Galas and Fundraising Events

July 11, 2023

This article is related to a recently completed custom research project ABA conducted on behalf of an opera member. Our research team is always delighted to speak with members about tailoring research projects to your organization. To learn more or submit a custom research request, simply contact your member advisor or email us at info@advisoryarts.com. 

As organizations have resumed in-person galas, many have taken an opportunity to reassess which elements of fundraising events to retain and which to cut. Questions about staff sustainability, appetite for on-site fundraising, consistency with DEIA principles, and more have led to changes across the arts field in how these celebrations are organized.

We interviewed 7 performing arts organizations across the U.S. who have made recent changes to gala structures to understand what worked and what lessons they learned.

Some key findings from the report include:

• Overall, organizations have gone back to in-person gala events, but have maintained online fundraising options (i.e., online silent auctions).

• More conventional galas with sit-down dinners tend to welcome more traditional guests, like donors and board members, while departures from the classic model attracts more first-time visitors.

• Day-of fundraising activities remain prevalent in most galas, but the mix of those activities varies based on fundraising goals and staff capacities. In particular, paddle raises are decreasing in popularity across organizations.

• Managing board expectations around their own accountability to fundraising is a challenge for many organizations — creating clear guidelines for committee participation can help.

Members can download the full research below.