Season Announcements Are Fundraising Opportunities
By Donorly Consultants, Lauren Siegling & Connor Stribling
For arts and culture organizations, season announcements are high-stakes moments. There's the press release to finalize, the brochure design to approve, the social media rollout to coordinate. But in the rush to sell tickets and subscriptions, many nonprofits miss a critical opportunity: using this moment of peak audience attention to inspire philanthropic giving.
Your season announcement is a fundraising goldmine waiting to be tapped.
Why Development Should Be Part of Every Season Launch
Your most loyal supporters are already eagerly awaiting your season announcement. They're opening your emails, visiting your website, and talking to their friends about what’s coming. This is when you have their attention—and their enthusiasm.
Make sure your development teams it’s sitting on the sidelines during the season launch, marketing needs to take the lead, but fundraising opportunities are huge during this moment. Don’t let this be a missed opportunity to communicate with loyal supporters and bring new and lapsed donors back into the fold.
Selling subscriptions and inspiring donations don't have to be competing priorities. They can—and should—happen simultaneously through thoughtful, segmented communications. After all, it all goes to the same bottom line.
How to Position Your Announcement to Inspire Giving
Your season announcement is one of your biggest storytelling moments of the year. The key to turning it into a fundraising opportunity lies in how you frame the message. This is your chance to connect artistic vision with community impact and remind your supporters that their giving makes this work possible.
1. Frame Your Message Around Impact, Not Information
Don’t default to “Here’s what we’re producing” and miss the emotional connection that motivates giving. Instead, frame your announcement as a reflection of your mission in action:
Anchor in your why: Start with the broader impact—what do these performances, exhibitions, or programs mean for your community?
Example: “This season, we’re telling stories that remind us what resilience looks like—on stage and off.”Highlight people, not just projects: Talk about the artists, students, or audiences who will be touched by this work.
Example: “Your support brings emerging choreographers their first major platform and connects 2,000 local students with live performance.”Make giving feel like participation: Instead of saying “Support our season,” say “Be part of making this season possible.”
2. Choose the Right Mix of Touchpoints
Different segments of your donor audience engage differently—so tailor your announcement strategy to meet them where they are.
Email Announcement:
Use strong visuals and bold, emotional headlines.
Include clear “Support This Season” or “Renew Your Gift” Call-To-Actions.
Schedule a 3–4 email sequence tailored to your donors:
The Reveal (big announcement)
Behind-the-Scenes (impact story or artist quote)
Donor Connection (how gifts make it possible)
Reminder/Thank You (round-up and gratitude)
Printed Brochures or Postcards:
When sending to major donors and long-time patrons who appreciate tangible materials do this
Include a personal note or signature from your Artistic or Executive Director.
Pair it with a follow-up call or email to discuss their priorities for the season.
Personal Touches for Top Prospects:
A personal phone call or hand-delivered invitation to a preview event can turn an announcement into a conversation about investment.
Use these moments to ask open-ended questions: “Which parts of the season are you most excited about?” “Would you like to help bring that to life?”
3. Don’t Fear Repetition—Build Momentum
A common hesitation is: “We don’t want to overwhelm people.”
But most supporters don’t see every post or open every email. Repetition, across different channels, actually helps your message land.
Think of your communications as an arc:
Phase 1: Tease (“Something big is coming…”)
Phase 2: Reveal (the official announcement)
Phase 3: Deepen (behind-the-scenes content, testimonials, donor impact)
Phase 4: Activate (calls to action—donate, renew, join the patron circle)
Consistency builds excitement, not fatigue.
4. Lead with Confidence
If your season is scaled back—or only partially confirmed—frame it with a “more to come” tone.. Frame your messaging as a teaser: “We’re thrilled to share the first of many exciting projects coming your way.”
Frame scarcity as exclusivity: “You’re the first to know. Stay tuned for what’s next.”
Your confidence signals that your organization is vibrant, adaptable, and worth investing in.
Strategies for Engaging Current Donors in the Excitement
Segmentation is your secret weapon. Not everyone should receive the same message—and the more personal your outreach feels, the more effective it will be.
For Current Donors
Provide early access: Give them an exclusive first look at the season lineup via a private email, preview event, or video message from your Artistic Director.
Acknowledge their role: Use language that recognizes their contributions:
“Because of you, this work is possible.”Invite renewal through pride: Position renewal as a continuation of their legacy:
“Renew your gift today and keep bringing powerful stories to our stage.”Offer VIP experiences: Invite them to behind-the-scenes rehearsals, meet-the-artist events, or “first-night” receptions to reinforce their insider status.
For Lapsed Donors
Use the announcement as a re-entry point: “We’ve missed you! This season marks an incredible new chapter, and we’d love for you to be part of it again.”
Remind them of their impact: “Your past support helped us achieve ___; now we’re building on that momentum.”
Make re-engagement easy: Provide direct CTAs like “Renew your support in one click” or “Rejoin our community of supporters.”
For Prospective New Donors
Lead with vision and accessibility: Focus on your impact story, then connect it to an invitation to join: “When you give, you bring this art to life.”
Lower the barrier to entry: Offer simple giving levels or membership options with tangible benefits.
Use social proof: Showcase quotes from current donors or artists about why they give.
For All Communications
Always include a giving option: Even if the main focus is programming, a subtle giving link keeps the invitation open, and reminds everyone that giving is an important piece of the financial picture
Maintain consistent branding: The same visual tone, voice, and messaging should echo across emails, print, web, and social.
Plan follow-ups: Don’t let your announcement be a one-and-done. Schedule follow-up emails or updates that continue to reference your season theme and remind donors how they can contribute.
Cultivate Major Donors with Early Access
Your major donors and prospects should hear your plans before the public announcement. These moments are golden opportunities to deepen relationships.
Host a preview brunch or virtual briefing: Give them a personal walkthrough of the upcoming season and share the vision behind key projects.
Discuss alignment: Ask what excites them most—this can reveal potential funding matches.
Follow up with a proposal or customized giving opportunity: Tie their interests directly to the season’s themes or programs.
Early engagement builds ownership and excitement that can lead to transformational gifts before the curtain even rises.
The Bottom Line
Season announcements represent peak engagement with your community. Your community members are already paying attention, already excited, already invested in your success. Why not use that moment to invite them to deepen their commitment through giving?
This is also an opportunity to bring your entire communications team together. When marketing and development work in harmony during season launches, everyone wins.
Your season announcement is one of the most powerful storytelling moments you have. Don’t separate it from your fundraising—use it to invite your community to invest in what’s next.
Ready to transform your season announcements into fundraising opportunities? At Donorly, we help arts and culture organizations build sustainable fundraising strategies that integrate seamlessly with your marketing efforts. Whether you're launching an individual giving program or preparing for a capital campaign, we can help you make the most of every moment of community engagement. Learn more about how we work with organizations like yours.
