Libraries, culture passes help equalize Arizona’s summer arts education opportunities

Anne Fitzgerald Osborne, MNLM, CNP

Submitted photo

Arizona summers are no joke. Even in one of the snowiest cities in America, our winter playground of Flagstaff sees temperatures in the 90s each summer.

Growing up, I was lucky enough to have parents who could afford to send me to summer camps, so I didn’t have to spend the hottest months of the year stuck inside watching TV, or worse, outside in the heat.

Most students in Arizona, especially those attending Title I schools, public schools that receive federal funds to support low-income students’ academic achievement, cannot have these same experiences because the cost of summer programs is inherently prohibitive to under-resourced families.

Day programs often require parents or guardians to drop their children off and pick them up during times that are outside typical work hours as well.

In the Phoenix metro area, there are currently 675 schools designated Title I, meaning that 40% or more of their students are part of the free or reduced lunch program. For context, there are 2,431 publicly funded K-12 schools in Arizona, meaning 55% of Arizona schools are designated Title I. These schools often do not have summer programming for students that is free of cost, so parents and guardians are expected to provide childcare for summer break.

That’s where programs like the Act One Culture Pass and Museums for All come in. Museums for All is a needs-based program that allows individuals who currently receive support through the EBT supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) to receive free or discounted admission to thousands of museums nationwide.

Arizona’s Act One Culture Pass (act1az.org/culture-pass) as well as several other states’ similar library-based programs such as the Pikes Peak Culture Pass in Colorado and the Culture Pass program hosted through the NYC Public Library, provide free admission to dozens of arts and cultural sites in their locales, all through the public library system. 

The nature of the public library is to provide the public with resources, such as knowledge and experiences. Culture pass programs align with the spirit of public libraries, bringing awareness to more community members that a library is more than just a place to check out books.

Libraries also provide a safe place for students to escape the heat in the summer, and culture pass programs are a great way to directly reach these students. 

Accessing the  pass is simple; all you need is a library card and a desire to explore our great state. Arizona residents can stop by one of the more than 175 libraries statewide to check out what the pass has to offer. Passes are good for free admission for two individuals to arts and cultural institutions in their local area and throughout the state.

Participating organizations in the Act One program include the Desert Botanical Garden, Heard Museum and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. It also includes smaller and lesser-known facilities in the Valley like the River of Time Museum, the Desert Caballeros Western Museum and the Gilbert Historical Museum. Events at the Arizona Opera, The Phoenix Symphony​ and the Chandler Center for the Arts are also included.

The mission of culture pass programs is to provide the opportunity for everyone to have access to arts and cultural experiences, not just those who meet specific needs-based testing. A student’s family may not qualify for SNAP EBT but simultaneously is unable to afford to attend local arts and cultural events or visit museums all because the costs are prohibitive.

Free arts and culture programs offered through a public resource like the library, help to fill the gap in arts education opportunities for Arizona’s students throughout summer break.

Editor’s note: Anne Fitzgerald Osborne, MNLM, CNP is a nonprofit professional and lifelong Tempe resident serving as Act One communications and culture pass manager. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.