Arts Quarter Launches 2012 Philanthropy in the Arts Report
26th April 2012
Agenda implementation failing to inspire the arts - yet
To download a summary of findings, please click here
To request a copy of the full report free of charge, please click here
Arts Quarter has announced the findings from its survey of arts organisations, asking them to comment on the effectiveness of Government and various agencies to deliver on the Philanthropy in the Arts Agenda - a set of 10 landmark proposals launched in December 2010 by Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt to improve levels of private sector giving to the arts.
In all, some 361 arts organisations of all scales, regions and art forms took part and shared their concerns via an online survey which was conducted from 20th February - 16th March 2012.
Key Findings:
 Of the 13 key elements unpacked out of the 10 point plan laid out by Hunt in December 2010, arts organisations believe that only three have been delivered on any degree of scale likely to benefit the sector namely in building fundraising skills in the sector, promoting legacy giving and defining and launching a matched funding programme.
Of the Catalyst programme - one of the key areas of the Agenda launched in the past year to support organisations deliver higher levels of support for themselves, respondents question whether this key initiative will actually deliver on its key objectives of improving fundraising capacity and delivering greater levels of support - independently from the other Agenda objectives..
On the issue of tax reforms - our survey was conducted prior to the Budget and so does not take in to consideration proposals to cap taxable allowances on donations. However, of the tax measures already being implemented so as to incentivise giving to the arts, less than 10% of respondents believed that these will have any significant impact on giving to the arts over the next three years - a position most likely to be significantly reduced in light of proposals as set out in the Budget.
On the Legacy10 Campaign, a further key element of the Agenda and cornerstone of activities to promote higher levels of giving through gifts in wills, only 27% of repondents stated that they knew of the Campaign and its goals. Only 20% of respondents believe it will have a significant impact on raising levels of giving through wills over the next ten years.
On other issues related to the Agenda and to organisations improving their own capacities to generate higher levels of support:
At a time when senior volunteer support and appreciation of fundraising will become increasingly vital to arts organisations, 80% of our respondents overall were able to cite some degree of fundraising appreciation and engagement in strategy setting within their Boards of Trustees. Actual proactive engagement in fundraising approaches is significantly lower at this time with only 10% of respondents able to state that all of their Trustees play a role in approaching potential supporters. On Trustees giving, 27% of respondents reported some degree of giving by some of theirTrustees with just 11% in total able to report giving by all of their Trustees.
Similarly, at a time when private sector fundraising will be at its most prolific within the sector, articulating an effective and cogent case to potential funders - the Case for Support - is a critical part of the fundraising process. Its messages lie at the heart of all fundraising activities by staff and volunteers and ensure that all involved in fundraising are able to speak with one voice. In our survey, 42% of our respondents in the £500,000 a year turnover or less category stated that no such case exists within their organisations while in other categories, up to 30% of organisations admitted that no such fundraising case exists at this time.
Our survey findings also show significant intentions by the arts to engage in higher levels of giving from individuals both in terms of volume and scale over the coming three years with the greatest levels of growth expected to take place from 2013/14. As an example, by 2014/15 just 3% of museum respondents do not see themselves engaging in high net worth individual fundraising alongside just 7% of music, opera and dance companies.
Finally at a time when organisations are looking to diversify private sector revenues as best they can, our survey looked in detail at the current state of legacy giving to the arts independently from our questioning around the Legacy10 Campaign. Legacy marketing by arts organisations and as a consequence legacy giving to the arts continues to remain low. Only 28% of respondents reported actively promoting legacies to supporters with 27% overall reporting receiving legacies in the last three years - demonstrating clearly the direct relationship between legacy marketing and legacy giving.
John Nicholls, Managing Partner of Arts Quarter commented,
'From December 2010, following the announcement of the Philanthropy in the Arts Agenda by Jeremy Hunt, the arts community has been preparing itself for a significant period of change and looking to capitalise on the aspirations of the Agenda to recalibrate their business models to embrace higher levels of giving from the private sector. While the process of implementation of Hunt's 10 point Agenda has begun, it seems clear that the arts feel there there is a great deal more that needs to be done to ensure its timely transition to securing greater levels of giving.
Arts organisations too, need to endeavour to do more to develop their fundraising capacities - albeit, we recognise with limited capacities to do so. The sector will simply fail to capture the interest of individual donors if it cannot state clearly its own need for support. Moreover, opportunities are being lost to diversify revenues over the medium term by the arts failing to engage even in low impact legacy marketing.
Together - arts organisations and Government must do more in the coming year to increase levels of giving.'
A full copy of Implementation of the Philanthropy in the Arts Agenda - Findings from the 2012 Arts Quarter Survey can be obtained free of charge from info@artsquarter.co.uk
|
