Shalini Hartog has found her arts management niche – sponsorship. “I love the relationships you build and the challenge of bringing a partnership to life”.
Having completed several AYO programs as a violinist from 2001-2004 – including the Arts Administration program – Shalini’s exciting career has included working in sponsorship and fundraising for Moonlight Cinema, The Australian Ballet and her current role as Sponsorship Manager for The Melbourne Festival.
How do you approach Sponsorship?
I identify synergies between our company and a product and look at ways to leverage a partnership. For example, a sponsor might gain exposure of their brand or entertain key clients at a show. Sometimes it’s more integrated– e.g. at The Australian Ballet a sponsor created a Sleeping Beauty competition including flights, accommodation, designer pj’s and the chance to meet the dancers.
Essential traits of a Sponsorship Manager?
You need to anticipate the needs of a sponsor and come to the table with ideas about how to make the partnership mutually beneficial. It’s important to understand a sponsor’s capacity and what they’re doing in the marketplace.
Most useful Arts Administration lessons?
AYO’s Arts Administration course taught me how to put a program together, create schedules and how to balance meeting people’s diverse needs with getting the task done.
You must be very busy during Festival time…
Indeed – The Melbourne Festival has over 1,000 artists and 300 performances. It’s such a vibrant, exciting time and I spend three weeks running from one event to the next. I basically keep my life at work; hairdryers, make-up and several wardrobes on the go…
Career highlights?
Seeing The Australian Ballet’s ‘Bodytorque’ program, which brought dancers and choreographers together to create new works. Also, my first big win when I increased a company’s previous grant by 120%; that was a good day.
