A new initiative by the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts aims to make arts programming accessible to more people in San Antonio.
The Arts for All program will offer $10 — and sometimes free — tickets available to beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, commonly known as WIC.
“We really want the community to be able to come out to the Tobin Center,” said Mandie Sullivan, community engagement and public relations manager.
Sullivan said she’s aware that some San Antonians see the Tobin Center as being “for people who have more money,” and wants to change that perception and break down barriers to the arts.
“We expect the impact of the program to be reaching a more diverse audience and fostering a deeper engagement with the arts,” she said.
Which and how many Tobin Center events are eligible for the Arts for All program depends on whether touring shows allow discounted ticket sales, and whether certain shows sell out.
However, Sullivan anticipates at least one or two events per month will allow discounted tickets for SNAP and WIC recipients, who must register online to be eligible for the program. Once registered, enrollees will receive regular updates by email on which shows they can attend for the reduced price or for free.
Resident company shows and other events produced by the Tobin Center will be eligible, Sullivan said, including most Ballet San Antonio, Opera San Antonio, Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, Children’s Chorus of San Antonio and Classical Music Institute concerts and productions.
The Tobin Center is a nonprofit organization, and the Arts for All program is supported by donors, as are similar programs offering discounts and complimentary tickets to active and retired military members, area educators and under-resourced students.
Sullivan said Arts for All is the result of “an all hands on deck brainstorming process,” but credited Director of Marketing Lauren Keck with bringing the program to fruition.
Outreach efforts by Tobin Center staff to foster awareness of the Arts for All program will include appearances at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Family Fun Day at Market Square, a KLRN See Your Future Career day at St. Philip’s College and visits to Title I schools including Jackson Middle School.
Through ongoing community engagement efforts, Sullivan said, the Tobin Center collects the zip codes of attendees and can identify underrepresented areas of the city.
“We’re not seeing specific communities here at the Tobin, and those are the ones we really want to know that we have these programs,” she said.
“This is just part of our ongoing commitment to inclusivity, accessibility and cultural enrichment for our neighbors,” Sullivan said. “We really believe that the financial constraints that somebody might be under should not prevent them from accessing high-quality live performances.”
Registration for the Arts for All program is available online. Proof of SNAP and WIC eligibility is required, and tickets are non-transferable.
