Why now is the time for businesses to sponsor the arts

Effective marketing and helping the Arts

Many businesses are reacting to the present recession by cutting advertising spending and especially sponsorship of the arts. We heard recently that one of the biggest grassroots visual arts festivals, - Brighton's Artists Open Houses, has just lost it's major sponsor to the recession (who also sacked half it's staff at the same time). It's unlikely they will find a new lead sponsor before they go to press at the start of April.

AOH each year attracts perhaps 250,000 visitors to exhibitions with publicity reaching at least three or four times that number. Around 40% are from outside Brighton and Hove. The people visiting the houses are very often the 'holy grail' of marketing - ABC1's employed, spenders, who are interested in art and design and want to be out and about spending money. In other words just the sort of people many businesses pay thousands of pounds to marketing firms to reach.

The smallest advert in and amongst hundreds of other adverts in a national newspaper is about £500 and is almost worthless being so small. Local newspapers are not much cheaper and that is only for one day. Sponsoring the right arts organisation (compared to spending money on direct mail or advertising) is incredibly targeted, yields results and doesn't cost the earth.


The message is that in a recession businesses should migrate to relevant sponsorship as a means of saving money achieving marketing goals and reaching prosperous new customers.

Brighton Artists Open Houses need a new sponsor urgently - if you know of a business needing more customers tell them to contact AOH they could get a fantastic sponsorship package. Contact - judy.stevens@zen.co.uk
Artists Open House Film Trailer

Brighton Art Fair in October also needs sponsors and opportunities are available from £110 and reaches thousands of art buyers who still have money to buy luxuries such as art.
contact - Jon@brightonartfair.co.uk