Our annual report 2019-20

Our annual report for 2019-20 outlines key achievements and outcomes as we foster a culture of private giving to grow a more sustainable, vibrant and ambitious arts sector for all Australians.

Creative Partnerships Australia has had an impactful year in a time of unforeseen challenges, from bush fires to the industry hardships experienced through COVID-19. Through this, we continued to support the Australian arts sector to secure private investment through our expertise, programs and resources. Read the messages from Chair, Catherine Walter AM and CEO, Fiona Menzies.

At a glance

We invested more than $6.55 million to the arts sector through the Australian Cultural Fund and our matched funding programs.

Australian Cultural Fund

This year more than $4.65 million was donated to the Australian Cultural Fund, with 442 campaigns supported through our online fundraising platform and a 35% increase from 2018/19 on the average sum raised by each completed campaign.

The highest amount raised by a single completed campaign was $625,250, with more artists and arts organisations using the platform to raise significant funds through major campaigns than ever before.

Read more about the Australian Cultural Fund.

Funding Programs

Our matched funding programs help independent artists and small to medium arts organisations boost their fundraising, secure new donors and partnerships, and strengthen their networks to reach their artistic goals through sustainable funding models and practice.

The coronavirus pandemic introduced an uncertain fundraising environment for many Australian artists and arts organisations, with a number of our 2019/20 Plus1 and MATCH Lab matched funding recipients electing to extend their fundraising campaigns to the second half of 2020,.

A total of 19 arts organisations raised $1.10 million through Plus1 fundraising campaigns and combined with $214,430 of our matched funding, over 1.69 million was invested into the arts sector. 10 independent artists raised over $127,000 through their MATCH Lab fundraising that we matched with over $87,000.

In response to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Creative Partnerships Australia partnered with Theatre Network Australia and National Association for the Visual Arts to provide critical support to Australian artists who were directed affected by loss of income. Through this initiative, Creative Partnerships Australia provided over $190,000 in funding support through COVID-19 response grants that matched funds from 65 donors to Theatre Network Australia’s 1000 x 1000: Crisis Cash for Artists campaign and National Association for the Visual Arts’ Artists Benevolent Fund.

Read more about our funding programs.

Sector Development

Our sector development activity builds a more knowledgeable, confident and sustainable arts sector through supporting the arts fundraising profession and inspiring an all of organisation approach to securing private sector support.

In late 2019 Creative Partnerships Australia launched the digital suite of our popular Fundamentals of Arts Fundraising workshop, providing greater access to fundraisers from communities across Australia. This year we delivered 8 professional development events to over 600 people, including masterclasses, presentations and panel discussions. Our state managers continued to provide one-on-one advice, delivering more than 600 coaching and mentoring sessions to arts organisations around Australia. We partnered with not-for-profit and arts organisations across the sector amplifying our capacity to facilitate and celebrate private sector support for the arts, complemented by a suite of online programs and resources.

Read more about sector development.

Research, Trends and Insights

In October 2019 we launched our first sector-wide survey of private sector support for the arts, providing insights into philanthropy, sponsorship, partnerships and investment in the arts, Giving Attitude.

We supported the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG) in the release of their annual survey Tracking Changes in Corporate Sponsorship and Donations, providing key observations and trends into the fundraising of major performing arts companies. This report showed an increase in of 13.2% in private sector support to major companies to a total of $101.7 million in 2019.

Read more about our research, trends and insights into private giving.

Creative Partnerships Awards

The Creative Partnerships Awards celebrate exemplary individuals from Australia’s philanthropy, business and arts sectors who show leadership in private giving, philanthropy and business partnerships with the arts. This year we introduced a new category, awarded at the Board’s discretion, the Arts Visionary Award.

We congratulate the 2019 winners and thank them for their exceptional contribution to the arts:

John Kaldor AO
Arts Visionary Award

John Gandel AC and Pauline Gandel AC
Philanthropy Leadership Award

Helen Carroll
Business Leadership Award

Ian Kew
Business Leadership Award

Dr Terry Wu
Emerging Philanthropy Leadership Award

David McCallister AM
Arts Leadership Award

Read more about the Creative Partnership Awards.

Read our full Annual Report 2019-20 (PDF).