Victoria is hoping to drum up support from its municipal neighbours for the McPherson Playhouse.
Victoria councillors unanimously agreed Thursday to have staff enter into discussions with the Capital Regional District, the Royal and McPherson Theatres Society and other municipalities to develop a strategy for more equitable, long-term funding for the playhouse.
The decision came after Coun. Geoff Young, supported by Coun. Ben Isitt, proposed an independent consultant be hired to look at such issues as declining theatre usage and efficiency of its operations.
Coun. Pam Madoff, a member of the RMTS board, said the timing is right for a conversation about funding. The society manages the theatre.
“The Royal and McPherson Theatres Society has a very recent consultant’s report that speaks in detail to the operations of the theatres, the physical condition of the theatres and that kind of thing,” Madoff said, adding: “We already have a report that says this is one of the best-run theatre systems in the country with the lowest amount of subsidy in the country.”
While Victoria, Oak Bay and Saanich all contribute to costs of the Royal Theatre, only Victoria contributes to McPherson.
Victoria taxpayers provide McPherson with about $750,000 a year. For 2015, the theatre is projecting 27,800 paid tickets, so the city’s subsidy works out to about $27 per ticket, Young said. About 28 per cent of those attending performances are from Victoria, he said. Both Young and Isitt have expressed concerns that Victorians are too heavily subsidizing the theatre’s operations.
Isitt said the society and its major users have to get behind a lobbying strategy to get other municipalities to participate in funding the McPherson.
“I think the message has to be made clear: The meter is running,” Isitt said. “A subsidy of this magnitude from Victoria taxpayers alone is not sustainable.”
Action is needed to change the funding for the McPherson, he said. “I don’t think it makes sense for inner city residents to be funding what is clearly a regional cultural facility.”
