Business of performing arts presenting

As we approach the end to another year, it’s time to look over the progress of the performing arts business. We sometimes don’t like to think of presenting concerts as a business, but it certainly is one that requires a lot of planning, accounting, and strategy. That is part of what takes up a good deal of my time as executive director and president of the Van Wert Area Performing Arts Foundation.

We have seen tremendous growth over our 10 years of operation at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. When I think of our rather meager beginnings, it amazes me where we currently are. We had a partial year of operation in 2007 with an operating budget of around $150,000. I had a staff of two full-time and one part-time employees. We were reimbursing the owners of the building — Van Wert City Schools — $100 a month in utility use. This has now increased from $1,200 a year to nearly $40,000 a year for utilities, repairs, maintenance, supplies, inspection fees, and about anything else that happens in the Performing Arts Center portion of the building.

I only list this information to inform you, the public, where your ticket dollars, advertising dollars, sponsorship dollars, and other contributions go. As with any other business, there are costs involved in the operation. We are a non-profit organization, which means we aren’t out to make profits for our own personal gain, but we do need to meet our needs. And as we grow, so do our needs.

Our staff has now grown to five full- or nearly full-time, employees. That is still a meager staff to handle all the business we now find ourselves in. We do employ and use auxiliary staff such as bookkeepers, custodians, and lighting and technical people, as needed. Our parent organization, The Van Wert County Foundation, has been a valuable supporter in many ways. We are also so fortunate to have many kind hearted volunteers who enjoy serving and help us control our costs. I’ve said many times we just can’t thank them enough.

In all this, I have yet to even mention the cost of concert fees and other associated costs. Our concert fees have increased from $100,000 to over $700,000 per year (season). We have responded to public demands and desires, the need to respond to competition, and our own desire to meet our mission statement of providing a premier performing arts center for the region to enjoy. The cost of concerts many people desire to see increases our presenting fees seemingly each year. As an example, the last Broadway show we presented cost over $15,000 just in labor.

Managing the business of performing arts requires vision, fiscal responsibility, and sometimes restraint. We are so fortunate to have a crème de la crème gala concert to celebrate our 10th anniversary. It was a dream to have someone like Bernadette Peters for our gala, but then to team her with The Boston Pops, directed by Keith Lockhart, is simply amazing. Only because of the support of the three big sponsors: Central Insurance, Scott Niswonger, and The Van Wert County Foundation, along with support from the Kenn-Feld Group, are we able to bring such an attraction to Van Wert.

Tickets will go on sale beginning January 4 for the public to join us in this huge gala celebration. I hope many of you can join us for this once in a lifetime (well, at least once in 10 years’) experience. Get ready for January 4 and be among the first to claim your seats for this gala concert celebration. Sales begin at noon that day. We promise to make it a night we will all remember!

As we enter this new year, our goal is to provide enriching opportunities through the performing arts that will bring happiness to you and your friends throughout the year. Look for us to continue to grow, with restraint and fiscal responsibility, in a business that is exciting for the whole region. Happy New Year to all of you and may you be blessed with music throughout the year!

FINÉ.