Theatre Arlington is honored to announce the Arlington Cultural Tourism Council (ACTC) has awarded Theatre Arlington an $80,000 Downtown Arlington Cultural Arts Grant. This grant will provide the 48-year-old theater with much-needed operational funding. ACTC has been a longstanding source of funding for Arlington’s cultural tourism program development, expansion and operations.

Until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Theatre Arlington was living up to its mission of producing superior, diverse theatrical productions and providing quality arts education on a daily basis for 47 years. Between productions, theatre classes and outreach, a nonprofit theatre must find the time to contribute many hours to fundraising and developing a broad donor base, as ticket revenue only covers about 40% of a theatre’s operating cost. Project or program grants are nice and essential to support those important endeavors, but what a nonprofit truly covets are grants that can maintain their day-to-day operation. This general operating support may cover staff, rent, office supplies or just help to “keep the lights on,” all which builds a stronger, more sustainable infrastructure. Though the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced arts institutions across the nation to either close their doors permanently or extremely limit their work, Theatre Arlington has tightened the belts and worked diligently to continue providing education and entertainment in a safe and healthy way. This generous and very timely grant from ACTC is an investment in Theatre Arlington’s success and contributions to the City of Arlington.

Executive Producer, Steven D. Morris, staff and board of directors of Theatre Arlington are humbled and honored to receive this generous $80,000 grant from ACTC empowering them to continue and broaden their mission. Morris states, “We are thrilled that ACTC has chosen to support the arts in Arlington in such a powerful way, especially in times such as these. This generous grant is a wonderful, much needed gift to Theatre Arlington, our patrons and our community. We are grateful that the ACTC believes in what Theatre Arlington and all of the arts offer a community.”

The arts are essential to a vibrant community. The arts connect us, touch us, and empower us to make a positive change in the world around us. Theatre Arlington is dedicated to this mission and with the support of ACTC, together they work to keep the magic of live theatre alive and thriving in Downtown Arlington.