Sure. And they are partially underwritten, if not by direct funding (from city governments, for example - it’s not just about the federal government) than by various tax cuts because they are often non-profit status. You’re correct about ticket sales, too.
I think that contributing to non-profits count as a tax haven, because you can write it off on your taxes. It’s a tax break and the more you can contribute to non-profits, the more of a break you get. Again, I think you’re interpreting what I’m saying to mean that there is some nefarious purpose, when I’m not at all saying that. I’m saying that people can want to get tax breaks and support culture that they value. Many of us do this (just not at the level of say people who are primary contributors to places such as the Dallas Opera).
I mean… This happened primarily because of where it existed, I suspect. I know there are probably other examples, but this is probably one of the best known ones of what is essentially a punk club having non-profit status. I think stuff like this happened primarily because the earlier waves of punks grew up and wanted to create spaces that they remember positively impacting their lives.
I’d say that it’s less likely to get that public support an opera or ballet is going to get. The ability to do so when you don’t know the right people, the right things to do, or how to do grant writing, is limited. That shit is hard for people who are well-educated and connected, much less for many mere mortal artists.
