VSA arts of Colorado - AMLI Presentation Proposal

SESSION TITLE AND LEVEL:  Developing a Special Event that Raises Awareness and Dollars.  Level Intermediate.

PRESENTER(S) NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION:  Damon McLeese, Executive Director VSA arts Colorado.  (303) 777-0797.  

TYPE OF SESSION:  Workshop

SESSION STRAND:  Organization Strength

SESSION TRACK:  Affiliate and/or Board

SESSION DESCRIPTION:  In tough economic times Special Events take on an increasingly important part of our overall fundraising goals.  VSA arts Colorado has hosted a special Fine Art Auction to raise money and awareness of our programs.  We have netted between $10,000 and $20,000.  Last year we had 350 people attend and sold 63 of 75 items.  Our most successful event was in the fall of 2002, at a time when the economy in Colorado was at it's worst in 20 years.  VSA arts of Colorado combines the dual goal of raising awareness and raising money.  We accomplish this event with minimum underwriting.  This session is designed to show how we have built on our success each year and to teach you the mistakes we made and how to avoid them.

CONTENT DESCRIPTION:  Step by step approach of putting on a fine art auction.  We will discuss the need for a steering committee, selecting artists, selecting location, marketing and underwriting.  We will track the progression over the 4 years we have done the event and the changes we made along the way and why.  We will also discuss and strategize how to showcase the VSA programs and the artists we serve.  We will also discuss strategies to contain costs of food, drink and marketing.  We have averaged 300 people at each of our events and have never paid for food.  Strategies for targeting the art buying market will be discussed.  Early on we recognized artists are always hit up to donate pieces to auctions like this and by donating the pieces, artists actually take a loss.  We have developed a strategy that offers to split the price of the sold item with them.  We end up with better art, they end up with some money for their piece, and our patrons end up with a great bargain.

TWO LEARNER OUTCOMES:  Participants will learn how to feed 300 people for less than $500.  Participants will learn how to set up a silent auction that works for everyone involved.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION:  Four years of developing this project.  VSA arts Colorado has taken care to learn and grow each year.  We have tracked our sales, our costs and our profits for four years.  We have learned a lot through trial and error and feel we have one of the best auctions in Denver.
