Stonington Opera House adds $3 million to local economy, new report shows - EUROPE SAYS
STONINGTON— The Stonington Opera House contributes $3 million annually to the local economy, according to a recent report from the UMaine School of Economics. The iconic Opera House building has been a staple. . .
STONINGTON— The Stonington Opera House contributes $3 million annually to the local economy, according to a recent report from the UMaine School of Economics. The iconic Opera House building has been a staple of downtown Stonington for over a century. The nonprofit organization Opera House Arts bought and restored the building in 1999 and now boasts a year-round calendar of shows, concerts, movies and community events, which come at a low or no cost to patrons. The organization employs 15 people both full and part time, making it one of the largest employers in Stonington, the report states. The report has been in the works since last fall. It was sponsored by the Cultural Alliance of Maine, a nonprofit advocacy group for libraries, museums, historical societies and other cultural and humanities institutions. It was authored by Professor Todd Gabe, director of the University of Maine School of Economics. When Opera House Arts Executive Director Erika Sanger saw the $3 million dollar figure in the report, she was delighted but not surprised. She expected the economic impact of her organization to be much bigger than anyone realized. Sanger feels the economic contribution of art institutions are often undervalued and overlooked. “I’ve done a lot of work in various capacities on the arts as economic engines. Sanger said, “They’re sometimes hidden from view when one considers the economy of a place. ”Outside of the Opera House, the Island is home to Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, two local libraries, the historical society museum, the Deer Isle Artist Association and dozens of smaller galleries and studios. Taken together, Sanger said the Island’s art scene is “a tremendous economic force. ”The dataThe report defines “local economy” at the county-level, so the Opera House contributes $3 million annually to the Hancock County Economy. The report breaks the economic impact of the Opera House into two main components: the economic activity (the output, employment and labor) associated with the Opera House itself and the economic activity supported by the spending of people who attend Opera House events. There is also a “multiplier effect” that comes from the spending of businesses and workers connected to the opera house supply chain and the hospitality businesses impacted by tourists drawn to the area by the opera house. The report uses data from the Opera House-ticket sales, revenue and payroll and employment information-the Maine Office of tourism and the U. S. census. The report also uses the IMPLAN input output model, a widely used method of estimating economic impact. The report shows that the Opera House itself contributes $1. 748 million directly to the economy of Hancock County, then puts out another $1. 285 million in multiplying effects. An analysis of ticket sales shows that 48 percent of people who attend Opera House events are coming from 100 or more miles away. Another 45 percent of attendees come from less than 30 miles away and just six percent travel from between 30 and 100 miles away. What does it mean?Sanger said the report will help the Opera House leverage more funding from grants and public contributions. Stonington voters denied the Opera House’s annual request for taxpayer funding this year. The $7,500 request represented less than one percent of the Opera House’s annual budget, but the funds helped keep its programming at a flat rate or pay-what-you-can price. Like many nonprofits who request taxpayer funding, the voter support itself is more important than the actual dollar amount. Many organizations need to prove they receive local support in applications for grants and other funding sources. “There are some grant applications where you have to check a box. Do you get state support? Do you get government support? Do you get municipal support? And I can’t check that box anymore,” Sanger said. Sanger hopes to gather more public support from residents in the coming year using the report’s findings. “Report gives me another tool in my toolbox to show how we support the town and the businesses in the economy here,” Sanger said. Outside of funding opportunities, Sanger said the report is part of a larger effort by the Cultural Alliance of Maine to document the economic impact of the arts. It will be used as a model for other institutions around the state. “[The Cultural Alliance of Maine] asked us to be their test subjects,” Sanger said. “what they want to do is take this report that we’ve generated at the Opera House, look at the ways that we’re going to use it, then use as a statewide model. ”