08/21/2025
Thanks to Cheeky Cheeries for this post.
💡🎨 A gentle word to charities & event organisers… Want more families at your fundraiser?
Offer FREE face painting – here’s how to make it happen 🎨✨”
We often see posts asking if a face painter can come along “for free” to support a charity day. While many of us DO give our time to causes close to our hearts, it’s not always possible – and here’s why 👇
👉 For lots of face painters, this is their job. It’s how they pay their bills, buy and replace kit (which costs hundreds to maintain), and support their families. Asking a professional to work unpaid means asking them to personally fund your event.
But here’s the thing: with a bit of planning, you CAN still have face painting and even offer it free to families – which is one of the biggest draws for children (and their parents!) at community and charity events.
Free face painting makes your event more attractive, brings more people through the gates, and makes families feel included – especially those with two or three children who might otherwise struggle to afford it. 🙌
So how do you make it work? 🤔
✅ Ticketed events – add 50p or £1 to the ticket price. Most families won’t even notice, but it easily covers a face painter’s fee and lets you offer face painting free on the day.
✅ Corporate sponsorship – approach the bigger local companies (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, housing developers, regional firms, etc.). They love the PR of sponsoring something fun and family-friendly, and it means your charity can shout about free face painting for all.
✅ On-the-day fundraising – have a sponsor cover the face painter’s fee, then make face painting free or donation-based. Families see it as a treat, and donations often flow more generously.
✅ Build it into your event budget – just as you’d pay for a marquee, bouncy castle, or sound system, include entertainment. It guarantees professional, safe painting – and you can proudly promote free face painting in all your advertising.
✨ The key is this: when you invest in or find backing for a professional face painter, you’re not just supporting them – you’re giving families a reason to turn up, stay longer, and feel valued at your event. That’s good for your charity, good for your community, and good for the face painter.
So next time you’re planning, think beyond the “can anyone do it for free?” post.
With a little creativity, you can give families the magic of face painting at no cost to them – and your event will be all the busier for it. 🌈✨