To the Editor:
No one would be surprised that most, if not all, not-for-profit organizations need financial help beyond the earned revenue they produce. But not everyone realizes that not-for-profits more than pay for themselves in economic value to their communities. The Syracuse Orchestra is one such organization.
Not-for-profit arts organizations often see themselves more as charities than businesses. Most rely on charitable contributions to provide a significant portion of their income. Orchestras around the country typically have a 60/40 split between contributed income and earned revenue. There are two ways to look at this: the obvious assumption is that orchestras are, in fact, charities. However, there’s an alternative point of view: The Syracuse Orchestra’s FY2025 budget of $3.9 million relies on the investment of individual stakeholders to fund the business. I think of it as each donor being a venture capitalist, receiving returns on each investment.
What are those returns? The investor gains access to world-class symphonic music of nearly every genre, robust music education programs that enrich young lives and teach valuable skills to our future workforce, economic development from dollars flowing to other businesses providing vendor services to us and hospitality services to our audiences, and a rich and vibrant community that companies can point to when recruiting talent to our area.
The Syracuse Orchestra provides real return on investment for the community in myriad ways. Our company employs 68 musicians (49 full time and eight part time) and 13 administrative staff (11 full time and two part time) of which approximately 75% live in Onondaga County or surrounding counties. Additionally, in 2023, 172 members of Local 78 of the American Federation of Musicians were engaged as needed for concerts that required additional musicians. We’re able to operate with such a small administrative staff (about 1/3 of the size of orchestras performing a similar number of concerts) because of the 21 amazing volunteers on our Board of Directors who provide financial, human resources and legal advice. Combined, we have much more impact than the sum of our parts suggests.
Other economic benefits are real. In addition to contributing to the tax base in our community, the “Arts & Economic Prosperity” study designed by Americans for the Arts indicates that the $3.9 million invested by donors and ticket buyers over the next year will result in at least $5.2 million in total financial impact, a 33% return on the community’s investment.
And, because life often feels like a boxing match, here is one more example of how The Syracuse Orchestra punches above its weight. Several months ago, another orchestra (we’ll call them Orchestra X) published their season “by the numbers.” What you see in the chart below is a comparison.
With just 4% of the budget of Orchestra X, The Syracuse Orchestra produces up to 40% of the work product. Now that’s efficiency. Please keep investing in this productive local business that also sounds so good.
Pam Murchison
Executive Director
The Syracuse Orchestra
Syracuse
