Hi all,
As I'm sure other organizations are doing right now, we at Olney Theatre Center are looking at how to move forward with our Gala (currently scheduled for May 16) given the current health crisis. Right now our date just barely falls outside of the 8 week window recently given by the CDC, but of course we know that window can change depending on how things progress. So I'd love to hear from other organizations with spring/summer Galas about how you're approaching this, especially if your Gala is currently scheduled for mid-May or later. I know some organizations have offered virtual Galas, and would love to have a sense of what that entails. Obviously things like a silent auction and even a performance can be done remotely, but such a big part of Galas is creating relationships which is much harder to do in a virtual setting. Also, how do you justify the cost of the ticket when you're not providing a meal and party?
Look forward to hearing the thoughts of others facing the same situation!
Colleen
Update-COCA is having a virtual fundraiser this Friday. There are pre-recorded performances, streaming through Vimeo I believe. The auction has already begun through GiveSmart. It's free, please check it out if you're curious: https://e.givesmart.com/events/fnB/
Those who already paid for tables have allowed us to keep that contribution. We're delivering fancy meals to VIPs on Friday. After the official event ends we're continuing the house party on Instagram and encouraging people to dress up. We hope it's as successful as our annual in person fundraiser!
Hey Selley,
Thank you for sharing your experience switching to a virtual gala! How do you find working with Vimeo to deliver the virtual component, and does it require your community to create an individual Vimeo account to watch the gala?
Best of luck on Friday!
Thanks
I'm not involved on the production side but I haven't heard that individuals need to create a Vimeo account.
Hi ! How did your fundraiser go? How was the IG after party? Super fun ideas!