Vail Valley Foundation expands Community Arts Access program

The Vail Valley Foundation recently issued the following press release on the expansion of its Community Arts Access (CAA) program:

The Vail Valley Foundation (VVF) is excited to announce a significant expansion of its Community Arts Access (CAA) Program. For many years, the Vail Dance Festival and Vilar Performing Arts Center have worked with local nonprofits and other entities to provide free and significantly discounted tickets. Now, for the first time, the program is expanding to give Eagle River Valley locals the opportunity to apply for free tickets to Amp Summer Concerts at theGerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail Dance Festival performances, and select performances at the Vilar Performing Arts Center.

Locals who live and work full-time in the Eagle River Valley can enter a lottery to win free tickets to Amp Summer Concerts, Vail Dance Festival performances, and select Vilar Performing Arts Center performances. This expansion reflects VVF’s vision of creating an extraordinary mountain community with quality of life for all and aligns with our core value that everything we do is for our community.

The Community Arts Access Program has long been a cornerstone of VVF’s commitment to making world-class performing arts accessible to all Eagle County residents. The arts are a fundamental component to a healthy andvibrant community, and this program provides residents from every corner of Eagle County with the chance to be inspired by exceptional performances.

“We’re thrilled to expand direct access to our performances for the local community,” said Mike Imhof, President of the Vail Valley Foundation. “For years, we’ve seen the

incredible impact of the Community Arts Access Program through our nonprofit partnerships, and now we’re able to reach even more families and individuals who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience these world-class venues and performances. This expansion of our existing CAA program is our way of ensuring everyone can be part of the magic, regardless of their economic circumstances.”

What’s New

The expanded CAA program offers a minimum of four free tickets for each performance to locals through anonline application system on each entities’ website. Winners will be chosen through a randomized lottery:

• Amp Summer Concerts at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater: grfavail.com/community-arts-access/
• Vail Dance Festival: vaildance.org/community-arts-access
• Select Vilar Performing Arts Center performances: vilarpac.org/community-arts- access

Excluded from the VVF’s CAA program will be the July 4 Patriotic Concert, third party venue rentals, and Bravo! Vail Music Festival performances. To learn about Bravo! Vail’s arts access offerings, please visit www.bravovail.org.

Building on a Strong Foundation

The Community Arts Access Program has deep roots within VVF, beginning with the Vail Dance Festival’s launch ofthe first CAA initiative in 2016. The Vilar Performing Arts Center joined the effort in 2018.

The VVF will continue to partner with local organizations to distribute free tickets through local nonprofits, schools and educational programs, healthcare providers, and government entities for both the Vail Dance Festival and the Vilar Performing Arts Center, ensuring multiple pathways for community access.

The Community Arts Access Program also builds on existing VVF accessibility initiatives. The Vail Dance Festival offers free lawn tickets for children 12 and under as well as discounted lawn tickets for students and facultyat local schools. The festival dedicates its Dance for $20.25 performance as an evening devoted to arts accessibility by capping ticket prices at $20.25 for pavilion seats and $10.25 for lawn seats. The festival also offers free performances such as Dancing in the Streets in Vail and Dancing in the

Park in Avon. Additionally, the VVF’s free Bulleit Hot Summer Nights at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater and Town of Eagle ShowDown Town in Eagle Town Park have been staples of the community for decades.

The Impact

The CAA program’s impact has accelerated dramatically over the years. Free ticket distribution through the Vilar Performing Arts Center increased 88% from the 2023-24 season to the 2024-25 season.

In the 2024-25 season, the Vilar’s CAA program provided 1,997 free or reduced-price tickets to local community members—a benefit valued at more than $171,000. The program worked with over 20 organizations and served more than 500 unique individuals within the community.

The 2024 Vail Dance Festival’s accessibility programs reached hundreds of community members through multiple initiatives:

• 127 children attended performances for free through the ‘free lawn access for kids 12 and under’ program
• 105 children participated in the free Celebrate the Beat Pop Hop Camp
• 500 people attended the free Dancing in the Park event
• 138 free CAA tickets were distributed to community organizations
• 1,585 discounted tickets were sold for the Dance for $20.24 performance