The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO), established in 1930, is one of the most versatile professional orchestras in the United States, performing nearly 200 concerts annually. As one of the few U.S. orchestras to own its venue—the historic Hilbert Circle Theatre—the ISO is a cultural cornerstone of Monument Circle, where it supports the vibrancy of the Monument Circle Historic District and surrounding areas with its diverse programming. ISO’s concert series at Hilbert Circle Theatre, the beloved summer-long Kroger Symphony on the Prairie series at Conner Prairie, and the annual AES Yuletide Celebration also have a sizable impact on the greater Indianapolis area economy.
ISO contracted with the Indiana University Public Policy Institute (PPI) to determine the economic contribution of its activities to the Indianapolis area. For this analysis, PPI researchers used ISO operational expenditures and visitor spending data for fiscal year 2023. ISO provided the data used to estimate the economic impact in this analysis, and PPI reviewed ISO financial data to determine the revenue and expenditures for Hilbert Circle Theatre, AES Indiana Yuletide Celebration, and Kroger Symphony on the Prairie performances. PPI used a survey distributed via mail to ISO ticket purchasers to estimate the local spending of individuals attending ISO performances.
