Survival by any means necessary is going to be a theme for the arts community for at _least_ the next decade. Our economies, both national and local, are in largely _hideous_ shape, and the federal government isn't going to be able to (nor really _should_, except as a last resort) lob vast sums of money at our problems forever. (I think that what's been done with the "bad banks" so far isn't really doing Main Street a lot of good.) I can't afford to make _any_ donations, to the arts or otherwise, at the moment; I'm just lucky to still have my job! A reduction in salary is the _least_ of a musician's worries in this economy.

Doug may not be concerned about silly little musicians' worries about their salaries, but what about the cities they live in? Should they worry that their cultural gems are in jeopardy? Should we just all not donate and let orchestras, museums, and newspapers disappear into oblivion? The best players will leave orchestras that reduce their salaries for ones that pay better. Have a look at Ilya Finkelshteyn's previously dubbed "lateral" move, for example.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the Twin Cities has a healthier and more stable arts scene than Baltimore--not just in terms of larger ensembles, but the wealth of smaller performance venues and arts series. Then again, their combined metropolitan size is larger than the Baltimore metro by roughly 170,000 which helps with a larger local potential audience pool. Plus the potential audience pool that can regularly afford to see productions is larger in the TC than here.

The Twin Cities have also gone through some other arts upheaval in the past decade, with major theater venues moving location and at least one well-regarded company (Theatre de la Jeune Lune) shutting its doors last year.

There are legitimate concerns within the Cities, as in every city of every size that hosts performance companies. I think the real question coming out of the latest turmoil (some of the initial effects reaching companies 3-4 years prior to the Wall Street meltdown) is the survival of the current company business model in the U.S. After watching the planning meltdowns at other major companies (NYC Opera as poster child), there are serious questions to be addressed about sustainability. Even in great financial times, company finances are tenuous. On the other hand, this latest recession is described as the worst event since the Depression, so if companies can come out the other side in one piece, I think we have some reason to celebrate.

I haven't heard any earth-shattering news from Minnesota Opera, but am visiting friends up there on vacation next week. I'm assuming/hoping that all is well, all things considered.

Thanks for commenting. How right you are that, even in the best of times, the arts tend to be fragile. That's why I think some heavy-duty re-thinking of everything will be widespread. TIM

Graydon Royce of the Star-Tribune has this article on the situation with the Minnesota Orchestra, much of which is covered in the press release already mentioned, but expanding a little on it. The common thread all over seems to be the reliance on endowment as a generator of income for the orchestra, from the interest on the endowments. Of course, with Wall Street tanking and the housing market implosion, the model may have to shift short-term to a more "hand-to-mouth" existence, kind of what's often described as the existence of the self-governing orchestras in London.

I haven't seen the whole arts scene in the Twin Cities, but I had the same general impression as Laura that it is pretty vibrant there, although susceptible to downsizing as anywhere else.

Thanks for the link and comments. TIM

A sobering article, but the organizations that will survive will be those that come up with new and inventive programs. Too many are trying to sell their patrons the same shows every year.

John S. Meade
Publisher, The Phil: Behind Closed Doors
http://thephilbehindcloseddoors.blogspot.com/

The fact that, in spite of some vacancies not being filled, the position of concertmaster will actually be filled, gives me hope that things aren't beyond hope.