Despite the recession, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra has found a way to triple its subscriber base. [Photo: James Westwater]

Attendance at central Florida arts performances is down 400,000 a year to 2 million. Corporate sponsors have cut their donations by $2.5 million. Local governments are feeling the squeeze to cut funding. Cash-strapped school districts have canceled field trips. Fifty of 300 full-time and 300 part-time jobs in the arts have been lost.

Despite all the gloom, small businesses and individual donors have stepped in to fill some of the gaps, and strategic thinking by governing boards has kept existing groups intact to “live to fight another day,” says Margot Knight, president and CEO of United Arts of Central Florida, a collaboration of cultural organizations in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties. Of the 14 largest cultural groups, 11 were operating in the black by the end of the fiscal year in June, compared with eight the year before.

“Whether you’re selling soap or theater tickets, you have to look at the quality of the product and what people are willing to pay for it.” — Margot Knight, president and CEO, United Arts of Central Florida [Photo: Gregg Matthews]

They’ve made cuts behind the scenes — trimming pay, shortening operating hours, letting go of part-timers. “You can’t just tell your audience, ‘By the way, the quality you’re about to see tonight isn’t as good because of budget cuts,’ ” Knight says.

One star: The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra has nearly tripled its subscriber base during the recession to 3,036. “It’s an excellent product combined with very skillful marketing,” Knight says.

The philharmonic, which posted its first-ever deficit in 2007-08 — $16,000 short on a $3.2-million budget — saw a surplus of $20,000 at the end of 2008-09. The board and staff reduced the philharmonic’s spending, asked employees to take pay cuts and carried out an aggressive “sell the house” campaign, instituting telemarketing, mini-season subscriptions, new subscriber receptions, thank you letters and even a direct e-mail pipeline to Executive Director David Schillhammer for comments. Its popular music director, Chris Wilkins, has signed a new five-year contract.

The key to financial survival for these groups, Knight says, has been the willingness of their leadership teams and their boards to work together.

“Those that get through this are going to be the committed, pragmatic, engaged boards,” Knight says. “I am in awe of the business management capabilities of the folks in charge of the cultural community. They’ve responded in creative ways.”