Navigating the funding and philanthropy landscape is complex. It is also energised, rewarding and constantly moving. As creatives and arts managers, we thrive on such connections, but we don’t always know where to start.
Today, connecting in fresh and genuine ways is the foundation to all funding partnerships, especially within the philanthropy landscape. Culture Business, the leading international conference on the topic, returns to Sydney this November, presented at Luna Park Sydney.
Ahead of the event, which marks its 10th anniversary in Australia, ArtsHub speaks with Corinne Estrada, CEO and founder of Culture Business. ‘In 24 years of doing conferences worldwide, it’s the first time that we’re going to amusement park!’ she says. ‘It means a lot for us, because audiences are changing, models are changing – and so we also change location. We wanted to make a statement that we are bringing a new focus on the experience economy.’
Estrada continues that this a big shift from the company’s origins. ‘We have two conferences, one is Communicating the Arts, which was co-founded by Tate in 2000 for the opening of Tate Modern, and the other one is Culture Business, which was co-founded with the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2008.’
Philanthropy is changing, and quickly
Fundraising and philanthropy is a quickly shifting landscape. Understanding it is critical, especially when traditional funding models can be tight. For this reason, the timing of this Culture Business Sydney conference is perfect, as globally the economy has softened.
‘After COVID, what most philanthropists have done is shift their interest to health or environmental organisations. So the concerns are different now – we really need to keep these relationships alive,’ says Estrada.
‘In this country, it’s about rethinking the relationship between the donors and how to engage them – from an early age to when they are retiring,’ she adds.
Helping you find your edge
Networking, which is the foundation of all philanthropy, is a key part of any conference, but especially so for Culture Business. Estrada says with a laugh, ‘Some people just come to the coffee break to network, because they want to do business.’
The conference is structured to allow break-out opportunities, and working sessions to form those new connections and lasting bonds. Indeed, the very conference itself is set up with a round table format to encourage exchange.
Special Offer for ArtsHub Readers Use Promo Code: CBSydney-ArtsHub
At checkout to save 20% on registration Buy Tickets Here
‘It’s not an auditorium. You sit with 10 people, and then the session after you change and meet another 10 people,’ explains Estrada. That intimate contact is priceless.
Among those at the table in Sydney will be Sonia Winner, the CEO, and Meenakshi Sharma, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, US; Jonathan Harper, CEO, Paraorchestra, UK, Marijke Smallegange, Head of Digital Marketing, Communication & Commerce at Rijksmuseum, Netherlands; Jonathan Holloway, Founder and Director, Giant Inspiration, Spain; Cat Burton, Creative Producer, Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, US; and Tirtha Giri, Founder and Director of Cultural Catalyst/Arts Centre for Dance in Mumbaï, India, among others.
‘It’s an opportunity to meet and hear from people that they can’t normally hear in Australia,’ says Estrada.
‘We’re looking at different types of organisations in different countries, and that’s inspiring for Australians to see what’s going on,’ she continues. ‘We’re also inviting people outside the sector – people from the business and health sectors – to look at how they fundraise, and to find those good benchmarks.’
Finding young philanthropists and understanding Gen Z
Estrada tells ArtsHub that another opportunity presented by the conference is one that comes with a long tail.
‘We invite younger philanthropists and arts professionals to join us at the table, and ask what are their expectations? It’s also a chance to meet with these people, which is what every organisation is wanting today.’
Culture Business has been running a mentorship program called 30 under 30, which started during COVID. ‘We mixed 30 young professionals with 30 seniors arts professionals in our international network. We invited these young people to Singapore last year, and then to Paris, where we did a big panel with the Gen Z [cohort] about their expectations of what a cultural institution offers. The benefits were huge for people in the room – to understand what they want in terms of transparency and values. And we will continue that in Sydney.’
She adds that one of the main challenges for organisations globally right now is to retain young talent to work in fundraising. ‘So that’s a big part of the conference, which is about soft skills and about human resources.’
Estrada concludes that Australians have ‘a lot of appetite for this access and knowledge sharing’, adding that ‘within our 10 years in Australia, we have welcomed 2000 delegates, and about 20% of this number were foreign experts on communication and fundraising to Australia’.
That level of connectivity is invaluable for shaping futures.
Special Offer for ArtsHub Readers
Use Promo Code: CBSydney-ArtsHub at checkout to save 20% on registration
Tickets: Culture Business: Pioneering the Future of Fundraising in Arts
Location: Luna Park Sydney
When: 19-20 November 2024
Early Bird tickets are available until 19 September, with ticketing continuing up to the November conference.
