DAYTON — Victoria Theatre Association presented its 2016-2017 Community Report revealing an estimated $23.5 million economic impact to the Miami Valley region, the completion of Victoria Theatre’s 150th anniversary celebration with the ThinkTV- and VTA-produced documentary “Making History: Victoria Theatre 150 years,” and VTA’s many education and engagement programs that touched more than 81,000 lives.
“The impressive financial results show VTA completed a very successful 2016-2017 season,” said VTA Board of Trustees Chairwoman Martha Shaker. “President and CEO Ken Neufeld, along with his talented and dedicated staff and our outstanding corps of more than 600 volunteers, led Victoria Theatre Association on a path that created more than $23 million in economic impact for our region. This impact ultimately adds to the value of living in the Miami Valley.”
The operations of Victoria Theatre Association had a preliminary and unaudited profit from operations of $318,000 on total revenues of $14.6 million for fiscal year ending June 30, 2017.
Based on a formula developed by the Americans for the Arts, the overall revenue of $14.6 million for the 2016-2017 fiscal year created an overall estimated $23.5 million economic impact for the Dayton Metro area.
The impressive sum represents the overall total dollars spent by VTA and its audiences, including event-related spending by arts audiences including, but not limited to, ticket sales, restaurants, parking, merchandise sales and other expenses that revolve around attending and producing an arts event.
“The 2016-2017 season was highlighted by numerous magical stage moments and celebrations including the return of ‘Jersey Boys’ and ‘42nd Street,’ and an amazing response to ‘Dirty Dancing,’ ‘Kinky Boots,’ ‘Motown the Musical’ and ‘Circus 1903,’ along with many more shows, concerts and presentations,” said Neufeld. “Many of our education and engagement programs grew in attendance, especially the Broadway intensives and camps for area students, the teachers’ lounge, a nearly sold-out Discovery Series and a growing Bagels & Broadway program. In addition, we saw so much growth in the National Geographic Live Series that we have added an additional show, giving more of our community the opportunity to experience these amazing explorers live and in person at the Victoria Theatre.
“We were proud to offer our first sensory-friendly performance with the Morris Furniture Company Family Series show, ‘The Cat in the Hat,’” he added. “This presentation was adapted for audiences on the autism spectrum, and the audience response was incredible. We are planning two more sensory-friendly performances for the 2017-2018 season. Finally, our community of donors has expanded in both sponsorships and donations to the annual fund. This all had a favorable result on VTA’s bottom line, resulting in an excellent year.”
