The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Cultural Philanthropy Network has recently launched a series of events and an online discussion exploring key themes in arts philanthropy. This is a timely debate as earlier this month the government announced a £100m fund to help arts organisations diversify their income streams.

The three key issues the RSA is looking at are:

·         Defining philanthropy

·         Ethics of philanthropy

·         Alternative funding models using social media and ‘crowd-funding’

The network is hosted in the East Midlands but open to anyone wanting to attend or join the online discussion forum. RSA Fellowship Council member Ruth Jindal, who also works for Cultivate, which supports arts organisations in the East Midlands, says the idea sprang from a Cultivate symposium held in April exploring philanthropy and what it means for arts and cultural organisations.

She says: “In the East Midands, there is scepticism that philanthropic gifts will be forthcoming outside main metropolitan areas, incomes are generally lower and while there are pockets of great wealth in the region that does not necessarily mean that the philanthropic spend would be here.”

In the face of cuts, arts organisations are increasingly being asked to find new sources of funding, including philanthropy, so the events will look at the most pressing issues, according to Jindal. She says they will be asking: “How is philanthropy different from sponsorship or fundraising? Will the activities be influenced by the new funders? What resources are required?”

The first roundtable takes place on Tuesday 15 November, 5pm - 7pm at the Phoenix, Leicester.  Further discussions are planned for Nottingham and Lincoln.

RSA’s fellowship senior networks manager Vivs Long-Ferguson says: “We want to cultivate a culture of philanthropy among our Fellows. We hope this is a way of stimulating discussion among academics, philanthropists and arts organisations.”

Read more about the £100m arts funding scheme for arts announced

Read more about award nominations that suggest change in trend to arts giving

Read more about how arts funding cuts will affect more than the arts