[NewMusic] discounts

[Jon Raskin]

Or as 21 Grand does: have an very low ticket price to begin with which keeps money for staff and facilities at the same poverty line level discussed earlier.


----- Original Message ----
From: Sarah - 21 Grand <21grand at 21grand.org>
To: Banewmus List <newmusic at music.mills.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 12:13:14 PM
Subject: [NewMusic] discounts


- For the sake of discussion, I'm going to assume that George honestly
doesn't understand the rationale(s) behind the student discount, rather than
it being a rhetorical device for a good rant and clever anecdote.

- Reason #1: students are often assigned attendance at cultural events
(concerts, screenings, museum visits, etc.) by their teachers - think of it
as part of their "job," whereas you and I, George, who are living somewhere
near or below the poverty line or where the poverty line should be for Bay
Area living are not quite in that position.

Or more specifically, while we, when faced with a lack of money and a dire
need or desire to attend something would resort to negotiating a comp or
trying to be caller #10 (I hear MZ is quite skilled at this.), it would look
pretty dicey as a professorial practice to tell your students - "Your
assignment is to go to this high-priced show, but if you can't afford it,
here's the contact info of the folks involved - try to get on the guest
list, or if you can't wrangle that, I think they're giving away tickets on
these radio stations." Though, perhaps that would be a, er, good
professional lesson.

- Reason #2: most of the organizations presenting stuff that offer student
discounts are non-profits that rely to a certain extent on foundation and
government funding. The stuff presented is often touted for its educational
value. Combine that with the funders' goals of serving youth and voila - the
student discount, as students signify youth, even though the demographics of
the student population have changed over the years. Thus the logic, if said
event is educational, then we should privilege those in the process of being
educated (i.e. students). Compare this to a Rolling Stones concert -- do
they offer student discounts?

One of the biggest issues the non-profit arts establishment is currently
wringing their hands over and hiring highly-paid consultants to generate
verbiage about is getting the younger generation(s) involved in the arts
(specifically, theater, classical music/opera, dance, etc.). This is
basically a Darwinistic approach - students/youth are privileged because
they are "the future" and can sustain the species. Though, after reading
countless highly-paid consultant-produced reports, it would make equal sense
to offer discounts to anyone under 40.

sl 

George opined:

Can't say I've ever quite understood why "students"
deserve a discount more than any number of other
economically challenged demographic categories,
but I must say that I quite like Woody Woodman's
response to this silliness: patrons of the Finger Palace
who declare their "student" status expecting the usual
preferential treatment must pay MORE for their tickets.
With a valid student ID, of course.

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