Every art teacher wants their students to be engaged and excited about bringing their creative ideas to life. But limited budgets can make things difficult. The good news? You can secure new resources with a streamlined fundraiser program for your classroom, and give students and families a fantastic, meaningful way to connect with their artwork along the way.
Building a successful art fundraiser doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right approach and support team, and a willingness to try, you can protect your busy schedule and get a solution that’s fun for everyone. Art to Remember makes it easy, and you can take inspiration from this one story outside of Columbus, Ohio. The elementary school completely transformed their art program fundraiser in just one year!
A First-Year Teacher with Big Results
When our team reached out to a new teacher at one of our partner schools in Ohio, we didn’t realize she had a few tricks up her sleeve to make her upcoming fundraiser such a major high-participation, high-impact success. Historically, the school’s program had been steady, with participation hovering around 13% and sales in the low thousands. But this educator took just a few steps to make the program even better.
Within one fundraiser, she saw the fundraiser’s impact change dramatically. Participation jumped to 45%, and total sales grew to over $13,000.
The key is that this success didn’t require a complete overhaul. It was a simple combo of some thoughtful planning, making a point to encourage student excitement, and then communicating with families. She was balancing a new role, and the challenge of running a fundraiser for the first time seemed a little daunting at first. But our support and process at Art to Remember helped guide her through each step.
Building Student Excitement from the Start
One of the things that really stood out for this fundraiser was how the students were introduced to the concept. Their teacher explained from the start that their artwork could be transformed into real keepsake items for their families to use and enjoy. Exploring those possibilities by viewing different Art to Remember objects together—like mugs and magnets, notecards and more—helped build a sense of purpose and pride for students from the very beginning, before they even started on their artwork.
This art teacher also decided to introduce a new artistic process to her students, and because they were trying something different, she said her students seemed to become even more invested in their work. Some even chose to spend extra time refining their pieces or experimenting beyond the classroom.
At Art to Remember, we specifically develop art lessons and projects that can really stand out. We find that when students are proud of what they’re creating, they naturally want to share it at home. That excitement helps build the fundraiser because it encourages parents to get involved. We’re glad she was able to take advantage of our resources for a successful program!
Simple and Consistent Communication
Another key factor was having clear, ongoing communication with families. Instead of a single announcement, the teacher made it a point to share reminders before and during the fundraiser. She wanted to keep parents informed without overwhelming them, so the messaging stayed simple. It just highlighted when to order, how to participate, and how proud the school was of its students. Basically, it reinforced what the students were already eager to share with their own parents.
Regular updates and reminders gave families time to plan and made it easy to participate. Once again, she also had access to our proven Art to Remember tools—like pre-made flyers and email resources—to save time. She didn’t need elaborate marketing. It just came down to a steady and thoughtful approach that parents actually appreciated.
Inspired to Try Art to Remember for Yourself?
Whether you’re a first-year teacher or have been in the classroom for decades, a successful art class fundraiser is totally within reach. Making sure students are informed right out of the gate, and then reiterating the process with parents goes a long way.
With support from our team and your focus on student creativity, you’ll be able to help the entire school community look forward to the program each year—and hopefully growing each time! You can use the new funds to invest in better tools and materials that might not otherwise fit into the budget. Ready to see what your program can achieve? Let’s make it happen. Contact us today to get started!