Image courtesy of SMU Meadows School of the Arts, Dallas, TX. Meadows at the Meyerson. Photo my Kim Leeson Photography (2020).
As organizations respond to declining revenue and higher prices, expense budgets tightened by an average of 23%. This decrease includes significant dips in both personnel and non-personnel expenses for the first time since 2021.
Average (mean) values.
While overall personnel expenses dipped by 23% in 2024, payments to artists only dropped by 11%, signaling that many organizations made artistic budgets a priority even amid cuts. Artist expenses represented 37% of organizations personnel expenses on average, up from 36% in 2023.
The average number of artists paid by organizations dropped by 18% from 2023 to 2024, a steeper decline than the change in payments, signaling that organizations are increasing compensation to a smaller pool or artists, either through higher rates or increased numbers of engagements.
Average (mean) values.
As a result of cuts in personnel expenses, part-time and full-time employees both decreased by two positions. After several years of stable or growing staff counts, this is the lowest they have been in the last six years, leaving many organizations with fewer staff to carry out operations.
Average (mean) values.
Despite constricting expenses and fewer programs, the average number of paid and free attendees increased by 13% and 22% from 2023 to 2024, respectively. Our data shows a continued downward trend in the average number of distinct programs per organization, from 150 in 2023 to 83 in 2024. These findings indicate that arts organizations may be making strategic reductions to their programming while focusing efforts on attracting and retaining more attendees for each program.
Average values.