Strong partnerships between the business and arts communities stimulate economic growth, attract corporate involvement, promote the city's revitalization, encourage tourism and enhance Columbus' cultural image. In 2008, the Greater Columbus Arts Council's Business Arts Partnership Awards will celebrate its 25th anniversary of recognizing the business community's crucial contributions to the arts, including financial commitments, non-cash contributions, employee involvement and board participation.

On Thursday, March 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at COSI Columbus, GCAC will host civic and corporate leaders for a luncheon, keynote speaker and presentation of the 2008 Business Arts Partnership Awards, which recognize one small, medium and large business for outstanding support of local arts in the past year. Nonprofit organizations can nominate a business for this year's awards at www.gcac.org.

GCAC will also present the annual Artistic Excellence Award, which carries a $10,000 prize, to a local arts organization that has demonstrated risk, innovation and artistic excellence within the past year.

Tables, sponsorships and individual tickets are available. Proceeds from this event will benefit GCAC's educational programming for children, including our Children of the Future and Artists-in-Schools programs.