FORT WORTH OPERA ASSOCIATION INC

Founded in 1946, Fort Worth Opera is the oldest continually performing opera company in Texas, and one of the 14 oldest opera companies in the United States. We maintain a proud reputation of honoring the history & future of the art form. The organization has received national attention from critics and audiences alike for its artistic excellence.

Fort Worth Opera's passion is to become recognized internationally as an organization which preserves and expands the transcending art of opera.

In addition to producing and promoting great live art at both a local and widescale level, Fort Worth Opera seeks to be a community resource, encouraging dialogue across North Texas' diverse cultures and social strata.

The operas produced during the annual Fort Worth Opera Festival range in style, size, age, message, native language, and cultural heritage. The Festival takes place in the middle of Spring, so as not to compete with Fort Worth's neighboring company The Dallas Opera and to provide residents of North Texas with continued opportunities to experience diverse and transformative works of live art.

Fort Worth Opera works tirelessly to produce works that are both relevant to its community, enjoyable for its patrons, and challenging enough to encourage growth in its audiences. Beginning in 2017, the organization launched Noches de Ópera (Nights of Opera), a groundbreaking campaign which introduces powerful operas in Spanish, each reflecting the diverse cultures of new American audiences.

Fort Worth Opera strives to make opera accessible to everyone. Children's education programs introduce opera, provide TEKS-aligned opportunities to strengthen participating school's arts education, and even invite students to witness opera productions in the final stages of rehearsal. Adult education opportunities and bilingual Spanish-English supertitles ensure that operagoers can appreciate a show regardless of language barriers.

Fort Worth Opera is grateful for robust community support in the form of family and corporate foundations, government grants, and remarkably passionate patrons. In the spring of 2007, Fort Worth Opera restructured its season from a year-long 'stagione' model to a four-week Festival format. The Fort Worth Opera Festival has since become a top cultural attraction in North Texas and a must-see for opera lovers nationwide.

Fort Worth Opera has pivoted its focus towards long-term sustainability here within Fort Worth, Texas. The company is fortunate to have a world-class staff that achieves remarkable results within a modest operating budget. This imaginative organization will certainly transform any level of increased support into an entertainment, an education, and an experience like no other.

New leadership as of August 1, 2017 has focused on the following strategies to balance Fort Worth Opera’s budget:
· Fiscal responsibility and streamline expenditures
· Reduce administrative costs and overhead
· More economical space/facilities
· Continue presenting a balanced repertoire of opera classics and contemporary works
· Re-direct administrative savings to program and educational outreach activities
· Increase mid-level donor contributions
· Increasing visibility across social media platforms
· Continue development of outcomes and program evaluation systems

Ticket sales account for less than 20% of Fort Worth Opera’s operating budget. Therefore, the organization heavily depends on comprehensive fundraising efforts and charitable giving. Fort Worth Opera’s development team has been rebuilt since the start of new leadership, and they work closely with the General Director and Board of Trustees in the planning and implementation of fundraising activities including electronic appeals, institutional and corporate giving, direct mail and monthly giving campaigns, special events, and strategic donor cultivation. Fort Worth Opera enjoys generous community support, not only from devoted patrons, but through foundations, corporations, and other partnering organizations.