Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts (TBBCA) is working with local arts and cultural organizations to help them fill board positions, calling it the ‘Every Minute Counts’ campaign. TBBCA explains, “If you have skills, knowledge, or resources that could benefit a cultural institution in your community, we are asking that you make every minute count. Tampa Bay’s vibrant cultural scene depends on the business community.”

TBBCA has identified specific needs of Tampa Bay-area cultural institutions looking for energy in a variety of areas including accounting, marketing, graphic design, fundraising, websites, legal, maintenance and repairs, and much more. On top of helping the community, a volunteer board position provides opportunities to use key business skills outside of the traditional work setting, network with community leaders, and enhance experience and credibility. “Making every minute count is a great way to build a partnership within the cultural community, which will allow your business to enjoy positive community relations, generate new business opportunities and reach new markets.”

The following are some more suggestions for developing creative corporate partnerships in the community.

Volunteer Initiatives
By encouraging your employees to volunteer their services to the arts, your company can develop networking and new business opportunities; meet opinion-makers and community leaders; and offer your employees and their families opportunities to become more engaged in community activities. At the same time, your company will help the arts augment their management and professional skills and reduce their operating expenses.
Employee volunteers can:
·    Assist with fundraising events, phone-a-thons, auctions, dinners, press briefings and other events.
·    Design, write and print brochures, invitations, programs, posters and press materials for performances, exhibitions and events.
·    Undertake the leadership of a special fundraising project, such as a capital campaign or an endowment fund.
·    Serve on the boards of arts organizations.

Products and Services
By donating products and services to the arts, your company can broaden awareness of what it offers, develop networking and generate sales opportunities. At the same time, this will strengthen the operations of the arts by providing professional expertise and items that arts organizations may not have the financial resources to obtain.
For example:
·    Host lectures, workshops and meetings organized by arts organizations in your company's facilities.
·    Provide space in your lobby, parking facilities and other public areas for arts events and exhibitions.
·    Provide office, meeting and special events space within your company's offices and real estate properties for meetings and special gatherings of arts organizations.
·   Donate office furniture, equipment and computers to cultural organizations.

Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, and Employee and Community Relation Collaboration.
By creating advertising, marketing and public relations tie-ins, your company and the arts can maximize resources and reach new markets.
For example:
·    Incorporate artists, arts organizations and works of art as graphic elements and themes in your company's advertising campaign.
·    Underwrite the cost of printing an arts organization's tickets for a season and place your company's name on the back of each ticket.
·    Develop point-of-sales items, bill inserts, product tags and labels, and Web site banners featuring and promoting the arts.
·    Develop an on-site promotion such as special shopping hours during which the arts and other community organizations are showcased. Designate a percentage of sales to donate to an arts organization.
·    Use tickets to performances and arts events as premiums to promote products and services.

Financial Assistance
By providing financial assistance to the arts, your company can enhance its presence in its operating areas, increase awareness of its products and services and strengthen its position as a concerned member of the community. At the same time your company will enable the arts to achieve their missions and undertake special projects.
For example:
·    Purchase tickets for performances and exhibitions and distribute them to your employees, schoolchildren and underserved individuals in the community.
·    Encourage your employees to support the arts by offering to match their personal gifts with financial support from your company.
·    Assume the sponsorship of a performance, an exhibition or an arts organization's fundraising event, such as a gala, dinner or summer outdoor performance series.
·    Sponsor a K-12 arts education program in public schools.