In Sunday’s (7/5) Press of Atlantic City, Juliet Fletcher writes about the Bay-Atlantic Symphony in Bridgeton, New Jersey, “who every Fourth would cap a roster of tried-and-true tunes with a rendition of Tchaikovsky’s ‘1812 Overture’—which featured about 55 orchestral players and, true to the musical score, cannon-shots. But this year’s concert on Saturday was different: In the wake of budget difficulties, the city silenced the tradition. … The gist of the cancelled invitation was the price: The symphony would cost $15,000. Fourth of July events across the region have been smaller this year, and arts organizations likewise have scaled back their summer calendars. But for Paul Herron, executive director of the Bay-Atlantic, the news threw an unexpected hitch in his plan to promote the orchestra. … Herron said the 12-year tradition might be worth reviving—not just for the cultural life of the town, but for its economy. ‘Bringing in the arts is a powerful economic engine,’ he said. Towns that pay for an arts event see a return in local business revenue worth at least three times the initial cost. That worked in [nearby] Avalon, he said, where last year’s concert series of Italian arias ended up generating a town-wide festival of Italian culture, offering food and other vendors.”
Posted July 6, 2009
