An organization representing members of 164 theatre, dance and opera companies is projecting a loss in ticket revenue of $500 million over the next three months and pleading to be included in the federal government’s economic stimulus program.

The Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts based the estimate on a survey of its members, which include large organizations such as the National Ballet of Canada, the Stratford and Shaw Festivals and Mirvish Productions and smaller independent theatre companies including Soulpepper, Tarragon and the Theatre Centre.

“You can’t overstate it enough, that this is unprecedented. It’s a very challenging time for our industry, for everybody. We need help. The only way (the performing arts) sector is going to recover from this is we need help from Ottawa and we need help quickly. We need a relief package, we need a stimulus package,” said alliance executive director Jacoba Knaapen.

Knaapen said the arts community is getting “maximum flexibility” from the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council in terms of receiving grant money sooner rather than later but needs a federal “relief package” as soon as possible.

About 86 per cent of the members who responded to the survey have reported a loss of ticket sale revenue and about 82 per cent are expecting a decrease in philanthropic support for their organizations, Knaapen said, noting grants and donations are a significant source of revenue for arts after ticket sales.

“Just looking at the stock market, donors are losing 30 per cent of their portfolios. So that’s a serious problem,” she said.

Richard Rose, artistic director of Tarragon Theatre, said the company has already been forced to close four shows and has delayed announcing its upcoming fall season.

“We want to go ahead with announcing (the upcoming season) but there’s just this uncertainty about going to the theatre,” Rose said, adding Tarragon is hoping to offer support to some of the artists in the cancelled shows.

“The arts in general is an economy that’s very vulnerable and fragile so it wouldn’t take much to break it. I’m sure a number of my colleagues are afraid ... and I feel for them,” Rose said, noting there was a high level of “fear” expressed during a conference call of artistic directors earlier this week.

Sherrie Johnson, executive director of Crow’s Theatre, said the company was forced to cancel two productions.

“We’re all in a waiting pattern and some people have had to make tougher decisions already, Stratford being one of them,” Johnson said, alluding to the festival’s decision to cancel all performances in April and May.

“This is what they call the ‘gig economy.’ Artists are the most creative people and they usually have three or four things on the go in any one given moment, they’re very resourceful. And then suddenly the rug is pulled out on everything. It’s very difficult,” Johnson said.

Lucy Eveleigh, executive director of the Toronto Fringe Festival, said planning is still active for the event, scheduled to run July 1 to 12, although festival organizers have extended the April1 deadline for performers to withdraw until April 30.

National and international troupes are the most likely to withdraw, Eveleigh noted.

“It may be a smaller festival, it may be more local. Honestly, my motto is we’re taking it one day at a time. That’s all we can do,” she said.

Likewise, planning continues for the SummerWorks Performance Festival — which includes music and dance as well as theatre — said artistic and managing director Laura Nanni.

“At this moment, our intent is to still have a festival. The shape of that festival will be, I can promise, different than we had originally planned it to be,” Nanni said.

Rose said he was working in London’s West End when the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened and recalled the theatre district was “empty” for six months afterward.

“We’re great phoenixes for rising up out of the fire and I’m sure we will rise up again. But it’ll be different. This could be a renewal thing but it will be hard,” Rose said.

Johnson said she’s optimistic that theatregoers will remain loyal to the form.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

“We will have been in isolation and I just hope that people want to get together again in a room and share an experience,” Johnson said.

Nanni said her most immediate concern isn’t a festival in August but the many friends and colleagues in the theatre community who are dealing with hardship.

“I’m most concerned for the individual artists who don’t have a regular income. I’m very concerned about April 1 and artists not knowing right now how they’re going to pay rent,” Nanni said.