The Shuswap District Arts Council is making it easier for young folks to attend live arts and cultural events.
ShuGo is a one-year pilot project designed to give youths between the ages of 12 and 21 low-cost access and, in the process, help live-arts groups build their young audiences.
Tickets at $5 are printed and sold only by the Shuswap District Arts Council and are available for sale at the arts council office at SAGA Public Art Gallery.
Up to four tickets will be available to every person who is eligible. It is up to the live-arts group to make sure they are used appropriately.
Young purchasers will present their tickets upon arrival at the event.
“If it is a by-reservation event, the onus will be on the youth attendee to call and reserve a seat, stating that he/she has a ShuGo ticket,” says Tracey Kutschker, executive director of the arts council. “It is up to the presenting group to determine how many ShuGo tickets they will accept per performance.”
Kutschker says that a venue may determine they will accept six ShuGo-designated ticket reservations, after which the only regular-priced seats will be available.
Venues can then return the tickets to the arts council for reimbursement to the tune of an annual amount set by the arts council.
Participants so far include Shuswap Theatre, Caravan Farm Theatre, Runaway Moon Theatre, Monashee Chamber Choir and the Shuswap Association of Writers.
Kutschker says she anticipates other groups will join the ShuGo program.