$50K anonymous grant given to UApresents

After months of financial instability, a "challenge grant" of $50,000 has been promised to UApresents by an anonymous donor in an effort to reduce the organization's growing deficit.

The donor has guaranteed UApresents $50,000, while the UA will contribute $75,000 if UApresents raises $100,000 this season before the June 30 deadline, said Amanda Place, director of development for UApresents.

UApresents is $9,000 shy of its goal, having raised $91,000 to date primarily from donations made by theater patrons. Last year they received $615,000 in total cash gifts.

Administration has agreed to assume the $472,000 debt from the 2003-2004 season. UApresents will pay $100,000 back to the university annually until all is reimbursed, said Will Seberger, spokesman for UApresents and studio art and journalism senior.

The current deficit does not include the $225,000 lost after turnout was lower than expected for the fall musical "Hairspray." Total losses for 2004-2005 will not be known until the season ends.

The question of where additional funds will come from is still unknown, but UApresents is expecting to continue to receive revenue from donations and ticket sales.

"We're hoping someone will come forward with another challenge grant after this one expires," said Seberger, a former Wildcat employee.

Assuming another challenge grant is not given, UApresents will have to find another way to increase their earnings.

To bolster ticket sales, Seberger said UApresents has improved its efforts to market more heavily towards students.

Seberger said banners have been hung in front of Centennial Hall, with more planned for the main gate square area of East University Boulevard and East Speedway Boulevard, and North Campbell Avenue and East Speedway Boulevard and Interstate 10.

The theater company has also contracted the outside help of Moret Advertising. Moret has been helping UApresents develop promotional material and improve outreach to the Tucson community, said Saundra Taylor, senior vice president of Campus Life.

While operating with a lack of funds, it is seemingly impossible for UApresents to hire any outside help. However, the absence of a marketing director for the past two years has made hiring the outside advertising firm financially possible.

A potential replacement for the job turned down the position after UApresents' last marketing director left. Several candidates are currently being interviewed and considered, Taylor said.

Seberger said UApresents has found alternative ways to cut costs and in addition to eliminating two staff positions in early November, the organization scaled back the number of programs offered for the spring semester based on ticket sales and market interest.

Five shows are no longer scheduled to appear this year including the Beijing Modern Dance Company, Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, and Kronos Quartet. No further cancellations are planned, Seberger said.

"We know one season can't wipe out the (budget) deficit," said Taylor.

Taylor said the cancellation of the five shows will save UApresents about $100,000.

Seberger said that UApresents may have relied too heavily on ticket sales in the past. Seventy-two percent of their budget comes from revenue generated by ticket sales. The national average is between 55 and 60 percent, he said.

Making matters worse, Taylor said UApresents does not receive much in the way of state funding.

During the 2003-2004 season, only 8 percent of UApresents $7,020,474 budget was paid by the state, which contributed $567,674, Taylor said.