Download the Arts and Culture Spotlight infographic, or explore the 2024 Philanthropy Pulse report in its entirety.
This Arts and Culture Sector Spotlight is adapted from CCS’s 2024 Philanthropy Pulse report to provide an in-depth look at the data provided by 58 survey respondents from that sector. A variety of arts and culture organizations are represented in this year’s report.
fundraising practices
Most arts and culture institutions (59%) report revenue increases vs. their prior fiscal year, as compared to 57% across all sectors. About half (47%) of organizations get 20% or less of their giving in the form of non-cash assets, despite evidence that nonprofits accepting non-cash donations grow nearly five times faster on average than organizations accepting only cash gifts.
arts & culture projections and priorities
At least 64% of participants expect major and mid-level gifts and annual appeals to increase in 2024. Seventy-one percent (71%) believe DEI is important to define their organization’s values, compared to 77% across sectors. Embracing inclusivity and focusing on DEI issues can be crucial for engaging next-gen donors who prioritize global issues embedded in the arts and culture sector, such as social justice and free expression.
staffing and resourcing in the arts & culture sector
In 2023, 29% of participating organizations increased their fundraising staff, compared to about one-third across sectors. While 68% of all organizations increased staff pay by 1-10% over the past three years, 69% of organizations in this sector saw an increase. Beyond fundraising staff, many arts and culture organizations are turning to their board members for additional advancement support.
donor acquisition and retention
Sixty percent (60%) of organizations indicate that their number of new donors has increased in the past 12 months, as compared to 57% across sectors. Fifty-three percent (53%) of organizations report retaining over half of their new donors over the past 12 months, compared to 67% overall.
The introduction of flexible donation options like 'Donate Now, Pay Later' might be beneficial, especially in engaging a broader range of donors. Many arts and culture institutions are also rethinking their membership strategies by segmenting members as either transaction-motivated or mission-motivated. Using segmentation can help inform your tailored approach to fundraising and communication for each type of member. Moreover, CCS has found more effective prospecting through donor segmentation with our clients.
arts & culture data and technology
Half of the participants describe their organization’s reporting and analytics capabilities at a leading level or higher of sophistication, versus 58% across sectors. While 58% of all organizations have not addressed the use of AI technology in their operations, 72% in this sector have not. This poses a huge opportunity for arts and culture institutions: the use of AI in identifying prospective donors, generating donor narratives, and other applications for authentic relationships can offer significant support.
The data on this page was curated from a questionnaire taken by over 600 responding organizations during the fall of 2023, reporting on FY23 results.
