In the first of our regular staff blogs, we chat to Rachael Magson, about her varied and exciting role as Fundraising Manager. From the theatrical glitz and glamour of hosting a Gala Dinner to getting to know the individual donors who  together help support our vital work in the community, there’s never a dull moment in the fast-moving world of fundraising!

How long have you worked at the Hippodrome?

In this role, coming up to 2 years… but I actually had my first ever job as the first Administration Assistant here back in 2004!

What made you want to work here?

Well as I’ve worked here twice, I obviously love it here! For me it’s a magical combination of fantastic colleagues and the important role we play as an independent charitable trust within Birmingham and the West Midlands.  The organisation is ambitious and forward thinking, and a very capable and stable figure in the Birmingham arts sector.

How would you describe your job?

Ensuring we are successful in raising over £1million a year to support our charitable ambitions as a theatre and arts charity.  From £1 to £1,000, every donation makes a real difference!

How would you describe a typical working day?

A frenetic combination of planning, process and people!  One day I might be planning a fundraising event, the next writing funding applications, the following analysis of donation data, and sometimes all three in one day with a donor reception in the evening!

What’s the favourite part of your job?

It’s our relationship with our donors I enjoy the most – getting to know all these wonderful individuals, what motivates them and why they support us. They are all generous souls who really believe in Birmingham Hippodrome and are supporting us with their personal purse.

What’s your favourite production in general?

Theatre and Dance are my true love.  I just saw an amazing production by Pentabus Theatre Company, who I worked for previously as Managing Director. ‘Here I Belong’ by Matt Hartley is currently touring village halls and absolutely blew me away! It was a poignant, funny and moving play about what it means to be part of a community. For Dance, I love everything from Birmingham Royal Ballet to contemporary styles.  Alvin Ailey was a real treat this September, touring direct from New York with Dance Consortium, of which Birmingham Hippodrome is a member.

What are you most proud of achieving here?

My highlight so far has been the auction at the Gala Dinner on our main stage in May 2016.  It was so satisfying to see all the hard work pay off as our very special auction prizes flew out the door, with the evening raising over £60,000 for Hippodrome CREATIVE. My daily challenge is raising awareness that we are an independent charitable trust, reaching hundreds of thousands of people every year with free or low cost arts experiences. My aim is for everyone to know we’re a charity – if I can achieve this, I’ll be really proud!

Which show/event are you most looking forward to in the coming season?

For me I can’t wait to see what our Hippodrome CREATIVE team have planned for next year’s Summer in Southside Festival – I am hearing lots of exciting things about a new ‘theme’ for the festival for families in 2017… watch this space!  From our main stage programme I’m looking forward to the UK Premiere of The Addams Family next year.

Spooky, and kooky!

To find out more about how you can help support Birmingham Hippodrome, visit the Give and Join section of our website.