Investment Ready Webinars

The four webinars below provide practical advice on a range of fundraising topics from a number of seasoned and experienced cultural professionals. 

Click HERE to see the full catalogue of DGU films on our YouTube channel.

Webinar 1: Evidencing your Impact ​

​Helen Turner assistant director of The Holywood Trust takes us through the importance of, and how to, record and communicate the impact of your work or project:  the difference you have made. This is a crucial tool for levering further funding to continue and develop the work you do. Helen provides easy to understand advice and examples of how to measure impact using case studies.
 
Helen has worked with The Holywood Trust for 18 years and is fully involved in assessing applications for funding and the co-ordination of end of project reporting submitted by funded organisations and individuals.

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Webinar 2: Introduction to Fundraising for Beginners

Are you new to fundraising? Has it been a while since you last completed an application form for funding? Or perhaps you’ve hit a run of bad luck and had a number of applications refused. If you answered yes to any of these scenarios then Duncan Bremner Development Officer for Creative Lives (formerly Voluntary Arts Scotland) will help you navigate through a number of fundraising approaches, providing practical top tips and ‘real-life’ examples of how to present you and your project to potential funders..
 
Duncan has a background in visual arts and has worked across a range of sectors including arts, heritage, education and creative industries: with a particular focus on community development and place-based working.

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Webinar 3:  Financing Creativity ​

A panel discussion where three inspiring ‘income generators’ share their experience of growing income and their top tips for managing their audience/customers, funders, supporters, and philanthropic patrons needs whilst delivering top quality events and cultural activities that make a difference.
 
Panel members:
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 Alex McQuiston, Absolute Classics

 Lee Medd, Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce
 
Aidan Nicol, CatStrand 

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Webinar 4:  Presenting Your Story - express your core values, history, aspirations and goals

When setting out your vision communication is key if you are to successfully encourage others to share in its development and delivery.  It’s not simply about conveying the facts but also about expressing passion, commitment and inspiring communities and fellow contributors to  have a shared ownership of the project. Lucid and succinct communication will play a vital role in convincing potential funders and benefactors to support your creative ideas and projects.
 
Creative consultant and humanist celebrant Barbara Chalmers shares her experience and insights through real-life case studies to explore the merit of values and the art of expression in the context of fundraising for the arts.
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Webinar 5: Creativity and Enterprise
Making income from making – art, craft or cross art form – is an essential part of creative practice. Artistic ambitions and creative development are incredibly important: however, without a way of sustaining yourself and your practice, these goals may remain unachievable.  We are delighted to have Alison MacLeod as our guest speaker; Alison is a talented and successful jeweller based near Thornhill, who promotes and sells her work nationally and internationally.  She has a wealth of knowledge, built-up since graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in 2003, and will share insights into her own jewellery practice and successful creative business. We are looking for our audience to join-in the discussion following Alison’s presentation; this webinar is as much about sharing experiences as it is about discovering different approaches.

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Financing creativity:
a guide to fundraising for the arts

​Whether you are a ‘beginner’ or more experienced in raising funds, it can sometimes be a daunting prospect pulling together all the information you need to make informed choices about how to approach supporting your creative idea or project.
 
Help is at hand; there are a variety of resources available that will support you to tell your story and help generate the funds and resources needed to make your creative project a reality. This guide along with the accompanying Sources of Support and Funding will assist newcomers as well as signposting the more experienced to sources of advice, guidance, support, and examples of funding/finance providers. It is for individual creative practitioners and those working for cultural organisations.

​Click HERE to download your copy

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