The Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) reported more than $1 million last year for the second straight year but overall revenue was down about 20 percent from 2016. It was also the second straight year that revenues outpaced expenses by $50,000.

As 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the UCPAC files an annual tax Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), breaking down various categories of revenues and expenses. Here’s a spreadsheet of the UCPAC’s financials covering 2008 through 2016, along with five-year averages for some context to the 2016 figures. For a look at how that compares with similar facilities, check out this post from last year.

The facility runs on a fiscal year from July through June, with the most recent tax form filed in February 2017 for the year ending June 2016.

Total revenues were $1.026 million last year, down from $1.272 million, against expenses of about $976,000, which were down from $1.222 million. Contributions were about $160,000, down from $453,000 the previous year — the lowest since 2011 when UCPAC reported $147,000. All other contributions were down but last year was an aberration because of a $145,000 contribution to establish an endowment for senior programming.

Ticket sales revenue ($170,000) was the lowest since 2010, down 47 percent, and accounted for about 17 percent of overall revenue. Theater rental revenue ($622,000) was the highest in recent memory, up 56 percent accounting for 61 percent of the facility’s revenue, and also making up for declines in other revenue categories.

In recent years, City Council has awarded an $80,000 contract annually to the arts center for technical and programming associated with various events, like the State of the City, Halloween parade and Mayor’s Concert Series, among other things. City Council authorized similar contracts in the same amount in April 2015 as well as March 2016. but no such contract has come across the the council’s agenda yet this year.

According to invoices obtained through Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests to the city, the bulk of the payments, about $69,500, went toward the mayor’s free summer concert series:

• $50,000, pre-production
• $6,000, mayor’s free summer concert series
• $5,000 for arts consulting

There also were $8,500 in payments for other tasks:

• $5,000, artist deposits, Winter Wonderland
• $2,000, pre-production for Halloween
• $1,500, pre-production for Hamilton Stage gala

In addition to the $69,500, $2,500 went to a Black History Month event and $3,000 went to the State of the City Address, both in February 2016, according to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Leonard Vanderwende. The Arts Center fiscal year runs from July through June while the city runs on a calendar year so that might have caused some confusion, he said. The UCPAC is no longer running the Tap Into Rahway website, which had been an effort to market the facility and the city.

The 1,334-seat theater marks its 90th anniversary this year and is aiming to raise $90,000 through a GoFundMe campaign.