In September and October, Trinity's The Dreams of Antigone played to 90 percent capacity, Columbus says, but that was driven by the sale of discount tickets. Audience members seeking bargains seem to be the reason previews of A Christmas Carol have sold out — an unusual occurrence — but more pricey seats during the regular run remain. The result is that revenues are down. Trinity is hoping contributions — which, Columbus says, "are holding with last year's level" — will help make up the difference.
Fifty-eight percent of Rhode Island arts organizations report selling fewer tickets and 72 percent are seeing a downturn in contributions, according to a survey of 31 arts groups that the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) conducted in late October. Small and medium-size arts organizations (with budgets under $1 million) are even more heavily affected, with 89 percent saying that contributions are down.
State agencies, foundations, and other private donors that could be lifelines for arts organizations face their own economic troubles. The result, the RISCA report says, is that 57 percent of arts groups are planning program cuts. Already staff is being laid off, performances scaled back, and art classes eliminated. The result could be a local cultural scene that is smaller, less ambitious, and less vivid.
"How many arts organizations are going to be here next year?" asks RISCA executive director Randy Rosenbaum. "It's really hard to say. My sense is we're going to see a hunkering down of the arts community."
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