In Thursday’s (9/24) St. Louis Business Journal, Kelsey Volkmann reports, “The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra said Thursday that it narrowed its operating deficit slightly to $2.96 million for fiscal 2009 ended Aug. 31, down 2 percent from fiscal 2008. The 2 percent reduction follow an 11 percent reduction in the deficit in fiscal 2008 for a total reduction of 13 percent, or $437,000, over two years from a deficit of $3.4 million in fiscal 2007, the symphony said. The symphony raised $4.8 million in its annual campaign, up 2 percent from the prior year. Combined with other contributed (non-endowment) revenue raised for operations outside the annual fund, total contributed operating revenue totaled $8.5 million for fiscal 2009, up 10 percent from fiscal 2008. As reported at the end of the season in July, total attendance for the season was up nearly 8 percent to 178,837, compared with 165,865 last year. Ticket revenue jumped 15 percent to $5.58 million, up from $4.84 million in 2008. Fred Bronstein, president and executive director, attributed the symphony’s increase in attendance to its offering concerts featuring popular music as a way to attract new audiences.”
Posted September 25, 2009
