Strong arts advocacy begins with essential questions: Who currently lacks access to arts experiences and why? Which schools or communities have the fewest resources? How can funding models evolve to support audiences? What collaborations could make arts programs more equitable and sustainable? These broad questions help lead to more targeted conversations about policy, funding priorities, and institutional responsibility. Expanding access through fair funding, equitable pricing, and innovative delivery models is essential not simply for the survival of the arts but for the wellbeing of our society. 

Access to the arts is not a luxury; it has been shown to be a cornerstone of strong communities, youth development, and civic engagement. Research from the National Endowment for the Arts shows that students with consistent arts exposure are five times more likely to graduate high school and are 29% more likely to pursue a secondary education than their peers not participating in artistic mediums. Students actively involved in the arts also score on average 150 points higher on the SAT’s as well. According to Americans for the Arts, communities with robust arts ecosystems benefit from stronger local economies, improved mental health outcomes, and deeper social connection. Arts and culture amount to 4.4% of the nation’s revenue, which totals over 1 trillion dollars annually. Arts access is also imperative in the healthcare system. According to research done  by Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA), 50% of hospitals around the United States have implemented arts programs, and 43% of the frontline clinical staff believes that those programs truly aid in the health and wellbeing of their patients. This data sourced from the National Endowment for the Arts and Americans for the Arts consistently shows that the arts strengthen communities, support student success, and build social connection. 

Some organizations already demonstrate what equitable access can look like. The Island Shakespeare Festival  in Washington uses a Pay-What-You-Will ticketing model that allows patrons to contribute according to their means. In my interview with Executive Artistic Director Olena Hodges, she notes that although it took time to catch on, this approach has significantly increased both revenue and attendance. This reinforces what many advocates already know: reducing cost barriers invites new audiences, enriches community engagement, and strengthens long-term sustainability. The Montana Repertory Theatre in Missoula, Montana has a similar system, called the Pick-What-You-Pay model. It’s even written into their value statements that “[we] believe cost should never be a barrier to art.” There is a suggested ticket price, but audience members are welcome to purchase tickets for whatever amount suits their economic situation. In Washington DC, the Wooly Mammoth Theatre also offers Pay-What-You-Will ticketing for the first two performances of every show in their season. The success of these programs to diversify and increase audiences shows that this is a great way to promote accessibility to the arts.

Access to the arts has evolved in the digital realm to bring performances to audiences from the comfort of their own homes. When Hamilton premiered on Disney+ in July 2020, it amassed 2.7 million views in five days- representing roughly 87% of the platform’s total watch time that week. While tickets to the Broadway smash hit frequently exceeds $100 per ticket, a $70 annual streaming subscription that a whole family could use democratizes access to professional theatre for millions. This has encouraged other companies to stream their performances as well. Next to Normal, a popular contemporary musical was released on PBS in May of 2025 for viewers to enjoy. While it is unknown exactly how many people have tuned in, the preview on YouTube has received over two hundred thousand views since its posting in May of 2025, further proving audiences desires to have inexpensive access to live performance. In 2024 alone, several other popular musicals were professionally filmed and released for audience enjoyment or are awaiting a future release date. Resources such as Filmed Live Musicals contain databases with all the musicals with professional recordings, as well as links on where to watch them. This platform lists over 100 different performances for audiences to enjoy. When barriers, such as cost, are removed, audiences appear.

For many individuals and families, the cost of tickets, transportation, and even time itself creates steep and often invisible barriers to participation. Students in underfunded schools may never encounter live performance, as many low-income communities lack nearby venues or year-round programming altogether. These inequities reinforce the false notion that theatre is reserved for those with financial means, rather than a shared cultural resource. When access to theatre is shaped more by wealth than by curiosity or need, advocacy becomes not just a matter of cultural enrichment, but one of economic and social justice.

In the tireless work of providing access to the arts for audiences everywhere, we are ultimately advocating for the schools, organizations, and policies that shape cultural access. This work may include parents and allies advocating for fully-funded arts programs in K–12 schools; nonprofit theatre companies instituting fair labor practices and inclusive programming; community arts organizations serving rural, low-income, and historically marginalized populations; and public funding structures that sustain artists while expanding access for audiences. At its core, advocacy champions the idea that creative expression is, rather than a privilege, a human right that should be extended to everyone.

Written by Kendall Seibel, a graduate student in the M.F.A. in Theatre - Arts Leadership program at Virginia Tech.