The Mississauga Arts Awards (500 person award show and dinner)

Managing the logistics for the Mississauga Arts Awards (affectionately known as The MARTYS) is a complex undertaking. The most comprehensive Civic Arts Awards in Canada, our recent 31st edition celebrated 67 artistic finalists and presented 21 awards to an audience of 500 guests. An event of this scale involves countless moving parts, and Zeffy served as a foundational tool in helping our team coordinate the evening successfully.

Features we rely on:

Seamless Sharing & Embedding: The ability to generate custom links, create QR codes, and embed checkout forms directly into our website is invaluable. We leverage all of these options simultaneously across our print flyers and digital marketing to provide our audience with a seamless purchasing experience.
Group tickets and guest list management: For an awards gala, the "group ticket" feature is essential, allowing patrons to secure a table of 10 in a single transaction. Frequently, coordinators purchase tables before finalizing their guest lists or meal preferences. Zeffy’s administrative backend allows our team to easily update names and dietary restrictions as that information becomes available.
“Add a donation” and receipting: We appreciate the option to include a donation prompt during the ticket checkout process. While only a small percentage of guests utilize this feature, the cumulative support is meaningful. Zeffy's automated issuance of CRA-compliant tax receipts removes a significant administrative burden during our peak planning season.
Discount Codes: Because our finalists receive a complimentary ticket, we issue unique discount codes to waive the ticket fee. This not only streamlines their checkout experience but also serves as an internal tracking mechanism to identify which finalists have registered and who requires follow-up.
Offline payments: We accommodate numerous sponsors and guests who prefer traditional invoicing, cash payments, or require complimentary seating. The "manual payment" feature allows us to record these external transactions quickly and accurately.

Why We Rely on Zeffy

Ultimately, an event of this magnitude requires reliable tools that support the entire committee.

The primary reason we will continue to utilize Zeffy for our major events is its accessible guest list management. Our team represents a wide range of technical proficiency, yet the platform is intuitive enough that any staff member can confidently log in, update attendee details, log manual payments, and export clean reports. By simplifying our event logistics, Zeffy allows our organization to maintain its focus where it belongs: honoring our city's exceptional artistic community.