LONDON, September 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The National Portrait Gallery's excellence in corporate sponsorship was recognised at last night's Corporate Engagement Awards, with its work winning a Gold award in the Best Arts & Culture Partnership.

This is the third year of the Corporate Engagement Awards, the UK's only dedicated celebration of partnerships, sponsorships and corporate social responsibility.

In a ceremony at the Hotel Russell in central London, hosted by television presenter and Paralympic medallist, Ade Adepitan, The National Portrait Gallery was extolled for its partnership with BT for the National Portrait Gallery/ BT Road to 2012 project.

This three year project captured the journey towards the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Working with internationally renowned photographers, the National Portrait Gallery/ BT Road to 2012 Project created a lasting record of the people who contributed to these exciting events. From world-class athletes and those working behind the scenes, to people living and working in the host boroughs for the 2012 Games, the project celebrated stories of inspirational achievement.

The Corporate Engagement Awards programme was established by Communicate magazine, the UK's leading magazine for corporate communications and stakeholder relations, to celebrate and benchmark excellence in corporate partnerships and sponsorship. The entries were judged by a panel of sponsorship, CSR and partnership experts and communications practitioners. The awards point to the future of corporate engagement and mutually beneficial partnerships.

Pim Baxter, Deputy Director of the National Portrait Gallery said:

"I am delighted that our sponsor BT has been recognised through the Corporate Engagement Awards for the vital support they provided to the Gallery. Our partnership with BT was a truly creative one, which enabled the Gallery to commission over 100 new photographic portraits of those training for and working behind the scenes to deliver the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The support of BT was greatly appreciated by myself, the Director and all my colleagues."

Andrew Thomas, publishing editor of Communicate magazine said: "This was the third year for the Corporate Engagement Awards. We hosted it at a larger venue, we had more judges, with a higher profile host. But the biggest growth came in the calibre of entry. We were bowled over by the creativity, strategic insight and implementation skills of the campaigns and partnerships demonstrated by the shortlisted companies. There's good in business, and the Corporate Engagement Awards celebrate it."

For further comment, please contact:
Neil Evans
nevans@npg.org.uk
+44(0)20-7312-2452
+44(0)7790-428638

SOURCE National Portrait Gallery