We all know that joint-venture partnerships can yield many benefits. In hopes to spark more creative partnerships, here are some interesting partnership examples formed with arts organizations around the country. Some are likely partnerships between arts organizations; others are “unlikely” partnerships, which sometime can often bring in new audiences.

Success, of course, depends on each partner’s willingness and ability to live up to its part of the bargain.

Public Art In Detroit Benefits Community and High School Students
A dozen or so west side high school students created a mural on a three-story-high exterior wall of a vacant building in Detroit’s Brightmoor neighborhood. The project, Detroit Neighborhood Arts Corps, provides high school-aged artists with the opportunity to give back to their communities through the creation of public art. The College of Creative Studies (CCS) project was funded by the Skillman Foundation. This project probably solves two problems, it brings arts education to public schools which may have cut art programs and it brings public art to an under-served community.

Evening Museum Series Keeps Budget ”In Check” with IKEA Partnership
Here at the Heard Museum, our third Friday evening series NU (Native+You) has partnered with likely organizations, such as the Arizona Humanities Council and the Phoenix Arts & Business Council to promote the event and recruit speakers. However the series and the museum have also partnered with IKEA, who generously provided much needed furniture for an outdoor lounge for patrons enjoying the cash bar and on campus public art. IKEA was pleased to have their product in front of a coveted museum audience, and the series kept its budget “in check,” and each month is able to pay local artists to perform or speak at the museum. In addition the series regularly books both Native and non-Native performers and bands to bring in younger members of the community to the museum and create a forum where cross-cultural dialogue can take place. http://www.heard.org/NU.

My Arts Community Concept Developed by Community Business Leaders & Arts Organizations
Myartscommunity.org is a concept developed by two Phoenix businessmen of the Kur Carr group, who were concerned about the impact of the economy on our arts and cultural organizations. The across-the-board agreement that the campaign put together created tremendous awareness for arts and culture in the Phoenix metropolitan area; a collaborative spirit among the organizations; and a unanimous agreement to find a way to keep the effort moving forward.

I also remember that Opera Carolina once partnered with NASCAR, (?) which is also pretty creative. I couldn’t find out more information, but it had to be mentioned. This Wallace Foundation report also gives some helpful hints.

Are there nontraditional partnerships in your communities?