If you've already got a space, even if that space is your house, than display some past works and ask for donations at the door and sell your art. If you have some artistic friends you can ask them to add pieces to your show. Friends in the performing arts may draw a crowd too. You probably already know a band who would be willing to play your fundraiser for free.
If you're raising money for a community arts center, it's time to look to the community you serve for help. Knocking on doors, sending letters, emails and making phone calls are all ways to let your neighbors know their precious community center is running low on funds. Remind them of the benefits that your center provides the community and its youth. Alternatively, if you have a favorite bar, restaurant or coffee shop, talk to the owner. There's a chance she would be willing to help you out if it means some good press for her establishment.
Many artists, musicians and filmmakers are turning to Internet crowd funding sites like KickStarter.com to raise funds. These sites are designed to spread your plea across social networks to raise awareness and make it as easy as a few clicks to donate to your project.
No artist wants to compromise his integrity by slipping ads into his work. But that doesn't mean that you can't find a way to make corporate funding pay off for you. Think about your art project. If it involves publishing a program, offer ad space on the program. If you've got a website, offer some ad space on your website to help offset the balance of your project.