Festival enjoyed robust ticket sales

This year's Spoleto Festival USA came with a silver lining.

Despite a challenging economy that forced organizers to reduce the festival's budget from $8.4 million to $6.2 million and limit some programming, ticket sales were mostly robust; and it appears the festival will end with a balanced budget, perhaps a modest surplus, officials said.

It's a welcome turnaround from last year, when the festival recorded its first budget deficit in 13 years. The gap was narrowed, from about $370,000 to $89,000 thanks to donations, fundraising and expense savings, Director of Finance Tasha Gandy said at a recent board meeting. An anonymous matching gift likely will propel the organization into the black, and that's before this year's revenues are fully counted.

Many performances of the 2009 season were well attended and a few sold out, officials said. A performance by the Punch Brothers, part of the Jazz and More Series, drew about 2,100 people to the College of Charleston Cistern. The critically acclaimed opera "Louise," performed throughout the festival's 17 days, was another big draw. Also popular was Charles Wadsworth's Chamber Music Series, during which the leadership torch was passed from Wadsworth, who is retiring after a 32-year run at Spoleto, to Geoff Nuttall, violinist with the resident St. Lawrence String Quartet.

The total number of performances was reduced to 120 this year from 142 in 2008.

Because the festival brings thousands of visitors to the Charleston area, it has a significant impact on the local economy.

A report commissioned in 2005 showed that 39,000 people attended festival events that year. Of those, 48 percent were South Carolina residents, 51 percent were from other states and 1 percent came from other countries. They spent an estimated $36 million locally.

Officials still are assessing the impact of the 2009 festival.

Next year, the festival plans to reopen the Dock Street Theatre after a $20 million renovation, a milestone likely to be accompanied by some fanfare, General Manager Nigel Redden said. Work on the theater, spearheaded by the city of Charleston, is proceeding well and on schedule, Redden said.

The Piccolo Spoleto Festival, organized by the city of Charleston's Office of Cultural Affairs, also appears to have done well financially.

"I'm hopeful we'll be in the black, as well," Cultural Affairs Director Ellen Dressler Moryl said.

The department reduced its total budget this year, too — to $830,000 from $1.2 million in 2008. It projected $453,000 in ticket sales but actually collected $561,000, Moryl said. And although Piccolo Spoleto fundraising fell short by $15,000, festival organizers still are soliciting donations and expect to come close to achieving their goal, Moryl said.

She reported happy audiences who expressed "appreciation, excitement and enthusiasm."

"All in all, the festival was more efficient in its pared down budget," Moryl said of her staff. "Everybody pulled their weight and really behaved like a well-connected team."

Reach Adam Parker at 937-5902 or aparker@postandcourier.com.