MATCH Lab supports artists to build fundraising skills, develop broader arts business knowledge and create sustainable sources of revenue for their work. A development program specifically for independent artists and collectives, MATCH Lab couples a leveraged funding opportunity with long-term skill building to embed key fundraising experience within the independent arts sector.

25 artists were accepted into MATCH Lab this year, with all participants attending Fundraising for Your Art, a two-day professional development and fundraising clinic held in January 2018.

After developing their fundraising strategies, these artists launched their campaigns and raised more than $322,000 from 2,282 donors by 30 June. With matched funding of more than $197,000 from Creative Partnerships Australia, more than $519,000 was invested into the arts sector through this program, an increase of 17% on 2017-18.

• 25 fundraisers
• 2,282 donors
• $322,472 raised
• $197,198 matched by us
• $519,670 invested

The long-term impact of MATCH Lab

MATCH Lab is designed so that recipients will develop skills and build resources that will last well beyond their participation in the program.

We keep track of the success of our MATCH Lab artists, as many of them continue with fresh campaigns in the next financial year, well equipped with fundraising knowledge and experience of delivering a successful campaign. This, in turn, leads to a new network of supporters that become key advocates for their work and allow them to push the boundaries of their artistic practice.

MATCH Lab Case Study: William Zappa

Actor William Zappa describes his project, The Iliad — Out Loud, as the greatest story of heroism, betrayal and war. As a MATCH Lab recipient in 2018-19, William raised funds to perform this production at the 2019 Sydney Festival. Using the Australian Cultural Fund, he exceeded his fundraising goal, raising over $65,000, with the first $10,000 matched by Creative Partnerships Australia.

While he knew he could rely on the support of his family and friends, William used MATCH Lab to develop his philanthropic fundraising skills and broaden his donor support base.

“One thing I learnt was that you need to build networks to create introductions, and that there is no substitute for approaching people in person to tell your story,” says William.

Working on a tight project timeline, it was important that William had the resources in place to run a successful campaign. He said “the MATCH Lab workshop provided an opportunity to create a strong fundraising plan to set achievable goals for my campaign.”

MATCH Lab Case Study: The Lighthouse Arts Collective

MATCH Lab recipient The Lighthouse Arts Collective is a group of artists and arts workers living in Point Lonsdale, Victoria. The collective emerged from a shared desire to create diverse artistic experiences for their community. Faced with the challenge of finding a new space to run their program, their MATCH Lab campaign sought to raise funds for a new hall which would continue to host their work, helping to empower local artists while enriching the lives of the community.

The collective set out to raise $10,000 and did so with the support of over 50 people donating to their Australian Cultural Fund campaign. They raised 114% of their target and Creative Partnerships Australia matched their total, enabling them to hire a part-time paid administrator to support and diversify programming and invest in crucial venue infrastructure.

“Being a part of the MATCH Lab program provided The Lighthouse Arts Collective with an opportunity to take a step back and really analyse who we are and what our purpose is before we went to the community and shared our achievements and vision for the future. By developing a campaign strategy that was aligned with the collective’s values and by telling our story in a creative and authentic way — our fundraising efforts became about more than meeting a target,“ says Suzie Wyllie, Founder of The Lighthouse Arts Collective.

MATCH Lab helped the collective remain a hub for traditional culture and community development in the Point Lonsdale area. Learning fundraising essentials at the MATCH Lab clinic equipped them with skills to fundraise into the future.

“Our campaign acted as a uniting force. It fuelled support from the community, started many conversations, and allowed us to create new and important relationships. It showed us that there is a real hunger for creative experiences within our community which is helping to create a permanent place for our work in the cultural landscape of the region."

Arts Leadership Mentoring Program Pilot

In 2018 Creative Partnerships Australia introduced the Arts Leadership Mentoring Program Pilot, providing an opportunity for arts professionals based in Queensland to set strategic goals, while developing leadership skills to improve performance at an individual and organisational level.

Delivered under Creative Partnerships Australia’s mentoring series, this program complements our existing Arts Fundraising Mentorship Program and will continue in 2019 with a South Australian cohort. These programs will inspire participants to lead their organisations to foster, support and nurture fundraising partnerships between the arts and business and help to build a sustainable arts sector.

The five recipient organisations and mentors for 2018-19 were:

“The opportunity to be mentored through Creative Partnerships Australia arrived at a most opportune time for KickArts and myself. Tarragh Cunningham at QAGOMA has been an ideally matched mentor, extremely generous with her time and knowledge. Our Board has also appreciated strategic governance sessions with Tarragh when she has been in Cairns. I hope more arts organisations are able to access this valuable mentorship program.”
_{Ashleigh Campbell
Director Kickarts Contemporary Arts, mentored by Tarragh Cunningham, Assistant Director,
Development and Commercial Services, QAGOMA}

“The mentorship is a great opportunity for us (Playlab) to reinvigorate aspects of our organisation and prepare for the next phase of growth. It brings the gift of objectivity and specific needs-based guidance, which is invaluable in strategic planning.”
_{Ian Lawson
Artistic Director/CEO Playlab, mentored by Emma Calverly, Arts & Cultural Consultant}

“Jade’s expertise and guidance has been invaluable to our organisation. She is a great support to key staff and has also run strategic planning sessions with both staff and board that has assisted in further clarifying the company’s vision and mission.”
_{Alison Richardson
Artistic Director/CEO, Crossroads Arts, mentored by Jade Lillie, Freelance Consultant}

“Taking part in the ALMP has been invaluable in building the fundraising capacity and driving cultural change projects in our organisation. 4ZZZ’s mentor Anne Frankenberg has experience that cuts across many areas of the station, and the program did a great job at finding a mentor with the specific skill-set to match our needs and aims. Anne has given me practical advice and direction that has led to projects commencing quickly and easily after our monthly catch ups. I feel that making sure mentors are the right match for their mentees is critical to the success of any relationship, and I think this has been achieved for 4ZZZ.”
_{Grace Pashley
Station Manager, 4ZZZ Radio, mentored by Anne Frankenberg, Deputy CEO, Musica Viva}

“It provides an opportunity for organisations to learn from those who have navigated the arts industry before them.”
_{Alethea Beetson
Artistic Director, Digi Youth Arts, mentored by Sarah Neal, Executive Producer & Co-CEO, Malthouse Theatre}