Real-Life Math -- Solution
Not only do you have to plan a great party, you have to make sure the gallery makes enough to keep operating this year.
First, you need to figure out how much money you need to raise to get 15 percent of the operating budget:
57,000 x 0.15 = $8,550
So you need to raise $8,550 with this party. Add to this the cost of the party expenses, and you have your total:
$8,550 + $2,500 = $11,050
With tickets selling for $50 a piece, you can now figure out how many you'll need to come out looking good with the gallery staff:
$11,050 / $50 = 221
You've got some selling work to do now, because you're going to need to sell a minimum of 221 tickets to make this wine and cheese party a success. Better get on that phone!
Math skills may not be the biggest part of a career as an arts administrator, but they certainly do come into play, especially when dealing with fund-raising issues.
Morrie Warshawski is a consultant in arts administration in St. Louis, Missouri. He says that before he can even help an organization with a fund-raising issue, he has to look at the company's data starting three or four years back.
"Otherwise you don't know where to put your energies," he explains. "I've found over the years that although I'm not a natural at [math], I've had to learn."