Why Supporting Local Arts Matters Most During the Holidays
The holiday season arrives with its usual flurry of twinkling lights, festive playlists, and enough cookies to justify calling it “carbember.” But beyond the shopping lists and sparkly décor, this time of year is also a moment to reflect on community—how we gather, celebrate, uplift, and connect. And few places capture that spirit quite like your local theatre.
Supporting local arts during the holidays isn’t just a nice idea…it’s one of the best gifts you can give. Here’s why.
1. Theatre Brings People Together When It Matters Most
While gift-giving can get stressful (looking at you, complicated-to-assemble toys), attending a live performance offers something calm, heartfelt, and downright magical: a shared experience.
When audiences laugh, gasp, or cry together, something beautiful happens. It’s the kind of togetherness the holidays are meant to celebrate—and local theatres make it happen right down the street.
2. Your Support Directly Impacts Your Community
Unlike the big-name streaming giants, community theatres rely almost entirely on ticket sales, volunteers, and donations. When you purchase a ticket, buy merch, or give a year-end gift, you aren’t padding a CEO’s bonus—you’re supporting local performers, students, set builders, costumers, and the volunteers who make each show possible.
Your contribution stays local, and your impact is felt immediately.
3. Live Arts Spark Holiday Joy (With a Side of Magic)
There’s a unique energy to seeing a show during the holiday season. Maybe it’s the cozy atmosphere, the warm theatre lights, or the thrill of live storytelling. Maybe it’s the fact that someone backstage is absolutely wrestling with a stubborn prop. Either way, you can feel the magic in the air.
And when your favorite theatre brings classic tales or new works to the stage, that joy becomes part of your seasonal tradition.
4. Supporting the Arts Helps Keep Holiday Traditions Alive
For many families, attending a show is as beloved a tradition as hanging stockings or accidentally burning the first batch of sugar cookies.
Whether it’s a heartwarming drama, a festive comedy, or a glamorous winter musical, theatres keep those seasonal memories alive and well. Your support helps ensure these traditions continue for generations.
5. It’s a Gift That Truly Means Something
Buying someone a physical gift is great…unless it requires batteries that you forgot to include or assembly instructions that read like a tragic monologue.
Supporting the arts—through tickets, gift cards, flex passes, merchandise, or donations in someone’s honor—is a gift with meaning. It tells someone, "I want you to experience something memorable." And honestly, that beats another pair of socks.
6. Year-End Giving Helps Sustain Theatre All Year Long
The end of the year is crucial for nonprofits. Holiday donations help carry theatres through slower months, allow for investment in new shows, and support essential programs that keep the organization thriving.
If you’ve ever felt the urge to be a real-life holiday hero, this is your moment.
The Heart of the Holidays Is Community and Theatre Is Community
This season, when you choose to support local arts, you’re choosing connection. You’re choosing laughter and reflection. You’re choosing creativity, passion, and a brighter, more vibrant community.
And that’s a gift worth giving—no gift receipt required.