Local and Industry News
Several local organizations have received grants from PNC Bank's Arts Alive program.
Palm Beach Opera received $24,000 to support Opera a la Cart, pop-up opera shows in a truck that doubles as a stage. Festival of the Arts Boca received $21,000 for performances of the children's show Tough Turkey in the Big City, and Palm Beach Symphony received $15,000 for music education and outreach programs. $15,000 was also given to support the Kravis Center Dream Awards, which sends artists into schools to critique musical theater performances and holds an awards showcase at the end of the season.
Susan Danis is returning to Florida Grand Opera. After Danis accepted a position as CEO of the La Jolla Music Society, former FGO employee Graham Fandrei sent a letter to the Society defaming Danis, and Danis chose to withdraw her acceptance. Fandrei, formerly FGO Young Artists program director, later retracted his letter. FGO's board unanimously voted to reinstate Danis as executive director.
According to the Cultural Infrastructure Index, the number of new cultural facilities opened last year increased from the previous year, to 107 facilities costing $9.9 billion. Many of the new buildings incorporate food and beverage, leisure, and hospitality space. North America leads construction, with 43 completed projects and another 57 planned.
The new tax laws may have an impact on charitable giving. While the wealthy will see an increase in the amount of adjusted gross income that can be deducted for cash charitable contributions, from 50 to 60 percent, the increase in the standard deduction may result in far fewer charitable deductions from middle-income Americans. The Tax Policy Center estimates that the number of middle-income households claiming charitable deductions will fall from 17 percent to 5.5 percent. Also troublesome for nonprofits is the near doubling of the estate tax deduction, which may decrease the amount of bequests made to nonprofits.
Philanthropist Phillip Frost has been charged with securities fraud, along with nine other investors. He is accused of manipulating the share prices of three companies, and allegedly making $1.1 million profit off the manipulation. Frost has donated to many charitable organizations, including donating $33 million to the University of Miami School of Music in 2003.
The Mellon Foundation has awarded $2.5 million to a consortium of organizations to fund music education in underrepresented communities. The consortium includes the Boston Symphony, the New England Conservatory, and the Community Music Center of Boston. The grant will fund planning and three years of programming, which will include private lessons for up to 75 students each year, orchestral experience, mentorship, and support for summer program participation. The goal of the program is to increase diversity in classical orchestras.
The Canadian Competition Bureau is investigating allegations that Ticketmaster is working with scalpers to resell millions of dollars of tickets. The secret scalper program was revealed in an investigation by CBC News and the Toronto Star. A class action lawsuit has also been filed by Sotos Class Actions, seeking $250 million in damages, and another lawsuit has been filed in California. U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are also demanding explanations from Ticketmaster.
recording
RIAA revenue statistics indicate that music industry revenue growth slowed in the first half of 2018. Revenue was up 10 percent, but the increase was half of the growth seen in previous years. Streaming revenue grew 28 percent and accounts for 75 percent of overall revenue. Paid subscription services grew by about one million per month, but CD sales fell 41 percent.
Ticket sales for Hollywood films fell 24 percent in China this year, according to analysts at Artisan Gateway. So far in 2018, ticket sales in China for American films have fallen from $2.17 billion to $1.64 billion. On the other hand, revenue for Chinese films in China grew by over 46 percent, to $4.28 billion.
Netflix has bought ABQ Studios in New Mexico. The studios consist of nine stages over 170,000 square feet, and Netflix is expected to bring as much as $1 billion in production to the area over the next ten years.
President Trump signed the Music Modernization Act into law on October 11. The law corrects loopholes in copyright law, and will enable those who recorded songs prior to 1972 to receive royalties for digital and satellite broadcasts.
A study by IFPI and AudienceNet indicates that consumers across the world listen to an average of 17.8 hours of music a week, with 86 percent listening through on-demand streaming services. 75 percent of consumers use smartphones to listen to music. Unfortunately, 38 percent of consumers still admit to accessing pirated material.
symphonic
Eyellusion is in talks with rights holder Primary Music Publishing to launch a Glenn Gould Hologram tour in late 2019. Eyellusion is the company behind the Frank Zappa hologram tour. Gould died in 1982, and the tour would have his hologram playing with orchestras across the world.
The Florida Orchestra has extended the contract of music director Michael Francis for another three years, through the 2023-24 season. Francis was hired in 2014 and has overseen a record-breaking 50th anniversary season, expanded free community concerts, and performances in schools and hospitals.
The musicians of the Chicago Lyric Opera have ratified a new agreement, after holding a brief strike. Despite budget increases of $24 million, the Opera was demanding cuts to the number of musicians, pay, and season length. Adjusted for inflation, musician wages actually fell 5.1 percent since 2011. The three-year agreement increases wages by 5.6 percent, guarantees a minimum of 37 musicians for the Spring musical, significantly increases pay for musicals, and improves working conditions. The agreement also reduces the season length by two weeks, but that cut is offset by five additional guaranteed week for the Ring cycle next season and hiring guarantees for Joffrey Ballet productions in the year after that.
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