Tired of bad news? A dose of cheer from the arts management trenches

It’s easy to feel depressed by constant stories about our flailing economy–and the news can be especially bad for arts organizations sometimes. Yet, every now and then,  an uplifting news item crosses my virtual desk. A few recent snippets:                                                                                                                

Good News Item #1:WFMT. Chicago’s classical radio station raised a record-breaking $513,221 in its 11-day winter membership drive that ended last Monday. Strong work, classical music fans! 

Good News Item #2: Nevada Opera. One might not think of Nevada as a hotbed of opera and opera fans, but recent events prove otherwise. About a month ago, Nevada Opera was on the brink of collapse and planned to close if it could not raise $100,000 in the next four weeks. Amazingly, community patrons stepped up and donated about $165,000, including  a $50,000 challenge grant that was easily matched. While the org still has some debt, “La Boheme” opens in April. 

Good News Item#3: Arts revenues are in better shape than we thought. Patron Technology and Target Resource Group conducted a nationwide  December survey of arts orgs and learned that 47% of the 300+ responding orgs had exceeded their 4th quarter holiday budgets and 10% had met budget. Which is pretty good news considering that many orgs expected ticket sales to decline in lockstep with the Dow. 

Good News Item #4: Asheville Lyric Opera. Facing a $24,000 budget shortfall, the Asheville Lyric Opera’s board was scheduled to vote at its next meeting on whether to cancel its March 27-28 production of “Rigoletto.” But by the time of the meeting, the company had received almost $22,000 in pledges–and so the show will go on. Fundraising is continuing, as well as very strong drive to sell tickets. Let’s hope they pull it off!

Hey, arts worker – those long hours you’re working aren’t a real job!

I’m not surprised, but nonetheless disappointed, that the proposed — and measly — $50 million for the NEA was not included in what appears to be the final stimulus program. I don’t need to repeat the insights of other commentators here, but anyone who is passionate about the arts cannot help but be deeply distressed that museums, theaters and arts centers were lumped in with casinos, golf courses and the like as being unworthy of funding (as in the heinous Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla) amendment that passed 73-24 on Friday).

On the one hand, arts marketers should take note that the arts are considered by many to be entertainment comparable to other forms of entertainment, and that’s a valid point. On the other hand, as the Chicago Tribune’s Chris Jones pointed out in his Feb. 9 column, why aren’t arts jobs considered to be real jobs that produce real economic value? Everyone I know  in the field works long hours for low pay, with no prospect of a giant bonus, yet their work generates tremendous economic benefits for their communities. If the art sector is so incapable of producing economic value, then why do communities use arts centers and artistic activity to promote economic growth? And they do. Countless studies have shown this to be so and that this strategy works.

For the arts sector to have to argue for its value over and over again just makes me angry. I can’t persuade nonbelievers that the arts are inherently valuable. But we have the hard evidence that the arts provide far more than “enrichment,” and that the sector’s benefits can be quantified in economic terms. And, yeah, those are real jobs. Somehow that message hasn’t gotten through to Congress.