When I joined the Business Development and Partnerships team (known internally as BDP, though I personally call it Big Dreams Please) at Creative Australia near the end of 2024, I naively thought I already knew the art world – at least a small corner of the visual arts world – quite well I came from a gallery background filled with exhibitions, curatorial ideas, and audience engagement. Fundraising, however, felt like an entirely different landscape. It came with new terms like “building momentum,” “campaign strategy,” and “impact measurement”.
Then came AusArt Day, my first real experience of what fundraising in the arts looks like when it’s led by artists and organisations themselves. I quickly realised that fundraising is a whole other world that enables arts to connect with the public; fundraising for the arts can also be an artform in its own right.
To me, AusArt Day is more than a single event, it’s an open invitation. Through a series of micro-grants, equipped by a suite of digital resources including webinars and campaign assets we developed, Creative Australia invites artists and organisations to design their own fundraising activities/campaigns, from performances to playful social media campaigns. The concept is simple yet powerful: to support artists and arts organisations to raise funds on one national day, while expanding the donor base and elevating the public value of the arts in everyday Australian life.
Participants invite their communities to support their creativity, while donors express belonging through giving, completing a cycle that champions the concept of “inviting” to the arts.
Coming from a curatorial background, I used to think about how artworks could move people, how creative expression could inspire and change the way someone feels or thinks. Preparing for AusArt Day made me realise that fundraising works in much the same way. It begins with a story worth sharing and succeeds when it connects people to meaning.
What I learned from the community
Being new to philanthropy, I’ve learned the most by asking questions, listening, and observing how others turn ideas into participation.
A Giving Day isn’t just about artists and donors, it’s about communities, colleagues, and collaboration. Everyone brings something: creativity, time, resources, or support.
In the lead-up to AusArt Day, I spoke with many artists and organisations, some experienced, others just starting out. One artist told me he felt shy about fundraising. It reminded me of my art school days when we focused on making art but were never taught how to sustain it. Yet in reality, fundraising is part of how artists continue to create and survive.
I also saw how creativity in communicating with the public leads to real success. For example, Woodfordia in Queensland ran a dynamic campaign featuring interviews with their ambassador/artist. They shared these videos on social media and exceeded their fundraising target. It was a reminder that creativity and communication go hand in hand.
I also learned donors respond not to perfection, but to authenticity. The most successful campaigns didn’t polish every message, they shared real stories about challenges, joy, and why art matters in daily life. It reaffirmed that in both art and fundraising, trust grows when people feel seen and spoken to as equals.
My colleagues, including our team of State Managers Development and Partnerships, also played a huge part. They hold a wealth of knowledge about arts fundraising and support artists and organisations across all states and territories. They provide coaching, travel to regional and remote communities (some of which I had never heard of before as a first-generation Chinese migrant), and give their time and professional suggestions generously. They are giving in every sense of the word.
And then there’s Gillian Mercer, Director of Business Development and Partnerships, an extraordinary leader with remarkable resilience. She acts swiftly and decisively, often resolving challenges before they escalate. In this first pilot year of AusArt Day, she described the program as “building the plane while flying it” (a phrase that may have originated from our Head of Communications). Whenever turbulence arose behind the scenes – in logistics, systems, or coordination, I would start to worry, but she remained the calm pilot guiding (flying) us safely through.
Another key force was our Communications team, a generous and skilled group who built the campaign’s digital kingdom, developed the webpage, communicated effectively both internally and externally, and ensured every aspect of the program aligned seamlessly with Creative Australia’s brand and vision.
Each of these experiences reminded me that fundraising is not just a transaction, it’s about relationships. And generosity in its own way is another form of creativity.
Cultural reflections on giving
Coming from a Chinese background, I grew up seeing giving differently than it is in Australia. Here generosity is often expressed openly: shared, visible, and celebrated. Watching artists speak publicly about their fundraising reminded me that generosity isn’t just about money. It’s also about visibility and voice, making shared values public and tangible.
It also made me think about how cultural attitudes toward giving shape the way we sustain the arts. While public funding remains essential for the sector’s sustainability, programs like AusArt Day show that a healthy arts ecosystem also needs community energy, people giving, sharing, and showing up. When artists and audiences contribute together, it strengthens not just one project but the entire cultural fabric that supports creativity across the country.
Looking ahead
As we continue to compile the data on the first AusArt Day, I still have much to learn about campaigns, giving, and intricate Creative Australia systems. But one thing is clear: behind every program Creative Australia delivers, it’s really about people and connection.
Joining the BDP team has felt like stepping into a different kind of studio, where instead of acrylic or clay, the medium is generosity, and the work we craft is the bonds between people.
By Ni Cui, Business Development Officer, Creative Australia
