Performing Arts Sponsorships and Special Projects | ArtsFund
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Sponsorships and Special Projects
Given that ArtsFund’s primary mission is raising and responsibly allocating general operating dollars, our first choice in any conversation with a new or returning donor is to encourage a gift to our current campaign. We have found that some companies have only marketing dollars available with which they must sponsor events, and some foundations have their own grant making system and do not give to collaborative funding organizations. We also know that every dollar we can find to defray our own operating expenses, especially those associated with events, is a dollar we can allocate. Therefore, we work to find companies and individuals to underwrite the expenses of our events, services we provide such as our Board Leadership Training program, and special projects such as refurbishment of The Century Building, which is our permanent home and a revenue source.
Event Sponsorships
ArtsFund has a long-standing tradition of featuring only one sponsor for each of our events and setting our sponsorship prices as close to break-even as possible. Our goal is to provide the maximum benefit for our sponsors in the form of an exclusive presence in front of the highly-desirable demographic groups that attend ArtsFund events. Please review our entire sponsorship “menu” that is linked below and contact Annemarie Scalzo {annemaries@artsfund.org, 206.788.3049}, Annual Giving Manager, to discuss how sponsoring an event can help position your company while simultaneously supporting the region’s diverse arts.
Special Projects
The second part of ArtsFund’s mission statement declares that in addition to raising and responsibly allocating funds, we also strengthen the arts in the region by “advocating for all the arts.” We define advocacy broadly and the work takes several forms, some of which requires specific financial support. Our list of special projects for which we are seeking help changes from time to time so if you are interested, it is always best to contact Mike Woodman {mikew@artsfund.org; 206.788.3045} for full information. The following current projects are presented in descending priority order.
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1. Matching funds to spur employee giving.
United arts funds in some cities have been conducting workplace-based giving drives since their founding and raise more through those efforts than ArtsFund raises from all our sources. The tradition of supporting the arts in this manner is as firmly entrenched in these cities as United Way is here. ArtsFund aspires to duplicate the success of Cincinnati (over $5 million a year in workplace giving donations) or Milwaukee (roughly $2 million in 2007) and we believe offering employees a 1:1 or greater match would generate the excitement needed. Please contact Mike Woodman {mikew@artsfund.org or 206.788.3044}, ArtsFund’s Director of Individual and Workplace Giving, to explore this opportunity.
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2. Funds for distribution to support arts education programs.
ArtsFund began serving donors’ interest in directly supporting arts education programs in 2001 in response to a request from Wells Fargo. Since then, Bank of America, WaMu, and Comcast have asked that special questions be added to ArtsFund’s applications and interviews so that a portion of their annual grants may be directed to arts education. Smaller donors for whom it is not important that their names be attached to the distribution of their gifts are welcome to add their dollars to the arts education purposes served by these funds:
- Wells Fargo Cultural Education Enhancement Fund – provides general support to the highest caliber arts education programs as determined by ArtsFund’s allocations committees.
- Bank of America Student Arts Access Fund – reimburses schools for costs associated with students attending offsite arts performances or visiting exhibitions.
- Comcast Student Arts Access Fund – enables South Sound students to attend exhibitions and performances by paying direct costs.
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3. TakePartInArt.org.
Where we stand in the process of re-developing the TakePartInArt.org website will depend on when you are reading this. Eventually, TakePartInArt.org will serve as the central place for the community to explore, debate and engage in the arts. At this writing, the site’s design and architecture is complete and we are seeking funds to breathe life into these plans. Please contact Dwight Gee {dwight@artsfund.org or 206.788.3042}, ArtsFund’s Executive Vice President, if you have technical questions or Mike Woodman {mikew@artsfund.org; 206.788.3045} if you are interested in making a gift directed to this.
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4. Economic Impact study.
Since 1993, ArtsFund has conducted comprehensive economic impact studies of arts and heritage organizations at about five year intervals. These studies have been heavily used and highly regarded. Not only do they provide a detailed picture of arts activity at a defined point in time but due to their consistent replication, they document a meaningful and exciting trend line of the growth of the arts in this region. It has been five years since the last study so it is therefore time for ArtsFund to undertake another survey so as to maintain the value and usefulness of all prior data by adding the next chapter. Unique to this effort, we have an opportunity to contribute information which will be of great importance in the effort to establish the Prosperity Partnership’s Cultural Access Fund – Arts to Zoos. The existing studies have been indispensable items in the toolkits of Arts organization managers and advocates. They routinely use aggregate results of the studies in fundraising and in promoting increased public support for the arts. Please contact Dwight Gee {dwight@artsfund.org or 206.788.3042} if you have technical questions or Mike Woodman {mikew@artsfund.org; 206.788.3045} if you are interested in making a gift directed to this.
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5. ArtSmart.
ArtsFund is committed to expanding use of curriculum-linked arts education programs provided by qualified nonprofit arts groups to reach uniformly vastly greater numbers of underserved students. This will require first a well-conceived and realized partnership between arts organizations and public schools, followed by sufficient funding. During the Spring and Summer of 2008, ArtsFund will be compiling information to support the Board making a decision as to whether there is a role for this organization to play in assuring the consistent provision of high quality, integrated arts education. Should the ArtsFund Board decide to go forward with an initiative, we will then begin aggressive fund-raising to support it. Please contact Dwight Gee {dwight@artsfund.org or 206.788.3042} or Mike Woodman{mikew@artsfund.org; 206.788.3045} if you are interested in learning more about this initiative or securing a copy of the report when it is complete.
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