The latest edition of Theatre Facts 2023 – Theatre Communications Group’s annual research report on the state of the US nonprofit theaters, produced in partnership with SMU DataArts – was released today, with key findings that highlight both the resilience and ongoing challenges in the American theater sector. Analysis of data, from the fiscal year October 31, 2022-September 30, 2023, showed that not-for-profit theaters contributed over $3.6 billion to the US economy and attracted more than 27 million attendees, while still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the report’s insights are:
61% of Trend Theatres – those that participated in either the TCG Fiscal Survey or CDP (SMU DataArts’ Cultural Data Profile) each year from 2019 to 2023 – reported a negative Change in Unrestricted Net Assets (CUNA) in 2023, the highest level since 2009, underscoring the financial pressures facing theaters;
Total ticket income revenue, encompassing both subscription and single ticket sales, has increased after a 4-year low in 2022, but was still 29% lower than in pre-pandemic 2019;
Attendance of individuals 18 and under fell 23% over the 4-year period;
Average trustee giving was 28% lower in 2023 than in 2019, declining 15% from 2022 to 2023, after peaking in 2020.
Total expenses rose 12% from 2022 to 2023, and total payroll expenses comprised an average of 51% of total expenses across all theaters;
For the first time, the report includes a special section on Black, Indigenous, and Theatres of Color (BITOC) – defined as organizations that have been founded by, for, about, with, and near BIPOC communities – offering unique insights into their distinct strategies and challenges, which included relying more on contributed revenue (75% of expenses) compared to non-BITOC (63.5%), with stronger foundation and government support but less from individual donors.
According to Emilya Cachapero, TCG’s Co-Executive Director of National and Global Programming, “While the financial landscape remains uncertain, theaters are innovating and finding new ways to connect with their communities. This important data tells us that we must continue to invest in sustainable solutions that ensure a just and thriving theater ecology.”
