Oregon Public Broadcasting

As the end of the fiscal year approaches, Oregon’s arts leaders are hoping for a better year ahead. Oregon Ballet Theater is on the cusp of completing a desperate dash-for-cash. And the Oregon Symphony is looking at red ink in their budget for next year. Rob Manning has more.

Both organizations say that ticket sales have remained strong - but other revenue, from donations and sponsorships has not.

It was just a few weeks ago that OBT really went public with a $750,000 shortfall, and its response: a fundraising campaign culminating in a gala event last Friday night. The OBT drew performers from the New York City, Boston and San Francisco Ballets – to name a few. Executive director, John Ulsh says the fundraising has worked.

John Ulsh: “We’re very excited to see our goal in sight. We are at a total of $710,000 raised thus far toward our goal of 750-thousand.”

Ulsh says if the ballet makes its goal before June 30, it will press ahead, to safeguard against what the next year may bring.

Ulsh: “We have a fundraising goal every year, and of course, we’ll have a fundraising goal for this coming year, starting July 1, which is why I say that everything we can do above and beyond the $750,000 just goes to the benefit of the goal we have to achieve in the coming years.

The Oregon Symphony’s president, Eileen Calder,  says it’s not at risk of closing, but the next few years look tenuous. The Symphony is heading into next year with a $1.5 million dollar deficit.

Calder is calling on musicians to concede $750,000 in salary or benefits. Calder says the symphony has already cut to the bone, by eliminating more than 20 staff positions, and shrinking the orchestra size from 88 to 76.

Both Calder and John Ulsh with the ballet say that the long-term solution ought to be a dedicated funding stream for the arts. That’s what the new “Creative Advocacy Network” aims to do. That network took an important step over the weekend, by naming a new director.