The Complete Guide to Performing Arts Fundraising for Schools

Performing arts programs are some of the most important parts of a school community. They give students a place to perform, create, collaborate, lead, and build confidence in front of an audience. 

Whether it is a fall play, spring musical, choir concert, band competition, orchestra festival, dance showcase, or marching band season, these programs often become some of the most memorable experiences students have in school.

They also require a lot of support. School performing arts programs often need to pay for equipment, travel, music, costumes, props, sets, instruments, uniforms, sound systems, lighting, competition fees, guest instructors, choreography, licensing, and event materials. Ticket sales, school budgets, and activity fees can help, but they rarely cover everything a program needs.

That is why fundraising is such an important part of keeping school performing arts programs strong.

This guide explains what performing arts fundraising is, why it matters, how schools can build a better fundraising plan, fundraising ideas, and which types of fundraisers work best for music, theatre, dance, choir, band, orchestra, and other student performance groups.

An Introduction to Performing Arts Fundraising

Performing arts are school activities built around live performance. In most schools, that includes 

• Music programs such as concert band, marching band, jazz band, orchestra, choir, show choir, drumline.
• Theatre programs, school musicals, drama clubs, stage crew, tech theatre.
• Dance teams, color guard, winter guard, and performance-based speech activities can also fit under the performing arts umbrella.

The exact programs may look different from school to school, but the fundraising challenge is usually similar. These groups need consistent financial support to provide students with the best possible experience.

Why Performing Arts Fundraising Matters

Performing arts programs are often highly visible, but that does not mean they are fully funded.

A school musical may sell tickets, but the production still has to cover licensing, scripts, costumes, microphones, set materials, props, makeup, programs, and advertising. A band program may perform at games and competitions, but it still has to pay for instrument repairs, uniforms, transportation, sheet music, and festival fees. A choir program may host concerts throughout the year, but travel, accompanists, performance outfits, and competition costs can add up quickly.

The Best Performing Arts Fundraisers Have a Clear Objective

Put yourself in a potential donor's shoes. You want to know what your money is going to.

A fundraiser with a clear purpose is easier to promote and easier for people to support. “Help our theatre department” is not as strong as “Help us purchase new wireless microphones for the spring musical.” “Support the band” is not as specific as “Help cover travel costs for our marching band competition season.”

A clear goal gives the fundraiser a story. It tells donors where the money is going and why it matters.

Build a Fundraising Plan Before Choosing the Fundraiser

One of the biggest mistakes school groups make is jumping straight to the fundraising idea before building a plan.

A good performing arts fundraising plan should consider:

• ‍Timeline: When the money is needed and how long the fundraiser can run.‍
• Audience: Who is most likely to support it, such as parents, alumni, relatives, or local businesses.‍
• Budget need: How much the program actually needs to raise.‍
• Parent involvement: How much volunteer help is realistically available.‍
• Student availability: Whether students have time to help promote or participate.‍
• School calendar: Concerts, shows, competitions, breaks, and other events that affect timing.

A fundraiser that works well for a marching band in the fall may not be the best fit for a theatre program during tech week. A choir preparing for a trip may need a different approach than a dance program trying to cover competition fees.

Choosing the Right Type of Performing Arts Fundraiser

A well thought out fundraising plan should include more than one type of fundraiser. Instead of relying on a single event or product sale, the most well-funded performing arts programs usually combine several approaches throughout the year.

• ‍Online donation campaigns: Calendars, online crowdfunding, and a-thons. Easy for families to share with relatives, friends, and alumni.‍
• Event-based fundraisers: Dinner concerts, cabaret nights, talent showcases, and preview performances let students perform while raising money.‍
• Sponsorships: Local businesses can support a production, concert season, dance showcase, or arts program in exchange for recognition.‍
• Program ads: Great for musicals, plays, concerts, and showcases. Sell business ads, family shout outs, or senior recognition spots.‍
• Event add-ons: Concessions, merch, flowers, raffles, and silent auctions work best when paired with an existing performance.

Choose your fundraiser by what makes the most sense. Mixing it up is critical to preventing fundraiser burnout.

Fundraising for Theatre and School Musicals

Theatre fundraising is often tied directly to production costs. The licensing alone on musicals can cost thousands of dollars. Same with costumes, unless you have a significant storage closet, it’s going to cost several thousand dollars to get costumes done for elaborate shows. 

Then you add in props, makeup, printing programs, scripts, and you’ve got a lot of pressure to sell tickets just to make ends meet. That’s why more theatre programs are seeking fundraising.

The strongest theatre fundraisers allow for friends and family around the country to donate. That’s why digital fundraising is so powerful. Tying in a digital fundraiser with fundraisers centered around opening-night week is a great way to maximize your fundraising ceiling.

The Best Theatre and Musical Fundraising Ideas

• Digital Crowdfunding
• Calendar Fundraisers
• Opening Night Post-Show Reception
• Flower or Candy Grams
• Arts and Education Grants

Fundraising for Band and Marching Band

Band fundraising often has unique seasons and needs. A marching band may need uniforms, transportation, competition fees, props, equipment trailers, meals, and staff support. Concert band, jazz band, and pep band may need instruments, repairs, sheet music, stands, and festival costs.

Because band programs are visible at football games, parades, concerts, and competitions, they have many opportunities to fundraise throughout the year through a variety of band fundraising ideas. Sponsorships, donation campaigns, alumni support, merchandise, event concessions, and restaurant nights can all fit into a band fundraising plan.

The Best Band Fundraising Ideas

• Digital Crowdfunding, through Teamfi you can net 96-97% of what you raise.
• Calendar Fundraisers
• Product Fundraisers
• Football Game Bake Sale
• 50/50 Raffles

Fundraising for Choir and Show Choir

Choir fundraising often works best when it is built around performances, trips, and competitions.

A choir may need money for music, accompanists, robes or outfits, risers, microphones, travel, lodging, meals, and festival fees. Show choir may also need choreography, costumes, props, sound equipment, and competition expenses.

Dinner concerts, dessert nights, singing valentines, community performances, sponsorships, and online donation campaigns can all work well for choir programs. The key is making the fundraiser, no matter what choir fundraising idea you pick, feels connected to the students’ talent and the group’s goals.

If the choir is raising money for travel, the campaign should focus on the opportunity students are receiving. If the choir is raising money for equipment or outfits, the campaign should explain how that purchase improves the program for current and future students.

The Best Choir Fundraising Ideas

• Online Donor Campaign
• Calendar Fundraisers, one of the top virtual fundraisers there is.
• Concession Stands at Concerts
• Merchandise Sales
• Holiday Caroling

Fundraising for Orchestra

Orchestra programs are very similar to their band and choir counterparts when it comes to both orchestra fundraising and orchestra fundraising ideas. Building your fundraising calendar around performances is a wise start.

Instruments, repairs, bows, strings, sheet music, festival fees, guest clinicians, travel, and concert attire can all create costs for families and schools. Because orchestra performances may be more formal or concert-based, fundraising can work well when connected to concerts, patron programs, sponsorships, and donation campaigns.

An orchestra fundraiser should make the need easy to understand. Many supporters may not realize how expensive instrument maintenance or replacement can be. Explaining those costs clearly can help families and community members see why their support matters.

The Best Orchestra Fundraising Ideas

• Custom A-thon, like a practice a-thon
• Calendar Fundraisers
• Ads in your programs
• Benefit dinner or gala
• Online Crowdfunding, which is free to use through Teamfi!

Fundraising for Dance, Color Guard, and Winter Guard

Dance and guard programs often need support for costumes, choreography, shoes, props, flags, equipment, competition fees, travel, and performance materials.

These groups can benefit from a mix of event-based fundraising, sponsorships, online campaigns, clinics, showcases, and merchandise sales. A dance showcase or guard preview night can become both a performance opportunity and a fundraising event.

Because these programs are highly visual, photos and videos can be especially powerful in fundraising campaigns. Showing students performing, practicing, and preparing helps supporters connect with the work behind the final performance.

The Best Dance Fundraising Ideas

• Restaurant Spirit Night
• Summer digital fundraising campaign
• A Fill My fundraiser, like Fill My Dancer
• Dance Camp for Kids
• Merchandise Sales

How to Promote a Performing Arts Fundraiser

You don’t have to be a marketer to be able to successfully promote your fundraiser. If your program has a Facebook page, a website, or even just access to a community Facebook group, you can easily get the word out.

Make sure to spend plenty of time early going to clearly note why you are raising money, your goal, and how people can easily donate.

While promoting outside of your program to the broader community is important, don’t forget about your program itself. Whether you have an email list, program parent group chat, GroupMe, you should equally promote your fundraiser internally as well.

How Local Businesses Can Support Performing Arts Programs

Local businesses are often a great fit for performing arts fundraising because school performances bring families and community members together.

A business may be willing to sponsor a production, purchase a program ad, donate raffle items, provide food, sponsor a section of the event, or contribute directly to a campaign. In return, the program can recognize the business in a way that feels appropriate and valuable.

Take Care of the Donor

Make Donating Easy

Supporters should not have to search for the link, guess where the money is going, or navigate a complicated process. Every campaign should have a clear call to action and an easy way to give.

For in-person events, QR codes can be placed in programs, on posters, at concession tables, near the entrance, and on pre-show slides. For online campaigns, families should receive a shareable link and a short message they can send to friends and relatives.

The easier the process, the more likely people are to participate.

Thank Supporters and Show the Impact

Thanking supporters is one of the most important parts of building long-term fundraising success. Donors, sponsors, parents, volunteers, and businesses should all feel appreciated.

When supporters see the impact of their contribution, they are more likely to give again in the future.

Common Performing Arts Fundraising Mistakes to Avoid

The biggest mistake performing arts programs make in fundraising is being stuck in the past. Many programs have historically run low yield high effort fundraisers that bring in a few hundred dollars. There are better ways to fundraise.

Programs should also avoid choosing fundraisers that require too much work for too little return. A fundraiser may sound fun, but if it takes weeks of planning and only raises a small amount, it may not be the best use of time.

Schools should avoid treating fundraising as a last-minute emergency. Performing arts programs are usually easier to support when fundraising is planned around the calendar instead of rushed right before a payment deadline.

Building a Year-Round Performing Arts Fundraising Strategy

The strongest performing arts programs think beyond one fundraiser.

A year-round strategy might include a fall donation campaign, business sponsorships for the season, program ad sales for major performances, concessions during events, and one larger showcase or dinner fundraiser. This kind of approach spreads the work out and gives supporters multiple ways to help.

A Great Fundraising Calendar for a Theatre Program

• Summer Online Crowdfunding Campaign to Cover Upgrades
• A fun fall fundraising idea like a fall festival.
• Calendar fundraiser as you prepare for the spring musical.
• Opening Night Reception

A Great Fundraising Calendar for a Band Program

• A practice-a-thon during the summer to keep kids practicing over the summer.
• Selling gummy bears at high school football games with parent volunteers.
• Calendar fundraiser during the winter.
• Concert night with a silent auction.

A Great Fundraising Calendar for an Orchestra

• Orchestra summer program where younger students learn from high schoolers.
• A fall crowdfunding campaign to kick off the year.
• Offering gift-wrapping during the holidays.
• Spring calendar fundraiser centered around the end of year program.

A Great Fundraising Calendar for a Choir Group

• Summer online calendar fundraiser campaign while school is out of session.
• A product fundraiser where you sell subs, cookie dough, or popcorn.
• Winter fundraiser using QR codes and donation pages at a holiday concert.
• End of year choir celebration concert with tickets.

A Great Fundraising Calendar for a Dance Organization

• Summer dance clinic for younger students taught by the high school dancers.
• A fall online crowdfunding campaign to help cover costumes, choreography, and competition fees.
• Selling flowers, candy grams, or shout outs at a winter showcase.
• Spring calendar fundraiser leading into the final recital or competition season. 

The goal is not to constantly ask families for money. The goal is to create a fundraising system that supports the program without overwhelming students, parents, or directors. Variety is important!

Final Thoughts on Performing Arts Fundraising

The best fundraisers thread the line between taking the burden off of the organizers and raising money. Community events take a lot of work, but are fun and engaging. Digital fundraising is high yield and easy to run. Fundraisers like merch sales and concessions are low yield, but necessary. The key is to balance these different types of fundraisers, utilize a year-round calendar for fundraising, and ultimately execute.

Whether your school is raising money for a musical, band trip, choir competition, dance showcase, new uniforms, or equipment upgrades, digital fundraising gives families a faster way to reach supporters beyond the school community.

With the right online campaign, students can share their goal, collect donations, and show supporters exactly what their contribution helps make possible.