Commenting on the RMB sponsorship, Georgina Thomson, Artistic Director for Dance Umbrella described BASA’s role as 'vital' in the project’s new relationship with the financial institution.

“You often tend to work in a cocoon in the arts and, in survival mode, look for funding through only the normal route,” explained Thomson.

“Having BASA on board when we were looking for new funding meant that there was a much more fine-tuned and intense matching process between us and a potential funder and that we also benefited from a BASA Supporting Grant. We are thrilled to be working with RMB on Dance Umbrella 2011.”

Michelle Constant, Business and Arts South Africa CEO, said that in a highly pressurised funding environment, it is a positive sign when both parties come into the relationship as partners, reinforcing the two-way mode of the contemporary arts funding model.

This two-way relationship was confirmed by Thomson who describes RMB’s approach to Dance Umbrella as “amazing”. “They are very keen to look at the bigger picture and understand what Dance Umbrella is all about so I am really looking forward to the relationship developing into something very interesting,” said Thomson.

Yvette Nowell, Head of the RMB Fund, emphasized a strategic match between the Dance Umbrella and the RMB Fund’s focus on arts culture and heritage, with the relationship being enhanced by both parties’ existing partnerships with BASA.

Janet Watts of Tshikululu Social Investments, fund managers of the FirstRand Foundation (including the RMB, Wesbank and FNB Funds), emphasized the sustainability element of the new funding relationship between Dance Umbrella and RMB.

“Funding doesn’t mean an organisation can easily survive. That very much depends on how well an organisation is run, and its ability to respond, specifically and directly, to the needs of the society in which it works.”

Alongside Rand Merchant Bank, Dance Umbrella 2011 has the support of The National Arts Council, Goethe Institute, Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), Institut Francais d’ Afrique du Sud, Republique Francaise, British Council, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Culture, CitiVibe, Artslink.co.za, Classicfeel magazine and City of Joburg.

Dance Umbrella runs from 24 February to 6 March this year, the full programme can be found at www.artslink.co.za/arts.