Theatres, orchestras, museums, symphonies, ballets, and other performing arts organizations have long paired galas and live events with an online giving component. Here are our favorite strategies for making that digital piece work harder and connecting more deeply with your donors in the process.
Create a Virtual Experience Incorporating Your Performers
Your artists are your best ambassadors and often the main draw for patrons. If they are open to participating in a virtual performance or interview session, consider building a fundraiser around their involvement. Even better, make them the centerpiece of your next gala.
Offer a virtual meet-and-greet with cast or ensemble members as an auction item or golden raffle prize. Bringing patrons into the artists’ world creates genuine enthusiasm and opens the door to giving without applying pressure.
Host a Wine Tasting or Happy Hour
Hosting a virtual wine tasting or happy hour is simpler than you think. All you need is a video platform and a way to collect donations. This is a fundraiser, after all.
Virtual tastings typically involve coordinating wine sample pick-up in advance and booking a sommelier with experience leading remote sessions. Prefer to keep it in-person? You likely already have the perfect venue. Either format can also be offered as a sign-up party option through your event fundraising platform, giving donors a fun, low-pressure reason to participate.
Collect Membership Fees Online
Create a virtual membership tier and invite your supporters to join or renew online at any time. Offer exclusive access to events, priority meet-and-greets, and unique experiences as incentives.
This approach is especially effective for capturing donors who are ready to give now but might not engage with an annual renewal cycle. It also doubles as a recurring giving pathway.
Hold a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Fundraiser or Voting Contest
Peer-to-peer (P2P) campaigns and voting competitions let your performers’ networks and your patrons’ communities rally together around your mission. Run a P2P campaign on its own or weave it into your gala; just make sure you lean into the competition. That’s what makes these campaigns successful.
By moving your P2P event or voting contest online, you remove geographical barriers and increase participation. Encourage individuals to sign up from anywhere, expanding your reach beyond your local audience.
- P2P Campaign: Burlingame Community Education Foundation Read-a-Thon
- P2P Campaign: ICU Baby Hope Parade
- Voting Contest: Meels on Wheels New Mexico Celebrity Waiters Event
- Voting Contest: St. Mary’s Virtual Dance Contest
Set Up Recurring Giving to Allow for Smaller Donations That Add Up Over Time
Recurring giving lets donors contribute a smaller amount each month — and those amounts add up. It’s one of the best tools for re-engaging donors who give infrequently, and it can also serve as an alternative pathway to membership for supporters who prefer a subscription-style commitment.
By reducing the friction of giving, recurring programs keep your most invested supporters engaged year-round — without requiring them to make a large one-time decision.
Online fundraising isn’t a replacement for the in-person experiences your patrons love; it’s an extension of them.
Whether you’re streaming a performer meet-and-greet, launching a peer-to-peer campaign, or simply making it easier to give on a recurring basis, each of these strategies helps you meet donors where they are and deepen their connection to your organization. Start with one approach that fits your audience and your capacity, build on what works, and don’t be afraid to experiment. The arts thrive on creativity; your fundraising can too.
