I was fascinated a while backt by the ‘Interspecies’ contemporary art exhibition which toured the UK r This has been put together by a remarkably innovative organisation called Arts Catalysts that puts together projects that bridge the art and science worlds http://www.artscatalyst.org. Art Galleries are places of exhibition and encounter, and so are (good) zoos. [...]
John Regan Associates Blog
Interface between the art gallery and the zoo
March 30th, 2011Zoos, botanics and the new age of philanthropy
March 25th, 2011We are – despite the recession – living through a new age of personal giving at a very senior level. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are now the biggest donors the world has ever seen, and they are followed by a host of others all around the world. But these new “philanthopcapitalists” are subtly different [...]
What if you were starting a zoo from scratch, but had no money?
March 24th, 2011How might you persuade some external authority to provide some of the capital investment…? And since we are going to change ‘the zoo’, we had better define the widest possible common denominator definition. So whatever else this new zoo might be, this is a public site allowing access to animal species maintained ‘ex situ’, okay..? [...]
When too much planning for your site’s future can damage opportunities for future external funding
March 22nd, 2011A contrarian’s view I know, but often when we are asked to help find major transformational funding for zoos, botanic sites, museums and similar sites, we find that an existing master plan that is too prescriptive and inflexible can be a major hindrance. Of course planning is essential; not least for the purposes for external funding itself. [...]
The Europa concept: a zoo opportunity?
March 15th, 2011When one seeks major funding, one needs somehow a big idea that keys into some macro-political agenda. How can your project help someone in authority tick a given box – perhaps in way that nobody else can…? In terms of EU funding, it seems to me there is an important, fundamental idea that Europe’s zoos would be [...]
Saying thank you
March 1st, 2011I know this must seem blindingly obvious, but… An important part of external funding ( whether defined as fundraising or development) is simply remembering to properly acknowledge support once received. I have heard of many cases where a gift or a grant or whatever has never been renewed, because the recipient has got so wrapped up [...]
