Opera is often Exhibit A in the case for the arts boom. It certainly is thriving by many measures. The opera audience grew 12.5 percent from 1992 to 1997. On average, ticket sales cover only 43 percent of the cost of putting on a performance, he points out. Classical music faces similar challenges, but with far less robust attendance figures.
Dance struggles the most.
As a result, even mild economic downturns can be devastating. In this era of free market fetishization, it may be difficult for many people to grasp, but the arts don't come close to paying their own way. Even less appreciated than the financial exigencies within the arts world are the creative compromises those fiscal pressures induce. But that's so far beyond the current situation, it's a joke. Money from private donors, moreover, can be at least as inhibiting as public money.