Bardheart gives you the chance to support arts organizations easily, without having to save thousands of dollars to see your money make a difference. I'm reminded of a story...
The stage was dark as I found my seat. I was lucky enough to have tickets in the tenth row of the center section. Pretty amazing considering I'd just walked in off the street to an almost sold-out show.
An hour earlier, I was at a work conference deciding what to do with my evening off in San Diego. As I left the conference hotel, on a whim I searched for local theaters on my phone.
A local community theater was playing that night, just a mile or so away, and the show was starting soon.
A car honked. I'd stopped in the middle of the street.
All thoughts of dinner vanished as I did an about-face and started speed walking. I was still out of breath as I sat down in the beautiful little venue.
I had thirty minutes before the curtain came up so I read through the program. A few adds. Lots of photos. Lots of cast bios thanking parents, friends, and teachers for their love and support. And then I got to the last few pages.
The donors.
I always look to find the place my name would be in each of the donor level lists. I find the spot between two names in the hundreds of patrons listed in the lowest donation level - those giving $100. I do the same in the next levels - $500, $1000, $5000 - the number of names becoming fewer and fewer. I fantasize about having $10,000 I could give to a theater to make it to their top tiers of giving.
But I didn't have even $100 to give that night. The show started. I loved it. I went back to my hotel.
I didn't give, even though I wanted to give.
Why? It seemed like the money I could give wouldn't have mattered to the theater. The next time I read a playbill at the next show, my heart ached again.
Thousands of people go to shows every weekend, wanting to give, but feeling like what they can afford won't matter.
Thousands.
Thousands who want to give $10, $20, $50 to a community theater.
$10,000, $20,000, $50,000 that is never given.
Join us to change this. Bardheart is partnering with local community theaters and other arts organizations to give their patrons - people like you - the chance to be donors who make a difference. To be the heroes these community organizations need AND deserve. We give patrons and performing-arts-lovers the chance to donate a little bit every month and be recognized for the impact they are making in their communities.
And the best part? We don't care how much you can give. Our tiers recognize people who keep giving, not just those who can give large sums.
See our donor tiers here and sign up to start with a small, deductible amount every month (we are a 501c(3) company). Take our half-penny hero challenge and become one of our Half-Penny Heroes. Start giving and feel the pride of watching your community arts organizations get the funding they so desperately need to support their communities. To support you. To support your family.