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ArtStream raises over $9,000 on Giving Tuesday

When reflecting over this past year, it’s clear that it takes a village of kindhearted and generous individuals like you to create positive change and offer performing opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism.

We believe in theatre for an inclusive world and we don’t want cost to prevent anyone from participating in an ArtStream activity. Thanks to generous donors like YOU, tuition assistance is available for any ArtStream activity.

For Giving Tuesday, ArtStream partnered with the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington, which is the region’s only locally-focused guide to giving and volunteering. Originally, our fundraising goal for the day was $3,000, which we reached by 10am! Since we were blown away by your support we raised the goal to $6,000. We are happy to announce that ArtStream raised $9,192!

We want to give a special shoutout to all of ArtStream’s Giving Tuesday donors:

  • Eleanor Allen
  • Pamela Brown
  • Deborah Cooper
  • Adam Fine
  • Joshua Greenberg
  • James W. Haile, Jr.
  • Patricia Sing Han
  • Maggie Haslam
  • Jerry Hulick
  • Kiran Jesrani
  • Stephen McCurdy
  • Margaret McFerren
  • Karen Mitchell
  • Daniel Neal
  • Rouzanna Oganissian
  • Cindy Pagonis
  • Julie Palmore
  • Soledad Requejo
  • Darlene Richeson
  • Joe Rogers
  • Carolyn Shanoff
  • Jana Sharp
  • Irene Stephens
  • Katherine Stevenson
  • Julie Wiatt
  • David Zehner
  • Anonymous

100% of your gift will support ArtStream programs like classes, Cabaret and Theatre Companies that give people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the skills and confidence to engage with the world. YOUR gift makes an impact!

As the year comes to a close, we are looking forward to celebrating ArtStream’s Super Sweet 16th Year at the annual Gala and Dance Party! We hope you will join us in celebrating our Super Sweet 16th Year!

Online and onstage, ArtStreamers are creating new songs, new shows, and new stories! And that’s not all! They are busy dancing at Super Social Saturday, creating characters for ArtStream Theatre Company performances, and soloing in Cabaret performances!

This year we are back on stage and online with ten original productions being created right now in our Inclusive Theatre and Cabaret Companies. Your gift of $250, $100, or $50 will ensure that our actors shine onstage and online.

As ArtStreamer Katy says:

“I like being a part of creating the show and performing. ArtStream is a wonderful program where people like me who probably wouldn’t have had an opportunity to be on stage can perform.”

Research shows that because of ArtStream, participants try new things, feel more confident, are better at understanding other people’s feelings, and are better at sharing their feelings. Most importantly, they feel pride. It is a super feeling to perform in a show you created! Just ask Katy how it feels to be part of ArtStream:

“ArtStream makes me feel content, happy, and creative. I’m able to express myself and experience life on stage. It’s a lot of work, but it’s awesome.”

Super gifts from generous donors like you contribute to our four Cabaret Companies, six Inclusive Theatre Companies, and more than 850 confidence-building communication and social skills classes for over 1,600 ArtStreamers each year. During this season of giving, you can make sure that over 1,600 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) – including autism – can supercharge their creativity in collaborative classes, workshops, and rehearsals.

When asked what he likes the most about being a part of an ArtStream Theatre Company, Adam says:

“ArtStream is great. You can create any story you want with the group. You get to come up with what the story is about and talk with the group to pick a theme.

The ArtStream Board of Directors joins me in thanking you. We are grateful for our talented and dedicated Teaching Artists, the remarkable volunteers who contribute over 4,000 hours of their time. Thank you to each and every one of you for ensuring ArtStreamers discover their creativity and strengths and perform with confidence.

As Katy shares:

“The most important thing I learned at ArtStream is to just be yourself. ArtStream is the first time I’ve been on stage. I like meeting new people. I like dancing and doing musicals.”

As we end our Super 16th anniversary year filled with classes, rehearsals, performances, and community building, your donation of $250, $100, or $50 will ensure that every ArtStreamer can make friends, learn new skills, and be creative. And we mean EVERY ArtStreamer because we provide scholarships to everyone who needs one. Join us as we create theatre for an inclusive world.

Note: Tuition and ticket sales for Inclusive Theatre Companies cover less than one-quarter of the cost (25%) to run these invaluable programs. Generous donors like you are needed to cover the remaining cost.