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Colorado Springs arts organizations report low attendance, membership numbers in wake of pandemic

Gazette - 9/26/2022

Sep. 25—In the dregs of the pandemic, many arts patrons are taking their time finding their way back to a night at the theater, concert or exhibit opening.

Whatever the possible reasons might be, including lingering COVID-19 fears, inflation and unlimited digital and streaming options, audience numbers are low for many Colorado Springs arts organizations.

And it's not just patrons. Membership in arts groups also is stretched thin.

"Everyone is trying to figure out post-COVID 19 reality," said Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region Executive Director Andy Vick, "especially organizations with performances where you pack a lot of people into a small space. It can still be intimidating for some. It's having an impact, especially if you're a small organization without strong reserves."

Colorado Springs Children's Chorale is seeing about half its usual audience at concerts, said Director Marcia Hendricks. And enrollment in the group's core program clocked in at 80 kids in mid-August versus its usual 120 to 150 in pre-pandemic times.

"I attribute that to two years of no contact in schools with kids," Hendricks said. "We do free concerts in schools and we have festivals that focus on bringing kids together from all regions of the city. None of that was happening."

Music teachers also lost traction in helping introduce and inspire kids to join the choir.

"It's not just music teachers. We all know teachers have been stepping away and reevaluating," Hendricks said. "With that lack of knowledge about singing and about choral art, we are starting over as a 46-year-old organization. We're reimagining and rebuilding. And that is exciting, but also very daunting."

The same low numbers hold true for Colorado Springs Chorale, said Executive Director Jamie Grandy, where normally there would be 120 members at the start of the fall season. Right now there are a little more than 90.

CSC patrons, who once responded to emails about upcoming concerts and adhered to their annual ritual of attending the spring concert, now only seem responsive to direct mailers sent to their homes, which garnered this year's best influx of ticket sales.

Grandy describes turnout as "dramatically reduced audience attendance. Not the same audiences as before. We don't understand why people aren't attending. We'd love to fix that for them, but we don't know."

Chamber Orchestra of the Springs saw a drop in single-ticket sales from January to April for its regular concert series, said Orchestra Manager Pam Chaddon, and its collaboration with Opera Theatre of the Rockies in July saw a decline in sales from what was expected. Subscription renewals and single ticket sales two weeks out from "Organ Spectacular," the September kick-off to its 2022-2023 season, were lower than expected.

"Most arts organizations across the board are assuming and experiencing a 15 to 20% permanent reduction in audience attendance," said Chamber Orchestra of the Springs Executive Director Jacob Pope. "Or, at least, that 15 to 20% of our former audience isn't returning."

Subscriptions and single-ticket sales for Theatreworks' 2021-2022 season also were down, but not to the extent of the national average, said Artistic Director Caitlin Lowans. The company's two most recent shows, Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" and "The Bluest Eye," based on Toni Morrison's novel, were much better attended, she said.

"It feels like the audience is growing back," Lowans said. "For the upcoming season, subscriptions are significantly above what they were last year. We're in cautious optimism stage."

Stargazers Theatre & Event Center also is experiencing lower attendance numbers. In pre-pandemic times, if they did 10 concerts with an average of 400 patrons, including some at 200 and some at 500, now they're doing concerts at 300.

"Some are getting to sold out — around 450 — but it's few and far between," said co-owner John Hooton, "even the ones that used to sell out, like The Beatles and Eagles tribute bands. If we had a show with 450 or 500 sell out, the phone was ringing off the wall with demand. That has stopped. If we sell out, it's barely selling out."

And patrons are waiting until the last five to seven days to buy tickets, versus two or more months ahead of time.

"Something bizarre we're seeing is an increase in the day of, at the door tickets," Hooton said.

Only over the last three or four months have patrons at Cottonwood Center for the Arts begun to trickle back. Executive Director Jon Khoury sees it in the nonprofit's weekly numbers, as well as the purchasing habits of patrons, who have started to once again shell out for big-ticket items, such as a $2,000 piece of art.

"Things being purchased before the pandemic are beginning to be purchased again," Khoury said. "Those people are starting to come back. It's noticeable. But it was so slow and now there's been a tiny bit of momentum. We might be hitting a turning point."

Movie theaters also are struggling now that viewers have become accustomed to finding their eye candy online. Attendance at Kimball's Peak Three Theater has been cut by three quarters, said owner Kimball Bayles. He's running his business off Shuttered Venue Operators Grants and a Small Business Administration loan, and also has been helped by reduced rent.

"We've had a difficult time. We're nowhere near where we were before this thing (pandemic) started," he said. "Opening that new theater, Roadhouse Cinemas, hurt us. Their numbers are better than AMC Chapel Hills 13, Regal Interquest and a few of the chains."

On the far end of the spectrum, the city's two largest venues, The Broadmoor World Arena and Pikes Peak Center, have already returned to normal-sized audiences. General Manager Dave Namesnik saw the uptick happened over the last three or four months and attributes their strong-selling shows to a post-pandemic pent-up desire to get out.

On the industry side, he's also seen a big bump in activity from smaller, lower-level artists who need to get out on the road and work.

"This first year, 2022, will be a big cycle of that," he said. "The question after that is is there a lull? Do people stop buying tickets because there are too many shows and they're picking and choosing? I don't know. Our market is large enough and there are enough opportunities that we should be strong moving forward."

Arts organizations across the U.S. have reported struggles too, but there's strong evidence for hope. TRG, a Colorado-based consulting firm that partners with performing and visual arts organizations to help grow revenue and engagement, has tracked data from 150 groups across the country on a monthly basis since the pandemic started. Every month the numbers get closer to those of three years ago.

TRG Client Engagement Officer Eric Nelson compared the data set ranging from June 2022 back through July 2021 with the same set from 2019-2018, which he called a strong year for the arts.

"When you look at the data through the end of June this year, the revenue compared to pre-pandemic was down 29%," Nelson said. "And units of tickets sold was down 37%. Every month it's gotten better and closer to pre-pandemic numbers. Early on in the pandemic it was as high as 90%. When you look at the last four months, we're much closer to pre-pandemic numbers. We're 70% to 80% of where we were before."

Empty seats

So where did Springs arts patrons scamper off to and why haven't they returned in full force? Some arts leaders don't think it's necessarily a fear of getting sick with COVID-19, though yes, there are still some who feel uneasy.

"There is still trepidation about sitting next to a stranger at the movie theater, live event and even an outdoor event," Khoury, of Cottonwood Center for the Arts, said. "That's particularly prevalent with the segment of society who would most typically show up to arts and cultural events: educated and still maybe taking more precautions than the average person."

Many leaders attribute the lack of attendance and membership to a few other reasons, one being people plumb forgot about the arts. After all, we've had a couple of years to adjust to watching a concert or performance online, and it's much easier, cheaper, fill-in-the-blank to enjoy it from the cozy confines of home.

"There was a psychological effect during COVID-19 where people got so hooked into computers and could watch any concert they wanted," Hendricks said. "We feel strongly there's nothing that compares to a live performance. But we've lived two years of something else. Some mindsets have changed."

Grandy attributes some of the adult chorale's reduced size to its members deciding the pandemic was the ideal time to retire or move out of town. But in the aftermath nobody has stepped up to audition and fill those empty slots.

"People just aren't in the habit of doing these things yet," Grandy said. "They've forgotten to come out. It's just fallen off everyone's radar."

Inflation might have some effect on attendance, though Grandy and others aren't fully on board with that idea. Tickets for the CSC's upcoming Oct. 23 concert are $10 to $25: "That may or may not be a factor," she said.

Prices haven't changed at Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, Chaddon said, including the Affordability Line, which started during the pandemic. Patrons can call and ask for discounts or financial assistance. And while the orchestra has always maintained a no refunds policy, tickets can be exchanged for another performance or turned into a tax-deductible donation. Exceptions are made on an individual basis, and Chaddon has seen more requests for those.

Inflation might be a small stumbling block, Khoury said, but he doesn't see it as a deciding factor: "If people want to see what we're offering they will happily open their wallets to do so. People go to a Colorado Rockies game and pay $12 for a hot dog. It has to do with creating a product that people are willing to pay for."

To attract audiences, he believes, arts groups need to meet the public's growing expectation for high-quality cultural and artistic work.

"Just saying we have art, theater or music is not enough to have people drive here from Denver," Khoury said. "If you want to have people make the effort to come to your venue and experience, you have to have an elevated product."

People also have developed new ticket-buying habits , perhaps due in part to the frequent and sudden cancellation of shows when cast members get sick with COVID-19. Theatreworks patrons, who once bought tickets four to six weeks out, are now waiting until much closer to opening night. More people subscribed in the last of three subscription periods than they did in previous years.

"People give themselves a little time to make sure the thing will happen before they feel comfortable buying tickets for it," Lowans said. "It creates some challenges for us. We could predict further out if a show was trending and how to allocate resources. Now we're making decisions with more urgency closer to the date of opening."

Chaddon said the Springs has always been a last-minute ticket purchasing city, but these days it's even later, which makes it challenging for organizations to plan things, such as how many programs need to be printed and how many volunteers are needed.

"Since the spring there have been more walk-ups, less long-term commitment," Chaddon said. "The lack of wanting to make a commitment is what I'm noticing the most. People are giving themselves space to be noncommittal if the weather changes or another opportunity crops up or if someone gets sick or they don't want to get sick."

Hooton, of Stargazers, accepts the new reality, that they won't sell beyond a certain ticket level. He can't quite put his finger on the invisible force that's holding people back, but gives a nod to the current financial times.

"I'm hearing it from other businesses — people are becoming very careful with their money," he said. "All this talk about inflation and recession, the average person goes I don't know what that really means, but I know everything's costing more so I'll stop spending on stuff I don't need."

Kimball's Peak Three Theater's Bayles also has settled into the new reality, though he's trying a few things to attract crowds, including turning the wine bar into an intimate lounge where he shows smaller movies. And he's playing bigger blockbusters than usual, such as "Top Gun: Maverick," because they tend to draw a larger number of patrons.

"The tragedy is a lot of stuff I love, and we used to think people did, too, we're not playing a lot of because nobody's coming," Bayles said. "There's not a whole lot we can do. There's been a paradigm shift — do we need to go out to a movie tonight or stay at home and Netflix it?"

TRG's Nelson believes the low numbers in the Springs might be due to the group of patrons who haven't returned to the arts with the same regularity as they once did before the pandemic. These are different patrons from those who are long-term season subscribers and those who are brand new to the arts.

They've also seen an increased priority for people to spend time socializing with friends and family versus going to a show or concert, he said. And it doesn't help that we live in Colorado, where outdoor activities could also be keeping people away from the arts.

"Ticket buyers have broken the habit of coming with regularity," Nelson said. "The onus is on the sector to remind people and help them create that new habit again of coming back."

Nelson cites researcher Colleen Dilenschneider, who operates the website Know Your Own Bone. She reported people in the U.S. over a 10-year period, when given a choice to venture out over the weekend or stay home, chose the couch.

"Is that because of Netflix, streaming services, upgraded entertainment options at home, or are they doing other things?" Nelson said.

Possible solutions

The success of the arts depends on a steady influx of new patrons. The challenge is finding and enticing people to an activity that might be brand new and potentially uncomfortable for creatures who like comfort, ease, dependability and zero financial risk. What if they fork out $35 for a show they dislike? Especially when their favorite movies are available on Netflix for about $10 per month.

"It's reminding them of the relationship and the positive aspects of the experience," Lowans said. "Art is still amazing and it features actors you know and love. We're focused on the aspects we can promise and deliver on."

Lowans believes an audience still exists for live performances. For the third summer Theatreworks offered free Shakespeare performances around the region and saw increased attendees.

"People really are hungry for the arts, not just that there's nothing else to do," she said. "We have to get out in the community and build new relationships with folks. That will get us further than a postcard or social media ad."

Pope is well aware his Chamber Orchestra audiences have an array of other choices to fill their free time, and even though those options might not offer the same experience as a live concert, he thinks people might not put as much value in that anymore "when weighed against the hassle of a live show — choosing a seat, driving and parking, packing into seats and dealing with people, as well as the possible difference in artistic quality, and all the other factors."

"The bottom line is we need to be doing things either differently or better than anyone else in the whole world," Pope said, "in order to truly stand out and make it worth it for our audience."

Hooton's determined to keep Stargazer's prices reasonable, though at some point that will change.

"I'd rather do more volume at lower prices than low volume at higher prices," Hooton said. "We've had to tighten our operations. We don't want to pass the increase on to the customers, but some point we'll have to. It's hard enough now — we don't want to scare people away by jacking up prices to where they should be."

And for groups dependent on bringing in members, including CSC, it's a new adventure.

"We haven't had to actively recruit singers before," Grandy said. "That will be a new ballgame for us — trying to reach out to people to let them know they can audition."

It's a challenging and crucial period for the arts, a time to reassemble, rebuild and find ways to remind people how much a night at the symphony or musical can add to the richness of life.

"The arts have not been forgotten, nor have arts and culture gone away," Khoury said. "They have shifted, though, for the time being, away from live events. It will take patience, determination and the challenge of already lean funding to plod through until the shell shock of the pandemic wears off. Whether our cultural organizations will make it through is really anyone's guess."

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