Record-high $95.7 million in private donations to performing arts as more donors come aboard

Private donations to Australia’s major performing arts sector grew by 15.2% to a record $95.7 million in 2016, according to the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG).

This constituted an extra $12.6 million, according to the 2017 AMPAG Tracking Survey.

Each year it looks at figures covering donations, corporate sponsorship and fundraising events for the sector.

AMPAG Executive Director Bethwyn Serow pointed out, “The growth revealed by this year’s survey represents the largest percentage increase since 2011.

“This result is a clear indication of the extent to which both the corporate sector and individual donors continue to value their engagement with the performing arts.”

Of the sector, music generated the most amount of donations to $33 million, up by 13.9%.

Theatre made $25.1 million after a rose of 12%. Dance was $23.4 million (up 9.4%) while was $14.2 million although it registered the highest growth of 38%.

Victoria was the state with the largest rise (21%) followed by NSW (20.7%).

Both Federal and state governments have been persuading the sector to be financially more self-sufficient.

Government funding only marks only 28% of core funding, with a further 3% from grants for specific projects or initiatives.

42% comes from performance income while private donations make up 17%, and 10% from “other sources”.

Corporate sponsorships were flat in 2016, growing by just $0.9 million to $37.1 million. Twenty one MPA companies received such support last year, compared to four in 2001.

Private donations overtook corporate sponsorship in 2010, and now constitutes 57% of total private sector support. This was up from 54% in 2015.

Donations income grew by 23.4% (or by $10.3 million) to $53.5 million in 2016.

Fund raising seems to be seen by the companies and benefactors as an important way to raise money.

Monies from these grew impressively by 51.4% to $4.1 million, which marked a fresh injection of $1.4 million.

“What is particularly pleasing about the growth in income from donations is that, for at least the past five years, it has been driven more by an increase in the number of donors than the size of individual donations,” said Serow.

“2016 saw 43,485 individual donations, up 7,195 (19.8%) on 2015.

“This continued broadening in the donor base demonstrates how engaged audiences are with the work of these companies.”

However, Serow cautioned that the results were not uniform across all companies.

“For individual companies, donations income can vary significantly each year as a result of targeted fundraising campaigns or substantial one-off donations and bequests.

“In 2016, eight of the 28 MPA companies reported increases in donations income greater than 20%, but eight companies reported earning less from this source compared to 2015.”

“Private sector support cannot be taken for granted in an increasingly competitive environment, and the smaller and mid-sized companies in particular are vulnerable to year-on-year fluctuations,

“This volatility underlines the importance of maintaining a strong core of government support to ensure Australia’s companies can remain stable and sustainable as well as artistically vibrant.”