Kansas City, MO – After conducting a successful Pilot in the fall, KC Studio, the only source of professional arts journalism for Kansas City audiences, artists and arts organizations, has launched TeenTix KC (kc.teentix.org). The program, created 20 years ago in Seattle, offers a free, downloadable pass to any teen (13-19 years old). The pass allows teens to purchase $5 tickets to any participating arts organization in the KC metropolitan area. TeenTix KC seeks to build a bright future for the region by empowering young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, critics, influencers, advocates, patrons, and leaders.
TeenTix KC collaborates with community partners (LINC, Kansas City Public Schools, Grandview Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Girls on the Run KC, Youth Volunteer Corps, etc.) to introduce teens to the TeenTix KC pass program and encourage their engagement in the TeenTix KC arts education and arts advocacy/leadership programs. These two programs, The Press Corps and The New Guard, actively engage teens in critiquing/reviewing arts experiences and advocating for the arts in the community. All three programs support new audience development for arts organizations and integrate the next generation into the arts ecosystem of Kansas City.
“Often the underserved are the uninvited,” said Martin English, Executive Director of TeenTix KC. “The TeenTix KC pass gives teens the power to shape their arts community and puts that power in the palm of their hands on their phones.”
“Unicorn Theatre believes in the transformative power of the arts,” said Ernie Nolan, Artistic Director of Unicorn Theatre. “Partnering with TeenTix KC allows us to connect with a new generation of theatre-goers, fostering creativity, conversation, and a deeper sense of community.”
Stacie McDaniel, Executive Director, Midwest Trust Center said, “The Midwest Trust Center at Johnson County Community College is excited and proud to partner with TeenTix KC! We see such value in bringing new, teenage patrons to our venue and making sure those opportunities are accessible to the community, and we love that TeenTix KC is helping us reach that segment of the population. We look forward to seeing the program grow!”
A parent of a TeenTix KC member shared, “I cannot express the amount of gratitude I feel for TeenTix KC. Because of you, my children, my husband, and I have experienced art and culture that has enriched our lives and broadened our horizons. The opportunities you have blessed us with have a significant impact on our lives and there is literally no other way we could experience the arts without the generosity of your organization.”
About TeenTix KC
TeenTix KC breaks down barriers that prevent teens from accessing the arts such as: ticket or admission cost, not knowing where to look for events, navigating transportation around the city, and insecurity around arts-going if there’s no one in their lives already championing the arts. The TeenTix KC pass is free to download (kc.teentix.org/sign-up) and there is no obligation. TeenTix KC is an initiative of KC Studio (kcstudio.org)
About KC Studio
KC Studio (kcstudio.org) is the only source of professional regional arts journalism for Kansas City audiences, artists and arts organization. Six issues of KC Studio magazine are published annually by the Arts Engagement Foundation of Kansas City, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to building audiences and increasing participation in the arts through education, reviews, a cultural arts calendar, and promotion of the region’s cultural offerings.
TeenTix KC Arts Organization Partners
American Theatre Guild, Coterie Theatre, Folly Theater, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Kansas City Actors Theatre, Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Midwest Trust Center at JCCC, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Owen/Cox Dance Group, Spinning Tree Theatre, UMKC Conservatory, Unicorn Theatre.
TeenTix KC Community Partners
Band of Angels, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Blue Valley North High School, Chicano Center for the Arts, Girls on the Run KC, Grain Valley School District, Grandview School District, Harmony Project KC, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, Kansas City Missouri Public Schools, Local Investment Commission (LINC), KC Studio, Mattie Rhodes Arts Center, Park University, TRAC KC, Turn the Page KC, Youth Volunteer Corps.
