As the economic downturn takes its toll on arts organizations across the country, the Colorado-based Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities heads optimistically into its 2009-10 theater season, buoyed by the success of last season's record-breaking $3.1 million in tickets sales - a 55% increase over the previous season.
"Today's economic environment looks the same for everyone in the arts," said Gene Sobczak, Executive Director of the $10 million Arvada Center. "Our advantage in this continuing period of uncertainty is that we are launching a new season on the heels of historic growth."
In his first full season with the Center, Sobczak led its theater division - one of the largest not-for-profit professional regional theatres in the Western United States - to a $1.1 million increase in ticket revenue, following several consecutive years of flat or declining sales.
"In planning last year's season, I worked with Artistic Director Rod Lansberry to identify our organizational strengths," said Sobczak. "Staging musicals rose to the top and we restructured our theater season to emphasize that forte." Notably, the Arvada Center kicked off its 2008-09 season with Colorado's first regional production of Les Misérables - a decision that eventually drove the organization's artistic and fiscal success.
"Although we saw an immediate increase at the box office from the programming decision, it was a significant risk for us nonetheless," Sobczak explained. "We had the confidence in the artistic quality of our theater to go for broke. But if Les Mis hadn't found its audience, it would have sunk us - it was hands-down the most expensive production in the history of the Center."
The gamble paid off. Ticket sales for the six-week run of Les Misérables reached $984,884. Equally significant, the Arvada Center realized an increase of more than 28% in subscription sales for its six-play theater series last season, which also included regional productions of Evita and The Crucible.
"Despite trends and opinions to the contrary, non-profit performing arts organizations are still in the business of selling subscriptions," Sobczak said. "That is our main commodity.
"Our theater season was developed with the highest standards of artistic quality, as well as thoughtful consideration for the consumer preferences of our local theater audience. Based on the success of our subscription campaign, it appears we hit the mark."
Heading into its 2009-10 theater season, which opens on September 15, the Arvada Center is keeping pace with last season's record subscription campaign - due in part to another appealing lineup of productions: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat, A Man for All Seasons, All Shook Up, Nine and the regional premiere of The Second Tosca. And it's no coincidence that the Center is launching its theater season this year with Miss Saigon, another spectacular production by Claude-Michel Schonberg and
Alain Boublil, creators of Les Misérables.
"We won 12 Henrys [awarded by the Colorado Theater Guild] for Les Mis, reflecting agreement among critical and public opinions," said Sobczak. "The Arvada Center is, indeed, ‘doing what we do best.'
"Our high rate of subscriptions this season is further validation that together - artistic and administrative staff, volunteers and patrons - we're on the right track."
At the helm of one of the country's largest multidisciplinary arts centers, Sobczak has applied his expansionist management approach - which combines strategic programming, organizational restructuring and institutional advancement - to all areas of business at the Arvada Center. Under his direction, the organization's fine arts division has doubled its number of gallery exhibitions, featuring shows in 2008-09 by such nationally acclaimed artists as Joseph Raffael,
William Sanderson, Dave Yust and
Jill Greenberg.
Sobczak has also worked with the Arvada Center's education division in growing its popular Arts Day program, which provides multiple arts experiences to tens of thousands of elementary school children at the Center. Additionally, Sobczak's attention to cross-sector partnerships has resulted in nontraditional collaborations with such diverse groups as the Consulado General de Mexico in Denver and the Asian Pacific Development Center; as well as many of the state's most prominent arts organizations, including the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Colorado Ballet, Ballet Nouveau Colorado, Fort Collin Museum of Contemporary Art, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Denver Brass and PHAMALy (Physically Handicapped Actors and Musical Artists League).
Sobczak's 25 years of experience in change management spans a range of industries within and outside of the arts, including consumer goods, real estate and finance in New York, Los Angeles, London, Melbourne, and other national and international markets. Prior to his appointment at the Arvada Center, Sobczak served a successful five-year run as Executive Vice President of the $10 million Colorado Symphony Orchestra, leading its marketing and development divisions in double-digit increases each year in both ticket sales and contributed revenue.
"While the recent success of the Arvada Center may be uncommon, the practices we apply are not," Sobczak said. "Most arts organizations in the country - regardless of market, budget size or discipline - can achieve similar results in a similar amount of time, regardless of the economic environment."
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