I know that the arts are in terrible shape and that arts organizations are said to be folding left and right. The Minnesota orchestra struck, but went back to work, so that doesn’t really count. But, in fact, how many established symphony orchestras have actually folded in the last, say, 40 years? I don’t know how to find this information, but maybe someone here has much better Google-fu than I. Dopers? xo, C.
“High art”, of which symphonic music is a part, is in a unique position where the rich people will prop them up financially, through governments and other organizations. It is seen as an important cultural institution in a way that club music, burlesque theater, and graffiti never will be.