Our annual report 2020-21
In another challenging year, Creative Partnerships Australia has worked closely with the arts sector adjusting our programs to meet the needs of a sector in crisis; adapting our events and resources for the online environment and providing support for those affected by the pandemic. Read the messages from our CEO, Fiona Menzies and our Chair, Catherine Walter AM.
- More than $4.4 million donated to the Australian Cultural Fund
- More than 470 coaching and advice sessions held with arts organisations
- 25 professional development events delivered online and around Australia
- 449 fundraising campaigns completed through the Australian Cultural Fund
- 16 arts organisations have been selected for mentorships with sector leaders through LIFT mentoring programs
- More than $3.06 million invested into the arts sector through Plus1
- More than $416,000 invested into the arts sector through MATCH Lab
- Creative Partnerships Awards presented to nine exemplary individuals across the arts, philanthropy and business from South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia
This year 490 Australian artists and arts organisations registered a campaign through the Australian Cultural Fund, an increase on 2019/20. They received over $4.4 million in donations, exceeding our 2020/21 target by 10%.
8,788 art lovers, philanthropists, and trusts and foundations donated $4.4 million through the Australian Cultural Fund, of which 6,924 were first-time donors.
Read more about the Australian Cultural Fund.
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.
This year there were 39 organisations that completed the Plus1 program. Creative Partnerships contributed $1,108,020 in matched funding for projects from chamber music to children’s theatre, contemporary dance and literature. The 39 organisations raised over $1.95 million.
A total of $262,713 was raised by 34 artists in our MATCH Lab program, attracting support from 1,215 donors. With Creative Partnerships’ matched funding of $154,131, more than $416,000 was invested into the arts sector through these campaigns.
Read more about our funding programs.
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.
This year, we reimagined our approach to sector development initiatives and events to respond to the constraints of the pandemic, while still delivering essential capacity building programs.
As online offerings took the place of face-to-face programs, our Fundamentals of Arts Fundraising workshops became an increasingly important digital resource. An event exploring the Ethics of Arts Partnerships became an online panel discussion, and we leaned into new ways of sharing information and delivering events.
Creative Partnerships worked closely with The Treasury to provide an online economic briefing to the arts sector, sharing the financial outcomes of the pandemic and providing insight into the path forward. Our online sector development offering culminated in the Knowledge Series, a suite of webinars that brought together experts from across Australia and overseas to present best practice methods in fundraising and explore fresh and innovative ideas in seeking private sector support.
Read more about sector development.
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. Developed to glean insights into philanthropy, sponsorship, partnerships, and investment in the arts, the aim of this annual survey is to track quantitative data and sentiment related to private sector support over time.
Creative Partnerships supported the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG) Tracking Changes in Corporate Sponsorship and Donations, an annual report that provides observations and insights into key trends in the fundraising of major performing arts companies. While the results of this report show minor increases in donations and sponsorship in 2019, it forecasts a predicted reduction in private sector support for the arts in 2020 that would see overall income for these major companies falling back to lower than 2015/16 levels.
Read more about our research, trends and insights into private giving.
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.
We congratulate the 2020 winners and thank them for their exceptional contribution to the arts:
S Baillieu Myer AC and Sarah Myer
Arts Visionary Award
Lady Potter AC
Arts Visionary Award
Maureen Wheeler AO and Tony Wheeler AO
Philanthropy Leadership Award
Andy Penn
Business Leadership Award
Alexandra Burt
Emerging Philanthropy Leadership Award
Neil Armfield AO and Rachel Healy
Arts Leadership Award
Read more about the Creative Partnership Awards.
Read our full Annual Report 2020-21 (PDF).