Stage, Story, Success: How the National Theatre Elevates Fundraising with Emma

About the National Theatre

The National Theatre is one of the UK’s leading cultural institutions, renowned for producing bold, world-class theatre and for its commitment to making the arts accessible to all. Alongside its celebrated productions, the organisation delivers a portfolio of high-profile fundraising events that bring together patrons, creatives and supporters to sustain its work both on stage and beyond.

These events are not only about raising funds, they are immersive, story-led experiences that reflect the creativity and ambition the National Theatre is known for.

Building a partnership from day one

Five years ago, Emma was at the very beginning of its journey. We were preparing for some of our first ever live events, equal parts excitement and nerves, and one of the earliest and most significant opportunities came with the National Theatre’s award-winning Up Next Gala.

It was a defining moment for us. A £1 million fundraising target, a prestigious audience, and an event that demanded absolute reliability. We often describe it as a “switch-on” moment, that instant where everything is live, guests are engaged, and you’re hoping every element performs exactly as intended.

From day one, the National Theatre adopted a fully integrated approach with Emma, using the platform to support multiple key touchpoints across the evening. This included:

·      Ticketing and registration – creating a smooth, professional arrival experience for guests

·      Check-in – ensuring efficiency and ease at scale for a high-volume audience

·      Silent auctions – enabling continuous engagement throughout the event

·      Live auctions – supporting high-energy, competitive bidding moments

·      Pledge fundraising – delivering two dedicated pledge moments designed to maximise giving

What makes National Theatre events stand out is the seamless blend of storytelling and fundraising. Every moment is intentional, from performances to appeals, and Emma sits quietly in the background, making those moments easier, smoother and more impactful.

Over time, our role evolved from supporting a single event to becoming a trusted partner across their fundraising activity, helping to refine and optimise how technology enhances the guest experience and drives results.

Delivering impact, and looking ahead

That initial leap of faith quickly turned into a long-term partnership.

Since those early days, the National Theatre has delivered over 500 Emma-powered fundraising activities, consistently pushing the boundaries of what their events can achieve. Together, we’ve supported increasingly ambitious targets, more sophisticated event formats, and ever-higher expectations from guests and donors.

Most recently, we returned to the National Theatre for their latest event, Next Chapter, a fitting name that reflects both progression and momentum. The evening was nothing short of extraordinary, raising an impressive£2 million through a carefully choreographed combination of performances, auctions and pledge moments.

Beyond the numbers, what stands out most is the consistency. Year after year, the National Theatre delivers events that are not only financially successful but creatively exceptional, and it’s been a privilege for Emma to play a part in that journey.

As one of our very first clients, this partnership holds a special place for us. It has grown alongside Emma itself, from those early, slightly nerve-wracking beginnings to a confident, collaborative relationship built on trust and shared ambition.

Looking ahead, that journey is far from over. The National Theatre has already committed to continuing their work with Emma through to2028, a strong signal of the value the platform brings and the confidence in what we can achieve together next.

In many ways, the titles of their events say it all. From UpNext to Next Chapter, they mirror not just the National Theatre’s evolution, but Emma’s too, always building, always improving, and always looking ahead.