ArtsWest’s Playhouse & Gallery hired GFS Events to coordinate their annual gala and auction in Spring of 2020. After the announcement of COVID, GFS Events and ArtsWest decided to take the event from the fundraising stage to the Zoom screen with a Sleepy Hallow Halloween theme. During the week-long fundraiser, donors were encouraged to give, bid on auction items, and interact with a spooky site that led them through the virtual fundraiser. Each day, donors watched videos from actors, artists, and stage managers, while Ichabod Crane haunted their videos. GFS Events implemented an event timeline with key tasks and action items, introduced a donor outreach plan with suggested messaging, produced a comprehensive marketing outline, and assisted in the creation of the fundraising format layout and design. GFS Events facilitated the scheduling and messaging for the daily email communications, managed Virtual Ambassador outreach and training, and oversaw data entry for the online auction. Together, ArtsWest was able to raise over $115,000 for their organization, which was 116% of their goal!
