This spring, I had the pleasure of working with Director Carrie Taylor to help re-vamp and re-form the annual fundraising event for Lippitt House Museum. With the ongoing pandemic, museums have had to make many changes. For Lippitt House, part of this has been to realize the potential of outdoor spaces with events such as the upcoming Rosé Garden Party on July 10, 2022.
Through creative local sponsorships, partnership, and plans for expanded marketing, this summer’s Rosé Garden Party is poised to become Lippitt House Museum’s signature fundraising event.
Working on this project has helped me gain a better understanding of the financial side of museum administration and event planning. At every step of the planning process, we ask ourselves how each step will affect the event and the funds raised for the museum? What does the local community want out of the event and how can we make it worth their time and money? How do we strike a balance between a casual Sunday afternoon with games and refreshments and the more formal get-togethers they might expect from Lippitt House Museum?
To plan an event of this scale requires many skill sets—from budgeting, to writing, to graphic design, which I was able to learn hands-on, and all of which will directly affect the success of the Rosé Garden Party. I am excited to attend myself and hope you will join the party too! Tickets are now on sale https://www.preserveri.org/garden-party.
Devne’t DeGrandmont, Graduate Intern
Johns Hopkins University
Master of Arts in Museum Studies