Pascale Le Hir
Advisor, Communications
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: [phone], ext. 4088
[email protected]
 
Christian O'Leary
Director, Communications
Conseil des arts de Montréal
Tel.: [phone]
[email protected]

Martine Painchaud
Press Attaché
Office of the Mayor and Executive Committee
514 872-9998

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