In Wednesday’s (4/27) Charlotte Observer (North Carolina), Steven Brown writes, “The Charlotte Symphony’s free summer concerts at SouthPark are a local institution, and this year’s series will show how much the concertgoers really value them: Reversing a long tradition, the orchestra will charge admission in hopes of escaping years of financial trouble. At the first SouthPark concert June 12, a fence will ring Symphony Park behind the mall, and the orchestra will sell tickets at three gates. Adults will pay $10. Children 18 and younger will get in free. ‘This is something we’ve got to do,’ said former Gov. Jim Martin, chair of the orchestra’s board of directors. ‘The last several years have been a real stretch for us,’ Martin said. ‘We’ve got to find a way to cover expenses.’ … The Charlotte Symphony has been fighting deficits since the 2002-03 season. One of the main financial drags has been the Summer Pops—about a month of free concerts at SouthPark and other venues across Mecklenburg County. In recent years, the concerts have cost about $500,000 a year, said Jonathan Martin, the orchestra’s executive director. Yet sponsorships and donations have typically covered only 20 percent of the expenses.”
Posted April 27, 2011
