Page 1.indd - Wingspan

April 23, 2012
wingspan.lccc.wy.edu
a&e
Wingspan 29
Orchestra brings value to community
Companies seek presence of arts to provide quality of life
Cheyenne
Symphony is a
form of cultural
influence.
By Jennifer
Stogsdill
A&E Writer
With the
presence
of a weak
economy, sometimes
it is hard to determine
if entertainment in a
society is necessarily
needed for a
community.
In Cheyenne, one
of the entertainment
options is the
Cheyenne Symphony
Orchestra, which can
be seen as an affordable
form of cultural
entertainment.
For the first time
in four years though,
the season subscriptions
and ticket prices
have been increased
for the Cheyenne
Symphony Orchestra.
Kim E. Lovett, executive
director of the
Cheyenne Symphony
Orchestra, explained
although the organization
tries to keep
ticket prices low and
affordable, a 2–2.5
percent increase in
expenses has made it
necessary to increase
prices.
Now, all single
tickets are $25 for
students. But for adult
single tickets, price
varies according to
seat placement. At
the Cheyenne Civic
Center, for orchestra
seating the price is
$90; for low section
seating, $65,
for center balcony
seating, $47.50, and
for outside balcony
seating, $30.
Lovett also said
the performers for
the orchestra are
paid on a contract
based on what the
performer does in the
orchestra and where
he/she sits. Yet Lovett
added about
one-third of the
performers’ salary
is covered by ticket
prices.
Lovett then
explained the number
of people attending
the concerts varies
from concert to
concert. “We can seat
up to 1,495 people,”
Lovett explained of
the Cheyenne Civic
Center venue. About
1,100-1,200 people
subscribe to a season
pass to the symphony,
and then single
tickets are sold
beyond the
subscriptions.
“We’ve had sold
out shows before,” she
said. “It just
depends on
individual tastes as to
whether that person
wants to attend or
not.” Lovett added
although she doesn’t
know the exact
reasons people
choose to come, she
said the economy,
personal taste and
conflict with other
events are contributing
factors. Also, the
number of subscriptions
depends on
monetary ability.
Lovett said that
sometimes continuing
subscribers
cannot afford a
season subscription
for whatever the
reason.
Lovett then said
usually the expenses
for the orchestra are
equal to the
“... you can’t put dollar
figures on the cultural
satisfaction of entertainment.”
Richard O’Gara
Founder and director of the Wyoming
Center for Business & Economic Analysis
revenue. Because the
Cheyenne Symphony
Orchestra is a
nonprofit
organization, the
revenue comes from
sponsors (usually a
few corporations
support the orchestra)
and ticket sales.
But because that is
the way the orchestra
makes revenue,
according to Richard
O’Gara, who conducted
a study on the
economic impact of
nonprofit cultural
institutions (which
includes the
Cheyenne Symphony
Orchestra) in 1999,
the Cheyenne
Symphony Orchestra
really doesn’t really
economically help
Cheyenne because
“the symphony uses
dollars that already
exist in the local
economy and doesn’t
really generate new
dollars.”
But Lovett
explained in a
roundabout way, the
orchestra does help
the community.
“Corporations like
to base their businesses
in a community
where the arts
are present because
things like an
orchestra benefit the
quality of life in the
community, and
corporations like to
see that for their
employees.”
O’Gara explained
the organizations with
the most impact in a
community are based
on the number of
full-time jobs they
create. O’Gara doesn’t
know for sure that
many full-time jobs
are created through
the Cheyenne
Symphony Orchestra
currently, but his
guess is not many.
He also explained
part-time jobs carry
less of an economic
impact on the community.
O’Gara, a retired
Laramie County
Community College
economics instructor,
said because most
jobs in the symphony
are part time-jobs, his
“guess is that half of
another job is created
from one job in the
symphony.”
O’Gara also
explained economic
impact depends on
whether the symphony
hires people
who live in Cheyenne
as opposed to a
musician from
outside the city or
state because that
affects spending in
Cheyenne or
elsewhere, which
doesn’t benefit the
local community.
“Our biggest
economic impact
comes from money
outside of the
community,” he said.
“On the other
hand, though,”
O’Gara added, “you
can’t put dollar
figures on the cultural
satisfaction of
entertainment.
Entertainment might
not help economically,
but it helps with
the way of life. You
can’t exactly measure
that, but it is present.”
The Cheyenne
Symphony Orchestra
will present Baroque
in the Barn at the
Wyoming Hereford
Ranch Sale Barn on
May 17 at 6:30 p.m.
The night will feature
a chuckwagon-style
beef dinner and some
of the finest Baroque
music performed by
a chamber orchestra
of players from the
symphony.
Single tickets
for the Cheyenne
Symphony Orchestra
may be purchased by
ordering the
tickets through http//
cheyennesymphony.
org/ or calling the
Cheyenne Symphony
Orchestra
office at 307-778-
8561.
Join Wingspan
Editors, writers,
designers,
videographers,
photographers,
Web designers,
on-air personalities
needed for print & Web.
Visit room FA 155 or call 778-1304 for more info.
Are you looking for something more?
Inspiration Fellowship—
the new nondenominational church in town!
Saturday services in the LCCC Science Center, Room 121
5:30 p.m.—Fellowship
snacks and beverages
6 p.m.—Worship service
www.inspirationfellowship.com 307-426-4938