Dragons' Den Dish out the Dosh

Business leaders from around the region have handed out £5,000 to support arts organisation, Tees Valley Dance in a nerve-racking dragon’s den style event devised and run by the Sponsor’s Club for Arts & Business which was held last week at Newcastle University Business School.

Four projects were shortlisted to take part in the event and all received a training package to help them to prepare to face the dragons who are all member of the Sponsors Club. They included David Simms, Managing Director of NCJ Media, Helen Ager, Managing Partner of Crutes Law, Nigel Bellis, Partner at Dickinson Dees and Paddy Lewis, Director of Investment at UBS. The panel was chaired by Julie Harrison, Partner at Ward Hadaway and Chair of The Sponsors Club for Arts & Business.

Tees Valley Dance are planning to use the cash injection towards a ‘Dance Marathon’ in Middlebrough this summer that will include teams from local community groups, schools and businesses in Middlesbrough dancing in the centre of Middlesbrough all day promoting health, wellbeing , teamwork and fun. 

David Sims said:

“The aim of the event is to make arts organisations more focussed about their approach and make their business sustainable. By having to pitch to five business people it really helps to change their thinking. Tees Valley Dance obviously worked very hard on their pitch and I’m sure they are going to make the £5,000 work really hard for them.”

Heather Walker from Tees Valley Dance said:

“We were delighted to win the pitch, we put lots of time and effort into it but were quite confident on the day….”

Adam Lopardo, Director of The Sponsors Club for Arts & Business added:

“The whole process has been fascinating to oversee. At all stages the businesses have been clear that in today’s climate, the cultural sector has to make a business case for itself. Whilst engaging in cultural activity is fun it also has to be fit for purpose for a business. I’d like to thank our members for supporting this project, for helping to shortlist, for giving advice and in the case of our Dragons for stepping up to the plate to make what was In the end a very hard decision. I hope to see them all dancing as a team in Middlebrough in the summer!.”