In Friday’s (10/22) Chicago Tribune, John von Rhein writes, “Despite the brutal economy, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association scored another financially solid performance in fiscal 2010, when fundraising and single ticket sales rose and the CSO reported its fourth consecutive budget surplus. The results were presented at the annual meeting Thursday afternoon at Orchestra Hall. For the fiscal year that ended June 30, the association made good on its intention of balancing the operating budget and reported a modest surplus of $41,000 on an operating budget of $61.6 million. Donations to the annual fund, the CSO’s main fundraising vehicle, rose 3 percent to $21.6 million. The association recorded an additional $3.5 million in gifts to the endowment, bringing total fundraising to more than $25 million. The only downside was a 7 percent drop in subscription ticket sales from the previous year. However, single ticket sales rose 3 percent ahead of fiscal 2009, resulting in the CSO main series finishing in excess of 82 percent paid capacity sold. … Overall ticket revenue for Symphony Center concerts totaled more than $20 million for the fifth straight season, the third best showing in the history of the association.”
Posted October 22, 2010
