In Memorium Giving

It's very rare that our two worlds of opera and singing at funerals come together, but an excellent article in Arts Professional by John Grain on In Memorial giving highlights the huge potential this form of gifting has for any arts charity or organisation (or church, come to that).

I​n Memoriam giving can be anything from a request that contributions be made to a charity in lieu of flowers, to a page on a charity giving website such as JustGiving. In 2012, these kind of pages raised an astounding £8million in income.

Most In Memorium sites benefit a charity that helped or supported the deceased in illness, such as cancer and nursing charities, or hospices. However, it can also support an organisation that the person was passionate about during their lifetime, and a lot of people are passionate about the arts!

New on the scene are Tribute Funds, where a single memorial web page invites people to celebrate a life by fundraising in whatever way they chose, from straight donation or Direct Debit, to sponsored events.

Both are certainly great ways to get those who cannot attend a funeral service but want to remember a friend or relative in practical terms. It's also a lovely way to keep a person's memory alive long after our last sung note has sounded at the funeral service.

And for the arts, it's a great way to support organisations that meant so much to the deceased, which in turn keeps their passion and interest alive for others to enjoy after their death.