Needs Assessment

A. Introduction

The first phase of work, the Needs Assessment, determines the long term demand and potential for new facilities and a district in terms of four key issues:

1. Audiences: Is there capacity and propensity in the market area for continued and expanded audiences for the arts?

2. Other facilities: What are the existing and planned facilities serving regional audiences, arts organizations, and presenters? How well are those facilities serving the needs of those groups? Are there gaps in that facility inventory that new facilities might fill?

3. Uses and Users: What is the demand for new facilities and a district demonstrated by local and regional artists and organizations? What do they feel is needed? And are significant performance opportunities missing from the community?

4. Benefits and Impacts: What is the “value-added” of new facilities and a district to the Town of Cary and the region? Might they help advance the Town’s broader goals? And do these benefits justify an added investment?

To consider those issues, Webb Management Services:

- Met with community arts organizations, area presenters and civic and community leaders.

- Worked with Town staff and other consultants.

- Toured existing local and regional facilities and spoke with facility operators.

- Studied the size and characteristics of the market area including population trends.

- Researched comparable markets and the role of facilities and programs in their communities.

B. Market Review

The size, potential growth, and characteristics of Cary and the regional market were examined in order to reach conclusions about the capacity and propensity of the market to support new cultural facilities and programming.

National Arts Audiences

First, however, it’s important to understand who is attending the arts nationally in order to compare that information to the local market. Every five years, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) conducts the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA), the latest in 2002. The SPPA is intended to identify the demographic characteristics of those who participate in the arts. In 2004, the NEA released Research Division Report #45, which distills the information from the 2002 SPPA. The following analysis and charts are based on information from Research Division Report #45 and the 2002 SPPA.

Some key findings of the study include:

- 32% of adults attended at least one performing arts event in the previous 12 months.

- The total number of arts attendees is increasing, but it is increasing relative to a growing population, not because the arts are attracting a different “type” of attendee.

- An arts attendee is likely to attend more than one arts event a year, with the averages for each discipline varying from 1.7 times for Ballet to 3.1 times for both Jazz and Classical Music

Education is by far the factor most predictive of arts attendance. Across all categories, the propensity to attend arts events among those who have completed college is at least three times greater than for those who have finished only high school. As demonstrated, with each advanced level of education, there is an increased probability of arts attendance.

Income is correlative to arts attendance, although it is not as steadily predictive as education. As seen in the second chart, those who make $75,000 a year or more attend events far more frequently in every category. However, the income brackets below $60,000 are not as strongly correlated to attendance, with little variation in participation by those in income categories under $30,000.

There is an even weaker correlation between age and overall arts attendance, and the same could be said of race. These two groups are more strongly correlated to the type of art activity that an individual would attend: while an African American person may be more likely to go to a jazz concert and a white person may be more likely to see musical, neither group is necessarily more or less likely to attend an arts event in general.

The Cary Market – Definition and Size

Turning now to Cary, we consider the audience for new performing arts facilities in terms of demographics, with comparison to populations within the United States, the State of North Carolina and the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which includes the Raleigh-Durham region. For the US, the MSA and the State, we use comprehensive data provided by a 2004 update to the US Census 2000. For the Town of Cary, we use data provided by the 2000 Census, as more recent figures do not exist for the area.

While educational attainment within the State of North Carolina is slightly lower than national rates, the levels for the MSA population are slightly higher. Educational attainment within the Town of Cary is significantly higher than National averages, especially for higher education.

The Town of Cary has a very low percentage of residents within low income brackets. A significant portion of the population earns more than $75,000 per year, indicating that the Town is rather affluent, as compared to the MSA, State and Nation.

The Median Household income in Cary is $75,122 annually. This is almost twice that of the State median income ($39,428) and significantly higher than the 2004 national median income ($44,684). Cary had the highest per capita and median household incomes in Wake County in 1999.

With a median age of 33.7, Cary’s population is overall quite young. The percentage of Town residents aged 35 to 44 years is significantly greater than the Nation, State and MSA. This, coupled with the Town’s increased number of children, shows that there are a large number of young families in Cary.

In addition, the Town’s 2005 population report indicates that Cary has 15.1% of the Wake County population, but contains 16.5% of Wake County’s “school age” (5-19) children, and about 11% of the County’s “retirement age” population.

Compared to the Nation, State and MSA, Cary’s population is somewhat diverse, including a notable Asian population.

The Town of Cary Planning Department published a Population Report in July 2005, which analyzes Census 2000 data. This report indicates that during the 1990s, Cary’s Hispanic population grew by 479%, or 3,350 additional people. This was the fastest increase of any ethnic or minority group in Cary.

In 1990, 5.7% of Cary residents were born in other countries. By 2000, this percentage had increased to 14%. In 1990, African Americans were the largest minority group in the Town of Cary; by 2000, Asians were the largest segment. The Asian population in Cary grew more than 300% from 1990 to 2000.

Market Growth

Perhaps even more important than education or other factors is the rate of growth in the community. The NEA has found that arts attendance is growing, but it is not growing because of a diversification of the audience; instead, increasing attendance is due to increasing populations.

Though its growth rate has slowed in recent years, Cary’s population has doubled every decade since 1960. With more than 15% of the population, the Town of Cary represents an ever-increasing portion of the total Wake County population. The MSA and County populations are expected to continue to grow steadily in the coming years.

The Non-Resident Market

As the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (GRCVB) notes, visitors to the region are more than just tourists. The nonresident market also includes business travelers, convention delegates, day-trippers, families on a weekend getaway, and people visiting Wake County specifically for reasons ranging from shopping and dining, to cultural events and sporting events – just to name a few.

These visitors pour more than $1 billion annually into Wake County’s economy, and generate more than $90 million in tax revenues, second only to Mecklenburg County. In addition, hotel occupancy rates indicate that visitors are stopping in Greater Raleigh more often, as occupancy in 2004 was up 3% and was also 3% above national averages.

GRCVB data does not indicate where visitors to Raleigh come from, but figures provided by the State of North Carolina tell us more about visitor travel:

In 2003, North Carolina was the sixth most-visited state in the US, for the third straight year.

89% of all travelers traveled to North Carolina by vehicle in 2003, and 9% traveled by air. The majority of these travelers came from: North Carolina (34.3%), Virginia (11.3%), South Carolina (9.9%), Georgia (7.7%) and Florida (6.5%).

In addition, Greater Raleigh visitors appreciate the region’s cultural community. A study conducted in 2003 for the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau indicated that:

- Of North Carolina residents visiting Greater Raleigh, 13 % visit for culture.

- Visitors from both eastern and western North Carolina indicated that they identify Raleigh with museums.

- 20% of local residents take visiting guests to a museum, and 11% take their visitors to the theatre or a concert.

Conclusions

Increased cultural facilities and programming have the greatest propensity to draw audiences from the following market segments:

Local residents

When considering the national indicators for arts attendance, Cary residents meet this profile with high educational attainment and income levels. In addition, the Cary community has expressed great demand for increased cultural programming and facilities, indicating that they will support expanded offerings.

Ethnic populations

Though Cary’s population is largely white, its diversity is growing. In just 10 years, Hispanic and Asian populations have grown significantly. The number of residents born in other countries increased as well. This indicates that the market is likely to support cultural programs that encompass international history, arts and culture.

Non-residents

Tourism and visitor frequency is on the rise in Greater Raleigh. Many of these visitors already identify Greater Raleigh as a cultural destination. As Cary continues to become a more visible part of the Greater Raleigh cultural climate, it will begin to draw more tourists and visitors, cultural and otherwise to its own attractions.

C. Facility Inventory

The quantity, quality and use of facilities in Cary – the facility inventory – is the second issue explored in the Needs Assessment. The following are synopses of existing facilities in Cary, who they serve (audiences and programs), and how well they address need.

Page-Walker Arts & History Center

In 1985, a group of concerned citizens formed an organization called Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel, and joined with the Town of Cary to save and adapt a deteriorating hotel for reuse as an arts and history center. Their efforts were successful—today, the Page-Walker Arts & History Center coordinates classes, events, performances, meetings, receptions and gallery exhibitions featuring work by local and regional artists.

Currently, one-third of the Center’s space is used for classes and meetings. Since its opening, the Center’s programs have grown, increasing its need and use of space for programs and limiting its capacity for exhibition of contemporary visual arts and the museum collection. The Center’s classroom and performance spaces are also utilized by many local arts and cultural organizations.

Jordan Hall Arts Center

Jordan Hall Arts Center grew out of the Cary Arts Center, which was established in 1979. Since 1993, Jordan Hall has served as a small visual arts center providing arts classes and activities for all ages. The Center features an art gallery for monthly exhibits that promote and support local artists. Studio time for potters, painters and portrait artists is regularly scheduled. The Center is also a monthly meeting place for visual arts organizations like The Fine Arts League of Cary. The space is 4,000 square feet and includes four classrooms/studios.

Herbert C. Young Community Center (formerly Cary Community Center)

Opened in 1991, the Herbert C. Young Community Center was the Town of Cary’s first community center. The Center offers athletic programs, fitness classes, teen fellowship and other activities and events. The lower gymnasium, with a capacity of 700, is often used for cultural arts performances or large special events. The Center is managed by three full-time staff members who are supported by a number of part-timers.

The facility features a gymnasium, two meeting rooms, kitchen that can accommodate up to 175 people each, locker rooms and a vending area.

Old Cary Elementary School

Currently, the Town of Cary operates, Applause!, a youth theatre program, within this historic school building which includes five spaces, including classrooms, a performance space, and a media center. Other arts and cultural organizations occasionally use this space as well, when it is available.

Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park

Opened in 2001, Koka Booth is a 7,000 capacity amphitheater operated by SMG, a commercial entertainment conglomerate, on behalf of the Town.

The amphitheatre serves as a summer home for the North Carolina Symphony. It also hosts a series of programs booked through House of Blues concerts, and rentals by promoters and other organizations. The amphitheatre is an important venue for cultural events and festivals, as well as film presentations. In addition, the Town has a very positive relationship with SMG and is gaining confidence as a co-presenter. Though its users are generally pleased with the facility, they expressed dissatisfaction with its costs.

In 2005, the amphitheatre drew 30,000 people to seven national presentations. Ten such acts are planned and budgeted for 2006. Total attendance in 2005 was 108,000. The cost to sustain (including capital projects) the facility has decreased from $600K in FY2004 to $480K budgeted for 2006.

Sertoma Amphitheatre

Sertoma Amphitheatre, located in Bond Park, is the most underutilized cultural facility in the Town of Cary, lacking support facilities, a control booth, and dressing rooms. The venue’s power, lighting and sound systems have recently been upgraded. Trailer hook-ups are available for support facilities, but the Town recognizes that the facility needs further upgrades to provide greater flexibility and increase use.

Other Venues

The Town of Cary hosts a number of outdoor fairs and festivals, such as the Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival and the Spring Daze Arts Festival, in non-traditional or ‘created’ venues around town. Arts and cultural organizations also use the Senior Center, local churches and regional high schools for meeting, rehearsal and performance space.

The following chart summarizes the Town of Cary’s indoor community arts facilities, available for use by community residents and arts groups:

Name	Components	Quality	Future
Page-Walker	1/3 useable space for classes/meetings	Good	Should refocus on exhibit, museum & archive programs
Jordan Hall	4 classrooms/studios in 4000 sf	Fair	Programs already exceed space requirements
Herb Young	500-seat gymnasium, 2 meeting rooms	Poor	Heavily used for unintended purposes

The next two charts summarize and map the regional facility inventory:

Name	Location	Seats	Type	Condition
Cary Elementary	Cary	200	Multi-purpose Space	Poor
HYCC	Cary	700	gymnasium	Poor
Koka Booth Park Amphitheater	Cary	7,000	outdoor spectacle & concerts	Excellent
Name	Location	Seats	Type	Condition
North Carolina State University University Theatre Studio	Raleigh	80	multi-function theatre	Good
Person Recital Hall, UNC	Chapel Hill	120	recital room	Good
Carolina Friends School Center for Performing Arts	Durham	150	multi-function theatre	Good
Kennedy Theater, Progress Energy Center	Raleigh	170	black box theater	Good
Durham Arts Council	Durham	200	dance studios, blackbox theater	Good
North Carolina State University Thompson Theatre Main T	Raleigh	220	multi-function theatre	Good
The Armory	Durham	250	multi-function theatre	Good
NCCU Theater	Durham	316	multi-function theatre	Poor
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church	Durham	325	worship/concert hall	Good
Nelson Theater	Durham	335	studio theater	Fair
The ArtsCenter	Carrboro	335	community arts space	Good
Hayti Heritage Center	Durham	350	music concerts, reception hall	Excellent
UNC - Chapel Hill Friday Center	Chapel Hill	425	multi-function theatre	Good
Griffiths Hall	Durham	450	cinema, lecture hall	Good
Paul Green Theatre	Chapel Hill	500	professional theater	Good
Bryan Center	Durham	600	theater, lecture hall	Good
Fletcher Opera House	Raleigh	600	music theater performance hall	Excellent
Reynolds Theatre	Durham	609	multi-function theatre	Good
Hill Hall Auditorium	Chapel Hill	700	recital, concert hall, theater	Good
Baldwin Auditorium	Durham	800	lecture hall, large assemblies	Good
Durham School of the Arts	Durham	800	school auditorium	Good
Hillside High School Aud.	Durham	800	school auditorium	Excellent
North Carolina State University Stewart Theatre	Raleigh	800	working theater	Good
Carolina Theatre	Durham	1,000