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While we can debate sustainability, I must beg to contradict you on the facts. Audiences for both organisations you cite are growing; in the case of the Ballet markedly so. In fact the audiance for ballet has been growing steadily for 300 years and more.

Also, I must point out that many who could make no sense of Opera or the like at one point in life have beome regular audience members at another. The current taste of any individual is not always a good predictor of later taste. It could happen to you.

posted 3 years, 11 months ago
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The "big" art organizations are the keystones in the city's cultural foundation. It can be said that the entire cultural edifice of Portland, or any city, is built upon them. The diverse smaller organizations and consequently the diversity of the city's culture are under sprung by the mainstays and their health is directly related. I think that it may be justly said also, that inasmuch as a city wants or needs a top level professional sports team (or two) for its civic development that same is true for major arts organizations such as ballet, opera, symphony, theater, and museum. Thus, both culture and civic development are served by the existence and quality of these organizations. The sacrifice of even one could cause great sections of Portland’s arts scene to crumble and fall.

posted 3 years, 11 months ago
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