OnStage APS Budget: transparency on our 2025 finances

Why we're talking about money

Trust is never a given. Especially when an association raises funds, organizes events, and builds community. OnStage has existed since November 2024, and over these months we've heard one specific question from people: "How do you keep the lights on? Who funds you?"

Today, at the end of 2025, we're answering publicly. Not because we're obligated to — the rules governing APS (Associazioni di Promozione Sociale, Italy's legal category for social promotion associations) are fairly flexible — but because we believe transparency is the foundation of credibility.

Here we publish our final 2025 budget, in a form that's readable even for those who aren't accountants.

2025 income: €18,450 total

1. Sponsorships and partnerships (€8,200)

Three local businesses believed in us:
- Torrefazione Colombo (Botrugno coffee roaster): €3,500 — free coffee for all events, visibility on promotional materials
- Ferramenta Rizzo (local hardware store): €2,100 — logistical support for setups
- Studio legale Marchesi (legal consultancy): €2,600 — legal advice on contracts and APS compliance

These sponsors aren't paying to "put their logo up" — they're paying to be an authentic part of the community. They chose to fund local culture because it resonates with their values.

> "I support OnStage because I believe Salento deserves a living cultural scene. If young people stay, our local business grows." — Massimo Colombo, Torrefazione Colombo

2. Public grants (€6,800)

- Comune di Botrugno (urban regeneration grant): €4,000
- Regione Puglia (youth culture fund): €2,800

These grants require rigorous financial reporting and proof of expenditure. Nothing is opaque: every euro is justified with a receipt, documentation, photos of results.

3. Direct donations (€2,150)

40 supporters voluntarily donated between €10 and €500. The average donation is €53.75. It's not a lot, but it's genuine: people who saw an event, who believe in our movement, and chose to contribute spontaneously.

Among the donors: a few Lecce residents, a retired music teacher, three under-18s who put in their summer savings.

4. Service revenue (€1,300)

- Ticket sales for the Freestyle 101 Workshop: €1,300 (30 participants × €43 each)

This isn't a business, it's self-production. Attendees contribute to the direct cost of the training (speakers, materials, spaces).

2025 expenses: €17,980 total

This is the part that really matters.

1. Fees for artists and speakers (€6,200)

- International guests (RestArt 2026 and workshops): €3,800
- Freestyle 101 workshop speakers: €1,100 (Luigi Manca, a university lecturer, chose to be paid below cost)
- Block Battle 2024/2025 judges: €1,300

Yes, we pay artists. We don't believe in "do it for free, for the experience." If performances and workshops generate value, creators deserve to be paid. Even if it's a reduced amount.

> "We try to stay in the €100–150 range per guest, when the private market pays €500+. That's what our numbers allow. But we pay." — Marco Donato, founder

2. Venues and rentals (€3,500)

- Piazza San Pietro, Botrugno (public use, permits): €0 (free)
- Centro Giovani, Botrugno (8 workshop sessions): €800
- Spazio Colonnato, Lecce (3 Open Mic evenings): €2,700 (rent + management)

Most events happen in public spaces. But for workshops and dedicated evenings, we rented air-conditioned spaces with proper restrooms. It's not opulence: it's organizational dignity.

3. Materials, equipment, printing (€2,850)

- Spray paint and street art materials: €1,100
- Audio/DJ equipment rental (mixer, speakers): €950
- Posters, flyers, handouts: €420
- Training materials, notepads for workshops: €380

4. Communication and digital marketing (€2,200)

- Photographers for event documentation: €1,200 (we paid three freelance photographers to capture the moments)
- Social media and website management: €600 (cloud services, domain, hosting)
- Email marketing and platforms: €400

We invest in documentation because the visual memory of an event is what makes it real for those who weren't there.

5. Insurance and legal compliance (€1,850)

- General public liability: €950
- Workshop participant coverage: €400
- Legal advice and APS bylaws: €500

It's not a line item activists like, but it's legal and mandatory. An unforeseen accident could wipe out a young association.

6. International guest travel and logistics (€980)

- Transport (train, rental car for international writers): €650
- Accommodation (3 nights for out-of-region guests): €330

We want guests who arrive rested and prepared, not worn out by the trip.

7. Petty cash and miscellaneous expenses (€400)

Coffee, snacks for volunteers, small repairs, banking costs.

The final 2025 balance

Income: €18,450
Expenses: €17,980
Surplus: €470

A small margin, but a positive one. In non-profit terms, it means we are self-sufficient and not running a deficit.

What this first year taught us

1. Local sponsors are the real allies

Whoever funds from the territory returns to the territory. The national sponsors we approached? They asked for impossible figures in exchange for visibility. Our small sponsors? They trust us.

2. Public grants are exhausting but essential

Every euro from the Comune/Regione requires 40 pages of documentation. But it lets us pay artists and speakers with dignity.

3. Spontaneous donations are the real test of credibility

If 40 people choose to give their own money with no incentive, it means we've built genuine trust.

4. We're not a startup chasing exponential growth

We're a community aiming for sustainability. A €470 surplus isn't "not much" — it's perfect. It means every euro raised was invested in the project, not hoarded.

2026: what will change

The 2026 budget will be larger (we already have three new sponsors in negotiation), but it will follow the same principles:

- Total transparency (we'll publish the budget every July)
- Dignified pay for creatives
- Necessary but contained expenses
- Reinvestment of earnings into the community

An invitation to our readers

If you're reading this article and you're a potential partner, know this: OnStage is not a financial machine. It's a project that works because the local community believes in it.

If you're a young person wondering whether it's really possible to build culture from the ground up, without big initial capital: the answer is yes, but it takes radical transparency and hard choices.

We chose to pay a few guests well rather than pay many guests poorly. We chose to rent dignified spaces rather than use basements. We chose to document properly rather than improvise.

That's why this budget is our greatest source of pride.

Want to read the full certified budget? Contact us at info@onstage.salento. We'll publish the complete documentation by July 2026.