The “ripple effect”: Building shared responsibility for the arts

Guest post by Margy Waller,
Cincinnati Fine Arts Fund
Many of us have spent years searching for the strongest possible message and the best case on which to build support for the arts. Yet, the messages we have used to create dialogue in communities across the country have not yielded the broad sense of shared responsibility [...]

If you can raise money for the arts in hard times, you can do it any time…

Five ways CAA-funded community foundations grew arts funds in the worst year since the Depression
Most nonprofit fundraisers are glad to see the calendar turn to 2010—personal donations in 2009 declined while social needs skyrocketed. During this tumultuous time, the arts giving landscape might have been bleak, but it was far from barren.

Just ask! Here’s how community foundations can grow arts donor relationships through effective interviewing…

Probing questions, proven techniques, and a simple process
What makes arts donors tick? How can we connect with these givers?
These questions are top of mind for all who aim to increase donor support for community arts. Recently, a group of California community foundations turned to research guru Alan Brown to help deepen their understanding of donors. [...]

Powerful message + Memorable event = New momentum

An Evening of Song & Poetry
Community Foundation Sonoma County
What can a community do when economic recession threatens local arts organizations and makes donors cautious about their giving? In Sonoma County, these scary circumstances led to a strategy for showcasing local arts—while helping donors reconnect to their passion for creativity in community.

Giving donors recognition…gaining greater awareness

2009 Champions of the Arts Videos
Monterey County
Here’s how one community is using video to showcase local arts—and appeal to existing and new donors.
This moving medium was a centerpiece in the 2009 Champions of the Arts Gala sponsored by the Arts Council for Monterey County. The Gala offered tribute to community arts heroes—artists, nonprofit leaders, education [...]

The future of dance philanthropy

One man’s point of view
John Killacky is on a quest for relevance. He fears that many grantmakers will establish new priorities and initiatives regardless of what the field of dance actually needs. He calls for foundations and arts organizations alike to hone their ability to adapt to changing times—emphasizing that being dynamic is as important [...]

A question of personal engagement…

Guest post from Jerry Yoshitomi
What’s your earliest memory of the arts?
Chances are, your recollection made you smile. That’s a testimony to the power of the personal question–and the way  it can help you engage donors in community arts.

The art of strategic events for donors

Planning guide
Art brings people together. So it’s natural for community foundations to place art—and artists—at the center of events intended to deepen donor engagement. The opportunities for creativity are endless. Receptions in private sculpture gardens, intimate readings by award-winning authors, road trips to major galleries, dinners celebrating up-and-coming artists, and behind-the-scenes tours are just a [...]

Looking into the future of art

Sonoma County
Emerging Artist Awards 2008
It’s one program with two benefits. The Sonoma County Artist Awards boost the reputations of working artists early in their careers, and raise public awareness of local arts. The awards are a collaboration of the arts community, with leadership from the county’s Arts Council and Community Foundation.

Answering the million-dollar question…

Why Support the Arts?
It’s a communications conundrum. Community arts leaders have plenty to say about why donors should invest in this arena, but it can be challenging to find the best ways to express these messages.
There’s the question of what to state first. Some professionals say lead with instrumental benefits—the role arts play in boosting [...]