How have nonprofit performing arts centers’ ticket sales trended nationally since 2023?

1. Growth in single‑ticket sales and attendance vs. pre‑pandemic baselines

Benchmarking studies show single‑ticket sales have improved: TRG’s Arts & Culture Benchmark reports that for a second consecutive year single‑ticket sales were up across orchestras, performing arts centers (PACs), dance, opera and theaters when compared to 2019, indicating not just a post‑pandemic bounce but gains versus the last full pre‑COVID season ^[1].

2. Year‑over‑year momentum from 2022 into 2023 and into 2024

Multiple data streams point to strong momentum entering and through 2023—SMU DataArts’ Cultural Data Profile, as reported in American Theatre, shows a 28% increase in ticket revenue between 2022 and 2023 among more than 100 theatres, and DataArts’ national reporting records that paid and free attendance grew from 2023 to 2024 even as organizations cut expenses ^[3][2].

3. Seasonal and local variability—holiday strength and regional studies

Holiday programming continues to be a major revenue driver for many organizations, with holiday performance revenue rising even when counts of performances shifted ^[1]. A fall‑season comparison across 17 major organizations found fall 2024 ticket sales broadly consistent with fall 2023, and localized events—like election week—produced small dips tied to programming differences rather than systematic audience retreat ^[4].

4. Revenue gains do not erase financial strain across the sector

The upward trend in ticket sales coexists with worrying fiscal indicators: DataArts reports contributed revenue fell and foundation support declined from 2023 to 2024, and many organizations reduced expenses—personnel costs fell on average by 23%—to balance budgets even while attendance rose ^[2]. TCG’s Theatre Facts also highlights that 61% of trend theatres recorded a negative change in unrestricted net assets in 2023, signaling that ticket revenue gains have not uniformly translated into improved reserves or operating stability ^[5].

5. Recovery is meaningful but incomplete and uneven

Aggregate metrics suggest substantial recovery: some industry summaries put North American ticket sales and earned income near pre‑pandemic levels (Statista and other compilations place recovery around the low‑90s percent range of 2019 for some measures), and individual outlets report large year‑over‑year earned income jumps in 2023 relative to 2022; nevertheless several analyses note earned revenue still lags inflation‑adjusted 2019 levels for many organizations, and first‑time buyer rates and demographic gaps imply future retention and equity work remains essential ^[6][7][3].

6. Reading the mixed signals—what this means for PACs nationally

Taken together, the evidence says nonprofit performing arts centers are selling more tickets since 2023 and in many cases exceeding 2019 single‑ticket performance, but the trend is not a simple recovery narrative: gains are concentrated in earned‑revenue lines like single tickets and holiday runs ^[1][1], while contributed support and net assets often trail, forcing cost cuts even as audiences return ^[2][5]. Where PACs buck broader giving trends—TRG flags PACs as a notable exception in individual giving—these centers may find more breathing room, though that advantage is unevenly distributed ^[1].

Conclusion

Nationally since 2023 ticket sales for nonprofit performing arts centers have trended upward and in many metrics surpassed pre‑pandemic single‑ticket levels, with attendance growth continuing into 2024; however, rising earned revenue has not erased declines in contributed funding or systemic fiscal stress, meaning ticket sales improvements deliver partial but fragile recovery across the sector ^[1][3][2][5].