Learning from the American Fundraising Model: A European Perspective March 2014 | Page 16

05. corporate
donors
step in
Nuno Azevedo, Former CEO,
Casa da Música (Portugal),
Class of 2010
While it did not take long for critics to admire
its daring angular structure – designed by
Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas – the Casa da
Música concert hall got off to something of a
rocky start. The public had little faith that what
was then a state institution could build cultural credibility in a financially sustainable way.
Meanwhile, few politicians believed a private
management structure could run public programs. “There was a bit of a deadlock,” explains
Nuno Azevedo, who was CEO until 2012.
Nevertheless, two years after it opened in 2005,
the state relinquished control of the institution
and Casa da Música became a private foundation. Since then, the organization has introduced a radical new model of fundraising that
has seen the proportion of government contributions shrink rapidly.
First, a new governance model was established.
And in the years that followed, state financing

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was more than halved while maintaining the
annual budget. Making up the difference were
corporate sponsorships and revenues from
sources such as concert tickets, restaurants and
bars, bookshops and merchandise.
When developing a network of corporate
sponsors, the team decided to focus on a small
group of prominent corporations, selecting one
from several sectors – from industries such
as insurance, banking, telecoms, energy, and
drinks.
“We didn’t want a whole array of companies,”
says Azevedo. “And Casa da Música has acquired an international profile, so it’s a good
vehicle for corporations to highlight their social
responsibility.”
However, he is also aware that institutions such
as Casa da Música will increasingly need to tap
into the passions of individual donors. And for