A & E

Local artists and audiences might be seeing fewer programs and performances in the future as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust struggles to balance its budget.

Reacting to a $5.3 million drop in expected performance revenue, the Trust has made significant budget cuts for the first time in its 20-year history.

Cuts include a 22 percent reduction in the performance programming budget, a 20 percent decrease in its visual arts programming budget and a 10 percent cut in operating expenses.

The Trust maintains a $400,000 contingency fund to cover shows that underperform expectations. To cover the unanticipated drop in revenues, the Trust also has transferred $1.2 million from its operating reserves and asked the Allegheny Regional Asset District to increase the Trust's operating support to $1.5 million, more than double the $650,000 it received for 2007.

Because the 2006-07 season did not include a blockbuster show, such as "Wicked," "The Lion King" or The Rockettes' "Christmas Spectacular," which can fill the Benedum Center for multiple weeks, some of the drop in revenue had been anticipated and budgeted for.

But, said J. Kevin McMahon, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust President and chief executive officer, three other shows contributed to this year's revenue shortfall when they vastly underperformed attendance projections of roughly 70 percent. Even after one performance was eliminated, the Pittsburgh Dance Council's presentation of "Edward Scissorhands" played to a mere 45.1 percent of the Benedum's capacity.

Two presentations of the PNC Broadway Across America -- Pittsburgh series also played to unexpectedly small houses:

• The Tony Award winning play "Doubt," which starred Carnegie Mellon University graduate Cherry Jones, played to 54.2 percent of capacity at the Benedum.

• "Altar Boyz" ended its two-week run at the Byham Theater with 62.8 percent attendance.

Lower attendance at those shows -- and at shows produced by resident companies, such as Pittsburgh Opera and Pittsburgh Ballet Theater -- also generated less income from parking revenues and lobby concession sales, McMahon said.

McMahon believes the $5.3 million revenue drop in a $42.8 million budget is a cause for concern, but not catastrophic.

"We are not in a financial crisis," said McMahon. "But that doesn't eliminate our having to reduce some program offerings and make tough choices."

Already in place is a reduction in the number of programs in the upcoming Trust Presents season. The 2007-08 season will offer 22 programs, five fewer than the 27 offered during the 2006-07 season.

Budget reductions also could affect the number or frequency of future Trust-operated or -sponsored events, such as the popular Cultural District Gallery Crawl, JazzLive or exhibitions at its art galleries, said McMahon.

"We are gradually ratcheting down our program subsidy to meet the realities of revenue and funding," McMahon said."What we do will be first rate. We will just do a little less of it."

Scheduled periodically throughout the year, the Trust-sponsored free Gallery Crawls attract a wide and diverse audience of college students, art aficionados and the just plain curious to an evening of open houses and entertainment at a wide variety of art galleries throughout the Cultural District.

"They're an opportunity to see art you wouldn't normally see. It generates a buzz and energy," said Garfield resident and textile artist Amber Coppings. "They provide a more dynamic conversation between artists, gallery owners and potential collectors."

Bloomfield artist Josh Tonies, a painter whose work is currently being shown at the Cultural Trust-operated SPACE Gallery, is disappointed with the news.

"Hearing that they might be cutting back is alarming. It makes me uncomfortable about the Pittsburgh cultural scene," he said. "The great thing about Pittsburgh is galleries that are willing to take on artists and give people opportunities."

Even if the Trust's RAD request is granted in full, programming would not immediately bounce back to earlier levels.

"It would be ramped up over a season or two," McMahon said.

But McMahon is quick to add that the Trust remains firm in its commitment to support the community's large and small art organizations.

"Our mission is to be of service to the greatest number of arts organizations," he said. "We want to be as supportive as we can with big and small organizations. They provide an incredible, rich array of diverse programming. As much as the Trust prides itself on filling gaps, I can't imagine our ability to make up for all those arts programs."

He also remains positive about the future.

The popular musical "The Lion King" will have a five-and-a-half week run at the Benedum Center and the Trust's 2008 revenue projections for presentations is $17.5 million, the highest it has been in three years.

• Most Read
• Most E-mailed
• Latest News