The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Sponsorships are not on high note, yet no negative impact

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Monday, Dec 15, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Sponsorships are not on high note, yet no negative impact

Sruthi Krishnan

“Though the money available now is lesser than last year, the impact is cushioned by supporters”

— Photo: R.Ragu

RIPPLE EFFECT: The global financial crisis has also impacted the music sabhas in the form of less sponsorships.

CHENNAI: With the economy plummeting to a low note, sponsorships for the music season have also taken a hit. The sabhas say that though the money available on the whole is lesser than last year, the impact is cushioned by their enduring supporters.

“Some of the sponsors, who were involved for the past two years, have not come forward this year. The banking sector is not forthcoming like before,” says a spokesperson of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha. He adds, “As we have a personal long-standing relationship with our sponsors, we don’t have a problem. We have retained all major sponsors.”

P.S. Padmanabhan, joint secretary, Mylapore Fine Arts Club, concurs. “Sponsorships are 30 to 40 per cent lesser than last year,” he says.

Banners of banking

The banners of the banking industry which are like a permanent fixture in the sabha halls are a testimony to the lasting relationship. “We have been sponsoring the season for more than 10 years,” says an official of the State Bank of India. “Corporate social responsibility is a buzzword only now and such corporate sponsorships for the music season started only five to six years ago,” he adds.

The spokesperson of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha says that the sum each sponsor gives varies between Rs.50,000 and Rs. 2 lakh, which goes towards remuneration of artistes, their hospitality, maintenance of the auditorium and publicity. As Sri Krishna Gana Sabha has its own auditorium, rentals costs are avoided.

N. Balasubramanian, secretary, Brahma Gana Sabha, says that the total expenditure a day can go up to Rs.70,000 depending on the number of concerts and the seniority of artistes. This includes rental charges. He says that some special programmes are provided for by one sponsor. For instance, a Tamil concert is sponsored by a trust run by a leading industrialist.

An instance where a trust provides for the entire festival is Naada Inbam Public Charitable Trust which holds concerts in Raaga Sudha hall, Mylapore.

Mrs.Krishnan, who runs the Trust with her daughter, says that most of the expenses are taken care of using the donations that the Trust receives.

In addition, five to six sponsors participate, a number which has not decreased this year, she adds.

Despite the crunch, sponsorships for music concerts are better than dance concerts. Mr. Padmanabhan of Mylapore Fine Arts Club, says, “For dance, whatever we get, we take.”

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