RED BARN’S BIG NIGHT OUT PROGRAM FOR THE 2024 – 2025 SEASON IS NOW IN ITS Fourth YEAR
For our 45th 2024-2025 Season and the fourth year in a row, Red Barn Theatre has rolled out its Big Night Out. This year Red Barn is working with non-profit community partners A.H. Monroe. A.H. Monroe provides affordable housing, health services including HIV/AIDS and works to address the causes of homelessness.
As our partner, now four years running, A.H. Monroe was provided at least sixty (30) gift certificates, each good for two free tickets, a $116 value (60 tickets total) to any mainstage production. Red Barn also gives out numerous gift certificates to other non-profits for give away at charity auctions, raffles, and fundraisers. The value of free tickets this year is estimated to be about $4,000.
In years past, Red Barn received a majority of the cash funding for the program from grants. While these sources have dried up, we have continued our commitment to the community via the program and contribute 100% of the cash costs this year. Administrative costs were always provided by Red Barn 100%.
History
Year 3 – 2023 – 2024 Season: $4,410 in Grant Funds, $5,040 Program
Red Barn received $3,500$ in new grant monies and rolled over $910 the previous year’s same grant from the Florida Keys Council of the Arts ABC Grant. Tickets were provided to A.H. Monroe, Take Stock in Children and Sister Season Fund. 90 tickets were redeemed.
Year 2 – 2022 – 2023 Season: $10,500 in Grants Funds, $16,000 Program
Red Barn was granted $3,000 from the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys (CFFK) and $7,500 from the Florida Keys Council of the Arts ABC grant. That leveraged $5,500 from Red Barn. Red Barn worked with Sister Season Fund, A.H. Monroe, Take Stock in Children, Keys to Be the Change, SOS Foundation and Florida Keys Foster and Adoptive Parents Association to provide 312 tickets. 145 tickets were redeemed. Some of the grant money not used was forwarded to 2023-2024.
Year 1 – 2021 – 2022 Season: $5,000 Grant Funded Program
For the 2021-2022 Season, the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys (CFFK) granted Red Barn $5,000 to provide free tickets for those in need. Red Barn worked with Sister Season Fund, A.H. Monroe, and the local Take Stock in Children to provide approximately 140 tickets during the season. 77 tickets were redeemed.
How This Came About
The data we collect on our customers and just a look around the audience will tell you that in the past our traditional audience skews older and wealthier than the average resident. Two tickets cost at least $116 with fees. Think about how strapped the working class is on our island, especially with the cost of housing.
Mimi McDonald, Managing Director, Joy Hawkins Artistic Director and the Red Barn Board have always been generous in providing tickets to those who asked but wanted a more formal program and wanted to expand the audience beyond the usual suspects. Red Barn doesn’t have the wherewithal to figure out who’s in need and then provide them with tickets. But the grants specifically called for arts organizations to partner with other organizations in the community. And THAT was the aha moment that made the Big Night Out project click. Instead of Red Barn finding a way to identify people in need, it could partner with organizations already serving those in need. Red Barn gives these organizations the tickets and they in turn give them to worthy clients.
While the grants have dried up, Red Barn Theatre continues the program at our own expense.
How It Works
Red Barn produces Gift Certificate, each with two free tickets, and provides them to the organization(s). Each gift certificate has a unique Offer Code. This allows the recipients the ability to go online and purchase their tickets on any night to any of the shows without having to call the Box Office or to be identified in any way, allowing the participants to blend in with everyone else and be part of the community.
Said our friends at A.H. Monroe of the program:
“Live theatre at the Red Barn, often featuring our friends and neighbors, provides sure uplift...especially since attending ANYTHING live has been in short supply for the past twelve months.
The joy this opportunity will bring to our clients, living with HIV/AIDS, as well as our tenants living in our housing facilities with disabilities other than HIV/AIDS, the elderly, homeless veterans, and low-income households is without measure. For them, it represents an evening “on the town”, and the benefits of this are many: socialization, creative indulgence, connectivity to new worlds and amazing stories and escape from everyday worry. No film, TV show or book can provide that instant and, more importantly, shared gratification of in-the-moment theatre.
We look forward to distributing tickets to our clients and Housing residents and, toward that, we urge you to fund this special grant request from Red Barn Theatre. They are the best, and we give them a standing ovation for innovating this lovely program.”
If your organization is interested in collaborating with us, contact our Development Director Chris Hamilton at chrishamilton170@gmail.com.
