Join the Program!
Passport Program partnerships connect the rich arts ecosystem in the Commonwealth to a wider audience. Participating arts organizations across the state offer free or discounted admission to cardholders in the Virginia Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) program. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH), a state partner in the program, promotes participating organizations to their WIC constituents, ensuring arts accessibility and providing opportunities for community engagement.
How to Participate
- Review the program guidelines below.
- Apply for the Passport Program in Foundant.
- Contact Casey Polczynski, casey.polczynski@vca.virginia.gov, with any questions.
Guidelines
In order to participate in the Passport Program, organizations are required to offer free or discounted admission to their programming for eligible Passport holders. Organizations can choose the amount of the discount. Visitors use their WIC cards to identify their program eligibility but cannot use them for payment.
Discounts are designed for:
- admission to regular operations, performances, and other events.
- availability during normal operating hours.
- availability to the family or individual holding the eligible card.
Organizations can set their own admission price as well as additional parameters around the discount, such as how many arts patrons are allowed per card. They may also set different discounts for different types of programming and can limit the number of spots available for events with a limited capacity. Participating organizations are encouraged to offer some form of a discount for as many types of programming as possible.
Arts organizations have five simple steps for participation:
- Consent to having discount(s), visitation information, and other pertinent information listed on Passport Program webpages, as well as the webpages of applicable partners.
- Commit to offering the stated discount for the remainder of the fiscal year (July 1, 2023 – July 1, 2024) in which they join the program.
- Publish their participation in the program, as well as the associated discount, on their website. This includes reference to the VCA Passport Program and applicable partners.
- Notify and train the appropriate staff members ahead of implementing Passport Program discounts to ensure smooth entry for eligible Passport holders.
- Track, to the extent possible, the number of people admitted using the discount, and report that number to the Virginia Commission for the Arts by July 15 of each year.
When to Apply
In the inaugural year, VCA is only accepting applications from current grantees and fellow state entities with the goal of expanding the program to additional organizations in subsequent years.
Organizations interested in participating in the Passport Program must submit their application through Foundant. A confirmation email will be sent verifying participation.
Organizations may apply to participate in the Passport Program at any time; however, the VCA will only update the official list of participating organizations quarterly with an initial launch of November 1, 2023. View current list of participating organizations with discounts here.
