Image by Flickr user nathangibbsImage by 20091209-cash.png

Spoleto's organizers are hopeful that the strong ticket sales they've been seeing means they have a good season ahead of them.

Go buy some tickets.

The festival has sold 17% more tickets have been sold during the first 5 days this year than last, selling some $160,000 of their goal of $2.9 million.

Tension is obviously high as the arts community has been suffering as the economy has soured and because the festival ended in the red last year.

The Charleston Regional Business Journal has some brief, but good analysis on the news.

It seems to be expected that online ticket sales would surge as people become more Internet savvy and feel comfortable buying online -- but 17% more seems to outpace such growth.

Time will tell.

Oh, and if you hadn't heard the 2009 schedule is out.