SINGAPORE – Audiences flocked back to Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay as safe distancing measures eased last year.
The arts venue in its latest annual report, released on Monday, recorded 2.06 million attendances for its events in its last financial year, from April 2021 to March this year.
This figure included 1.6 million video views. Physical attendance at about 450,000 was an improvement compared with more than 100,000 for FY20/21.
Finances were also recovering slowly for the performing arts centre, reflecting larger trends in the arts scene in Singapore. The centre reported a total income of $26 million compared with $14 million in FY20/21. Mall and other rentals brought in $4.25 million, rising slightly from the previous year’s $3.88 million. Venue hire, which crashed to $756,000 in FY20/21, rose to $2.07 million. Ticketing, too, rose to $954,000 compared with $358,000 in FY20/21.
FY20/21’s sponsorship total of $4.3 million was bumped up by Singtel’s donation of $3.4 million for the new waterfront theatre. So this year’s sponsorship total of $1.6 million is an improvement over the previous year, although the Esplanade’s chief executive officer Yvonne Tham acknowledged that the figure is lower than pre-pandemic.
She added that she is encouraged by the strong visitor figures: “However, larger-scale international productions and audience behaviours may take more time to settle, and so in the short term, this may pose challenges for ticketing income.”
She said the centre has seen a growing number of individuals and companies donating to the Esplanade and hoped to encourage more giving from the public: “No amount is too small.”
Total expenditure grew for the centre to $87.14 million, more than FY20/21’s $60 million.
Despite the decline in income, the centre has stuck to its guns in programming some 1,891 free events that reached 379,989 attendees. The pandemic has also boosted its focus on reaching underserved communities, with 465 programmes for 7,522 participants as well as supporting 220 new works created by 358 home-grown artists.
As part of its commitment to be inclusive and diverse, the Esplanade is also the first dementia-friendly arts centre and has introduced concession tickets for Persons with Disabilities and one accompanying companion.
The centre celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with a new $30 million Singtel Waterfront Theatre which opens in October.
Correction note: This article has been updated for clarity.
