Skip to content
Help us continue providing local, fact-based journalism
that keeps you informed and connected each day.
Support essential local journalism for your community.
General | News
Donate Now

View thank you gift options

CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • beats
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    • California Dream
    • Videos
    • Photos
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Roots
    • Eclectic
    • Videos
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight
    • California State of Mind
    • The View From Here
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • Insight Music
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • CapRadio Travels
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support / Underwriting
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Volunteering
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

U.S. Box Office Plummeted 86% in 2020, Says Leading Arts Group

By Neda Ulaby | NPR
Thursday, April 1, 2021

Blues Alley Jazz in Washington, D.C., is livestreaming its performances, one of many clubs affected by the pandemic. Beloved jazz clubs in New York, Denver and New Orleans have closed.

Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images

Economic fallout due to the pandemic has been "catastrophic" for the performing arts, according to new data from the industry consulting group TRG Arts.

An analysis released Thursday shows ticket sales for live performances were down 86.1% in the U.S. from March 2020 to last month, compared to the year before. In the U.K., sales dropped by 89.3%. And in Canada, it was 90.3%.

The analysis, performed with U.K. arts data company Purple Seven, will not surprise jazz buffs mourning the loss of clubs in New Orleans, Denver and New York, for example, or dance fans in Toronto, Santa Fe and Chicago, where ballet companies have closed and dance studios have shut down.

While of course many arts organizations have been experimenting with selling tickets to digital performances, the revenue is hardly enough to sustain the sort of performing arts culture that existed before the pandemic, the data show.

"There is demand from the public to return to live performances," said Purple Seven managing director David Brownlee in a statement. Over the past year, Brownlee said, when it seemed the pandemic was subsiding, tickets were sold to performances that often ended up postponed or canceled.

His company tracked a "noticeable uplift" in ticket sales in the U.K. in November and December 2020, right around when the lockdown there was lifted. Unfortunately, most of those performances ended up not happening.

"This means that the true impact of COVID-19 has been even worse than the stark figures we are reporting today," Brownlee said.

The two groups said their data came from 349 performing arts organizations, tracked by the COVID-19 Sector Benchmark, marketed as the largest global arts and cultural consumer dataset in the industry. It captures near real-time data from box office feeds, primarily from theaters, but also arts centers and orchestras.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

View this story on npr.org

Coronavirus Newsletter

Get answers to your questions, the latest updates and easy access to the resources you need, delivered to your inbox.

 

Want to know what to expect? Here's a recent newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

We'll send you weekly emails so you can stay informed about the coronavirus in California.

Browse all newsletters

Most Viewed

California Coronavirus Updates: Blue Shield Announces It Has The Capacity To Vaccinate Six Million People Per Week

Signatures Are In. What You Need To Know About The Gavin Newsom Recall Effort.

When Can I Get A COVID-19 Vaccine? How Will I Find Out? Answers To Your California Vaccine Questions.

California Coronavirus Updates: Californians Age 50 And Over Can Sign Up For A COVID-19 Vaccine On State Website

Vaccine Passports In California? Answers To Your Questions

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2021, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.