Arts Education and Giving

When looking at the arts in aggregate, individuals account for 70% of all giving. When looking at arts education, the number is even higher. The challenge for collegiate and university fundraisers becomes the fact that our arts alumni are not typically our higher income earners. That said, for performance arts, I do have the benefit of patronage and community members who make lifestyle gifts to ensure high quality programming. With my responsibility for the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and our new Voxman Music Building, I have had to innovate in my approach to fundraising. With the School of Music, I have focused on “collective generosity” with many alumni combining their gifts to seek recognition in memory or honor of beloved teachers and mentors. This more effort intensive, but does allow me to leverage strong sentimental attachment and commitment in raising money. In terms of the Workshop, I am looking outside my alumni circle and appealing to “proud Iowans” and voracious readers. This appeal to prestige has been reinforced with strong commitment from University leadership, including our President, Sally Mason, and the UI Foundation President and CEO, Lynette Marshall