You are wanted to make the arts come alive here in Texarkana.
The Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council has started its membership drive and now offers new deals to benefit members.
Because of the generosity of an anonymous donor providing matching funds for annual memberships, members only pay 50 percent of the cost for any particular membership, starting with the Friend level at $125.
For example, at the Patron level membership of $300, a member would pay $150. A Patron level membership offers 20 percent discounts on Arts on Main art classes, an adult sippy cup and a business listing in TRAHC's show programs.
TRAHC memberships start at the General level of $40, then go up to Friend, Patron, Sponsor, Benefactor, Sustainer, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. In addition to different benefits at each level, members also receive first choice on tickets for TRAHC's Perot Theatre events, recognition, membership party and cocktail event invitations and more. Individuals and businesses can become members.
"We really want to get the word out to people," said Tiffani Whitehead, marketing coordinator for TRAHC, about these membership deals, which they're calling Project TRAHC Double Impact. She encourages businesses to get involved, noting it's a tax write-off.
"We want them to understand they get tickets to all the shows the higher your level goes. You get tickets, guaranteed," Whitehead said. "You can use them for your employees. You can take out some of your corporate people out to a show at the Perot."
Also, TRAHC hopes members will be enticed to bump up a level because with these matching dollars that new level will be more affordable, particularly compared to the cost members may be at now. And as Whitehead puts it, members are vital to TRAHC.
"We do facilitate off of grants. We have some really great donors that assist in sponsoring things, but the members are the heartbeat of the entire organization. They definitely come with perks to go along with being a member," Whitehead said.
TRAHC's membership campaign with Project TRAHC Double Impact runs through July 31 and memberships will be matched up to $25,000 total.
"We want to encourage people to take advantage of it because it does last all year," Whitehead said about enjoying the benefits.
Funds raised by TRAHC memberships are dedicated to TRAHC programs like ArtsSmart in the schools, art classes at Arts on Main, its Perot Theatre Series and more.
About the impact on Perot shows to get lower ticket prices, Whitehead said, "The more memberships we have in the beginning, the lower those ticket sales can come off in the end because that's how we can get those shows. It helps us bring higher quality shows in facilitating something for everyone."
Look for TRAHC to announce its next Perot Theatre Series on June 22.
Another aspect of TRAHC's present activities is the Perot Theatre $2 enhancement fee. That fee is added to any ticket price for events happening at the Perot. Whitehead wants people to know that it brings benefits to Perot audiences.
"We have some things that are really coming down the pipeline with the renovation. That's really on the table," Whitehead said. With city renovations planned, TRAHC wants to work on Perot projects like bathrooms.
"We have got to have more toilets," admitted Whitehead. It's about making an enhancement for the audience and its experience. Part of this is a shorter wait to use the restroom during intermission, for example, said Whitehead. And part of all this is renovating the space itself, changing the wall structure to utilize space more effectively, she explained.
Previous projects completed with enhancement fee funds include aisle lighting, handrails, blackout curtains, handicapped seating and TVs stationed at different locations across the theater.
"It's a little at a time. That $2 doesn't seem like much, but it adds up," Whitehead said. Air conditioning improvements, downstairs LED lighting and box office computer program upgrades are other projects TRAHC wants to get done with these funds.
"We want the bathrooms to be No. 1," Whitehead said.
(More info or to become a member: 903-792-4992 or TRAHC.org.)