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Best Year Yet for Atlanta Theater?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You would think that in an economic downturn, arts & culture would be hurting. Not necessarily.
The fiscal year has ended for many nonprofit arts & culture organizations in metro Atlanta and here are some of the things I’m hearing, especially from theater groups: “This was our best year ever.” “Record ticket revenue.” “Fundraising way up.”
“It’s bizarre,” said Jeff Watkins, artistic director of The Atlanta Shakespeare Company at the New American Shakespeare Tavern, who was bracing himself for a less spectacular result. The theater just wrapped up the most successful season in its 24-year history. In terms of earned income, the Shakespeare Tavern topped $1 million for the first time, up 6.25 percent from the 2007 season.
And the Shakespeare Tavern isn’t the only one: the Fox Theatre, Dad’s Garage, the Atlanta Opera and the Alliance Theatre all had fantastic years in terms of revenue, ticket sales and fundraising.
Ken Bernhardt, marketing professor at the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State, sees a few possible reasons for this. “One is that in depressing times, people do seek an opportunity to escape,” said Bernhardt, an arts fan who serves on many nonprofit boards, including the Alliance Theatre and the Metro Atlanta Arts & Culture Coalition.
“Also, I think the arts as a whole in this town have gotten much better at marketing and communications,” he added. “Finally, the quality of the artistic work in Atlanta has improved over the past several years. They’re making the product better and reducing some of the inconsistencies that existed.”
What do you think? Why has this been such a good year for the arts, even as people are cutting back on their discretionary spending? Are the arts, especially theater, getting better?
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Arts venues
Comments
By Raye Varney
July 31, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this
The theater scene in Atlanta just keeps getting better. The older theater companies keep producing strong, compelling work, and the newer companies add work that speaks not just to their generation, but to our entire community. Atlanta’s theaters are developing a uniquely Atlanta vibe - we aren’t trying to be Chicago, or New York. And the companies are not all putting up shows like Wicked (though that’s fun too) but mounting shows that are specific to Atlanta, and to the South, without being generic or stereotypical. There is a lot of good work out there - it’s great to hear more audiences are discovering it.
By Kathleen McManus
July 31, 2008 8:52 PM | Link to this
Perhaps it has something to do with a committed core group of benefactors, arts administrators and actors, many of whom have called Atlanta home since the early eighties.
By BPJ
August 1, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this
Many of the reasons are given above: the companies founded in the 70s & 80s have reached a certain level of maturity now, with a network of dedicated board members and subscribers. And as the city has gained population, that has helped the intown theatres.
It’s possible there’s a “halo effect” from the Alliance’s Tony Award; perhaps some of the people who used to look down on Atlanta theatre now think of it as legit, due to the recognition from the Tonys.