Wednesday (7/18) on TucsonCitizen.com, Arizona Republic (Phoenix) reporter Sonja Haller writes, “Instead of choosing from among the ballet, opera or symphony when making a donation to the arts, patrons of any one of those Phoenix organizations now can write a single check and support all three. Ballet Arizona, the Phoenix Symphony and the Arizona Opera are for the first time in their collective 132 years hosting a joint annual fundraiser in February. The mega-gala, called Trio, allows the three cultural groups to share hosting expenses and revenue while tapping a larger group of arts patrons who may see fit to support more than one group. It’s a way to survive in a time as corporate and individual giving has nosedived and tried-and-true annual grants have become less dependable. … Jim Ward, Phoenix Symphony president, said hosting a joint gala, which brings in a huge share of the organizations’ annual funding, makes economic sense. The symphony’s annual budget shrank from $12 million five years ago to $8.5 million today. When Ward was hired last year to stem the symphony’s downward financial trend, he noticed the three Phoenix-based arts organizations had duplicate activities. … The groups put in place a new plan to increase efficiencies and maximize fundraising under one umbrella called the Arizona Consortium for the Arts.’
Posted July 20, 2012
