Make money having fun with sidewalk chalk art.

Set Up A Sidewalk Chalk Art Show

Want to conduct a fundraiser

on the fly that will not take

a huge amount of

preparation?

Why not try putting on a

Sidewalk Art Show to raise

money for your group.

This is a novel way to

raise money that will

attract a lot of attention.

Start With Your Talent

Regardless what age category your group belongs too, you've probably have some talent to draw some great images on the sidewalk. At one of your meetings, have a brain storming session to think of simple yet colorful designs. Put these designs all down on paper and choose the best looking ones.

Don't limit your designs to your own sketches. Try looking through stacks of magazines and newspapers to get some ideas. Get designs from Clip Art books.

Get some art students from the local high school or college to lend you a hand. Talk with the teacher or professor and suggest that she offer "extra points" to their students that participate in your Sidewalk Chalk Art Show. Get as many of these artists as possible.

Pick Your Location And Time

To get the best response to your efforts

you must put on your art show in a high

trafficked area. Allow plenty of room to

draw sketches on sidewalks and parking lots.

If you do this in a parking lot, get the

store manager, school superintendent,

or pastor to give you permission to use

a certain area. Make sure that you cordon off the area for safety.

Conducting your Art Show outdoors will require you to keep an eye on the weather. Definitely try and get under the eaves of a strip mall or other sheltered area if possible. Also, plan for an alternate rain-out day.

What To Draw

Try to gather images to duplicate that will appeal to different segments of the population.

For Kids -- Get images that have "smiley faces", dolls, choo-choo trains, fire trucks, police cars, etc.

For Teenagers -- use more of a "graffiti" type

imagery, use some of the more popular

symbols like hearts, crosses, band instruments,

footballs, baseballs, basketballs, jazz, tap,

gymnastics, etc. Usually these symbols

will indicate the extracurricular activity that

they are involved in. Be sure to add the

number of their team that they are a part of.

For Adults -- you might try caricatures or even a little more serious work that portrays your customers better. Be creative in capturing the customers wishes.

Maybe, these adult contributors have a picture of their grandchildren in their wallet or purse and want that picture duplicated in Chalk Art. That way the will be available so that they can send the relatives to see it.

What To Charge

You will have different price structures for you drawings. Your goal is to take orders from passers-by. Also, send out flyers in the area to bring people to your amazing art show.

50 Cents -- design a customer's name done in a unique font and in several colors that they choose.

$1.00 -- A name and a simple graphic image selected by the customer.

$3.00 -- A caricature of the contributor.

$7.00 -- Two caricatures of a couple with their names.

$10.00 -- 4' X 4' Postcard with several features that includes a message to someone that the customer want to dedicate to.

$10.00 -- More serious looking portrait or landscape.

$3.00 -- Polaroid picture of their artwork. Charge this for taking a picture of their purchased artwork so that they can keep it and show others. Make sure to get as close to the artwork as possible when taking the picture.

You will probably agree that the funds

generated from this kind of fundraising

event will add up very quickly.

Plus, think of all of the publicity that your

group and the manager of the location of

your show will garner. This is definitely

the kind of event that will get the media

out to get you on film or print.

Alternative Funding Possibilities

While you are at it, provide some additional ways of raising funds since you will be attracting a good bit of attention. There may be people that come to look, but not buy any artwork. However, they may buy a soft drink or snack.

* Cookies, cupcakes, and other snacks for sale.

* Sell soft drinks. Ask the local Coca Cola, Pepsi or Royal Crown bottler to donate some drinks.

* Some local restaurants may donate some dinners to raffle off for a $1.00 donation. You might want to raffle off some other items. See more on Raffles here.

* Chocolate Bars, candy bars, lollipops, or Gourmet Smellable Pencils will make you money as you attract many visitors.

After The Day Is Done

Make sure that you provide a way to clean up after you are done. This is simple with chalk, because it will wash away with water.

Make arrangements to wash the parking lot or sidewalk after the stores have closed and it will not inconvenience customers. Get biodegradable soap and a few broom scrub brushes to clean up your treasured art work. This is probably the hardest chore for the whole day's work. It is very hard to eliminate the work that you've created.

Then there's next year. Make sure to get the names and addresses of all of your helpers so that you can invite them to help next year.

Get corporate sponsors also. Get their logos and graphics and draw their images. Draw a caricature of their CEO and have it presented to him or her in a snapshot and they will be your sponsor for each year after that.

If you also had a "free" drawing for a door prize at your event you will have gathered perhaps hundreds of names of your patrons. This will allow you to send an invitation to these people next year. If happy, they will come back and get you to do more art work for them.

So go have fun, fun, fun. And chalk it up to another great fundraising event.