Arts Access

On Dec 12, 2012, Ragamala presented two performances at the Bloomington Center for the Arts: a matinee for K-12 schools and senior groups, and a public performance. This support allowed for free tickets and busing to the matinee, and allowed us to subsidize tickets to the public show ($8 for adults, $4 for students and seniors, and free for kids 12 and under). Response to audience surveys, communications with staff from Bloomington Center for the Arts, and communications with schools and senior groups indicate that we were successful in bringing in audiences that were new to both Ragamala and Bloomington Center for the Arts, reaching local audiences, and bringing in senior citizens--groups that we had identified as having financial/geographical/physical barriers to attending Ragamala's work at our usual downtown venues. Attendee response demonstrated that we were successful in easing perceptual barriers (described below), thereby demonstrating that Ragamala’s work can inspire and move audiences of all ages and backgrounds. 2: 234 people attended the public performance—97 adults, 102 seniors, ten students, and 25 children. Surveys indicate that approximately 50% were seeing Ragamala for the first time. We were particularly delighted at senior attendance, as it was a goal to bring our work to seniors with limited mobility. Attendees at the evening performance included a group of 50 seniors from the SABES Jewish Community Center, and a group of eight seniors (four of whom use wheelchairs) from Saint Gertrude’s in the Garden. A full house of 375 attended the morning matinee—groups from Ridgeview Elementary in Bloomington, Eagle Creek Elementary in Shakopee, Ramalynn Montessori in Bloomington, Creek View Elementary in Edina, and 17 seniors from the SABES Jewish Community Center (a different group from those that attended the evening show). Three of the schools and the Jewish Community Center (including the senior group that attended the evening show) took advantage of the free busing offered by Ragamala.