Artists fundraise to bring in financial support in all kinds of ways. You can host benefit performances and galas, you can auction off items or experiences created by you and your community, or anything else that resonates with your audience. These days, when virtual gatherings are the norm, artists are livestreaming performances, creating virtual afterparties, Q&As, and other virtual fundraiser events for artists.

As someone who interviews people for a living, I often ask interview subjects for a bio and a headshot. But any time someone has asked the same of me, I balk!

As an artist, creatives, or arts organization, if you’ve decided to put on a virtual performance or virtual fundraiser, you need to figure out where to have it. Sure, you’ll have it online, but … where?

Say you’ve decided you want to hold a virtual fundraiser to support your art work or for your arts organization. You’ve read the basics behind virtual events and advice from artists familiar with creating work virtually. But now what? Once you determine that you do want to hold a virtual fundraising event, you’ll have to figure out exactly which kind of event to hold (not to mention which platform you will use).

So you’ve decided that you want to find a fiscal sponsor, congratulations!

Crowdfunding is, as a field, crowded. According to Fundera in February 2020, crowdfunding generates $17.2 billion in North America. Crowdfunding grew 33.7% in 2019 and there were almost 6.5 million campaigns. With so many crowdfunding campaigns out there, it’s clear that many people are finding success. But it also means that it can be hard to make your project stand out against all of the other crowdfunding campaigns competing for attention and donations.

The core mission of Fractured Atlas is to support artists. We do this through our programs, through our member support systems, and through our writing. We publish articles about the big questions on artists’ minds like finances and finding time to make art. We also share funding opportunities. We also give you the nitty-gritty. Here are some of the best articles about tips, tools, and tricks for artists that we published in 2020.

We are now approaching a year of COVID-19, even though it feels like it’s been either a decade or just an incredibly long month of March. Over the last few months, many organizations, including Fractured Atlas, have been experimenting with various kinds of virtual events. For example, we’ve hosted livestream events highlighting our members’ work. In spring 2020, virtual art events were the exception. Now they are the norm.

In November or December, nonprofits and projects with fiscal sponsors often send out what’s called an annual appeal. An annual appeal is the final financial ask before the end of the year. Around the holidays, people are feeling generous and reflective about what has been valuable to them in the previous year. And, of course, people and corporations are looking to maximize their tax-deductible donations. Annual appeals are an important part of a fundraising calendar year and something that many established nonprofits and independent creators count on.

For artists who have never fundraised before, it can feel daunting. After all, institutions like museums and nonprofits have departments full of people whose whole job is just fundraising. As an artist, you might worry that you have to become a one-person writing, editing, social media, advertising, PR, videography, and photography team. While there are indeed a number of skills needed to run successful fundraising campaigns, we want to let you know that it’s not as scary or mysterious as you think.