One of Birmingham鈥檚 greatest arts philanthropists confides a secret when he says: 鈥淚t鈥檚 really selfish of me to give my money away like this.鈥
What David Lloyd 鈥 the accountant, not the tennis player and health club owner 鈥 means is that he is indulging in his love of dance when he sponsors Birmingham Royal Ballet, because it gives him unprecedented access to the creative process.
But it鈥檚 hardly selfish of him to contribute to the survival of BRB, to which he has donated more than 拢500,000 over 18 years.
Altogether the retired Birmingham businessman has given more than 拢1 million to 海角视频 dance companies, but his home city company has had the lion鈥檚 share.
He grew up in Handsworth Wood enjoying the work of visiting ballet companies, especially Sadler鈥檚 Wells. When it moved to Birmingham and became the BRB in 1990, he was 鈥渢hrilled to bits鈥. He became a Friend or supporter of the company but then, in 1995, he decided to go much further.
David, 70, decided to sponsor Sir Peter Wright鈥檚 final production to the tune of 拢150,000.
Coppelia is now celebrating its 18th birthday by being performed during the BRB鈥檚 summer season at the Birmingham Hippodrome 鈥 and David has been fortunate enough to watch its creation from the start.
鈥淚t was Sir Peter鈥檚 last production before he retired, so it had all the makings of something a bit special, that he would go out on an artistic high,鈥 remembers David.
鈥淚 thought it would be rather fun to get involved. The deal was unprecedented. For 拢150,000, I said I wanted to watch the production evolving, from the drawing board through rehearsals to the stage.
鈥淭hey had a long think about it, as they were concerned that I might start interfering. As if I would have the nerve to tell Sir Peter what to do!
鈥淭hey agreed and it was a fascinating experience, to see all aspects of how a show is put together, from the costumes and the lighting to the sets. I even spent one day helping to paint the scenery, though I think they鈥檝e stuck some flowers in front of my bit.
鈥淭he experience of being the only one watching in studio rehearsals is priceless and something I still enjoy. I can just wander into any studio and the company are relaxed about it.
鈥淭his Coppelia is a lovely production and Sir Peter鈥檚 successor, David Bintley, has taken the view that if it ain鈥檛 broke, don鈥檛 fix it.
鈥淚 love all the performing arts but ballet is my favourite 鈥 it鈥檚 such a graceful art form. I was overawed and amazed when I saw my first ballet. Some 18 years ago, Lesley Collier of the Royal Ballet said to me 鈥榊ou will have to stop putting us dancers on pedestals, we are just ordinary people鈥. But they are not, they are extraordinary.
鈥淚 like to feel I am contributing to the cultural life of the city, but it鈥檚 really rather selfish and self-indulgent of me. I don鈥檛 have a family, which makes a big difference 鈥 I don鈥檛 have any obligations or responsibilities in that way. I have a niece and nephew but they have long ago given up hope of inheriting anything, and anyway my sister said it would be better if I spent all my money while I was alive.
鈥淭his is how I choose to spend what I have earned, rather than on luxury yachts or whatever, which I鈥檓 not keen on.
鈥淎ctually there鈥檚 not that much money left, but don鈥檛 tell the BRB!鈥 he laughs.
David, a former Bromsgrove School pupil who lives in Edgbaston, made his money by setting up in business as a chartered accountant.
鈥淭hough in my dreams I am a ballet dancer,鈥 he smiles.
鈥淚 found a niche in the market by becoming a part-time financial director for several companies who couldn鈥檛 afford a full-time one.鈥
David also sponsored the 2010 production of Cinderella, as he thought 鈥渋t would be nice for Birmingham to have its own Cinderella鈥. And though BRB is closest to his heart, he has also sponsored The Snow Queen by the English National Ballet and Peter Pan by the Northern Ballet.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to brag, but I am known by everyone in the ballet world now,鈥 he points out.
鈥淚鈥檓 involved in a few other companies, I鈥檓 patron of a dance school and have sponsored the prizes for international dance competitions.
鈥淭he corporates have dropped right out now and companies rely more and more on individuals, and, increasingly, groups of individuals 鈥 there aren鈥檛 many people around like me. It might be easier to raise 拢150,000 from 100 people paying 拢1,500 each rather than one person, though they can鈥檛 be granted the same access I have or it would be chaos.
鈥淲hat I give might not seem a lot of money compared with the Sainsbury鈥檚 of the sponsorship world, but it is a lot for me. I feel like I鈥檝e got my money鈥檚 worth, though. It鈥檚 been a great pleasure and extremely fulfilling.鈥
*聽Birmingham Royal Ballet perform Coppelia at the Hippodrome from June 4-8 and Giselle from June 19-22. For tickets call 0844 338 5000 or visit聽www.birminghamhippodrome.com
Why donors are vital to ballet
Donors like David Lloyd are vital to the survival of Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Public funding for the company accounted for 72 per cent of its turnover in 2009 but has now fallen to 62 per cent with further cuts to come.聽Grants from Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council have been reduced by more than 拢1 million a year.
Fundraising now accounts for 11 per cent of BRB鈥檚 拢13 million turnover. The income breaks down as 55 per cent from major gifts and legacies, 22 per cent from individual giving, 18 per cent from charitable trusts and foundations, three per cent from Friends and just two per cent from business sponsorship.
BRB has 2,500 donors and Friends, who give at a range of levels from as little as 拢30 a year. That brings priority booking, discounts on tickets and access to rehearsals.
For an annual donation of between 拢1,000 and 拢5,000, donors can join The Dancers鈥 Circle, which gives further access to the artists.
The Director鈥檚 Appeal is to help fund the 拢800,000 needed to put on a new ballet like Aladdin, and membership costs from 拢150.
BRB chief executive Christopher Barron says: 鈥淚ndividual donors are increasingly important to our funding.
鈥淚n the last few years we have reorganised our development department so that we major on individual giving. The balance has shifted towards that and away from public and corporate funding.
鈥淪ubstantial sponsorship from the corporate market has just about gone. It鈥檚 perhaps surprising that we鈥檝e never had much from businesses in Birmingham, considering its industrial heritage. The last big donation we received was from Powergen in 1997.
鈥淭he loyalty that has built up among our supporters is fantastic. But we also have to make donating attractive and give something in return, and we鈥檙e lucky that we have a great company of dancers willing to help in that area, to attend receptions and let people watch them rehearse.聽
鈥淲e鈥檙e working with a number of generous individuals like David Lloyd, who give hundreds of thousands of pounds, and important endowments like donations from the Cadbury family.
聽鈥淲e also need to look to London for money, as that鈥檚 where 90 per cent of arts fundraising takes place.
Our visits to the London Coliseum and Sadler鈥檚 Wells Theatre are very important for people to get to know us.聽
鈥淲e are also increasingly relying on legacy donations. Half of the cost of Cinderella was raised from one kind person thinking of us in their will.鈥
BRB鈥檚 Development Director Geoff Sweeney said: 鈥淲ithout philanthropic support from our audiences and those who share our vision that the arts enrich our community and promote our great city across the world, our activities will simply not be possible in the future.鈥
Latest figures from the charity Arts & Business show that total private donations for the arts in England rose 7.6% to 拢660m in 2012, but donations dropped outside London.
Organisations in London saw their total rise from 拢488m to 拢539m, but donations outside London dropped from 拢125m to 拢121m.
Arts & Business director Philip Spedding said: 聽鈥淭here is a danger of an almost perfect storm of public sector cuts, private sector money not being there to make a financial difference, and challenges in generating income from the public.
鈥淪o it is a worrying time for arts organisations outside London. Those that will get through are those that will think imaginatively and creatively.鈥
