With an average of 40% of theatre seats still empty, theatres need to ask themselves if spending money chasing contributed income is always the wisest policy, says David Brownlee.
Last week, I compared the aggregate 2009/10 figures for income by theatre organisations (both venue and non-venue based) to recently released figures for 2014/15. The analysis revealed that even with inflation (consumer price index) taken into account and despite a period of unprecedented cuts to public funding, overall income had risen by 5% in real terms. This was largely due to a 25% rise in earned income with also a substantial rise in ‘contributed income’ (trusts, sponsorship and individual giving). This week, I am focusing on expenditure.
I confess that I was one of those voices of doom in 2010 that prophesied a very gloomy five years ahead: theatre organisations would react to cuts by reducing risk, spending less on the quality of productions and decreasing their investment in education and outreach work... Keep reading on The Stage
Last week, I compared the aggregate 2009/10 figures for income by theatre organisations (both venue and non-venue based) to recently released figures for 2014/15. The analysis revealed that even with inflation (consumer price index) taken into account and despite a period of unprecedented cuts to public funding, overall income had risen by 5% in real terms. This was largely due to a 25% rise in earned income with also a substantial rise in ‘contributed income’ (trusts, sponsorship and individual giving). This week, I am focusing on expenditure.
I confess that I was one of those voices of doom in 2010 that prophesied a very gloomy five years ahead: theatre organisations would react to cuts by reducing risk, spending less on the quality of productions and decreasing their investment in education and outreach work... Keep reading on The Stage