Webb Center Announces New SPARK! Initiative

The Webb Center theatre was taken by surprise recently when it was awarded an unsolicited grant from the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and Stardust Foundation. The announcement was timed for the holiday season, when 47 Maricopa County arts and culture organizations received a total of $350,000 in unexpected “Arts and Culture Experience” grants.

The two foundations share a deep belief that arts and cultural experiences are essential for community health, contributing to individual well-being and improved educational outcomes. The “Arts and Culture Experience” grants are intended to provide a funding boost to help organizations welcome more community members through their doors, especially children and families who may be less likely to attend due to financial challenges.

To fulfill the grant’s intentions, the Webb Center is pleased to announce its new SPARK! initiative for families with school-aged youth. SPARK refers to the Webb Center’s desire to ignite a passion for the live, performing arts in this community.

“We discussed ways to best serve Wickenburg,” shared Webb Center CEO Andy Halseth, “and we decided that we will use the money to help subsidize adult tickets to our upcoming shows this season, so it is more affordable for working families to attend regularly.”

Youth tickets are currently $9 for all “Webb Center Presents” events, however adult tickets range from $27 to $74, depending on the artist and that expense can be prohibitive for many families. The Webb Center will reduce the cost to $14 per adult ticket, maximum 4, when at least one student ticket is purchased in the same transaction. The balance of the ticket cost will be subsidized by grant funds.

All of the shows during the 2025-2026 season, except the fundraising concert on Feb. 7, are eligible for the SPARK! program. Exciting family-oriented shows include The 5 Browns (Dec. 4), “Spamilton” (Jan. 31), Impro Theatre (Feb. 20) and Cirque Kalabante (Mar. 17).

The Piper Trust and Stardust Foundation collaborated to identify worthy institutions that have a significant impact on their community’s arts and culture scene, among them was Wickenburg’s Webb Center. “Arts and culture experiences are much more than entertainment,” said Steve Zabilski, president and CEO of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. “These experiences also educate, inspire, and build community. Every performance, every museum visit, every concert has the potential to open minds and change lives.”

“With the holidays approaching, these grants are especially timely,” said Jerry Bisgrove, founder of Stardust Foundation. “Increasing opportunities for more children and families to experience the joy of the arts this season is a gift that is very meaningful to me.” To participate in SPARK!, families may call the Webb Center Box Office at 928-684-6624, Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Reduced price tickets will be available until the grant funds are expended. The special discounted tickets will not be available through the website.