Michael Kaiser in Manchester

Michael Kaiser, admiringly known by some as the “ turn around King” following his ground breaking fundraising at the Royal Opera House and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, acknowledged that the attitude of arts organisations in the UK to “development” has changed significantly over the last ten years . The number of attendees in Manchester on 2 June, 2011 (93) and their warm response to his seminar was not just a reaction to the cuts felt by the arts and local authority funding in the UK this year, but a realisation that we have much to learn from our US counterparts when it comes to relationship building.

Fundraising is often seen as the “dark art” of any arts organisation or charity. It can be left to one person who, especially in smaller arts organisations, may already wear other hats such as Director or Artistic Lead. However, the clear message from Michael is that the entire organisation must be responsible for fundraising and that a virtuous circle of fundraising activity is not difficult to achieve.

There are 3 key principles to his approach:

• The first is that great art in whatever form, must be at the heart of the exhibition programme. To secure its place in the community, an arts organisation must look at its programming and be confident that every year the content is inspiring and transformative. Your audience must want to experience what your offer again and again, year after year. Michael suggested a “pencilled” programming schedule for the next 3-5 years is the true foundation on which a secure “family” of support can be built.

• Secondly, successful marketing– getting your name out there and creating a buzz around the organisation is crucial. Michael separated marketing into Programmatic – details of what’s on and when and Institutional – creating opportunities for people to say what an amazing organisation you are and that they want to be a part of it. Details of the institutional marketing he achieved at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in 1993 would make many Head of Communications green with envy! Today technology and online media helps create effective marketing at little cost which can be of huge benefit when engaging your audience.

• Great art and successful marketing work together to create the third key element to successful fundraising, a family who are engaged with the organisation and who want to support it in many different ways. Support can be demonstrated via ticket sales, becoming a subscriber, a volunteer, a Board Member or a Donor. All supporters must be recognised through excellent stewardship of the relationship across the organisation and this support must be fed directly back into great art and marketing to ensure the virtuous circle continues.

Michael made his approach sound simple but was also clear that art organisations should not underestimate the demands of the long term strategy which the entire organisation must embrace.

I asked for his advice given that Turner Contemporary only opened its doors on the 16 April 2011 and has to date welcomed over 110,000 visitors. He advised us to keep it simple and build our supporters network steadily: only offer one tier at a time and ensure that supporters gain more from their experience at the gallery year on year. He also confirmed our own thoughts that our learning programme must be marketed as much as our art. Education is at the heart of Turner Contemporary and fully utilising the Clore Learning Studio and our learning resources are key to our values and our mission.

I took much from Michael’s seminar which I hope will help continue to shape Turner Contemporary’s family of support. As an organisation we have received an incredible reception to our opening both locally, nationally and internationally. We hope our ambitious exhibitions programme which includes both Turner & the Elements and Tracey Emin in 2012 will continue to inspire audiences and develop our work.