Access to Art Program

Access to Art is an inclusion project that increases participation of specific groups in our cultural activities. Working in partnership with numerous community organizations, we actively seek community members who define cost, transportation, or awareness as barriers to cultural participation.

Our partner organizations provide us with access to stakeholders who are not part of our existing audience. Many of these organizations are specifically focussed on inclusion strategies and are very eager to provide us with individual participants, families, and groups who are in our target audience. This process is supportive of our intent to be inclusive and their intent to create opportunities. To date, we have over 70 community groups in our database and have approximately 400 participants annually.

Access to Art participants are invited to experience a Fringe theatre performance at a fraction of the regular ticket price. If required, we will also arrange transportation to and from the festival site for large groups at no additional charge or reimburse transportation expenses for individuals or small groups.

25th Street Theatre Centre commits a significant amount of energy towards fundraising and administration of this program. The theatre tickets are purchased by 25th Street Theatre Centre from the Fringe performers. As a Fringe Festival, we remit 100% of all ticket purchases
back to the performing artists. This important stipulation induces us to seek investing community partners interested in facilitating the outcomes of this program.

The most significant impact of the Access to Art Program is the ongoing social contract that is evolving between our events and the community. Participants see how artistic expressions can be a catalyst for discussion, change, or evolving perceptions. It is not hard to imagine how a senior might feel reconnected to the community through this opportunity to take part in a community celebration, or how a child might discover acting or music as potential creative activities.

For more information on participating in or supporting this program please contact us or by phone at 664-2239.