01/14/2004
Wales Millennium Centre, the international performing arts centre which will open on Cardiff Bay waterfront in November this year, is the first arts center in the United Kingdom to select Tessitura Software for its box office, fundraising and marketing operations.
Tessitura, originally developed by the Metropolitan Opera for its own use, was implemented in 1998 and is now used by many leading North American arts organizations including Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Kennedy Centre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, City Centre, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Opera, Houston Ballet, Stratford Festival of Canada and the Center Theatre Group.
Wales Millennium Centre, which is a Millennium Commission funded project, will stage world-class opera, musical events, ballet and dance. It will be a home and workplace for seven culturally diverse organizations, including Welsh National Opera and Urdd Gobaith Cymru. It will also be a destination venue in its own right, with many shops and restaurants set against the backdrop of artistic activity taking place throughout the day and night.
Tessitura, originally developed by the Metropolitan Opera for its own use, was implemented in 1998 and is now widely used in the arts field. Smeeta Sharon, who is responsible for Business Operations at the Met, noted that "We are pleased to share this powerful technology with other arts organizations and are especially gratified to have an organization like Wales Millennium Centre as the start of our UK expansion for Impresario L.L.C, the Met subsidiary established to license Tessitura."
Judith Isherwood, Chief Executive of Wales Millennium Centre, said, "A project with the stature of Wales Millennium Centre requires absolutely the best technology tools to complement the most exciting new performing arts centre in Europe. The patron-centered focus of Tessitura, combined with the extensive ticketing and fundraising functionality and their excellent track record with some of the most visible arts organizations in the world, enabled our software selection process to move forward really smoothly and rapidly. Increasingly, Wales Millennium Centre is amassing all the right ingredients to make it a leading light on the global stage."
Jack Rubin, business and marketing director for Tessitura and President of the Tessitura Network, Inc., commented, "The Wales Millennium Centre, like many other licensees, selected Tessitura for its 'best of class' functionality in the arts enterprise software market and the attractiveness of our nonprofit business model. Licensees have been rapidly switching from competitive box office and fundraising systems since 2000 when the Metropolitan Opera started offering their proprietary system to other arts organizations under license. Tessitura takes 'constituent management' to another level. Customer service is considerably enhanced, customer retention is improved and fund raising and marketing campaigns are able to be more targeted and efficient. Tessitura licensees also receive an integrated Internet interface that provides real time transaction capability with no fees whatsoever due to Impresario or any 3rd party company."
Notes to Editors:
Wales Millennium Centre is supported with a grant of up to £37 million from the Welsh Assembly Government, a £30.7 million Lottery grant from the Millennium Commission and a £9.8 million grant from the Arts Council of Wales Capital Lottery Fund.
For further information, please contact:
Angharad Wynne
Media and Public Relations Manager
Tel: 029 20402000 (UK)
Email: Angharad.wynne@wmc.org.uk
Website: www.wmc.org.uk
About Tessitura
Tessitura is an enterprise software application that enables an integrated approach to "constituent management" for arts organizations. Using a single database of information, the system empowers the user organization to record, track and manage all contacts with its constituents, conduct highly targeted and cost-efficient marketing and fund raising appeals, handle all ticketing and membership transactions and provide detailed and flexible performance reports. Besides seamlessly providing efficient business, ticketing and development department operations, a key benefit of the system is its ability for relationship managers to have a full view of each constituent — their history, preferences and all contacts with the institution. Tessitura is owned by Impresario, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Metropolitan Opera.
The Tessitura Network, Inc. is a nonprofit company established to further enhance Tessitura Software over time and to provide ongoing support and consulting services for Tessitura licensees. Licensees become "members" of the Tessitura Network once they start using Tessitura to process transactions for their organization.
Tessitura Software Contact
Jack Rubin
Email: jrubin@tessiturasoftware.com
Phone: 214.265.1908