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All fundraising ideas
Arts and culture fundraising ideas
From gallery openings to youth music programs, fundraising for the arts is all about connection—and a touch of creative magic. These campaigns don’t just raise money; they tell stories, spark emotion, and invite supporters into something bigger.
Whether you're looking for theatre-specific ideas or fresh ways to fund your arts and culture organizations, these arts and culture fundraising ideas inspire creativity and help your mission take center stage.
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Raffle
Ask your sponsors and community members to donate items or experiences, then raffle them off! The sky’s the limit when it comes to raffle ticket prizes: gift baskets, movie tickets, artwork—anything your community members will love.
Just be sure to check your state laws regarding raffles before you start planning!
Cost:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/raffle
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Color run
Spray participants with brightly colored powder along the course of your charity fun run. By the end, runners will be rainbow-ed! Set up a photo booth at the finish line for selfies, and encourage donations on social media via a scan-to-donate code.
Cost:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/color-run
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Peer-to-peer
Ugly sweater run
Get festive by encouraging supporters to wear their ugliest holiday sweater for a fun run! Use peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage participants to set a donation goal and spread the word—along with photos of them in their ugly regalia. Offer a special award for the “best” dressed.
Cost:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/ugly-sweater-5k
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Peer-to-peer
Shoe-decorating
Source an array of paints and art supplies and invite community members to make a donation and bring a pair of sneakers to paint together for your good cause.
To create a seamless event experience, set up custom ticket types, like an upsell ticket that provides a pair of shoes. Make sure to add a custom question to get the right shoe size!
To create a seamless event experience, set up custom ticket types, like an upsell ticket that provides a pair of shoes. Make sure to add a custom question to get the right shoe size!
Cost:
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Effort:
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Impact:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/shoe-decorating
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Auctions
High heels walk
Instead of a 5k, organize a high heels walk down a “runway” of your choice. Challenge supporters to see who can raise the most funds leading up to the event through peer-to-peer fundraising—and who can rock the best look. Encourage your supporters to personalize their pages to attract more donations!
Cost:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/high-heels-walk
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Peer-to-peer
Auction your time or skills
Ask supporters to volunteer their special skills, then auction their time and expertise to the highest bidder!
Streamline the whole experience with the help of free auction software. Add and categorize items, manage bids, and your bidders can get real-time updates on what’s happening.
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/auction-your-time-or-skills
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Events
Community potluck dinner
Invite each person to contribute a dish and invite at least two people to join your dinner. To keep everything organized, customize your fundraising page or donation form so participants can note what dish they’re bringing when they RSVP—and make a contribution to your campaign.
Cost:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/community-potluck-dinner
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Fashion show
Host a fashion show that showcases talented local designers, fashion students, or both! Make it inclusive and invite people of all sizes and abilities to be your models.
At this fundraising event, you can bring in donations by charging entrance fees, selling food and drinks, and adding a silent auction.
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/fashion-show
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Pages & forms
Teen film festival
Invite teens to showcase their own short films and charge admission to audience members. In order to cast a vote for their favorite films, supporters must give a donation to the film’s/filmmaker’s team fundraising page. Watch the results roll in on the live leaderboard and offer awards for the best film winners in various categories.
Cost:
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Impact:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/teen-film-festival
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Peer-to-peer
Art festival
Secure a large space, reach out to local artists, and charge an entrance fee to your very own art festival. Check-in attendees and accept payments at the door and use scan-to-donate to encourage additional in-person donations throughout the event.
Cost:
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Effort:
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Impact:
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Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/art-festival
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Used book sale
Reserve a space and ask your community to donate their gently used books for a cause. Set a price for each book and use scan-to-donate or Venmo to easily accept payments on the spot.
Cost:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/used-book-sale
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Membership drive
Incentivize supporters to invite friends and family to sign up for a membership during a specific period of time. Offer discounted rates or additional perks, and accept recurring donations on a monthly or annual basis.
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Impact:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/membership-drive
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Drag show
Sell tickets for a night of performances by local drag artists and musicians (with food and drinks available, too!).
Manage your event ticketing, check in your attendees, and accept additional donations in person with easy fundraisng event software.
Cost:
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Effort:
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Impact:
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Examples
https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/drag-show
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Pride-themed merch sale
Design and sell pride-themed merchandise such as t-shirts, buttons, stickers, and flags. To drum up excitement, create a custom donation form, event, or fundraising page that includes images of the available items.
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pride-themed-merch-sale
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Pet picture day
Ask a photographer in your area to volunteer to take pictures of pets and their owners at a local park. Customize your fundraising event page with time-slotted tickets to make the day run smoothly.
Cost:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/pet-picture-day
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Photography walk
Invite a photographer to host a tour around the local area, taking in the sights of the season. Sell tickets in advance and use an easy mobile app to check in guests and take any last-minute payments on the day of.
Cost:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/photography-walk
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Events
Holiday market
Ring in the festive season with your own holiday market. Invite stallholders to participate for a small fee and raise funds through selling refreshments, merch, and game tickets.
Use engaging fundraising event features to make it an enjoyable experience for all—with easy online ticket sales, on-the-spot donations, and more.
Use engaging fundraising event features to make it an enjoyable experience for all—with easy online ticket sales, on-the-spot donations, and more.
Cost:
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Effort:
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Impact:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/holiday-market
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Pages & forms
Literary pub crawl
Each stop on this bar-hopping adventure features readings or performances inspired by famous works of literature related to a given theme—poems, books, plays, you name it!
To take this fundraising event further, arrange to have each watering hole feature a special cocktail or brew (with some non-alcoholic beverages in the mix!) to match your theme.
To take this fundraising event further, arrange to have each watering hole feature a special cocktail or brew (with some non-alcoholic beverages in the mix!) to match your theme.
Cost:
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Effort:
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Impact:
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Examples
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https://givebutter.com/fundraising-idea/literary-pub-crawl
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Events
Looks like we don’t have any fundraising ideas matching that criteria 🔎
We're always cooking up new ideas, so check back soon for fresh picks!
Dive into our list of best fundraising ideas in the meantime
Get top features for your arts fundraiser
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Frequently asked questions
How do you plan a fundraising event for the arts?
Choose a format that highlights your art—like a gallery opening, student showcase, or interactive class. Set a fundraising goal, recruit volunteers, promote widely, and include donation options like ticket sales, raffles, or an online donation page.
What are the most profitable fundraisers for the arts?
The most profitable fundraising campaigns typically have low costs, high engagement, and the potential for recurring support. Some top-performing fundraising activities include:
- Peer-to-peer fundraising 🤝 Empower supporters to fundraise on your behalf by creating and sharing personal donation pages with their friends and family.
- Silent auctions 🎟️ Secure donated auction items and experiences, then award them to the highest bidders in a silent or live auction.
- Matching gift campaigns 💰 Partner with businesses to match donations and reach your fundraising goals faster than ever.
- Recurring giving programs 🔄 Offer the option for monthly or yearly donations directly on your fundraiser page.
How do you run a successful arts and culture fundraiser?
Fundraising for arts and culture programs can take many forms, from selling artwork to hosting one-of-a-kind events that bring together artists and the local community. Here are some engaging ideas:
- Art auctions 🎨 An art auction is the fundraising idea to top them all! Collect donated artwork from local artists and auction them off in-person or online.
- Community mural projects 🏙️ Allow donors to sponsor sections of a mural to fund community arts programs.
- Crowdfunding 🚀 Use Givebutter to create a donation page and tell your story with compelling images and videos.
- Art shows 🖼️ Sell tickets or ask for donations to showcase local talent.
- Workshops and classes ✏️ People love to learn! Raise funds by teaching art techniques or offering exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences.
- Shows 🎭 One of the best ways to nail performing arts fundraising is by hosting a live performance for supporters to attend! Shows make a fantastic theater fundraising idea, too.
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