In an effort to welcome new audience members to Spoleto this season, General Director and CEO Mena Mark Hanna today announced the start of a “Pay What You Will” ticket pricing program, which allows patrons to purchase tickets for a price they determine (at a minimum of $5 per ticket to cover fees). Across more than 25 performances – one-quarter of Spoleto offerings – more than 1,300 tickets to an array of programming is offered as “Pay What You Will.”
“As Charleston continues to grow rapidly, we want to ensure that the arts serve as a connective tissue across our community,” said Hanna. “By lowering one barrier to entry, we hope to create a culture of belonging that welcomes curious new audience members. Our doors are open.”
Spoleto's “Pay What You Will” ticket program is made possible by the financial support of a generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous.
“As a nonprofit festival, the public should be represented in our theaters and concert halls,” Hanna said. “By investing in audience development initiatives, we support the vitality of the Festival and the cultural ecosystem of the Southeast.”
To access “Pay What You Will” tickets, visit spoletousa.org/pwyw. Audience members can select which performances, dates, and times, and during checkout, select the seats' value. To ensure broad access, only two tickets per performance are eligible for “Pay What You Will” pricing (tickets are limited and subject to availability). Call the box office at 843.579.3100 if assistance is needed.
The “Pay What You Will” ticket program runs in congruence with Spoleto's longstanding Open Stage Door program, which offers more than 600 complimentary tickets annually to community-based nonprofits, such as the Jenkins Institute for Children, My Sister's House, Our Lady of Mercy Outreach, and We Are Family, ensuring their constituents can take park in the festival events. Interested organizations can apply to the Open Stage Door program at spoletousa.org.
