Carlos García León, Individual Giving Manager, Chicago Shakespeare Theater challenges us to re-examine traditional models of fundraising.  Part of Tessitura Network‘s learning series.

St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery’s Boldre Hoard Appeal won The Brown Creative Award for Best Campaign under £100,000 in the Emcees Awards 2017, run by The National Arts Fundraising School. Mark Tomlinson shares the secrets behind their success.

In 2009 the Los Angeles County Museum used direct mail and telephone calls as part of its capital fundraising campaign. The museum was able to include many of their ‘lower dollar’ donors in a significant capital campaign. This case study was originally published by SOFII: Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration.

This case study about Steel Yard’s successful ‘fund a day’ direct mail appeal was originally published by SOFII: Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration. The Steel Yard is a small industrial arts organisation in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. In 2009 it ran a direct mail appeal called ‘fund a day’ to a small group of ... Read more

Panto Wheels is a scheme run by Cambridge Arts Theatre to help children from culturally and socially deprived areas of Cambridgeshire to attend the theatre’s Christmas pantomime by subsidising the cost of travel. In 2013 Victoria Willingale did a sponsored bike ride to raise awareness and money for Panto Wheels. By working with local partners, including the ... Read more

On Friday 13 March 2015 a major fire at Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) destroyed the Grand Hall and Lower Hall spaces. Before the fire engines had put out the flames a national emergency appeal had been launched by BAC and the National Funding Scheme (NFS). The flexibility of digital fundraising through mobile and online donations contributed to the ... Read more

In this case study, Fabio Santos describes his involvement in the planning of The Complete Freedom of Truth (TCFT), an international youth arts project led by Opera Circus. This large-scale international participatory project is designed to use the arts to provide skills training, cultural and social awareness for young people enabling them to stage small, ... Read more

Discover how Birmingham Contemporary Music Group launched the pioneering audience development and fundraising scheme, Sound Investment, to raise funds for their new work.

Learn how the Louvre managed to crowd fund over 1 million euros to purchase the national art treasure Les Trois Graces (1531), by Lucas Cranach the Elder.

mac birmingham is a pioneering arts complex offering a programme of theatre, dance, independent cinema, music, spoken word, comedy, exhibitions and special events, as well as a wealth of practical classes in all aspects of creativity. Following a successful capital appeal mac birmingham was redeveloped and reopened on 1 May 2010. This case study describes the ... Read more

Tyneside Cinema is an arthouse cinema based in the North East of the UK showing the best films from around the world. It also acts as a showcase for regional film-makers as well as training upwards of 6,000 adults and children each year in filmmaking skills. This case study by David Dixon, was first published ... Read more

In 2000 the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) unveiled an ambitious project to refurbish the Royal Scottish Academy Building and to build an underground link adjacent to the National Gallery of Scotland. The project was partly funded by the Scottish Executive and Heritage Lottery Fund with the remaining funds raised through a capital appeal. This case study ... Read more

The Tyneside Cinema is the North East of England’s full-time independent, first-run specialised cultural cinema and cross art form venue. As part of its fundraising activity to raise £1.3 million to expand the venue, Tyneside Cinema introduced a 20p ticket donation to each transaction over the period of this one year appeal.

Founded in 2002, Elephant Family is the leading UK conservation charity dedicated to saving the Asian elephant from extinction in the wild. This case study describes how Elephant Family uses engaging events to raise funds and awareness at the same time.  Elephant Parade (2010), Jungle City (2011), The Big Egg Hunt London (2012) and The Big ... Read more

Britten Sinfonia is the UK’s flagship chamber orchestra. In 2010 the orchestra launched a nine-month campaign called ‘A Tenner for a Tenor’ with the aim to generate support for a commission from acclaimed British composer Jonathan Dove, for a chamber ensemble and solo tenor voice. It was the first time Britten Sinfonia had used a ... Read more

Spitalfields Music asks ticket bookers to its Summer and Winter Festivals to donate the value of a ticket when they buy their own ticket – effectively buy one ticket and donate one. Money generated through this scheme is used to offer free tickets to local residents who could not otherwise afford a ticket. The value ... Read more

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (BCMG) is one of Europe’s leading ensembles – performing new and 20th century music, and regularly commissioning new works from living composers from the UK and abroad.  Over 20 years ago the BCMG launched its ‘Sound Investment’ scheme that allows people to invest in the commissioning costs of new work. Since 1991 ... Read more