The letter came in the mail this week. The news was disturbing but not surprising. The Louisville Orchestra is still unable to pay its bills and "continues to operate with an annual structural deficit of approximately $850,000." After the trouble three years ago and the massive public and private bailout to save the Orchestra, my wife and I did our part to support the Orchestra, an organization we believe makes for a better Louisville; we have been season ticket holders for the last three seasons. Also, throughout my years in Kentuckiana I have continuously supported the Fund for the Arts. "Even with increases in ticket revenue (up 8% in FY05) and donation and sponsorship income (up 10% in FY05)… it is probable that [the Orchestra’s] current financial position will affect the remainder of the current season." They tentatively reassure us that, "the Orchestra will do everything in its power to honor [our] ticket purchases."
We are willing to step up our direct support to the Orchestra, if it will make a difference in keeping it solvent. I only hesitate because I worry that I am just throwing good money after bad. Would I be sad if our town lost its orchestra? Most certainly. I would be even sadder to see the Orchestra draining resources from our community, because it won’t learn to live within its means.
Don’t get me wrong. I understand that there is a price to be paid to keep talented musicians, but I find it hard to believe that there is not some fat to be found in the budget and room for compromise. And if the Orchestra can never survive on ticket revenues alone, then it had better learn to be more effective at fund raising. I wonder if Orchestra management has been too distracted with their conductor search to do the needed canvassing. There are plenty of deep pockets in this town who benefit from the Orchestra much more than working Joes like you and me – they have much better seats than we do too.
Though, I can’t imagine a more effective means of fund raising than for the Orchestra to have a crisis like this – it worked three years ago and it will probably work this year. Big business will make great gestures, but not as big as they might. After all, they know, just like you and I know that the city will step up and cover whatever shortfall there is. If the city is going to fund a bail out, then why should they bother? Why should I? I can save my money and spend it on something else. I might redirect my check to Habitat for Humanity, which is self-sustaining and works within its budget. It is also worthy of the contributions it gets because it promotes responsibility – it sets an example and donors can offer their support with confidence.
Our orchestra could use that kind of responsibility. I would love to be confident that upping my support would make a difference, but I cannot justify extending my support beyond the current level if the city steps in again. Sure, I would benefit directly from a bailout, if I continue to attend orchestra events. Since I work downtown, I pay Louisville’s city income tax. I don’t object to the city spending my tax dollars on the Orchestra; they took those taxes against my will; they may as well spend it on something I believe in. However, they are not spending only my tax dollars, and I will not advocate spending other people’s hard earned dollars on something that private interests should be supporting. The more that government takes responsibility, the less responsible that little pockets and big pockets alike become.
And have no doubt. Those who advocate a bailout will tell you how important the Orchestra is to our community, and that we all benefit from it in numerous tangible and intangible ways. Well if that is true, why not jump big? We could publicly fund the Orchestra, and not just a little, not just to fill the gaps. Let’s have the city pay for the whole damn thing. We can call it The Louisville Free Orchestra. Tickets will be available free of charge to all interested Louisville resident and non-resident taxpayers, by way of a lottery.
Can’t you just see it now? Standing in Whitney Hall, looking out across a sea of T-shirts, jeans, shorts, sneakers and flip-flops – not that some patrons don’t already dress that way, but they are in the minority. Better yet, many will be talking and even using cell phones. What a joy that will be – kind of like going to one of those dollar theaters that play second run movies. You can’t really complain. What do you expect for $1.00? What would you expect for free? And since the deep pockets aren’t footing the bill, you would no longer find them in the box seats, except by random chance or by way of scalped tickets. What is that sound? I can almost hear the rustling of deep pockets and scribbling in checkbooks.
And why is that? Because the deep pockets know that they benefit disproportionately from the Orchestra, both tangibly as with preferred seating and intangibly in terms of that stature the Orchestra lends to our city. Affluent cities have orchestras only because there are enough deep pockets to keep them afloat. The Orchestra is a bit of opulence that tells the world that Louisville is a Cadillac, an Acura or a Mercedes Benz – even if a compact one. Heaven forbid that the upper crust of Louisville society should have to drive a Hyundai to a dollar theater. Money attracts money, and in a real way, the Orchestra protects their existing investment in Louisville as a prestigious home.
I oppose the political attitude that says we should soak the rich. Today’s government already goes far beyond keeping the peace and protecting our rights. It seeks to fulfill our every want and need at the expense of the successful, and I think punishing success is morally repugnant. Yet with the Orchestra, we have a perfect opportunity to let the wealthy voluntarily carry the weight for us. We have to make sure they realize it is in their interest to do so. Letting Metro Government pay any part of another bailout lets them off the hook, while acting as a disincentive to rest, like me.
Missing a season or so may be just what is needed, and I will gladly forfeit the last half of our season tickets in the process. Most people won’t even notice, and before I became a supporter, I too would not have felt the impact. But the loss might lubricate those deep pockets, and perhaps it will wake up our fine musicians to the economic reality of their chosen profession, making them more receptive to compromise. I trust that native and transplanted musicians alike will find that our city offers them great benefit, just as the Orchestra offers our city.
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