Card to Culture Welcomes More Than 50 New Organizations

Greg Torrales, Program Officer

photo of an interactive ride - an exterior of a trolley car. Seated people smile through the window holes and standing people at the end of the car face the camera
Visitors at Samuel Slater Experience take a virtual trolley ride through downtown Webster, MA, a century ago. Photo courtesy of Samuel Slater Experience.

Mass Cultural Council is proud to partner with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services’ Department of Transitional Assistance, Massachusetts Health Connector, and the Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program on Card to Culture, the nation’s most comprehensive effort to expand cultural access for low-income and working families.

To date, more than 300 participating Card to Culture organizations have provided some 780,000 free or steeply-discounted admissions for Massachusetts residents of limited means.

Since last fall, we’ve received more than 50 applications from organizations looking to join Card to Culture and further access, community connection, and cultural engagement.

Please help us in welcoming these new organizations! We value their resolute efforts in making the cultural sector accessible to everyone and are excited by what we can achieve together.

photo from a theater production 8 performers, waving larger pieces of loose fabric. Some are standing. Some are in wheelchairs. And one performer is using a walker.
Summer 2022 Performance by Access to Theater. Photo: Mark Hunt.

Accessibility at the Heart

It’s exciting to see accessibility be an organizational goal among this new group of participating Card to Culture organizations. For example, Soca Fusion considers access a core value, offering free dance classes for ages 3+ through their Soca Sundays program.

Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) is another organization that champions inclusivity for youth with disabilities.

“It is critical that all populations have equal access to service and their community; [therefore], Card to Culture aligns well with our mission and goal of inclusivity,” said Joanna Dumas, PYD Youth Services Lead Administrator.

The Click is a contemporary dance collective whose mission is to bring the power of creative and physical expression to people in their community, regardless of age, income, or experience.

“When we learned of Card to Culture, we were thrilled to participate in a program that helps broaden the reach and impact of our free and low-cost programming. As a new collective, we are enthusiastic about the doors this program opens between our contemporary dance world and communities we might not have ever come across on our own,” said Kristin Wager, Director of The Click.

Out in western Massachusetts, Happier Valley Comedy is passionate about making their programming available and accessible to everyone.

“We believe that money should not be a barrier to art and community. Card to Culture is just one of the many avenues we use to remove that barrier,” said Scott Braidman, General Manager & Artistic Director of Happier Valley Comedy.

At The Foundry, they recognize that too many people lack financial access to facilities such as a dance studio, black box theater, demonstration kitchen, and equipment like sewing machines, 3D printers, and woodworking tools.

“It is paramount to provide our community with STEM and Arts programming opportunities at little to no cost, serving as a hub for creative exploration, learning, and connection,” said Olivia Fone, Communications Coordinator of The Foundry.

photo of a brick building interior, a masked staff member is addressing 9 young people scattered around the room
Staff at The Foundry showing young people the wood workshop. Photo: Alex Delesio.

The Stone Soup Heats Up

For chefs and foodies alike, few moments compare to the excitement of introducing new ingredients to established recipes. To play off Card to Culture’s Stone Soup parable, we have dozens of new herbs and spices to stimulate the senses and feed the soul.

Below are just a few of the new organizations diversifying the types of institutions, disciplines, and activities represented in Card to Culture:

  • The Osamequin Farm hosts a cooperative of small-scale farmers, public gatherings, and educational opportunities for their community.
  • T.R.U.E. Diversity, a grassroots civic and social organization, empowers youth, families, and communities to have successful outcomes through prevention programs and equitable diverse resources.
  • The Awareness Project produces artistic performances and arts-based workshops to interpret, explore, promote, and demystify mindfulness, awareness, and self-care.
  • The Nolumbeka Project hosts Indigenous presenters to share culture and history at annual gatherings, schools, and public educational spaces.

Welcome New Card to Culture Participating Organizations

Central Massachusetts

Greater Boston

Northeastern Massachusetts

Southeastern Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts

For the complete list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts, visit out agency partners’ websites.

Learn about becoming a Card to Culture participating organization