Imagine 5,000 kids, each with their own unique challenges, coming together in a space filled with laughter, joy, and acceptance. Decked out in Noggles, experiencing Nouns stories, interacting with vibrant Nouns sculptures and characters, and immersing themselves in a world where disability, disadvantage, or illness doesn't define them. Instead, they're celebrated for their individuality and spirit, all while being introduced to the imaginative universe of Nouns. This is the magic of the Variety Kids Xmas Party, and with your support, we can make it an unforgettable experience.

Introduction:

The Variety Kids Xmas Party is an annual event held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia that brings joy and inclusion to over 5,000 Victorian children facing diverse challenges. We seek Nouns DAO's support of 47,479 UDSC to enhance this iconic event, held across 39,000 square metres, with the Nouns bringing the FUN and ENTERTAINMENT, ensuring a memorable experience for all attendees including:

• 5,000 kids in need
• 3,000 parents and carers
• 600 corporate volunteers
• 100 VIP guests

This year's party will be held in mid-December 2023.

⌐◧-◧ Background:

For over three decades, the Variety Kids Xmas Party has been a beacon of hope for kids in need. Held at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre, this event has touched the lives of over 165,000 children since its inception in 1986. The massive event is completely FREE for 5,000 children and 3,000 carers to attend, ensuring that each child receives a gift and experiences an inclusive day of fun, activities, stage entertainment, carnival rides, all-abilities sport and an all-important visit from Santa. For many, this celebration is the only one they have during the Christmas season, and the gifts they receive at the party are often the only ones they receive. The Variety Kids Xmas Party is a safe space for children living with disabilities or experiencing disadvantage or illness, allowing them to be themselves without fear of judgment from their peers. This remarkable event is made possible by the dedication and hard work of the small Variety team and over 600 volunteers.

⌐◧-◧ Profound Impact:

The Variety Kids Xmas Party is more than just a day of fun; it's a lifeline for families who often feel isolated or overlooked. For many children, the event offers a rare opportunity to experience joy, laughter, and a sense of belonging. Parents often remark on the transformative effect of the party, noting the boost in their children's confidence and self-esteem. The ripple effect extends beyond the children to their families, providing them with a much-needed respite and the chance to see their children thrive in a supportive environment. The memories created during the party serve as a source of strength and inspiration for families throughout the year.

⌐◧-◧ Testimonials:

"You have no idea what this means to us. Without Variety, we were having no Christmas." Kayla

“Being on your own and battling to afford the basics, you are so conscious of trying to make Christmas special. I will be forever thankful that Variety did that for me and my boys this Christmas.” Shelly, parent of Jaxon and Dylan.

To make the day even more special, each child receives a gift bag full of age-appropriate toys and games (including Nounish items) to take home and enjoy. For some children, this was the only gift they received that Christmas.

⌐◧-◧ Videos and imagery:

Watch the party in action – news coverage of last year's event 7 News Click here to play

9 News Click here to play

Meet some of the families who attend and hear what it means to them Click here to watch Seth & Teagan's Variety Story

Click here to view our gallery of pictures of the day

⌐◧-◧ A Nounish Christmas Deliverables:

To elevate the 2023 Variety Kids Xmas Party, we propose the Nouns brand activations in synchronicity with the Variety red branding where Nouns bring the FUN and ENTERTAINMENT! These activations include a standalone Nouns Fun Zone with Nounish activities, branding across the venue and the Nouns Entertainment Zone (which cover 80% of the venue space) with dedicated Nouns branding. Deliverables include:

• Nouns Fun Zone: A centrepiece that showcases the Nouns brand and its ethos including large-scale foam Noggle sculpture and cutouts.

  • Distribution of LO-FI Noggles to attendees: A fun and interactive way for kids to engage with the Nouns brand.
  • Nouns Colouring-in Station: A creative space for children to colour and engage with Nouns-themed artworks.
  • A roving Nouns character costume: roving characters are a hit with attendees and receives lots of photo requests! The character and Noun volunteers will hand out Noggles and Nouns temporary tattoos.
  • LEGO Nouns creation station – hosted by kid’s entertainers and LEGO experts live-building giant Noggles as well as a kids creation station for attendees create their favourite Nouns tokens to contribute to the Nouns sculpture.

• Nouns Entertainment Zone:

  • From on-stage entertainment (characters, dancers, magicians and more!) to carnival rides, all-abilities sports demonstrations, craft activities and the big man – SANTA – himself, Nouns will be bringing the entertainment to our 5,000 kids! Each area of the entertainment zone (venue-wide) will be branded with Nouns corflute signs (Nouns Entertainment Zone) with Nouns brand ownership of the main stage through stage signage, on-stage screens, signage on grandstand seating, on-stage Noggles sculpture, Noggles signage on all carnival rides and activities across 39,000 square feet.

• Nouns Community Volunteers:

  • An opportunity for members of the local Nouns community to take part and witness the Nounish party through volunteering for the event (all volunteers require a current Working with Children’s Check) as well as providing filming and documentation for distribution in the Nouns community

⌐◧-◧ Value to Nouns DAO:

By integrating the Nouns brand into the Variety Kids Xmas Party and its associated marketing campaign, we aim to increase brand awareness, foster a positive association with the Nouns community and create exposure for the DAO to our ongoing corporate partners who will be in attendance at an associated VIP event. This event will serve as a platform to showcase the Nouns brand's commitment to social causes and its ability to make a tangible difference in the lives of thousands, reaching a diverse and expansive audience through a large scale IRL experience amplified online and through media outreach.

• Fun and Entertainment Zone activations as detailed in the previous section
• Variety Kids Xmas Party – Powered by Nouns byline on all marketing, media and communication channels
• Photo and video documentation of the event including a Nouns specific video story highlighting the event-wide Nouns activations and funding est. views 5,000+
• Nouns logo on 600 volunteer t-shirts
• Content creation, distribution and amplification on social media channels on all Variety Vic platforms and supporting Nouns channels post-event including Variety boosted post with est. 100,000 reach to targeted audiences. Variety main socials:
  • Instagram 3.4k followers
  • X 2.15k followers
  • Facebook 18k followers
• Potential for mainstream media coverage (the party receives television and print media coverage) and submission to web 3 media outlets (Coin Telegraph, Chainsaw et al). Event releases plus specific story pitches centred on Nouns funding. Advertising space rate (ASR) for news stories is $37,500 for an audience on 377,000 per story and print $16,000 ASR for an audience of 566,000. Online article reach on Coin Telegraph exposure to 8M unique monthly visitors.
• Invitation to four contributing Nouns community members to
  • Volunteer to assist with Nouns activations
  • Attend our corporate VIP morning tea overlooking the party followed by a tour of the party plus speech opportunity to over 100 Variety sponsors and major donors about Nouns, the DAO’s work and how to get involved by buying Nouns (contribution to long-term growth and prosperity of the Nouns project) plus networking at the VIP event
  • Opportunity to hand out Nouns merchandise
• Exposure to celebrity sports people and entertainers on the day including crypto-knowledgeable AFL players (crypto.com is a major AFL sponsor) and the local web3 community who have supported Variety in other ways
• Exposure to 600 blue chip corporate volunteers from major banks, telcos and more on event set up day and event day. Inclusion of About Nouns blurb and video QR code in volunteer comms
• Comprehensive post-event promotion detailing the impact and reach of the Nouns brand during the event

⌐◧-◧ Budget & Funding:

Hosting an event as impactful as the Variety Kids Xmas Party, with over 8,000 people in attendance, requires a significant financial investment each year even with a number of suppliers providing their services at a greatly reduced cost or comped. On average, previous Xmas Parties have cost USD $160,000 and have been funded from Variety's non-profit funds.

Variety is committed to continue to fund this event with the knowledge that it is crucial for thousands of families whose children are living with disabilities, illnesses, or experiencing disadvantages. It serves as a day of joy and inclusion, often providing the only Christmas celebration and gifts these children receive. For over three decades, this event has been sustained by year-round contributions from our dedicated individual of donors and fundraisers.

The current cost-of-living crisis has intensified the needs of our most vulnerable families, increasing the demand for our support. Simultaneously, community donations have become less frequent, as they are no longer as possible for some individuals as they once were.

If the Nouns prop passes to fund the 2023 event, the money previously allocated for it will be redirected to our individual grant program, which provides essential items like wheelchairs, communication devices, scholarships, education programs and assistance dogs for kids experiencing disadvantage or living with conditions including Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Autism, global development delay, muscular dystrophy, brain injury, spinal injury, rare and chronic disease and more.

Variety – the Children’s Charity requests a total of USDC 47,479 to fund the Nouns brand fun and entertainment zones. Variety will be contributing the balance of event costs as outlined in our budget section funded by donors who contribute to our Christmas appeal and throughout the year.

BUDGET

• Entertainment – all on-stage performers, Santa, dancers, character performers such as the Grinch and Real Dinosaurs, carnival rides including a ferris wheel, sideshow alley, Santa’s grotto, all-abilities sports activations, silent movie cinema, and main stage visual, LED screens, audio, staging, stage lighting & rigging $32,511 USDC
• Photography/filming and package creation $3,219 USDC
• Nouns Noggles - donated $0 USDC
• LEGO - donated $0 USDC
• Colouring sheets - printing $645 USDC
• Free standing foam Noggles sculpture $645 USDC
• Nouns signage x 25 $804 USDC
• Nouns character costume $4,506 USDC
• 600 Nouns branded tees worn by corporate volunteers across the venue $3,862 USDC
• 2,000 temporary Noggles tattoos $1,287 USDC
• TOTAL $47,479 USDC

In addition, Variety will be paying USD $128k (funded across the year by our donors) as follows

• Catering extras (90% catering sponsor) $7,443

• Event management and non-main stage venue AV, staging & rigging $31,900

• Venue hire cost $15,400

• Gift bag of toys for every child $64,169

• Transport, freight, couriers and postage $2,951

• Staffing, logistics, and marketing $6,416

⌐◧-◧ The Team

Georgie Smith - Variety Project Lead Georgie has a twenty-five-year career in not-for-profit fundraising, marketing and event management and currently leads Variety – the Children’s Charity digital innovation program including crypto philanthropy. The Variety Kids Xmas Party logistics are supported by our internal events, kids support and marketing team alongside Events Logistics Australia.

Blueberry DAO Blueberry DAO supports children’s charities including Variety – the Children’s Charity, both a member of the DAO and a recipient of a bikes for kids grant for a child in need. Blueberry DAO started with the help of a community grant from Nouncil.

NounsAU and Klim (Big Shot Toys) – Prop consultants and contributors Prop consultation by NounsAU community and Big Shot Toys.

About Variety - the Children's Charity:

Variety – the Children’s Charity stands as a global beacon of hope, with a network spanning 40 offices in 14 countries. Through the unwavering dedication and generosity of its community of supporters, millions of individual children worldwide have experienced improved lives.

Variety - the Children's Charity Victoria is dedicated to assisting children who face challenges due to disability, disadvantage, or illness. The charity offers invaluable support to families and organisations by granting equipment, ranging from wheelchairs to all-abilities playgrounds, ensuring practical assistance reaches those in dire need. Beyond tangible aid, Variety runs transformative programs designed to educate and empower children who might otherwise be overlooked. Scholarships are also awarded to nurture the talents of children living with disadvantages or disabilities. And, Variety hosts events that infuse joy, light, and laughter into the lives of these children and their families – with our keystone event being the Variety Kids Xmas Party.

Pioneering the intersection of charity and technology, Variety Victoria has been at the forefront of web 3 and crypto philanthropy in Australia. In addition to accepting crypto donations for over 2 years, their innovative approach includes, joining and submitting a successful proposal with Blueberry DAO, being recognised as the charity of choice for notable entities like NFT Melbourne and Oshi Gallery and being an active beneficiary of various NFT auctions.

Addressing comments in candidature

Thank you all so much for your amazing support and feedback!

In regards to paid social advertising, external channels have been removed. Variety may contribute a small sum (est $50) to extend reach targeted to audiences.

In regards to sustained funding, this is a one-off Nouns activation that could be repeated in future years and in future regions should the community wish to support it.

In regards to cancellation and resubmission, this was to resubmit in UDSC rather than ETH