featured member project

Featured Member

A group of seniors attending a show at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts with tickets received through ArtReach's Community Tickets program.

Since it was established in 1974, ArtReach, Inc. has been working to assist members of the community with attending events they may not otherwise be able to attend. This organization, with a staff of only five, continues to maintain the Community Tickets program as a well known service and major part of the organization. This program reaches 70,000 community members annually through more than 180 partner agencies.

The Community Tickets program receives tickets donated from artistic, cultural, scientific, sports, and community organizations, along with individuals, and distributes them directly to agencies that serve at-risk and underserved populations. ArtReach is able to provide access to culture, the arts, and the community to kids, teens, adults, families, and the elderly who are isolated from society or are challenged physically, mentally, developmentally, and/or economically. Due to the challenges these citizens encounter, most of the individuals are unable to afford a ticket or participate in the arts, culture, sports, or community events on their own.

ArtReach also works with local transit companies to offer the Arts Express transportation program. This program provides a free, reliable, and safe mode of transportation via a combination of charter buses, vans, or taxi vouchers to transport both ambulatory and disabled passengers to events. This past fiscal year, ArtReach transported 843 people to events at a cost of $13.58 per person.

ArtReach works with a variety of organizations, including the Salvation Army, Lost & Found (an organization that helps kids in abusive homes), Commerce City Seniors, and Denver Health & Human Services. ArtsReach is currently working on an NEA grant with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless that will provide arts workshops for kids in their program.