Despite a year filled with challenges such as cross-border travel, U.S. tariffs and economic stagnation, the Shaw Festival is touting its 2025 season as a success, with another year of record-breaking revenue.
During Friday’s annual meeting, executive director Tim Jennings described the previous year as “challenging,” but said the organization performed well.
Last year’s operating revenue of $39.5 million is $500,000 higher than 2024’s revenue, which was $39 million, topping it as the Shaw’s largest operating revenue to date.
2025, however, saw a dip in the Shaw’s operating profits: the festival reported a surplus of $172,000, compared to the 2024 surplus of $768,000.
Attendance went down from 2024’s numbers: last year saw a total of 222,169 attendees compared to 2024’s 239,542. The festival made $20.7 million in earned revenue such as ticket sales, compared to the previous year’s $22.5 million.
The Shaw has yet to make a return to its pre-pandemic attendance numbers: in 2019, it hosted about 267,000 people.
The organization, however, did see an uptick in attendees to education and outreach events (which it hosted more of last year), with 118,460 attendees recorded. There was also a more-than $2-million increase in fundraising revenue, with the festival earning $16.6 million last year.
Expenses rose by $1.1 million, a 2.8 per cent increase, said treasury director Greg Prince said, citing inflation.
“For those of you who actually watch the news and actually understand that we do have something called inflation all the time, we actually expect, all things being equal, our costs to go up every year,” he said.
Artistic and production expenses rose 3.6 per cent, while marketing, fundraising and facility costs also increased. Administrative expenses fell six per cent.
Alongside the Shaw Festival’s season productions and daily operations, Jennings called increased participation in the All.Together.Now program a “big win” and said the festival is off to a “very good start” in 2026.
The All.Together.Now campaign, launched last year, has raised $115 million. Jennings said the organization aims to secure the remaining $35 million this year, take full possession of the Artists’ Village and open the Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity in July.
He said the festival is also seeking a federal grant for the Royal George Theatre to complement the $35 million it received from the province last year.
The Royal George Theatre — a 110-year-old building the Shaw has owned since 1980 — closed at the end of last year and is slated for demolition and rebuilding, a decision that has drawn controversy from some critical of the new theatre’s planned size.
Nicholas Colaneri of Centurion Building Corp. took the Shaw Festival, and the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, to court over whether heritage and other rules were followed in approving the teardown of the theatre. A decision from the Divisional Court is expected this week.
During the question-and-answer period, Jennings provided a general update on the Royal George Theatre, including the demolition of 178-188 Victoria St. and the installation of geothermal units.
He declined to comment further and would not address the financial impact of the litigation or construction when asked by The Lake Report, citing the ongoing court case.
The 2025 season also marked the end of performances at the Royal George Theatre and the Spiegeltent, and the introduction of shows at the Fleck at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre for the next three years.
Jennings said the move will help accommodate productions during the rebuild and introduce new audiences to the festival.
He said he hopes Toronto audiences who attend performances there will later travel to Niagara-on-the-Lake.
“You just get on the subway or the light-rail transit to go to the Harbourfront, you can see something there, and if you like it then maybe you think to yourself ‘hey, I’d love to go down to see something in Niagara,” he said.
Board chair Ian Joseph announced changes to the board of governors. Samiha Sachedina is stepping down after four years. Sandra Aversa, Lorne and Rosemary Barclay, Dr. Roe Green and Mary Mizen will join the board.
Dr. Bonnie Rose will join the U.S. Shaw Festival Foundation Board. Joseph also acknowledged the death of former board member William Saunderson.
