Those financial pressures are being felt across the country, according to many arts executives.

Some arts executives complain about more subtle types of censorship.

All these are very likely for the city's cultural institutions under the mayor's proposed budget, arts executives said.

While a few groups may buckle under the economic pressure, arts executives say, most will simply try to maintain their operations on a modified scale.

Now, many arts executives say, that period is 2 weeks to 48 hours.

The move toward picking and choosing individual performances can also influence programming, arts executives say.

Part of making these partnerships work is seizing the moment, arts executives said.

"These guys are hard-headed businessmen first and arts executives second," he said.

But donors generally do come through, arts executives say, and defaults are rare.

She has since given up performing to work as an arts executive.