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Looking to connect with other Christian arts organisations?

PT Admin
January 25, 2024
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Passion Plays are unique arts projects because they are community-based, outdoor, free performances that involve volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. Core teams of  professional artists, actors and theatre professionals work with large volunteer casts and crew to bring the Easter story to life in local communities around the UK every year.

The Passion Trust is the only UK charity that exists to support Passion Plays, but there are many other Christian arts organisations that can provide support, contacts, inspiration and sometimes grants.

 

How to connect with other Christians arts organisations?

The Arts Centre Group

They have gatherings, exhibitions and mentoring, as well as awards and competitions. Their website includes the following statement:

We are committed to enabling and empowering members to grapple with issues of faith and spirituality and the influence this has on their work and artistic expression. For the artist who regularly engages with moral issues and questions of integrity, it provides a forum of safety from which to explore and debate.

You can find out more here.

 

Catholic Association of Performing Arts

You can become a member and join a community to develop talents and skills in all areas encompassing the performing arts. Their  vision is to reach out to the wider community through a variety of events and projects produced.

You can find out more here. 

 

Actors and Writers

This is London’s longest-running professional play-reading forum for actors and writers. It meets in Hammersmith, London W6, on alternate Monday evenings for rehearsed readings and chaired discussions of new plays.

AWL has been instrumental in bringing actors, writers, directors and producers together to launch numerous theatre companies, including Red Needle, Tricolore, BEST, Historia, Entire, Rare Fortune, And Tomorrow, Novanda, Living The Drama and Pack A Punch Theatre Companies. There have also been a number of one-off productions.

You can find out more here.

 

 

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Is fundraising like online dating?

Online dating is trying to find the right match among many differnet people. Fundraising for Passion Plays is similar to online dating in one respect: trying to find the right match for your Play among different trusts and funding charities. Finding this perfect match is the key to raising funds to tell the Easter story!

Once you find trusts and funders who are of a similar mindset and value the things you value, you are well on the way to a perfect match.

 

How do we find potential funders?

The Charity Commission’s Register of Charities allows you to search for free by using filters to narrow your search. (Remember, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate registers.)
Funding Central is another register that is free to access.
For a more expensive option, you can try the Directory of Social Change’s Funds Online website which is regularly updated.
Since Passion Plays bring many churches of all denominations together, your diocese can be a good source of information and signposting. For example, see the Diocese of Bristol and their list of funders here.  www.bristol.anglican.org/documents/diocesan-funding-guide/
The Christian Funders’ Forum is also a useful source.

 

How do we let funders know our project is a good match for them?

Now is the time to do some research and really think about compatibility with the funders you are researching.

You can research their online content, websites, and also Further information will be inread through their annual reports published on the Charity Commissions website (click ‘Documents’ tab). These annual reports will give useful imformation about projects they have previously funded.

A quick phone call can also be helpful in establishing contact and goodwill as you will be able to find out more about them and let them know what you do.

Remember here that one of the key elements is timing! Some funders have a set application process that requires you to apply before a deadline. Other funders have trustees’ meetings at set times during the year and those times are good to work with.

The timing of your project also matters. Some funders like to fund projects in the early stage of development, while others like to give funding when they see other funders have already contributed.

There is a lot to think about with fundraising! But Passion Plays are such unique projects that it can also be an enjoyable process. Many funders like to hear about large community arts events that tell the Easter story in fresh and inspiring ways. Not only do Passion Plays have large outdoor audiences across the UK each Easter, they are also unique spaces of community, skill-sharing, mentoring and investing in the lives of volunteers across all sections of society. They are more than a one-off performance and the impact spreads across the whole community for many months.

 

Where can I find more help with fundraising?

If you want more help with fundraising, we have plenty more tips and advice on our website here.

We have recorded sessions from previous Passion Trust Conferences including sessions looking at Finance & Fundraising, Administration and Practical Considerations, and Q&A sessions. You can see more information and watch short helpful videos on our website here.

You can also find lots of helpful tips and advice at The Benefact Trust here or click on the image below.

three bullet points with rows of text and images in blue bubbles with white icons for help with fundraising

 

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