Cultural Philanthropy Roundtable: Lincoln

RSA Roundtable 7^th March 2012 Notes

Attendees

John Aspill                                           Liminal State Theatre

Sharon Canning                                   Ermine Street Project

Phil Cosker                                          Lincoln Arts Trust Ltd

Richard Erwin-Jones                            Cultivate

Tom Freemantle                                  Woodard Schools Group

Simon Hollingworth                             Lincoln Drill Hall

Charles Kenyon

Elaine Knight                                       artsNK

Nigel Lowthrop                                    Hill Holt Wood

Craig Morrow                                      LPAC

Vanessa Rawlings-Jackson                 Cultivate

Caroline Southard

Peter Robinson                                    RSA

Claire White                                        West Lindsey District Council

Thirzah Wildman                                 University of Lincoln

Reasons for coming to the event:

See what regional meetings are like - Fundraising for small charities

Their role is to promote arts scene in North Kesteven

-          How can Private companies & Local authorities build on private giving

How philanthropy can work in programming

Encouraging support for arts funders

Crowdfunding – buzzbank.org

Creativity and arts. Connecting business with arts – bring this attitude to funding

How to demonstrate social impact and justification for the arts

-          How to change the thinking

ROI – philanthropic investment - Crowd funding for artist studio

Making things happen with funding - Plaque schemes

Looking for philanthropists

Provocation

UK arts is predominantly funded through the public purse

-          Example: 48% public funds; 48% income; 4% giving

Importance of relationship with Philanthropist

Affinity with giver

Collaborative working

• Open communication as demonstrated in Lincoln
• Santa Fe Model –New Mexico Museums Foundation http://www.museumfoundation.org
  • Santa Fe – 3500 members $30 each
  • Circles of givers, across area and amount given
  •  Option to specify area of interest

• How could this work?
  • Possible cross-organisation fundraising
  • Common mission of consortium
  • Needs agreement on how it will work
  • Geographical pulling together
  • Scale – small organisations working together
  • Clear purpose – members or friends of consortium
  • How can resources be pulled together?

• Lack of philanthropy in regions
  • Is there any point of Philanthropy in regions?
  • All happening in London?
  • 81% of private giving in London

• Pilot analysis on propensity to give
  • Indicated geographical affinity areas – and effect on strategy
  • All chasing same pound?
  • Now sharing data
  • Pull together expertise
  • What we don’t know?

Definition of Philanthropy

• Love of mankind
• People give to the people
• Issue chasing funding
• Connect benefactors – put in touch
• Not faceless form filling
• Bad at asking
• US – get your cheque books out
• Sponsorship too transactional
• Friends schemes
• Who you know – right people
• ‘LOVE’ – example – small organisations together – collective
• Social ROI

• How do you articulate message?
  • Heart strings
  • Can the arts do it well?
• Resources – how much have you brought in?
• Time effort instead of cash
• Role of volunteers – calculate cash equivalent
• Give, get or get off
• Pilot social accounting
  • Stories – life changing amounts
  • 500 reports distributed
  • Investment house
  • Money ‘sweating-  sustainable
  • Define the offer and the return
  • Keep the offer open – negotiate; be flexible
  • MMM now looking at investment funding

• Trading arm
• • Need to have a clear elevator pitch, keep it fun

• Philanthropy is about ‘Getting a reward on earth’ & ‘Gift to myself’
• • Calculate the value of volunteers
  • Cause – central lobby
  • Geographical - different causes
  • Globe Theatre had a successful campaign with Woodland Trust

Ethics

• Losing control
• Political issues
• Robust policies – ethics committee
• Associations with regimes
• Drug company investment
• Concerns around Art reflecting the investment
• Legal
• RSC – turned down cigarette sponsorship
• Nottingham Playhouse – concerns around Brewery sponsoring
• How much can you know about a giver?
• Holistic investment
• Rich patrons
• Capturing attention
• Conscience money

Small Gifts

• Crowd funding typically up to 2k
  • 6% success rate on email requests to mailing list
  • £10 gift, £20 gift,  invitation to launch parties, credit on site etc
• Love of mankind
• When does fundraising stop and philanthropy start?
• Fundraiser for a charity
• PO4 – US school funds
• Tax breaks? Could they work like in US
• US community system – what makes America different? Historically everyone gave
• UK – new money not used to giving
• The Ask – confidence
• Givers not aware of the causes

• Elevator pitch – need a hook
• Big givers – float in same circles
• How do you break social barriers?
• New wealth – Victorian times
• Arts is a creative medium
  • so be creative in raising funds
  • Passion, focus and ingenuity
• Edinburgh – raised money for statue of a poet
• Connection – communication – not a cold call – what’s the hook
• Identify donors who give to London but live in your part of the country
• Ask for publicity after they have given – to encourage others to give.