Creativity is Vital

Support Our Mission with Your Year-End Gift

Cory Baker

President & CEO of the Long Center

Letter from Cory

2023 has been a year full of celebration here at the Long Center! From our inaugural Teresa Lozano Long Community Day, to another incredible season of The Drop-In, our 15th-anniversary year has taught us that creativity is everything. Not only is creativity a necessity for healthy & happy communities, it’s also the connective cornerstone that we at the Long Center are proud and excited to nurture every single day.

Now, it’s your turn. As you explore all that we’ve done in 2023 to help Austin creatives, our neighbors, and our communities, we need your help to make sure we can do all this and more in the new year. Your contribution to the Long Center is not just a gift in support of our work and impact — it’s a vital declaration that creativity belongs to everyone and all of us are here to support it, together.

2023 has been a year full of celebration here at the Long Center! As you explore all that we’ve done to help Austin creatives, our neighbors, and our communities, we need your help to make sure we can do all this and more in the new year. Your contribution to the Long Center is not just a gift in support of our work and impact — it’s a vital declaration that creativity belongs to everyone and all of us are here to support it, together.

2023 at a Glance

Shows Presented

Inside, outside, and on our new 3D-printed pavilion! We celebrated local music, dance, visual arts, theatre, and everything in between.

Artists Supported

511

From Austin's local rising stars to international headliners and beyond – we got you.

Free Community Events

Including another rad season of The Drop-In and our first-ever Community Day! We had 13,000+ attendees — how many did you go to?

Photo: Dusana Risovic

In the Community

Community Partners

We hope you found a new place to volunteer, a cause to support, or a way to feel closer to your neighbors.

Subsidized Rental Discounts

$315K

One of the most important things we do is make space accessible to the wide variety of organizations that make Austin what it is.

Founding Resident Company Performances

The Long Center was created to be the permanent home of the Austin Symphony, Austin Opera, and Ballet Austin, and we’re proud to make their seasons shine.

Photo: Brynn Osborn

Support Our Work

Thanks for celebrating our 15th-anniversary year with us! We’re pumped for what lies ahead, but we couldn’t do it without you. With your year-end donation, you’re setting up an incredible 2024 for all the things that make Austin a destination for creativity. That means everything.

Total Grant Pool

$16.3M +

Through our partnership with the City of Austin, we administer and manage 5 key cultural funding initiatives.

Total 2023 Grant Awards

722

Including artists, non-profits, musicians, historic sites, and creative businesses.

Stay tuned for exciting announcements on how we are expanding our mission even further by providing additional tools and resources to help Austin creatives focus on what they do best – create.

Photo: Brynn Osborn

By the Numbers

The Drop-In

Total Free Tickets

11,104

We love this program because it's free, and that means we can keep local music accessible to all Austinites. Thanks for another unforgettable Drop-In season.

Artists Supported

That’s across 12 shows and 22 bands! Austin has a lot of artistic voices, and The Drop-In aims to highlight them all.

Photo: Sophia Lawson

Support Our Work

Creativity is more than vital — it’s everything! Austin lives and breathes on creativity, and it’s our mission to support, uplift, and encourage that work all year-round. Your year-end gift helps bring accessible arts, experiences, and crticial opportunities to all of Austin’s communities.

Heller Awards for Young Artists

Student Participants

3,000+

From the back of the house to the front, and everything in between. The HAYAs celebrate each participating student's contributions on the red carpet.

Teachers Supported

Across 16 school districts and all the artistic disciplines that combine together to make musical theatre magic.

Participating Schools

33 high schools participated in the Heller Awards free of charge, creating a one-of-a-kind creative community.

Photo: Henry Huey

Teresa Lozano Long Community Day

Partner Organizations

Every organization that has been a crucial part of the Long Center's story & future. We're adding to the list daily.

Attendees

1,800+

You made sure our first-ever Community Day was one for the books! We can't wait to celebrate again next year.

Performances

Free performances in a range of scope & size, from Ballet Austin's Rhythm on Stage in Dell Hall, to the kids' drum circle by Creative Action.

Artists & Performers

162

We love this number! The Long Center is the only place in town where you can see 162 artists & performers in one day. For free.

Photo: Brynn Osborn

There you have it — this is what we mean when we say that creativity is vital. But you’re an important part of our mission, too, and with your help the Long Center can continue to expand creative connections across all of Austin.

Show Your Support

There are so many ways you can show your support of the Long Center and all that we do! If you’ve made your gift or have joined us for an unforgettable experience this year, spreading the word on social media or telling your friends is the most important thing you can do to make sure our impact continues into 2024 and beyond. Thank you!

Creativity is Vital