The name of the game

Is acknowledgement just a case of name-dropping, or is the honouring of benefactors more than a complex deal for dollars?
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Buildings have been named after people for nearly as long as they have been built. It is said that the practice goes back to an ancient Sumerian temple where anthropologists discovered a dedication plaque on a wall.

It is not surprising that cultural organisations have followed suit, honouring their benefactors and corporate donors with public dedications.  But with the rise in new wealth, there has been greater demand for that visibility, and the old school prestige that comes with it.

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina