Friday (7/23) on Atlanta’s ABC News Channel 11 website, Bill Liss reports, “The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is the pride of Georgia—winner of more than 27 Grammy Awards. Yet it continues to survive with virtually no public financial support. It’s a shocker, says Allison Vulgamore, former CEO and President of the Atlanta Symphony. After 16 years in Atlanta, she just took over as CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra. … When it comes to public funding, Vulgamore says the Philadelphia Orchestra, recently reported as near bankruptcy, now gets a huge handout from Pennsylvania and Philadelphia to stay on worldwide stages like the Vail Valley Festival. … With Georgia support at an all-time low, the Atlanta Symphony received a mere $303,000 last year from State, County and City funds. The League of American Orchestras ranks the Atlanta Symphony 19 out of 23 [among its largest-budget orchestras] in public funding. That a staggering 75% below the national average of $1.2-million.”
Posted July 23, 2010
