The Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra (on the south coast of England, in the county of East Sussex) has launched an urgent survival fundraising campaign to raise £70,000. Without this funding, the Orchestra could be forced to close down.
Founded in 1925 by Herbert Menges, the orchestra relies solely on donations and ticket sales, as one can read in the ‘Appeal to save the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra’:
« Dear music lover
The Brighton Philharmonic relies on a combination of ticket sales, membership subscriptions, sponsorship, donations and legacies to fund its annual programme of activities, and receives no public funding. In common with many organisations, the Society has experienced a reduction in ticket sales in recent years attributable to the economic downturn, and due to their unpredictable nature, received no significant legacies for some time.
We therefore must raise £70,000 in the next two weeks to confirm the 2013/14 season and secure the future of the orchestra. That can be achieved if:
· 350 people donated £200, or
· 100 people donated £700, or
· seventy people donated £1,000, or
· fourteen people donated £5,000, or
· four very kind people were able to donate £15 – £20,000 each.
It is you, our audience, who are passionate about what we do, who can protect this Brighton and Hove institution, not only into the next few seasons but also to the 100th anniversary in 2025. I therefore call on you to join me in doing all you can to support and rescue us and donate what you can today. Without this the history and legacy of the Brighton Philharmonic will be lost to future generations of concert-goers and classical music lovers alike. »
Music Director, Barry Wordsworth, ads: “Orchestras everywhere, indeed the Arts in general, are facing interesting challenges during the economic circumstances in which we are placed, but I am hopeful that with your support, we will survive the current situation, and emerge stronger as a result.”
