It must be too difficult to list each event held at the BCPA separately. The posting buried two shows by posting all on the same link. Normally each show has it’s own link. These two actually made money, one would think they would want people to see them:
Since September this brings income to $18,083.26 + $1,314.31 – $1422.12 + $418.75 = $18,394.20.
By: Diane Benjamin
In this story from yesterday I predicted my FOIA for BCPA reports would be denied because they would be posted: https://blnnews.com/2019/10/21/bcpa-one-event-posted-it-lost-money/ The show in that story lost $1422.12
Right on cue, the denial was sent late yesterday afternoon:
Yes, the staff is very transparent.
Only one other show has been posted: https://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1784
At least this one made a little money – $418.75.
Year to date the BCPA has lost $1,003.37. Of course salaries and other expenses aren’t included in the event reports. Keep in mind the staff works at the Creativity Center, not in the BCPA. Those expenses aren’t included either. Quality of Life for who?
I appreciate you adding the last paragraph, Diane. The City is hoping people won’t consider these factors, or just forget them entirely. Could you imagine a business saying “well, this is our profit/loss as long as you exclude labor salary, benefits, and other expenses.”? Haha! The shareholders of such a business would file a lawsuit. I’d imagine the fiscal hole for the BCPA/Creativity Center is somewhere in the comfortable six-figure range annually.
I’d say when you exclude sales tax figure that the BCPA/Creativity Center treats as “revenue” (it’s not revenue, it’s a subsidy) that losses are in the seven-figure range annually. Sadly.
I am sure there will be many that blast this post, but you once again failed to mention the events on the first report that made a profit – one of $1,314.31 and the other $18,083.26. I am not sure how you are doing your math, but from the reports posted, the BCPA events are up $17,556.70. Yes I support the BCPA and arts in general and that means you want to call me an elitist or whatever name you can come up with, fine. But as much as you put yourself out there as a teller of the truth, you tend to only tell half the truth.
Only two shows are listed at the link I posted. Where are you seeing a show that made $18,083.26?
These reports are for only 3 events. If you add all events YTD, there is an operational loss. Rental fees do not cover annual losses. BCPA has employees who are paid salary & benefits. The bond payments, $1.7/year are not included. So where is the profit?
Sorry – I counted the $418.75 as a loss, so in actuality, the events are up $18,394.20.
Provide a link, don’t include shows that aren’t on the 2019-2020 link.
One more thing and then I will bug out and let the lambasting begin – I realize this information may not be readily available, but while you are discussing how the reports don’t show staff costs, you also never mention the money the BCPA brings in for rentals and other types of events not funded by the City’s budget. I would imagine that helps defray the costs associated with staff time and any losses incurred on events.
Thanks for avoiding the question I asked! If the BCPA wants an accurate accounting of income and expenses then they should post them. They refuse to do that.
It’s the same link you provided. You have to scroll down through the PDF. https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23333
Now I see! Extremely faulty posting. Each event should be on it’s own line, like they have always done.
And just to be clear, I did not see your request to post the link until after I had written my other two posts and they were awaiting moderator approval – I wasn’t dodging your question.
Why aren’t all show posted promptly? I have had to FOIA shows for at least a year to get them posted! Tim Gleason told me they choose not to post rental income. That is a huge transparency mistake for the over-taxed people paying for the place.
Cyclone1 – I appreciate your comments about needing to include rental income, etc. Even when you include all income earned (rental, donations, ticket sales, sponsorship, et al) the BCPA/Creativity Center has a subsidy into seven-figures. Yes their actual budget shows more than a million in revenue from sales tax earmark, but that shouldn’t be included as “income” when analyzing their success. No other entertainment area in Bloomington is financially failing anywhere near as much as the BCPA/Creativity Center. Not the Arena, not the zoo, not the golf courses, not the Ice Center, etc.