Theme Parties for Profit:
Rave Reviews

A non-profit art center auctions theme-based parties for profit. Byway themes and resources may lend themselves to adapting this idea as a fund-raiser for byway organizations.

Who/What:

Deborah Divine of the Kansas State Byways Program shared the example of the Salina Art Center’s successful auction of theme-based Rave Review parties as a fund-raising idea that could be adopted by byway organizations and tailored to byway themes. Wendy Moshier, director of community development for the Salina Art Center in Salina, Kansas, credits the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City as the inspiration for the original idea of the parties that package a meal, an activity, workshop or other experience around a theme. See How

When/Where:

Initially, the Salina Art Center scheduled parties for a September-through-December timeframe. The Center now makes the parties available for purchase via a large fall auction, “Grape Expectations,” offering parties that are scheduled at times throughout the calendar year. The auctions draw primarily on the 45,000 population of the Salina area.

How:

Initially, the Salina Art Center mailed a brochure highlighting the parties for a set price. People could purchase tickets for as many of the parties as they wished to attend. Some parties were limited to six people, some sold to hundreds of people. Most of the parties average 12 to 20 guests.

The Salina Art Center solicits party hosts, which may be a single couple or several couples or individuals co-hosting. The hosts develop their own party theme or expand upon a suggestion made by the Center. The hosts donate their expenses as a gift to the Center. The Center’s insurance covers the volunteer donors through special event liability coverage.

The theme-based parties have included an Italian dinner for 18 with entertainment; an authentic Lebanese dinner for 12; a Thomas Jefferson Party featuring a living history re-enactor and a meal made with historic recipes; and a bowling birthday party or pool party for kids.

A Women’s Retreat gathered together 12 women in a country home setting for an elegant dinner on Friday night, a Saturday breakfast followed by a photography workshop, a meditative body work session, an art experience, and an interactive discussion led by a clinical psychologist.

A Mother-Daughter Tea Party included marimba quintet and vocal quartet, fabulous foods and photos the mother-daughter duos.

Ms. Moshier estimates that the Center has worked with 50 to 60 different hosts over the past three years to host about 15 parties a year.

When the party calendar expanded to include parties at any time of year, people sometimes had difficulty committing to an event that was scheduled several months away from the time they received the brochure mailing. To alleviate that waning interest, the Salina Art Center began hosting a fall auction event that is now quite popular.

Funding Potential:

The auction event is an invitation-only event that includes beverages, food, a jazz band and access to silent and live auctions for $35/ticket. Members of the general public can ask to be added to the invitation list, which has about 1,500 names. The event costs the Art Center $5,000 to $7,000 in expenses, much of which is underwritten by sponsors.

The auction price of the parties varies. A children’s birthday party may bring $400, while an elegant dinner party for 12 may sell for $4,000. In 2003, the Center, which has held these parties for more than 10 years now, made $25,000.

Why Rave Review Parties:

• Engage the public in supporting an organization with a fun event

• Engage the business public through sponsorships

• Allow the donors to use their creativity and craft their own event as their resources and imagination allow

Resources:

Salina Art Center – Wendy Moshier, Director of Community Development, 785-827-1431