ESCONDIDO -- Next season's schedule for the city's performing arts center, which was unveiled last week, confirmed suspicions that new, less financially risky booking procedures would sharply reduce the number of performances the center hosts.

The center has typically hosted 60 to 80 performances a year since it opened in 1994, with the majority sponsored by the center's board of trustees.

But the 2009-10 season, which begins in September, is slated to include only 30 total shows and only seven trustee-sponsored performances.

The sharp reduction in trustee-sponsored shows is because city officials have ordered art center employees and trustees, beginning with this new season, to stop booking performers unless they have donors willing to cover the entire cost of the shows.

Under the previous model, which has been blamed for a long history of huge financial losses at the center, art center employees and trustees have booked shows and hoped that ticket revenue would cover the costs.

Proponents of the new model said fewer trustee-sponsored shows would be counterbalanced by a sharp increase in theater rentals by private promoters, who book performances and take all the risk. But only 23 dates on next season's schedule have been booked so far by private promoters, down from 46 during the current season.

City officials said they were somewhat disappointed by the dearth of performances on the new schedule, but they said it was not shocking based on the recession and the growing pains of shifting to a new model.

"I like what I see, there just needs to be more of it," said City Councilman Dick Daniels, who sits on the council's arts center subcommittee with Councilwoman Olga Diaz. "There's a lot of other dates to fill."

Center officials stressed that the schedule will expand as more rentals are booked and as trustees find sponsors for additional shows. They described the schedule as a "work in progress" because that's what the new model dictates, and they said the schedule actually features more performances than they expected at this point.

"It's actually better than I would have hoped," said Vicky Basehore, chief executive of the arts center. "We learned a lot. And people need to remember we had less than a year to make this transition (to a new model)."

Diaz said the 2010-2011 season would be "a fairer test" because center officials will have had plenty of time to ramp up their marketing and forge relationships with promoters.

A sharp increase in marketing is a high priority for the center, said Kathy Rubesha, president of the center's board of trustees.

"It's a shame that the region and the community doesn't appreciate all we do, but it's partly our fault," said Rubesha. "We will be making much more of an effort to publicize what we do."

Daniels and Diaz said the good news about the new model is that the center won't run an operating deficit during fiscal 2009-2010, which will help the city balance its budget.

The center has run deficits in 13 of its 15 years, including a $412,000 deficit in fiscal year 2006-07 and a $723,000 deficit in 2007-08. The deficit for fiscal 2008-09 is still unknown, but Basehore said recently that she "hoped" it would be less than $500,000.

Even with no deficit to cover, the city will still spend about $2.5 million on the center -- $1.2 million for utilities and maintenance and about $1.3 million to pay employees and support the center's museums and educational programs.

Diaz and Daniels said they would like to see a reduction in the $1.3 million for programs. The city has not adopted a new operating budget for 2009-2010, but the budget proposals submitted so far have not significantly reduced the arts center subsidy.

Supporters of the center say it was never intended to turn a profit because it was envisioned as a cultural amenity. They also argue that city taxpayers spent more than $80 million building the center, and that it would be foolish to give up on that investment.

Daniels said he was grateful to the longtime center supporters who are sponsoring the seven performances on the schedule. They include Jean Will and Lois Brossart.

The new season will also inlcude many features from previous seasons, including 10 Wells Fargo free First Wednesdays, and eight Center Stage performances for youth.

For details, visit artcenter.org or call 800-988-4253.

Call staff writer David Garrick at 760-740-5468.