Demand from thousands of miles away has boosted the balance sheet of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra against a tough funding backdrop.
The world-renowned orchestra heads east this week as it continues its busiest touring year in its history, with no less than 38 dates in more than eight different countries.
As dozens of musicians leave on Saturday for a tour of Germany, Taiwan and Japan, the CBSO will see a turnover of about £2.1 million from performances abroad in the financial year to March.
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So while arts funding cuts have made things tough in the sector, the not-for-profit operation expects to see turnover rise by 15 per cent to £9.6 million this year – with public funding accounting for only 37 per cent.
The rise comes amid expansion plans for the CBSO, which received £1.5 million funding to improve its city centre base.
Chief executive Stephen Maddock said: “This is actually the busiest touring year we have ever had. We will have done a total of 38 performances outside the 海角视频 by the end of our financial year in March. We will have been to Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Taiwan, Japan, Luxumbourg and Austria.
“The March tour is 15 concerts in 17 days – that is really tough.”
Mr Maddock said the CBSO is one of the very few large scale orchestras which gets less than half of its money through public funding.
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This year it is expected to turn over about £9.8 million, up from £8.6 million last year, and receives almost £1.4 million from Birmingham City Council and about £2.2 million from Arts Council England. He expects £2.1 million from ticket sales in Birmingham this year, and then a further £2.1 million from touring.
The CBSO, which has started the process of searching for a replacement for musical director Andris Nelsons, enjoyed a record year for sponsorship and philanthropy last year, turning over £750,000 from those operations, and Mr Maddock expects to exceed that by a further £100,000.
However, Mr Maddock said the operation abroad was about more than pounds, shillings and pence.
The CBSO is often wheeled out to impress dignitaries on behalf of the city, including at events in Frankfurt and Brussels in recent years.
He said: “The CBSO is one of the things a lot of people know about Birmingham if they don’t know a great deal else.
“They tend to know about its industrial heritage, and Aston Villa, and they may have heard of the CBSO. I think that is an important thing for city investment.”
Mr Maddock accepted the departure of Nelsons, who has become internationally renowned since joining the CBSO in 2008 and is leaving to become the music director-designate of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, was a blow to international demand.
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However, he believes the strength of the orchestra will mean the phone calls from abroad will continue.
He said: “It is potentially a business risk as Andris is very popular.
“But it is not that we have only been touring with Andris. We have been there with Sakari Oramo and we are very confident that whoever we get as musical director next will appeal.
“You sometimes see a little bit of a hiatus. We might see a year or two with less touring, but we are very confident we will be able to get it back and every day we aren’t touring is a day we could be doing something in the 海角视频.
“The underlying position in terms of earnings per day isn’t dramatically different.”
The CBSO Centre on Berkley Street – the only purpose-built building of its kind – received a funding boost last month.
The economic case was largely based around the fact the building is 16 years old and needs maintenance and energy efficiency work.
However, with the Conservatoire nearby set to be knocked down as part of the Paradise Circus development, Mr Maddock sees demand increasing.
“Our model is to get other arts organisations in for events here,” he said. “You can also hold conferences here for 200 to 300 people, and it is a bit more interesting than a hotel.”
He added: “(The Conservatoire) is one of the reasons for getting the work done now, because there is clearly a bit of uncertainty over what is going to happen. What is certain is the building is going to be knocked down.
“Whatever happens longer term, there is going to be at least a couple of years where there will be less supply for the same demand.
“We work closely with the Conservatoire and the University of Birmingham, which has new space opened last year, so we are looking quite carefully in terms of the spaces available, to whom and when.
“Symphony Hall is booked, and so is the Town Hall most of the time, so there is demand.”