Centre bash a `success' despite poor ticket sales

Despite only 57 per cent in tickets sales, Halton Hills Recreation & Parks Department is declaring the Cultural Centre's 25th anniversary celebrations a success. The event achieved an average 63 per cent in sold tickets for both free and paid events. Events held at no charge were 100 per cent successful while the paid events averaged 57 per cent in ticket sales. Held over two weeks in October, the Town spent $27,000 as well as $15,750 from in-kind contributions from local media, artists and restaurants. There was also private sponsorship of $2,000 plus a $1,200 contribution from Arts Alive. But the benefits outweigh the costs, concluded Recreation Supervisor Mandy Duncan in a report to council recently. Those benefits included increased tickets sales at subsequent performances at the Cultural Centre. Since the celebration, stated Duncan, "there has been a demonstrated increase in interest, activities and performances at the Cultural Centre. There have been sold-out performances and increased ticket sales for local theatre groups such as Georgetown Little Theatre and Georgetown Globe Musical Productions. New marketing opportunities outside Halton Hills boundaries were also established, added Duncan. There has been some interest in forming an arts-and-cultural organization and many of the participating groups took the opportunity to recruit volunteers during the two-week event.