THE Symphony Orchestra is as good as bankrupt. The 2014 figures show that. So it is total nonsense that responsible minister Jet Bussemaker in her answers to questions by MP Jacques Monasch less than a month ago reported that the orchestra was well within its own revenue norm of 21.5%. Not only did she already use incorrect figures in her answers, it is now clear that 2013 was already a disaster year, but only then did it really head towards the abyss.
Comparing the 2013 financial statements with those of 2014 provides these illuminating figures:
- Sponsorship income -75%
- Audience revenue -25%
- Cash and cash equivalents -50%
- Equity -60%
- Own income -35%
The own revenue to total public subsidy ratio has now fallen to 18.4%. This is below the ministry's absolute lower limit.
Worryingly, the operating deficit of just over two tonnes (to be covered from equity) now exceeds the one-and-a-half tonnes left from those reserves.
No wonder HET Symphony Orchestra will be performing as of now deletes and trying to move into the neighbourhood with the handful of permanent employees left. Who knows, maybe that will bring in money again, but then next year the orchestra will no longer fulfil the core mission the ministry has given it to receive any subsidy at all. Meanwhile, responsible administrators at municipal, state and provincial level praise the orchestra's adaptability.
For instance, what happened to the five million that HET Symfonieorkest received from the province of Overijssel. The orchestra obtained this so that it would get more money from the market each year. Calculating the projections sold to the province against the €62,100 in sponsorship income actually brought in, HET Symfonieorkest is 97% behind after three years on its own business plan.
The question remains as to what happened to the provincial millions. More on that tomorrow.
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