Fund for Artist Donor Motivation Study: Preliminary Research Highlights

Continued from the Dynamic Adaptability: New Thinking and New Strategies for the Arts conference, a psychographic research study conducted by WolfBrown and Helicon Collaboration studied the motivations and values of Bay Area arts donors.

Rebecca Ratzkin (WolfBrown consultant) and Marcy Cady (Consultant and co-founder of Helicon Collaborative) presented the findings.   Here’s a sample of what they discovered:

Five primary values motivates arts donors:

  1. Localism
  2. Humanism
  3. Distinction
  4. Bonding
  5. Progressivism

Here’s the links:

http://www.wolfbrown.com/

http://heliconcollab.net/

Overall, donors relate to subject matter or style.  Also a shared vocabulary about our values can engage an audience longer.  Does art donor motivation coincide with the fluctuations in the economy?

Points to ponder…