Arden Theatre Company 2019/24 Strategic Plan – Table of Contents SECTION ONE: OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................... 2 i. MISSION ..................................................................................................................... 3 ii. VALUES ..................................................................................................................... 4 iii. VISION ........................................................................................................................ 4 iv. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT............................................................................ 5 v. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF STRATEGIC GOALS & OBJECTIVES ......................... 7 SECTION TWO: ARTISTIC PROGRAMS .............................................................................10 SECTION THREE: EDUCATION PROGRAMS ....................................................................14 SECTION FOUR: AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................18 SECTION FIVE: FUNDRASING ............................................................................................23 SECTION SIX: FACILITIES ..................................................................................................28 SECTION SEVEN: GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION ..............................................30 SECTION EIGHT: FINANICAL .............................................................................................33 SECTION NINE: ADDENDUM ..............................................................................................36
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MISSION Arden Theatre Company is dedicated to bringing to life great stories by great storytellers—on the stage, in the classroom, and in the community. Great stories on the stage: We produce a wide range of stories in a variety of styles – classic and contemporary, intimate and epic, musical and dramatic – and have a commitment to stories that highlight the diversity of people and human experiences. Producing the great playwrights allows us to measure ourselves against the masters of our craft, while sharing the voices of new writers and emerging theatre companies gives us the opportunity to advance our community and the American theatre. Great stories in the classroom: Kids are celebrated at the Arden. We nurture curiosity, creativity, and confidence through our educational programming, and ensure that our teaching artists and staff reflect the students whom we are serving. We reach thousands of students each year, introducing many of our region’s kids to theatre for the first time and believe in the power of the arts to shape children’s lives. Great stories in the community: We believe in the power of stories to bring people together – that they can celebrate our unique identities while reminding us of our shared humanity. We work to build a vital community of artists who excel creatively through shared experiences and to expand the pool of artists with whom we work to bring new energies and perspectives to our stages. The Arden strives to be Philadelphia’s hometown theatre, contributing to the region’s vibrant cultural landscape.
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VALUES •
A fierce commitment to excellence This imperative drives every aspect of our work, whether onstage, in the boardroom, the classroom, rehearsal room, offices, or shops.
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The effective and efficient use of all resources The effective and efficient management of resources is essential to maintaining the Arden’s operational health, as well as making our work affordable and accessible to all Philadelphians.
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Collaboration and Accountability Collaboration is vital to our collective success. We all agree to focus on the needs of the organization as a whole – balancing collaboration and clear accountability – recognizing that we all succeed together.
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Risk Risk is inherent in any creative process. We believe thoughtful risk-taking is not only appropriate, but healthy and necessary for the Arden’s success.
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Organizational Health We strive to make working at the Arden, in any capacity, a healthy, positive experience. The opinions, varied backgrounds, and concerns of all are valued and respected.
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Commitment to community and education We have a commitment to fostering connections among people in this diverse community and to education and training. We believe that live theatre offers unique opportunities for both children and adults to learn and engage with the many ways that the human experience can be communicated. We seek to be a good neighbor in Old City and an integral part of the cultural life of this region. VISION The Arden will be recognized as one of Philadelphia’s great cultural treasures and one of the leading regional theatres in the country. We will remain committed to an expanding variety of homegrown artists, while actively recruiting the best actors, designers, technicians, and arts administrators available nationally. The Arden will be an important incubator for the creation of new work and a platform for authentic artistic and community partnerships. Plays and musicals that premiere at the Arden will be presented worldwide. Playwrights will be drawn to the Arden as their artistic home—where they will feel welcome and yet challenged creatively. Young people will be inspired, empowered and develop a life-long love of the arts, the Arden Professional Apprentice Program will train the next generation of theatre leaders, and our audiences will see themselves in the stories we tell. The Arden will be a continued source of civic pride, the theatre that all Philadelphians point to as their theatre. *In 2019, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force and Strategic Planning Committee adopted a revision to the Arden’s Mission, Values, and Vision for the first time in nearly a decade to more accurately reflect our current practices and future goals.
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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT •
Though the U.S. economy is strong, many Americans are struggling to stay afloat. According to a 2017 study released by the PEW Charitable Trusts, more than half (56%) of America worried about their finances over the previous year. Though unemployment rates are at an all-time low, wage growth has slowed considerably since the hit of the Great Recession over a decade ago and families’ expenditures are outpacing their income, with housing costs at an all-time high. With higher living costs, there is less room in Americans’ budgets for discretionary expenses such as entertainment.
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According to the 2018 Theater Communication’s Group (TCG) Theatre Facts report—a snapshot of regional theatres from across the country—from 2014 to 2018, overall contributed income in theatre grew 18.6%, with the largest growth observed in trustee giving (9.4%) and non-trustee individual giving (21.4%). Combined, Individual giving rose by 34% over the last 10 years and continues to be the largest area of growth potential.
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Total ticket income across the industry grew just shy of 1% over the last five years. Average single ticket income was 6.9% higher in 2018 than 2014, while subscription income was 6.8% lower over the period. Many of the subscription audiences that have sustained the American theatre in years past are no more, and younger people are more motivated to purchase single tickets, placing greater emphasis on title recognition for ticket buyers. The average number of subscribers was highest in 2014, falling 11.7% by 2018, while the subscription renewal rate held steady at 73% during the period. In addition, TCG Theatre Facts reports that every expense area increased over time at a rate that surpassed inflation, and that there was year-over-year growth in artistic, administrative, and production/technical payroll.
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Audience development remains a challenge, industry wide. In 2017, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) reported that only 16.5% of American adults attended a musical and 9.4% attended a play. Lack of diversity continues to be a trend, as 78.6% of theatre attendees were white and 58.3% were over the age of 45. There are several factors that have contributed to this, including: minimal leisure time and resources; the decline of arts coverage; and the rise of on-demand content streaming. As online streaming services have begun producing original content in recent years, competition for Americans’ extremely limited leisure time has increased. In fact, many talented playwrights have been hired to create content for these platforms, and in turn, the quality of television storytelling has risen. In a 2015 study “When Going Gets Tough: Barriers and Motivations Affecting Arts Attendance, the NEA reported that the top reason for attending arts events was socializing with friends and family, and the two most regularly cited barriers to attend were lack of time and cost.
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Some 80% of all arts critics in print have lost their jobs since 2000, and The Philadelphia Inquirer has not had a full-time art critic since 2005. Since that time, arts coverage in publications has dwindled even more. In the last year even, publications such as WHYY and The Philadelphia Inquirer have laid off several more freelance arts reporters. Even digital reviews are being cut from publication budgets, as articles about theatre are not receiving enough click-throughs. Thus, there is less information out there than ever for potential theatregoers to learn about productions. Small, independent arts blogs have risen in the wake of the loss of arts reporting in the mainstream press, but
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none of these sites have enough traffic, traction, or pull in the community to make a significant difference for theatres in terms of marketing. •
Real Estate Development is changing the state of Old City. According to Old City District’s annual report, there are more Philadelphians living in Old City than ever. As of 2017, there are over 5,000 residents in the neighborhood, a 14% increase since 2010. These residents are generally younger professionals, with 71% in the age range of 2049, and 82% holding a bachelor’s or graduate degree. The rapid development of real estate in Old City has occurred without significant new public parking construction; so, there is more competition for parking in the neighborhood than ever before. In addition, the recent opening of large community spaces such as Cherry Street Pier, The Bourse, and Spruce Street Harbor Park are drawing even more traffic to the area. According to “Parking Availability and Occupancy in Old City,” a 2018 study carried out by Econsult Solutions and the District, recent development has removed 650 public and private spaces since 2015. There are currently 15 public parking lots in the neighborhood, with an estimated 3,100 spaces in total.
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The Philadelphia cultural community continues to shift. According to figures reported by the Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Arts and Culture is a $4.1 billion economic engine for our city and has created 55,000 full time equivalent jobs. The theatre community remains in a period of flux: several area theatres are undergoing leadership transitions; there is continued growth in the number of new, small theatres, contributing to Philadelphia’s ever-changing cultural ecology while also increasing pressure on current donors; several companies are exploring new pricing policies that include deeply discounted tickets and Pay-What-You-Decide models; and the Walnut Street Theatre has announced plans to build a new 400-seat theatre, which will expand their programming and increase competition for rights for exciting new plays and musicals.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF STRATEGIC GOALS & OBJECTIVES Despite an environment that continues to be turbulent, the Arden has achieved significant success over the last five years as we have expanded our programming, grown our audience, and increased our annual budget–from $5.2 million (FY15) to $6 million (FY19). Over the next five years, the Arden will continue to build upon the strength of our core artistic and educational programming, while expanding into new artistic initiatives. Now with three theatre spaces that have diverse producing capabilities, we will pilot new programmatic offerings that deepen significant ongoing artistic relationships, while expanding the pool of artists and companies with whom we work to bring fresh perspectives and influences to our stages. By doing so, we will provide new opportunities for our loyal audience base and reach out to new audiences with whom we have not yet engaged. The following plan outlines goals for every arm of the organization to collaboratively advance the work that supports our mission. All of these goals are informed by the need to balance navigating the unpredictability of the industry, while leveraging opportunities to our advantage. We will do this by capitalizing fully on the tremendous artistic, organizational, and physical foundations we have built, thus fortifying our national reputation and our relationships with the artists, audiences, and key stakeholders that are at the center of our theatre’s existence. To fulfill its mission, the Arden is committed to achieving the following goals and objectives during the course of the plan:
ARTISTIC PROGRAMS We seek to attract the highest quality and most diverse theatre artists available and to expand the scope of our work in order to ensure artistic excellence on our stages. To this end we will: • Strengthen key artistic relationships and forge new affiliations with creative artists to bring fresh perspectives and influences to our work • Build upon our use of the Independence Foundation New Play Showcase and further our commitment to the development and production of new plays and musicals • Grow our thriving Children’s Theatre program • Provide competitive salaries and housing for our artists and ensure that they have the time, support, and resources they need to produce their best work • Develop additional artistic advancement initiatives and resources to enrich our artistic programming
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EDUCATION PROGRAMMING We seek to provide exceptional educational experiences—through our work onstage, in the classroom, and in the community—and to make these opportunities available to all. We strive to develop future theatre leaders by offering the most comprehensive professional apprenticeships. To achieve this goal, we will: • Continue to serve over 2,600 students in their classrooms and provide over 6,400 free Arden Children’s Theatre tickets annually through Arden for All • Strengthen our relationships with key teaching artists and further develop our pool of qualified teaching artists • Continue to expand the breadth and depth of Arden Drama School programming • Grow Teen Arden to increase participation, strengthen teen leadership, and expand programming • Continue to invest in the future of the field with the Arden Professional Apprentice Program AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT As part of our ongoing commitment to the Greater Philadelphia region, we strive to reach as many different segments of our community as possible with our work. To that end we will: • Develop and expand the Arden’s base of loyal and long–term audience members • Identify and reach out to broader segments of the community in order to introduce them to our work and encourage audience members to return • Keep our work as affordable and accessible as possible so that all those interested in experiencing our productions have the opportunity to do so • Continually evaluate the effectiveness of our marketing efforts FUNDRAISING To meet the Arden’s artistic and educational goals, we require a stable flow of contributed income to underwrite our work and keep ticket prices and tuition affordable. To accomplish this goal this will: • Increase overall fundraising capacity with staff support and resources • Grow operating contributions from foundations by adding at least four new foundations as contributors by 2024 while deepening our connection to existing and prospective funders • Increase Sylvan Society revenue by 35%, and grow membership by 35% over the next five years • Strengthen fundraising capacity to significantly increase Annual Fund contributions • Maintain our level of corporate support, while taking advantage of opportunities that arise • Maintain our current level of government funding by cultivating our base of supporters within local, regional, and national government offices • Increase participation in the Legacy Society, our planned giving program, with a growth goal of 50% • Create special events that drive income, cultivate new prospects, and improve donor relationships
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FACILITIES Our goal is to ensure that the Arden’s performance and support spaces continue to foster greater artistic opportunity; better serve our students, artists, and staff; and enhance the theatre-going experience for our patrons. To this end we will: • Maintain, execute and update the Systems Replacement Plan for all three facilities • Improve our facilities by addressing necessary capital projects • Update and enhance accessibility • Respond to diminishing parking options in Old City
GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION We seek to attract the highest caliber and most diverse team of Board/committee members, managers, and staff. To this end we will: • Develop and maintain a diverse Board that is fully informed, engaged, and inspired to execute its governance responsibility and develop the resources of the organization • Establish an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)Task Force to deepen and expand the Arden’s commitment to be a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization • Maintain the high level of engagement and overall effectiveness of the Board • Attract and retain highly qualified and well-trained staff through aggressive recruitment, competitive salary and benefits, and a healthy working environment • Continue to invest in succession planning FINANCIAL We strive to maintain fiscal health and secure long-term financial stability in order to meet the artistic, educational, and institutional goals of this plan. To this end we will: • Maintain the fiscal health of the organization • Maintain a healthy balance between earned and contributed income
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SECTION TWO: ARTISTIC PROGRAMS Present Position: Since the previous plan, the Arden has made great strides in our artistic growth and vitality. We have deepened our commitment to new work, furthered our dedication to children and family audiences, expanded our national reach, and invested increased resources in our artists and productions. We now have three theatre spaces in which to produce—the 365-seat F. Otto Haas Stage, the 180-seat Arcadia Stage, and the 100-seat Bob and Selma Studio Theatre—each of which provide unique opportunities for different kinds of productions. Opened in 2017, The Bob and Selma provides extraordinary opportunities to introduce audiences to innovative new work, and experience theatre in a completely different way in the most intimate of settings. We remain fiercely committed to bringing a wide range of stories to life, from ambitious musicals and intimate dramas, world-premiere plays and musicals, re-imaginings of classic stories, to plays for students and families. We have continued to reinforce our reputation as a leading producer of new plays and musicals through work made possible by the Independence Foundation New Play Showcase. In the past five years, we have produced at least one world-premiere play or musical each season and, since 1988, have produced 44 world-premiere plays and musicals, the majority of which have been published and produced at theatres across the country and internationally. These plays and musicals are ambassadors for our work, raising the Arden’s national profile and serving as a testament to the quality and artistry of the Philadelphia theatre community. Arden Children’s Theatre is a cornerstone of the Arden’s educational work and artistic reputation. Since its creation two decades ago, nearly 750,000 kids and adults have attended an Arden Children’s Theatre production, making our Children’s Theatre programming one of the premier cultural activities for families in the Philadelphia region. Both our 2016/17 production of A Year with Frog and Toad and 2017/18’s Peter Pan reached over 31,000 people and, with ticket sales of $527,000, Peter Pan is the highest-grossing production in the Arden’s history. Since the last plan, we have produced multiple world-premiere productions as part of the Arden Children’s Theatre season: The Light Princess, a musical by Alex Bechtel and Tony Lawton (Barrymore Award for Outstanding Original Music); Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates by Laura Eason (Arden commission); and Greg Banks’ The Jungle Book and Snow White. These plays have received subsequent productions after premiering at the Arden, furthering our reputation as a theatre dedicated to creating new works by leading writers for the children’s theatre canon. We have begun to utilize the expanded capacity afforded by the Hamilton Family Arts Center to explore new artistic initiatives and programming. During the 2015/16 season, we launched the Arden Cabaret Series, providing artists an opportunity to curate, create, and present their own work in an intimate setting. In 2017/18, we produced Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan MacMillan, the inaugural production in the Bob and Selma Horan Studio Theatre. We included Every Brilliant Thing as a subscription offering, allowing us to introduce this performance space to more people, and test whether a greater variety of subscription offerings was attractive to audiences. Every Brilliant Thing enjoyed a sold-out run and was reprised as part of our 2018/19 season. Audiences have responded positively to the intimacy
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of The Bob and Selma, and we look forward to continuing to explore the space’s programming capabilities over the period of this plan. This expansion has also allowed us to foster the development of new theatres and organizations. In 2017/18, we piloted a new residency program through which we partner with exciting, emerging theatre companies and provide rehearsal and performance space, production support, and box office and marketing expertise. Residencies to date have included GoKash OnSTAGE and Teatro del Sol, both of which have been artistically successful and have brought new audiences to the Arden. Through these new artistic initiatives, we can further the Arden’s artistic vitality, as well as fortify and expand our relationships with the artists and audiences that are at the center of our theatre's existence. Strategic Goal and Objectives: We seek to attract the highest quality and most diverse theatre artists available and to expand the scope of our work in order to ensure artistic excellence on our stages. To this end we will: •
Strengthen key artistic relationships and forge new affiliations with creative artists to bring fresh perspectives and influences to our work
Throughout the Arden’s history, one of our greatest strengths has been the ongoing relationships that we have forged with artists in this community. We recognize that making the Arden an artistic home for treasured collaborators is the most meaningful way to improve the work on our stages. Over the years, key artistic successes have resulted from artists’ individual connections to a specific role or production. We will continue to program plays and musicals that truly celebrate and challenge this extraordinary Philadelphia acting community and, to that end, host readings of plays with important collaborators to find the perfect match of actor and role. Our audiences have the amazing opportunity to see actors grow over many projects and years, and we will continue to provide opportunities for artists to push their boundaries, challenge their craft, and truly soar in dream projects. While maintaining these historic partnerships, we continue to introduce new perspectives to expand our artistic practice and diversify the artists with whom we collaborate. Over the past three years, we have expanded the pool of directors with whom we work and, for the 2018/19 season, five of our nine productions were directed by artists who made their Arden directorial debuts. These artists challenge our assumptions, introduce us to new collaborators, and influence how we bring stories to life on our stages. Over the next five years, we will continue to cultivate and develop relationships with exciting new directors to bring new artistic energy and vision to our work. •
Build upon our use of the Independence Foundation New Play Showcase and further our commitment to the development and production of new plays and musicals
As a theatre dedicated to telling great stories by great storytellers, we are committed to developing new stories for the stage and are excited to be expanding the pool of talented, local writers with whom we are collaborating. At this time, we have commissions with Philadelphia writers James Ijames (2018 Kesselring Prize; 2017 Whiting Award), Lorene Cary
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(acclaimed author of The Price of a Child: A Novel), Jacqueline Goldfinger (2018 Yale Drama Prize), and most recently, R. Eric Thomas (Barrymore Award-winning playwright and leading satirist with his “Eric Reads the News” column for Elle.com). Under the auspices of the Independence Foundation New Play Showcase, we will continue to commission one new play or musical each year over the next five years. Commissions are an investment in playwrights, and workshops allow writers to work, free from the pressure of an opening night. Public readings also enable key stakeholders to participate in the developmental process, creating a community around each new play and fostering the Arden’s ongoing commitment to the creation of new work. While not every commission will result in a produced project, it is our hope that these commissions and subsequent developmental workshops and readings will be a pipeline for future productions, whether at the Arden or at other theatres across the country. •
Grow our thriving Children’s Theatre program
We will continue to dedicate our best resources to the creation of Arden Children’s Theatre. We endow our Children’s Theatre productions with the same commitment to quality as our other work. While there is increasing competition for families’ limited time, attention, and leisure dollars, the Arden’s commitment to quality remains our competitive advantage. A challenge we consistently encounter when planning our seasons is the scarcity of quality children’s theatre scripts. Given the importance of Arden Children’s Theatre in fulfilling our mission, we have awarded a commission for a new play specifically for children every other year. However, the most significant advancement towards our goal of creating new plays and musicals for young audiences has been through our work with Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) and Seattle Children’s Theatre (SCT). In recent years, we’ve identified several strategies through which we have co-developed new work with both companies. Most recently, we co-developed and premiered Greg Banks’ adaptation of Snow White with CTC, with Banks directing for us for the first time. We recognize that our work with these colleagues will continue to expand and further diversify the pool of artists with whom we collaborate and strengthen the Arden’s position as a leader in the creation of new work for young audiences. •
Provide competitive salaries and housing for our artists and ensure that they have the time, support, and resources they need to produce their best work
The Arden is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), and we currently pay the LORT-C scale for the Arcadia, Haas, and Bob and Selma productions. Our Children’s Theatre work is governed by a contract negotiated by a newly formed consortium of Theatres for Young Audiences (TYA). We consistently exceed the salary rates for artists as outlined in this contract. Over the period of this plan, we will work toward paying a modest premium to actors who are members of the Arden’s Family Tree, in recognition of them as valued Arden collaborators. Honoring the commitment of key artists is a priority as competition for Philadelphia-based artists continues to grow. We have made significant investments in our support spaces and production resources. Starting with the 2017/18 season, we added two full-time seasonal positions to the production team: Audio Engineer and Wardrobe Supervisor. This has significantly enhanced our ability to meet the highest standards, while expanding the scope of work that we are now producing on our three stages.
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Over the next five years of this plan, the most significant investment we will make in artistic programming is to increase rehearsal time for our Mainstage and Children’s Theatre productions. In recent years, seeking to balance artistic considerations with the most strategic use of available funds, we have worked to add rehearsal time for world-premiere and particularly large and ambitious productions. However, the Arden’s standard threeweek rehearsal time falls short of the national average. Added rehearsal time will be invaluable to our work, as it will allow for a more cohesive and collaborative process between all participating actors. •
Develop additional artistic advancement initiatives and resources to enrich our artistic programming
For nearly two decades, the Arden's programmatic model has been based on a five-show Mainstage season and a two-show Arden Children's Theatre series. Over the years, we have refined this model to maximize audience participation for these distinctly different audience bases: scheduling more adventurous work on the smaller Arcadia Stage; being cognizant of the various needs of the calendar year when choosing when to program work; and scheduling potential extensions in our calendar to accommodate the possibility of extended runs of hit productions, which has been a successful strategy in building new audiences. With this programmatic model, we have built a strong, loyal audience base for the Arden's work. The subscription model, and the impact it has had on shaping how we schedule our season, has been extremely beneficial, but of course there are drawbacks. Projects need to be scheduled further in advance, limiting our ability to program work that responds to the immediate moment in which we find ourselves. The addition of the Bob and Selma Horan Studio Theatre will allow us to further pilot new artistic projects and initiatives to expand our programming options. Looking to the next five years, we will continue to produce full productions in the Bob and Selma and support residencies for other theatres or artists, but these decisions and how these initiatives are developed will be based on what we learn as we pilot this work. Ongoing assessment will be critical as we test, and build upon, these artistic expansion initiatives, cognizant that our artistic and financial models must remain aligned. Over the next five years, the foundation of the Arden's artistic programming will continue to be our Mainstage subscription season and Arden Children's Theatre. Therefore, our primary focus of this plan is to ensure that we continue to invest in the quality and impact of this work. However, it is also imperative that we further the Arden’s artistic vitality by diversifying offerings, providing us the opportunity to test changes to our current programmatic model, as well as explore new opportunities to engage with audiences, both returning and new. We will have been successful if, at the end of this plan, we have bolstered our current programming and developed new strategies for expanding the work on our three stages that allow us to fortify and expand our relationships with the artists and audiences that are at the center of our theatre's existence.
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SECTION THREE: EDUCATION PROGRAMS Present Position: The Arden has a longstanding commitment to education, and we have significantly grown both our education and outreach programming. The Arden’s education efforts are divided into four areas of focus: Arden for All, Arden Drama School, Teen Arden, and the Arden Professional Apprentice Program. Arden for All (AFA), our education outreach program, served more than 18,000 students during the 2015-18 plan. Through AFA we provide free tickets and show-related books to students in need in the Greater Philadelphia area, along with a series of ten show-related lessons (eight in-classroom and two onsite at the Arden), led by Arden Teaching Artists. For the majority of children participating, this will be their first time seeing a live piece of theatre. AFA follows students through three grades, providing a stable presence of the arts in their learning as they progress from 3rd through 5th grades. By integrating theatre techniques into a traditional classroom setting, AFA lessons invigorate the learning experience and effectively reach students challenged by more traditional teaching methods. When students complete the three-year program, they have developed problem solving and critical thinking skills, the ability to work collaboratively in a team, and a strong sense of self-confidence as they enter grade 6. AFA lesson plans conform to both Pennsylvania and New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards. In addition, over the period of the last plan we began to implement Professional Development workshops for AFA partner classroom teachers. These workshops are designed to cultivate deeper relationships between classroom teachers and teaching artists and offer learning opportunities that build a stronger relationship to theatre arts. Over the last plan, we worked with educational consultant Yael Silk to evaluate the efficacy of the work being done by Arden for All. Through this extensive process, we have improved the connectivity of our lesson plans to the work on our stages, and invited Arden Teaching Artists to bring their theatre talents into every class and to treat the classroom as a rehearsal room. In addition, we strengthened our ability to assess the effectiveness of our program and fostered stronger relationships between our partner schools and Arden Teaching Artists. A partner classroom teacher from Morrison Elementary school said: “In a time when there is so much emphasis on test taking, the Arden for All Program reminds teachers there is a better way to teach children – a way to make them excited about learning, a way to make learning fun, creative and engrossing. Thank you for the privilege of being part of this wonderful program. It is also a gift to teachers.” Over the period of the last plan, Arden for All participation has expanded considerably, by 24%. In 2015/16, through AFA, we served 1,934 students in 68 classrooms in 12 schools; by 2017/18, we reached 2,400 students in 90 classrooms in 14 schools. Arden Drama School (ADS) provides theatre education and training for students in pre-K through 12th grade with tuition-based classes and camps. The Hamilton Family Arts Center has served as a catalyst for the growth of ADS programming and enrollment, and the Bob and Selma Horan Studio Theatre now provides students the regular opportunity to perform in a traditional theatre space -- a transformation that has been met with overwhelmingly positive response from teaching artists, students, and parents alike. Arden Theatre Company
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During the period of the previous plan, the ADS curriculum was redesigned to better serve our students and parents. The pedagogy of ADS is now the following: the classes in the youngest age group focus on creativity, the middle-age group focuses on learning performance skills, and the eldest group focuses on performance opportunities and honing technique. During the previous plan, programming was streamlined into two options per age group: Acting and Musical Theatre. One-day workshop offerings remained plentiful and diverse in subject matter. These strategies led to a significant growth in enrollment, from 1,867 students in 2015/16 to 2,372 students in 2017/18, a 27% increase. Arden Drama School income has also grown 18%--from $294,288 in FY15 to $347,291 in FY18. After experiencing such significant growth, we have once again expanded our program offerings, with the addition of after-school classes for K-5th graders in fall 2018. The Arden Arts Education Scholarship Fund is a need-based program that ensures all children have equal opportunity to attend ADS classes and camps. Over 900 students have attended our programming for free or reduced cost as a result of this fund. The following is from an Arden Drama School parent: My daughter is usually extremely shy. Seriously, she is so quiet in school she doesn't even laugh, or smile, or talk. Your camp has made her so comfortable that she was laughing, playing games, and socializing on the first day! I can't thank you enough! You can't imagine a mother’s happiness when her child comes home and says what a wonderful day she had, how she participated, and how the other children were cheering for her when she succeeded. I can't get across in my words the happiness and appreciation I feel for you giving her this opportunity. Teen Arden—a comprehensive and in-depth program that gives high school-aged students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of professional theatre—has served more than 1,000 high school students since its inception in 2012. Members of Teen Arden attend all Arden productions paired with masterclasses from theatre professionals and collaborate on projects such as the Teen Arden Cabaret, designed to give these future theatre leaders and patrons hands-on experience in creation and performance. In 2016, we expanded Teen Arden to include the Teen College + Career Fair, an annual event designed to support our teen participants who are passionate about pursuing a profession in the arts, but do not necessarily have access to the resources and information they need to launch their careers. This free event includes panel discussions and workshops with working Philadelphia theatre artists, technicians, and administrators, as well as representatives from area colleges and universities with Theatre Arts programs. The Arden Professional Apprentice (APA) Program has garnered a national reputation for producing well-rounded, skilled, up-and-coming theatre professionals. Over the course of a year, the apprentices rotate through all departments of the theatre, and are entrusted with a wide range of tasks—from box office duties to assistant stage managing—and are central to the Arden’s day to day operations. Having experience in all areas of theatre is especially marketable in our industry, as many non-profit professionals need the ability to fill many roles. The APA program attracts candidates from across the country. Many of the program’s graduates, about 60%, remain in Philadelphia upon completion of the program, contributing to the region’s cultural vitality; others go on to assume leadership positions in other arenas. Alumni of the APA program are leaders in the nonprofit arts community, here in Philadelphia and across the country. Maya Choldin, Managing Director of Pig Iron Theatre Company, Founder of Capital Fringe in Washington, D.C. Julianne Brienza, and Grammy-award winning
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artist Jill Scott are all former Arden apprentices. Brian Abernathy, Deputy Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia, is a former Arden apprentice, a member of our Board of Directors, and past Board President. Additionally, there are currently thirteen former apprentices on the Arden’s full-time staff. Strategic Goal and Objectives: We seek to provide exceptional educational experiences—through our work onstage, in the classroom, and in the community—and to make these opportunities available to all. We strive to develop future theatre leaders by offering the most comprehensive professional apprenticeships. To achieve this goal, we will: •
Continue to serve over 2,600 students in their classrooms and provide over 6,400 free Arden Children’s Theatre tickets annually through Arden for All
Arden for All (AFA) is our broadest outreach program, through which we will continue to serve more than 4,400 individual students annually. We will serve 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes at participating schools in Philadelphia, Ridley Park, and Camden, building a cumulative theatre experience for students over the course of three years. We will continue to build upon our relationships with partner schools to maximize the impact of our work in a multitude of ways, such as offering AFA: Stage tickets to the 2nd grades at our partner schools to begin to prepare students for the full AFA program. AFA Teaching Artists will receive ongoing support through weekly meetings, and additional intensive training retreats in order to maximize the delivery of lessons and enhance teaching techniques. The Arden is changing the way we train our teaching artists, as well as our overall teaching artist structure. For the 2017/18 school year, we narrowed our pool of AFA Teaching Artists from 20 to 12. With a smaller number, we can focus more training efforts on each individual teaching artist. We are focused on pulling our teaching artists deeper into the Arden community. Moving forward, the Arden will build a core group of teaching artists that will be both well-prepared and fully aligned with Arden for All’s mission. •
Strengthen our relationships with key teaching artists and further develop our pool of qualified teaching artists
One of the great strengths of our educational programming is our ability to maintain ongoing relationships with a growing group of extraordinary teaching artists. Beginning in 2017/18, AFA instructors were provided with teacher training and professional development opportunities, and we will continue to expand the reach of these workshops by implementing similar opportunities for Arden Drama School instructors. There is a great amount of crossover between Arden for All and Arden Drama School teaching artists, and we wish to grow the number of full-time Arden teaching artists to increase excellence across all educational programming. Two particular areas of focus for our teaching artists’ professional development are training in order to meet the needs of our growing number of special needs students at ADS and increasing the number of teaching artists who are qualified to teach ELL (English Language Learner) classes. We will continue to invest in our teaching artists by building our programming around the strengths of individuals in our teaching pool.
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Additionally, we have begun the process of enrolling Arden education staff in intensive courses to complete their Trauma-Competent certifications. It is essential and imperative for educators to be highly trauma-aware, and therefore confident that they are providing educational environments that are sanctuaries from trauma. The Arden intends for all members of the Education Staff to complete this training by 2024. •
Continue to expand the breadth and depth of Arden Drama School programming
The past three years included a period of impressive growth for Arden Drama School, culminating in our highest selling season to date, with $344,000.00 in total revenue for FY18. Over the next three years, we will continue to grow ADS enrollment by further expanding our offerings and strengthening our position as a center for theatre classes and camps for children of all ages. This expansion will include growing the number of after-school classes on-site at the Hamilton Family Arts Center and adding ADS classes for adults. We will also explore additional outreach initiatives, such as bringing our programming into area preschools and partnering with local high school drama clubs. Over the next five years, we will continue to incrementally grow Arden Drama School enrollment and income. •
Grow Teen Arden to increase participation, strengthen teen leadership, and expand programming
The intention of Teen Arden is to introduce young people with a passion for drama to the industry of professional theatre and provide mentorship in navigating the college admissions process and beyond from an arts perspective. Over the next five years, we will continue the work of this program with the goal to serve at least 300 Teen Arden members a season. Throughout the course of this plan, we intend to increase involvement of area teens by strengthening our relationships with organizations such as Youth Emergency Services, local high schools, and arts access programs in the community. •
Continue to invest in the future of the field with the Arden Professional Apprentice Program
The Arden Professional Apprentice Program is designed to provide a comprehensive, holistic introduction to running a non-profit regional theatre; the APA program continues to have a direct effect on the efficiency of the organization from year to year. Under the leadership of the Arden’s Director of Education Outreach, in order to hire the most qualified candidates for our APA program, over the next five years we will broaden our recruitment efforts to include visits to career centers and targeted career fairs at leading universities, promote the apprentice program with an increased presence online, and establish a network of alumni, professors, and stakeholders to serve as ambassadors for the program.
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SECTION FOUR: AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Present Position The Arden’s loyal audience base continues to be one of its greatest assets, bringing more than 105,000 audience members and students into our buildings each year. While the number of tickets sold remained fairly level over the period of the last plan, growing by a modest 4%, ticket revenue has seen a more significant increase. In FY18, total ticket revenue surpassed $3M, a 17% increase from the last plan. This revenue growth can be attributed to our recent investment in new, more effective marketing strategies and inventory management, with the Arden’s overall average ticket price growing 9% from FY15 to FY18. We have two distinct audience bases: Mainstage and Children’s Theatre. Of our total tickets sold annually, 61% is comprised of Mainstage and 39% is made up of Children’s Theatre tickets. For each of those audiences, Arden ticket purchasers are broken down as follows: Subscribers, Single Ticket Buyers, and Groups. The following chart depicts Mainstage ticket income over the previous plan, spanning FY15-18:
As depicted, subscribers make up the largest group of Arden patrons, representing 56% of the Mainstage audience. Over the last plan we experienced a moderate decline of 10% in the
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number of Mainstage subscribers but have maintained a healthy subscription renewal rate ranging from 81% to 84%, beyond the industry average of 73% subscriber retention. While our subscriber base remains strong, the Arden recognizes that audience buying patterns are changing industry-wide, shifting toward Single Ticket purchases. Since FY15 the total number of Single Tickets sold has consistently increased: overall Single Ticket income (Mainstage and Children’s Theatre) grew 37% with an increase of nearly $300,000 (FY15 to FY18). The majority of this growth was in Mainstage Single Ticket sales, which increased by 45% over the past three years. The growth in these sales can be attributed to the Arden’s reallocation of marketing resources into data-driven approaches and shifting the majority of our budget toward the digital sphere. The following chart depicts Arden Children’s Theatre ticket income over the previous plan, spanning FY15-18
In terms of Arden Children’s Theatre, Single Ticket buyers are the largest group of patrons, representing 47% of sales, with Group Sales tracking closely behind at 38%. The subscription base for Children’s Theatre is small (15%) because young audiences age out of the programming rapidly, creating a constant rate of turnover. Generally, these audiences are more title dependent than Mainstage audiences. As you can see below, our production of a lesser
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known title in FY16—Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates—sold 50% fewer tickets than Beauty and the Beast in the previous season, despite being well-received artistically. In the following seasons, beloved children’s classics A Year with Frog and Toad and Peter Pan (FY17 and FY18, respectively) became the two top-selling shows in the company’s history. In response to shifts in audience purchasing behaviors, particularly in Mainstage sales, the Arden made some significant changes in our marketing strategies as we moved to a data driven approach in all of our campaigns. First, the Arden upgraded to a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM)/Ticketing software, Audience View. This system has given us the ability to better manipulate our data and create highly targeted, segmented campaigns that are informed by past patron behavior. The Arden also invested in a new website that is more user-friendly, easily updated, and accessible on mobile devices. The addition of these new tools has made online purchasing easier, for example, allowing ticket buyers to choose their own seats, and as of the 2018/19 season, over 80% of Single Tickets were sold online. We entered two productive relationships with outside agencies in FY17, Target Resource Group (TRG) and Capacity Interactive (CI), with the intention of increasing the efficacy of our marketing efforts. TRG counsels on the Arden’s pricing, inventory management, and direct mail campaigns, while CI manages the Arden’s social media and search optimization efforts. Analyzing customer buying patterns, TRG established dynamic pricing tactics to influence demand for Single Ticket sales. This was a significant shift for the Arden, which has historically charged the same price for every seat in the house. Also as a result of our work with TRG, the Arden has reduced the number of scheduled performances in the season to both address and inspire demand, decreasing the number of annual scheduled performances by 15%, while keeping the option to extend runs of hit productions when there is a demand. Trimming the number of performance weeks has provided significant savings in operational costs and staffing expenses, while allowing us to serve approximately the same number of audience members and increasing our percentage of capacity sold from 71% to 88%. Over the course of the 2015/18 plan, we extended 13 out of 22 productions. Enrollment in Arden Drama School (ADS) has grown and has become a more significant source of revenue for the Arden over the past three years. As detailed in the Education section, since the opening of the Hamilton Family Arts Center we have been able to considerably expand our offerings. We tested different tactics and have landed on a pedagogical system that is easier for parents to understand, and thus easier to sell. Strategic Goals and Objectives: As part of our ongoing commitment to the Greater Philadelphia region, we strive to reach as many different segments of our community as possible with our work. To that end we will: • Develop and expand the Arden’s base of loyal and long–term audience members Our subscribers continue to make up the largest portion of the Arden audience and 46% of overall ticket income. As we collaborate with TRG we will continue to prioritize subscribers. Our subscription campaign design is based on frequency and communicating strategic messaging with a clear design, using both direct mail alongside digital marketing efforts.
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As mentioned above, the majority of Single Tickets sales have shifted to an online purchase path, therefore, the lion’s share of the marketing budget will be directed to digital avenues. The Arden’s goal is to grow our website’s (ardentheatre.org) total visitor pool and new visitor pool by 20% for each year of the plan. The Arden’s Facebook page has experienced growth as large as 35% in one year; however, knowing that this social media platform is now more stable, we are seeking a 15% yearly growth rate for this metric. Utilizing the expertise our marketing consultants provide, staying ahead of ever-changing digital marketing trends remains a priority. We will also invest greater marketing resources in Arden Children’s Theatre, recognizing the turnover rate. We will continue to make acquisition a priority to maintain a Children’s Theatre audience base of 45,000 attendees annually, and as such, Children’s Theatre productions will be marketed with broad-based approaches to attract as many new patrons as possible. Over the next five years, given that we remain committed to keeping ticket prices affordable to ensure access to our work and are currently selling at near capacity, we anticipate modest growth in Arden Children’s Theatre ticket income. Regarding Arden Drama School, our goal is to moderately grow attendance by 3% each year over the next five years, while maintaining a healthy return rate of 30%. We will bolster enrollment through continued investment in targeted direct mail and encouraging new sales from our Children’s Theatre audiences. In addition, we will continue to use Arden Summer Camp as an important driver for Fall, Winter, and Spring ADS classes. •
Identify and reach out to broader segments of the community in order to introduce them to our work and encourage audience members to return.
As previously stated, customer behavior and the methods in which audiences receive and react to media are evolving and, over the next five years, we will continue our relationship with Capacity Interactive (CI) to optimize our digital footprint. Traditional media coverage continues to dramatically decrease, and the Arden’s publicity efforts have shifted in response. During the period of the previous plan, we hired a freelance Publicist, who works with both traditional and online media sources to ensure the Arden’s constant presence in all areas of the media. In addition, we have increased our budget for video production as CI reports more impact from content that includes video. By FY20, we plan to have a part-time videographer on contract to produce this content. The Arden is committed to the inclusion of diverse voices in our programming, and reaching diverse audiences continues to be a key goal. Every new story we tell is an opportunity to engage new audiences and connect with new communities. Recognizing that every production provides unique and powerful opportunities for audience development, moving forward we will build upon the relationships we have and forge new ones to introduce new audiences to the Arden. Every show that we produce allows us to diversify the stories we share with Greater Philadelphia and creates opportunities for all audiences to see themselves onstage. The Arden’s ongoing partnerships with various community organizations strengthen our ability to reach new patrons who are passionate about the stories we are telling.
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•
Keep our work as affordable and accessible as possible so that all those interested in experiencing our productions have the opportunity to do so
Accessibility and affordability have been part of the company’s mission and values since its inception. The Arden’s reasonably priced subscription program has allowed audiences to have access to a broad range of programming for an entire season for the price of one Broadway show. The Arden offers numerous discount programs in order to keep our work accessible to a broad audience, such as: Pay What You Can Performances; Student Rush; Industry Rush; Educator Discounts; half-priced Friday Night Children’s Theatre tickets; and offering $2 tickets to any patron with a Medical Access (MA) card. The Arden’s largest commitment to affordability and accessibility is Arden for All, our theatre access program that offers tickets to schools and groups that work with elementary school students. The Arden is committed to provide 30,000 free tickets during the period of the plan for children and teens of the Greater Philadelphia community. The Arden has a deep commitment to serving individuals who have disabilities. We currently offer Shadow Signed performances for Children’s Theatre to provide a fuller artistic experience for deaf audiences and are the only theatre in Philadelphia to do so*. For patrons who have hearing loss, we provide Assisted Listening Devices and routinely offer Open Captioned and Audio Described performances. The Arden’s new website has been designed to be fully ADA compliant and, given our commitment to truly make our work accessible to all audiences, we will further develop and refine our outreach efforts to better communicate the full range of accessibility services we offer. •
Continually evaluate the effectiveness of our marketing efforts
We will leverage technology-based research to help us better understand and serve our patrons and improve the efficacy of our marketing tactics. To this end, we will: 1) continue to utilize our new ticketing software, AudienceView, to capture, track, and analyze patron transaction behavior; 2) utilize the analytics provided by our new website to track and monitor customer behavior online; 3) continue our ongoing work with Capacity Interactive to improve efficacy of our online marketing efforts; and 4) complete a bi-annual patron survey to collect non-transactional information in order to gain a deeper understanding of our consumers. *
Unlike traditional ASL interpreting, our interpreters are included onstage and incorporated into the action, becoming part of the stage picture and allowing our patrons with hearing loss to enjoy the performance more fully
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SECTION FIVE: FUNDRAISING Present Position: Over the course of the previous plan, the Arden has significantly grown its programming, achieving considerable artistic success and serving a large audience from the Greater Philadelphia community, while increasing the operating budget to $6M. As the cultural community continues to manage a challenging fundraising landscape, the Arden has maintained contributed income at previous levels but has been unable to increase contributed income at the same pace as the company’s growth. The following chart displays all lines of contributed income over the previous plan, spanning FY15-18, apart from events. Please note that events are not included as the Arden’s method of holding a gala every other year significantly skews the data.
Foundation giving continues to be the largest area of operating support, comprising 39% of the Arden’s contributed income. Support from regional foundations, such as William Penn Foundation and Independence Foundation, as well as national foundations, such as the Shubert Foundation, have enabled the Arden to continue to produce at the highest professional level. At
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the end of the previous plan, both the Rosenthal Family Foundation and Wyncote Foundation committed to multi-year grants designated to general operations and staff support, which will prove to be invaluable in building our fundraising capabilities. The Board currently makes up 12% of the Arden’s contributed revenue. Apart from their financial contributions, Board members are vital Arden ambassadors that connect new supporters to our work. In FY16, they led a multi-year fundraising campaign that grew the Board giving line a dramatic 362%. This campaign also significantly grew participation in the Sylvan Society, the Arden’s major gifts effort. Individual Giving makes up 35% of the Arden’s overall contributed revenue. These gifts are broken down into two categories, Sylvan Society and the Annual Fund, consisting of gifts below $1,000. Sylvan Society giving grew 36% in both new and increased gifts as a result of the FY16 Board campaign. Participation in the Sylvan Society has increased both in active member households (19%) and in revenue (30%) from FY15 to FY18. It is interesting to note that 23 Sylvan Society households are currently committed to the Legacy Society, our planned giving program. Legacy Society households grew 27% over the course of the previous plan. Annual Fund giving remains level overall and continues to be a significant area of unrealized potential. Currently, 25% of Arden subscribers and only 12% of total active households donate to our annual campaign, leaving a significant pool of prospective donors. One challenge we have faced has been maintaining our Annual Fund retention rate which, over the past three years, has fluctuated between 32% to 54%. This inconsistency resulted from a lack of appropriate staff support over the past three years. At the conclusion of the Hamilton Family Arts Center capital campaign, the Development department shrunk to three members and quickly became overcommitted, unable to give proper attention to all contributed income streams. This resulted in challenges in staff retention, with the department turning over more than 100% during the previous plan. Corporate giving makes up 9% of the Arden’s total contributed income. We receive this support primarily for Arden for All, our in-school arts education program through the Pennsylvania Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. Though the Arden has increased funding from the EITC program by 31% over the period of the last plan, overall corporate giving to the Arden has declined 20%. This decline can be attributed to significant shifts in giving priorities; several former partners have completely eliminated funding for Arts and Culture, and we expect this trend to continue. Only 3% of the Arden’s contributed income comes from the Government giving pool. The level of funding received from public sources over the past five years has remained relatively unchanged. Fundraising from Special Events greatly varies from year to year, fluctuating from 1% of total contributed income in FY17 to 10% in FY18. This can be attributed to the fact our signature fundraising event – the Granfalloon – is a biennial event. On the alternate years, the Arden programs smaller specialty fundraisers such as the Master Storyteller Award or Spring Soiree. The FY18 Granfalloon celebrating the Arden’s 30th Anniversary was the most successful in Arden history, netting a record $150,000.
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STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES To meet the Arden’s artistic and educational goals, we require a stable flow of contributed income to underwrite our work and keep ticket prices and tuition affordable. To accomplish this goal this will: •
Increase overall fundraising capacity with staff support and resources
As noted above, our fundraising challenges have primarily resulted from inconsistent staffing, and it is imperative that we have the required staff support to give the proper care and attention to every area of contributed income. People are the Arden’s most important resource, and we are committed to hiring skilled professionals and ensuring that they have the resources necessary to be successful in their roles. In addition, professional development is a high priority and we will continue to look for ways to provide educational and networking opportunities for staff members, including Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP) coursework. •
Grow operating contributions from foundations by adding at least four new foundations as contributors by 2024 while deepening our connection to existing and prospective funders
The Arden continues to hold a strong position in foundation funding, especially in the context of project-specific giving in education and new play development. Arden Children’s Theatre and Teen Arden have benefitted from grant funding from larger foundations, such as the Hamilton Family Charitable Trust and The Philadelphia Foundation. Our arts education outreach program, Arden for All, is 60% funded by foundation giving, including a large multi-year grant from the William Penn Foundation. As the Philadelphia funding landscape continues to evolve, the Arden will cultivate relationships with funders and ensure that their funding interests align with our planned programming. Over the period of the previous plan, we noticed a shift in the national fundraising landscape toward the creation of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) and smaller, private family foundations. With the recent change in the tax code, the standard deduction was nearly doubled in 2018, while capping or eliminating other deductions, leading to the large increase of donations made through DAFs. The recent expansion of Development department staff will allow for more time to build relationships and cultivate these smaller foundations. •
Increase Sylvan Society revenue by 35%, and grow membership by 35% over the next five years
The Sylvan Society remains the most engaged donor population in the Arden’s community. As they act as Arden ambassadors, they are our best resource when attracting new members. Sylvan Society giving reached an all-time high in FY17, but declined 28% in FY18, highlighting the need for constant cultivation of our Sylvan Society members. In FY19, we designed and implemented an aggressive renewal and recapture campaign, which included increased investment in cultivation events for engagement and acquisition. We will build upon this practice throughout the course of the plan with the goal of growing the number of Sylvan households to 180 households and maintain a healthy Sylvan Society retention rate of 70%. The Arden aims to reach $410k in annual Sylvan donations by FY24.
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•
Strengthen fundraising capacity to significantly increase Annual Fund contributions
Recognizing that the Annual Fund remains the most significant area of unrealized growth potential, we will provide appropriate staff support to increase our capacity to fundraise from individuals. As we move forward, the Annual Fund campaign will prioritize data-driven decision making as we identify, cultivate, and retain donors. The Arden’s renewal campaign will be designed to increase the Arden’s connection with donors, through sharing insider information with and communicating impact to our supporters. While the Arden has long used effective tools and tactics to attract new donors, we will deliver these tools with more frequency and strategy. With the addition of our new ticketing software, AudienceView, we can capture and track donor behavior with more accuracy than ever before, which will assist us in creating more targeted campaigns. In addition, we intend to engage a Development consultant to help leverage our data to improve the efficacy of our fundraising efforts, particularly from a digital standpoint. We have achieved great success with consultants on the earned income side of operations over the period of the previous plan, and we aim to replicate that growth on the contributed income side. This consultant will aid us in designing email and social media campaigns with higher open-rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. •
Maintain our level of corporate support, while taking advantage of opportunities that arise
The Arden’s Board connections are essential to the growth and success of our corporate fundraising. Over the course of this plan, the Board will continue serving as ambassadors to build and fortify key relationships. The Arden will continue to participate in Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program and promote the educational impact of our Arden for All (AFA) program to corporate leaders and decision makers, the goal being 100% retention of existing partners and the addition of one new EITC donor per season. In addition, we are taking a broader approach to corporate relationships to include grant funding, marketing sponsorships, in-kind support, events, and employee engagement. Our goal is to secure production sponsors for 100% of our Mainstage and Children’s Theatre productions by 2024, as well as sponsorships of public-facing programs, including educational and specialty programming. •
Maintain our current level of government funding by cultivating our base of supporters within local, regional, and national government offices
While funding from public sources is affected by things outside of our control, we must work to remain competitive by cultivating relationships and demonstrating impact in our community. The Arden’s Board has proven to be an invaluable resource for informed perspectives on the current state of affairs. They do the important work of networking with the Arden’s elected representatives and guiding our efforts to access available resources from our state and local governments. We will continue to utilize Board contacts and other key stakeholders in these activities. Over the next five years, the Arden will look for special and creative opportunities for government funding and utilize our connections to stay knowledgeable of new opportunities that may arise. A potential prospect for government funding that we have yet to explore is the Arden Theatre Company
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National Endowment for the Humanities and the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, who may have an interest in supporting the Arden’s community outreach work. •
Increase participation in the Legacy Society, our planned giving program, with a growth goal of 50%
The Arden benefits from a solid donor base and board commitment, and with standardization of process and increased communication about The Legacy Society, we look to increase participation in the program by 50% by 2024. The Arden also has been fortunate enough to have been named in the wills of quite a few of our longtime supporters who were not part of the Legacy Society. We also receive about 100 ‘In Memory of’ Gifts a year in honor of Arden patrons. In order to grow the number of participants in the Legacy Society, we need to increase communication to Legacy Society prospects, reminding them of this financial planning option. The prospect pool for this program includes: Board, Sylvan Society members, and longtime donors that have a demonstrated interest in end of life financial planning. •
Create special events that drive income, cultivate new prospects, and improve donor relationships
Special events, Arden insider access, and personal relationships with our artists and staff are major motivators for Arden donors. Opening Night celebrations are a valued benefit for Sylvan Society members, and our annual Donor Greeting preshow receptions have proven to be effective cultivation opportunities for Annual Fund donors. Moving forward, we will capitalize on unique opportunities to celebrate Sylvan and Annual Fund donors and demonstrate how important their contributions are to our work. The Arden’s most significant annual fundraiser alternates between the Granfalloon—our biennial gala—and more intimate events programmed in the off-years. We hold the Granfalloon every other year to ensure that these celebrations are meaningful and to avoid donor fatigue. Moving forward, we will work to capitalize on the success of the Granfalloon, both from a fundraising standpoint and as a connector to new contacts in our community. Fundraising events such as these require a significant amount of Board and staff time, and we realize that their success depends heavily upon our ability to engage strong leadership for these efforts.
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SECTION SIX: FACILITIES Present Position The Arden owns and operates three buildings – the main theatre facility at 40 N. 2nd Street, the Hamilton Family Arts Center at 62 N. 2nd Street, and Artist House at 250 N. Lawrence Street – which strengthens the Arden’s leadership position in the cultural community, and plays a significant role in our capacity for growth and stability. In 2017, through a generous gift from Board member Monica Rosenthal and the Rosenthal Family Foundation, we opened the 100seat Bob and Selma Horan Studio Theatre in the Hamilton Family Arts Center. Over the last plan, in accordance with our Systems Replacement Plan, the Facilities Committee has overseen upkeep and repairs for all three facilities, investing $392,000 to ensure that the Arden’s ever-growing audiences and operations are supported. These improvements included: securing the building envelope for both the main facility and the Hamilton with extensive masonry repair; upgrades to our lighting and sound equipment inventories for the Haas and Arcadia Stages; and technology improvements that include a new telephone system, a new ticketing software, and a complete redesign of our website to dramatically improve user experience. Strategic Goals and Objectives Our goal is to ensure that the Arden’s performance and support spaces continue to foster greater artistic opportunity; better serve our students, artists, and staff; and enhance the theatre-going experience for our patrons. To this end we will: •
Maintain, execute and update the Systems Replacement Plan for all three facilities.
The Facilities Committee will continue to monitor, execute, and update the Systems Replacement Plan for each of our facilities, ensuring that repairs and upkeep are performed in a timely manner. Working with the Finance Committee, the Facilities Committee will ensure that funds are set aside annually in the Systems Replacement Fund to meet these needs. This work will include: •
Improving the north side of 40 N. 2nd Street adjoining Cuthbert Street by replacing sidewalk and grates while retaining the original granite curb, and increasing exterior lighting to maintain a safe path, as this sidewalk is frequently utilized by pedestrians. .
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Upgrading the seating system and seats for the F. Otto Haas Stage. The current system and seats have served us well since we opened the Haas Stage in 1998, and the flexibility of this space is one of the Arden’s competitive advantages. An upgrade to this system will allow us to continue the safe and innovative use of this space. As this installation could potentially take several months, impact on ongoing operations will need to be taken into consideration. In addition, the HVAC system for the F. Otto Haas Stage will also need to be replaced.
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•
Improve our facilities by addressing necessary capital projects
In addition to the projected work of the Systems Replacement Plan, the Facilities Committee will oversee two additional capital projects: 1) the expansion of the administrative offices; and 2) improvements to our Artist House to better serve visiting artists who stay there.
•
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We have outgrown our current administrative offices. Over the next five years, the Facilities Committee will design a plan to renovate the administrative offices and support spaces. This renovation will include expanded office space, updated lighting, and the addition of an elevator to provide access.
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At the Artist House, we will completely renovate the kitchen, which is a shared space used by all visiting artists. Additionally, the current security system is outdated—a new system, to include fire and smoke detector monitoring in all rooms, will be installed.
Update and enhance accessibility
The Arden strives to be fully accessible to all persons with disabilities. Our three theatre spaces currently offer access with ramps and elevators, first row wheelchair seating, and wheelchair accessible bathrooms and water fountains. Shows in the Arcadia and the Haas also offer assistive listening devices and select audio described and captioned performances. Over the next five years we plan to upgrade our accessibility technology in the 40 N. 2nd spaces to replace the current system, as well as bring all the same features to the Hamilton Family Arts Center. Upgrades will include new captioning equipment, allowing us to make every show available for people with hearing loss, as well as moving to a state-of-the-art, assistive listening system. •
Respond to diminishing parking options in Old City
Over the past few years, Old City has experienced a dramatic increase in real estate development, resulting in residential growth accompanied by a significant loss of available parking options for our patrons. Two of the primary parking lots that were a half-block walk from the theatre have been developed into residential housing. We must take steps to ensure that our building remains readily accessible to all of our patrons, and that increased parking challenges do not limit participation. Increased communication with our audiences about available options has been the primary tactic used to date. Other strategies we are exploring include valet parking, potential partnerships with ridesharing services, and expanding patron parking options by providing shuttle rides by Arden vans and/or the Philly Phlash.
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SECTION SEVEN: GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Present Position: The Arden is governed by a dynamic and engaged Board of Directors who represent a cross section of the Arden community, and are dedicated to carrying out the mission of the organization and furthering the goals of the company. The Arden’s Board currently consists of 32 members, and its composition is guided by the Board Development Committee. The goals of the Board Development Committee are threefold: increase Board engagement, build a more diverse Board, and assess organizational needs as they relate to the composition of the Board and Board Committees. Over the past three years, the Board has taken key steps to ensure that the Arden remains artistically strong and financially responsible. In FY16, three years after the opening of the Hamilton Family Arts Center, it became clear that there was an annual revenue gap of $250,000 resulting from the increased costs of operating the new facility and the programmatic growth that followed. We were faced with a decision: reduce programming to decrease costs or commit to increasing Board and individual giving to close the annual operating gap. With a leadership challenge from an individual Board member, the Board committed to raising $250,000 each year for a period of three years in order to sustain the programmatic growth made possible by the new facility, while maintaining a strong financial position. During this period, the Board committed personally and actively sought increased commitments from Arden’s Sylvan Society members in order to meet the campaign goal, resulting in an increase of 365% in Board giving during this three year-period. Attracting and retaining a talented and motivated staff has been one of the organization’s key strengths in the past and will be essential in ensuring the Arden’s future success. Recognizing this, a goal of the 2015/18 plan was to bolster existing Arden staff through salary increases, as well as additional support staffing. One strategy used was to consolidate resources to move hourly employees to full-time positions, recognizing that this strengthened staff consistency and retention: in 2017, we strengthened the production department by moving our Wardrobe Supervisor and Audio Engineer from per-show employment onto full-time seasonal contracts, and the following year, we created two additional full-time box office positions. In 2018, we received a three-year leadership gift from Board member Monica Rosenthal and the Rosenthal Family Foundation to take further steps to address staff support and retention. Starting with the 18/19 season, we increased staff salaries and added three administrative support positions to grow our organizational capacity: •
Development Manager, who manages data and provides administrative support for the department, providing existing staff the time to cultivate and solicit new donors.
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Sales & Communications Manager, who is responsible for designing and implementing email and social media communications to bolster sales for all products.
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Education Associate, who supports the Education Department, assisting in Drama School enrollment and relationship management for arts education programs.
This marks a significant investment in the Arden’s staff and is an important step in making this organization an even more supportive and sustainable place in which to work.
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Strategic Goals and Objectives: We seek to attract the highest caliber and most diverse team of Board/committee members, managers, and staff. To this end we will: •
Develop and maintain a diverse Board that is fully informed, engaged, and inspired to execute its governance responsibility and develop the resources of the organization
Over the next five years, the Board Development Committee will seek out and cultivate new Board members who can provide new perspectives, strengthen the Board’s fundraising capacity, and fortify connections within the community. When recruiting, we will continue to seek diversity in the broadest sense, so that we have the benefit of as many viewpoints as possible. Another goal for the Committee is to institutionalize the recruitment and onboarding process for Board prospects. To that end, we will create a mentoring program so that Board prospects have access to multiple points-of-view and a variety of engagement opportunities. •
Establish an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)Task Force to deepen and expand the Arden’s commitment to be a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization
The Arden strives to be Philadelphia’s hometown theatre and is committed to ensuring our work and our spaces are inclusive and accessible to all. We believe in the power of stories to bring people together, inspire conversation and foster connection and community – that they can celebrate our unique identities while reminding us of our shared humanity. As a leading local cultural arts institution, the Arden has a duty to ensure that the next generation of arts leaders and theatregoers reflect the beautiful variety and diversity that resides in our city. While we have been actively committed as an organization to increasing diversity in the stories we tell onstage, there is still more work to be done in terms of increasing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Arden as a whole. In the fall of 2018, we established an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force, consisting of a group of dedicated Arden board and staff members. The overriding goal of this task force is to ensure EDI issues are addressed in every aspect of the organization, from each board committee, to every staff department, to every new policy created by the Arden. •
Maintain the high level of engagement and overall effectiveness of the Board
The importance of active and effective Board Committees cannot be overstated. Over the next five years, we will work to maintain and increase the effectiveness of longstanding Board Committees, including Board Development, Finance, Facilities, Personnel, Planning, and Engagement. We will continue to articulate specific action steps for each committee in order to establish a clear sense of the organization’s expectations and measures for success. At the first Executive Board meeting of each season, Committee Chairs will discuss their needs and goals for the upcoming year. We will provide ample staff support to ensure that our efforts and priorities are aligned across the organization. The Board Development Committee will continue to work to increase the Board’s overall effectiveness without increasing the number of Board members. Board members currently serve a two-year renewable term. Board members have voluntarily elected to rotate off the Board and, if appropriate, often return at a later date with renewed energy and fresh perspective. Arden Theatre Company
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•
Attract and retain highly qualified and well-trained staff through aggressive recruitment, competitive salary and benefits, and a healthy working environment
Staff retention is vital to the Arden’s work and institutional capacity, and we benefit from numerous staff members who have worked at the Arden for many years. For example, there is significant experience and expertise within our production department, whose members include employees with tenures ranging from five to twenty years, and their wealth of knowledge is critical to our artistic success and financial bottom line. Fostering staff retention is a key goal of this plan. Recognizing that we rely on our staff to have a fierce commitment to excellence, and that we are competing with larger institutions that offer deeper infrastructures and significantly higher salaries, we are committed to increasing staff compensation so their extraordinary efforts are sustainable and commensurate with the passion and experience they bring to their work. In several key areas, we continue to fall below the Theatre Communications Group’s (TCG) Salary Survey national average for theatres of our budget size. By the end of this plan, Arden salaries will meet the national average for theatres of our size, and we will continue to provide quality benefits which include a competitive health insurance program, a flexible savings plan, a matching 403b program, and short-term and longterm disability. The Personnel Committee will review the benefits plan and make appropriate recommendations to maintain the Arden’s competitive placement in the market. •
Continue to invest in succession planning.
Given that the Arden is a founder-run organization – with both leaders having worked at the Arden for over three decades – succession planning is key to the Arden’s long-term health and vitality. We believe that future leadership will be best served by an engaged and empowered Board of Directors, a strong financial position, and a capable and committed staff. The current Arden Board is highly committed and has extensive institutional knowledge, with a continued focus on bringing new perspectives and energies onto the Board and Board committees. In keeping with the goals of our last strategic plan, we have bolstered the Arden’s staff through the addition of key support positions and strategic salary increases. In addition, we have strengthened our management structure, have a skilled and effective management team, and are committed to providing opportunities for staff members to increase their capacity and confidence. Finally, recognizing that a strong financial foundation is essential for artistic growth, we have taken important steps to fortify the company’s financial position through a renewed commitment to building the Arden’s Artistic Fund and the Finance Committee is in preliminary discussions about an Endowment campaign. With a strong Board, staff, and financial foundation, the Arden will be well-positioned when the time comes to attract extraordinary leaders who will write the next chapter of this theatre’s history, ensuring that the Arden remains one of this region’s leading cultural institutions and serves this community’s artists, students and audiences for many years to come.
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SECTION EIGHT: FINANICAL Present Position: In the Arden’s 2015/18 plan, the company designed a Capitalization Strategy to improve overall financial health and support the company’s long-term goals by maintaining our facilities and investing in artistic growth. Over the course of the past four years: • • •
Total Assets decreased from $14.6 million in 2014 to $13.5 million in 2018 due to the fulfillment of pledges receivables from the capital campaign. Total Liabilities decreased from $4.0 million in 2014 to $2.8 million in 2018 stabilizing to pre-capital campaign position. Unrestricted Net Assets increased from $6.9 million in 2014 to $8.9 million in 2018.
In the 2019/24 plan, we will continue the work of this Capitalization Strategy, in order to manage programmatic growth while maintaining and improving our facilities. With these goals in mind, the Arden currently maintains the following funds: • • • •
Systems Replacement Fund Scholarship Fund Artistic Risk Fund Endowment Fund
$558,754 $355,554 $645,498 $100,439
Over the course of the 2015/18 Plan, the Arden continued to respond to the changing fundraising landscape while enhancing programming and operations to include the completed Hamilton Family Arts Center. The company maintained an operating budget ranging from $5.2$5.8 million during this time, while also collecting final pledges from the capital campaign. The capital campaign pledges were substantially complete as of June of 2018, with less than 1% of the campaign remaining to be paid through 2019. The Arden’s revenue model has been significantly changed by the Hamilton Family Arts Center and the subsequent increase in programming. As previously noted, the opening of the Hamilton has created more opportunities for increased revenue through ticket sales and ADS. Concurrently, the Arden incorporated liquor sales in our concession stand which has shown a 28% increase in net concession income. In addition to mission-related programming, we have also seen an overall increase of 40% in rental income. We continue to analyze the value of this income versus its impact on the company and our staff. The company continues to look for areas of earned income opportunities to support a healthy financial position. The Arden has maintained a healthy ratio of contributed to earned income, but the challenging funding landscape has added pressure on the Arden’s contributed income strategy. Over the last plan we witnessed a decline in net income at the end of each year and a corresponding decrease in regular working capital. Navigating these trends has been an area of focus for the Board and will continue to be a priority moving forward. After the first year of operating the Hamilton, the company stabilized systems of the new building and the significant increase in occupancy expenses in FY15 has normalized. The company’s overall expenses remained fairly level over the course of the 2015/18 plan. The
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Arden has worked to efficiently manage operational expenses, while allowing for increases in personnel expenses. Strategic Goals and Objectives: We strive to maintain fiscal health and secure long-term financial stability in order to meet the artistic, educational, and institutional goals of this plan. To this end we will: •
Maintain the fiscal health of the organization
Maintaining the company’s fiscal health has always been a priority for the organization. To put it simply, the Arden’s ongoing policy is to capitalize on all revenue opportunities while managing expenses, and this remains to be a key strength of the organization. The Arden will continue this practice with a goal of increasing the company’s annual net income in order to invest in future operations. The company will increase the year end net as follows: 2019/20 $3,175
2020/21 $87,783
2021/22 $170,541
2022/23 $118,302
2023/24 $171,533
The Arden’s Balance Sheet clearly communicates company health and how equity is managed. The company’s capitalization strategy, as stated in the last plan, has successfully created a more mature financial position for this 30-year-old organization. There are three areas to be more fully funded: Cash Reserve Fund, Artistic Risk and Endowment Funds. These are detailed below in priority order. •
Cash Reserve Fund: While not in a formal fund, the Arden regularly maintains approximately 3 months of working capital within our current operating model. The Board has determined a goal of 6-9 months of operations in the fund at all times. Over the next five years, we will design a strategy that will establish an additional 3-6 months of working capital to be set aside in a Board designated Cash Reserve Fund, separate from the daily working capital. We will work to raise a portion of this fund ($500,000) over the next five years by budgeting a larger surplus in each of the five years of the plan. It is estimated that it will take approximately 10 years to fully fund this reserve. Tactics will include funding through depreciation; allocating a percentage of annual surpluses; and targeted donations and/or a designated percentage of ticket sales.
•
Artistic Fund: This previously established fund has been designed to support the risks involved in producing new plays, or more ambitious artistic work that is outside the scope of the Arden’s current season. The goal for this fund is $1.5 million, and it currently stands at $665,000. The Arden intends to raise funds to reach this goal to complete the existing Artistic Fund, but fully funding the Cash Reserve Fund will take priority before this goal. A policy and long-range fundraising strategy for this fund will be created during this plan.
•
Endowment Fund: Our current fund is the result of one individual donor who expressed interest in establishing it. The Arden’s Board is currently discussing a plan to invest Legacy (Planned Gifts) in this endowment fund. A formalized plan for the growth of this fund will be created during the next five years.
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•
Maintain a healthy balance between earned and contributed income
The 2019/24 Budget is projected to be 60% Earned Income and 40% Contributed Income. The Arden will continue to explore strategies for increasing earned income while maintaining a strong development campaign to increase a broad range of contributed support. During this plan, we will continue to design programming that will increase earned income. By increasing attendance to our programs, earned income is expected to grow as follows: 2018/19 $3,458,229
2019/20 $3,788,972
2020/21 $3,966,939
2021/22 $4,146,641
2022/23 $4,226,261
2023/24 $4,349,609
As we continue to look at ways to optimize earned income, our development plan is expected to grow contributed income as follows: 2018/19 $2,430,638
2019/20 $1,851,350
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2020/21 $2,484,500
2021/22 $3,137,500
2022/23 $2,112,500
2023/24 $2,250,250
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SECTION NINE: ADDENDUM •
FY19-FY24 Projected Operating Budget
p. 37
•
Arden Board of Directors
p. 38
•
Board Responsibilities and Expectations
p. 39
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ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY FY19 – FY24 PROJECTED OPERATING BUDGET
Revenues Ticket Income Arden Drama School Rentals Interest/Earnings Income Miscellaneous Income Board Contributions Individual Contributions Foundation Grants Corporate Gifts Government Grants Fundraisers - Granfalloon/Other Inkind Donations Scholarship Fund Draw Artistic Fund Draw Total Revenues Expenses Production Outreach Special Productions APA Program Drama School General Operations Occupancy Marketing Box Office Development Personnel Theatre Building Debt Service Depreciation Expense Total Expenses
Total Operaring Income
Arden Theatre Company
FY19 Actual
FY20 Budget
FY21 Budget
FY22 Budget
FY23 Budget
FY24 Budget
$2,717,886 $339,259 $64,114 $70,165 $255,566 $187,831 $548,829 $1,141,450 $209,260 $64,882 $68,741 $42,273 $17,778 $0 $5,728,034
$2,939,000 $379,003 $60,000 $121,500 $266,969 $259,100 $695,000 $1,233,350 $214,000 $73,000 $200,000 $0 $19,000 $35,000 $6,494,922
$3,070,800 $397,953 $65,000 $122,500 $288,186 $270,000 $720,000 $1,180,000 $223,500 $75,000 $100,000 $0 $20,500 $37,500 $6,570,939
$3,218,220 $417,851 $63,000 $124,000 $300,570 $280,000 $760,000 $1,148,000 $253,500 $75,000 $200,000 $0 $22,000 $40,000 $6,902,141
$3,263,090 $438,744 $65,000 $124,800 $311,427 $305,000 $810,000 $1,123,000 $258,500 $75,000 $100,000 $0 $23,500 $42,000 $6,940,061
$3,360,983 $451,906 $66,950 $125,500 $320,770 $310,000 $826,000 $1,145,960 $263,670 $75,000 $200,000 $0 $23,970 $42,840 $7,213,549
$695,388 $57,624 $2,298 $7,489
$753,931 $63,872 $4,000 $4,000
$752,857 $66,427 $5,000 $4,000
$771,229 $69,084 $5,000 $4,000
$770,577 $71,848 $5,000 $4,000
$785,989 $74,722 $5,000 $4,000
$10,223 $373,823 $350,637 $565,262 $48,037 $129,918 $3,310,574 $62,899 $398,846 $6,013,018
$7,400 $352,600 $367,850 $532,605 $49,700 $160,230 $3,738,263 $59,295 $398,000 $6,491,746
$7,548 $357,236 $375,207 $543,257 $50,694 $111,435 $3,751,644 $57,851 $400,000 $6,483,157
$7,699 $368,506 $382,711 $554,122 $51,708 $162,663 $3,894,761 $56,116 $404,000 $6,731,600
$7,853 $378,151 $390,365 $565,205 $52,742 $113,917 $4,003,728 $54,373 $404,000 $6,821,759
$8,010 $388,408 $398,173 $576,509 $53,797 $165,195 $4,123,840 $54,373 $404,000 $7,042,015
($284,984)
$3,175
$87,783
$170,541
$118,302
$171,533
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ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARDEN THEATRE COMPANY 2nd
40 N. Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 922-8900 main (215) 922-7011 fax (215) 922-1122 box office
OFFICERS PRESIDENT Robert Elfant (2021) Associate Broker, Partner Elfant Wissahickon Realtors VICE PRESIDENT Nancy Burd (2020) President, The Burd Group VICE PRESIDENT Holly Kinser (2021) President The Kinser Group TREASURER Michael A. Donato (2020) Senior Vice President, SBA Lending Fulton Bank
SECRETARY
Rayenne Chen (2021) Principal Investor Relations and Reporting Exeter Property Group
MEMBERS Brian Abernathy (2020) First Deputy Managing Director City of Philadelphia
Joy L. De JesĂşs (2020) Associate Vice President, Finance and Administration Temple University Nancy Elfant (2021) Steven J. Engelmyer, Esq. (2020) Chair, Litigation Department Kleinbard LLC Jeanne Fisher (2020) Founder and President, JFA
Terrence J. Nolen (2020) Co-Founder & Producing Artistic Director Arden Theatre Company Kristen Phillips (2021) Senior Vice President Marketing & Strategy Insurance and Retirement Solutions Lincoln Financial Group
Elizabeth H. Gemmill (2020)
Charles H. Rose (2020) Executive Vice President Karr Barth Associates, Inc.
Albert M. Greenfield, III (2020) President, Managing Director Albert M. Greenfield & Co.
Monica Rosenthal (2020) President Rosenthal Family Foundation
Joanne Harmelin (2021) CEO, Harmelin Media
H. Hetherington Smith (2020) Senior Vice President/Branch Mgr Studley, Inc.
Richard Harris (2020) Shareholder | Co-Chair, Litigation and Trials Practice Group Littler Mendelson P.C.
Lee van de Velde (2021) Steve Wolfson (2021)
Nancy Hirsig (2020)
Diane Dalto Woosnam (2021)
Ann Marie Horner (2021) The Horner Foundation
Ellen Yin (2020) Owner Fork Restaurant
Michael S. MacFarland, SVP (2020) Regional Vice President Philadelphia Market TD Bank Richard L. Maimon (2020) Principal KieranTimberlake
Rhonda Ball (2021) AVP, MidAtlantic Region Human Resource Manager Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
Dr. Saifuddin T. Mama (2020) Attending Physician, Ob/Gyn Cooper University Hospital
Anne Cook (2020) Senior Paralegal Pepper Hamilton LLP
John J. McCawley, P.E. (2020) Director, Energy Acquisition PECO Energy Company Amy L. Murphy (2020) Co-Founder & Managing Director Arden Theatre Company
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RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS OF ARDEN BOARD MEMBERS The Board of Directors is an essential part of the health and vitality of the Arden Theatre Company. In partnership with staff leadership, board members are responsible for ensuring that the Arden fulfills its mission and remains fiscally strong and institutionally healthy. To meet that responsibility board members work to strategically advance the organization in three critical areas: Leadership, Fundraising and Positioning. Board members serve a two-year term and should be willing to make the Arden one of their top three volunteer commitments. In addition to subscribing to the five-play season and attending Arden Children’s Theatre performances, the following are specific expectations in each key area: LEADERSHIP • Attend and participate in regularly scheduled board meetings (usually four per year, plus any special meetings as needed) • Provide high-level expertise and guidance as needed by staff in areas such as: legal, finance and accounting, real estate and construction, property management, fundraising, audience development, human resources and labor relations, diversity and planning • Provide meaningful service on any assigned board committee (Advocacy, Board Development, Development, Facilities, Finance, Marketing, Personnel, Planning) • Purchase two Arden five-show subscriptions FUNDRAISING • Join the Sylvan Society with an annual gift of $1,000 or more • Provide significant access to potential financial resources by leveraging any appropriate contacts for corporate, foundation, government and individual support • Support the biennial Granfalloon gala and any other fundraising events either personally or via an affiliated corporation or foundation • Make a gift of personal significance to any special fundraising campaigns outlined in the Arden’s strategic plan or otherwise adopted by the board POSITIONING • Extend the Arden’s reach into strategic segments of the community (corporate, philanthropic, political, diversity, etc.) • Serve as strong positive advocates in the community, generating interest and awareness in our productions and programs • Identify potential board members and Sylvan Society members and cultivate their interest by bringing them to Arden performances and events • Be supportive and knowledgeable of the Arden's mission, activities and programs • Distribute ART cards, and invite strategic personal contacts from meaningful segments of the community (including, but not limited to, high net worth individuals, corporate and foundation contacts, community influencers, etc.) to attend Opening Nights, Sylvan Society events, and other performances
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