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For Students & Educators

City Arts & Lectures is proud to offer free tickets to students & educators –  K-12 and University/College.

HOW TO REQUEST: 

Are you an individual teacher or student?
Contact [email protected] with your name, the program(s) that you’re interested in, and the school that you are affiliated with. Contact must be made with a school-affiliated email address, and/or a picture of your school ID must be provided. If you’d like to bring a +1, please include their school-affiliated address or ID as well. We ask that non-educator/student +1s pay for their ticket by making a donation to City Arts & Lectures here for the price of their ticket.

Interested in bringing a large group of students or educators?
Contact [email protected] with your name and the program(s) you’re interested in. Please provide the school, grade/department, and a rough estimate of the intended group number. Once reviewed, you will be the point of contact, and all tickets will be held under your name unless specified otherwise. 

Are you a parent accompanying a student? 
Contact [email protected] with your child’s name, the program(s) that they’re interested in, and the school that they are affiliated with. We ask that non-educator chaperones pay for their ticket by making a donation to City Arts & Lectures here for the price of their ticket.

Everyone will receive a follow-up confirmation 2 days prior to each event. Upon your response, your ticket(s) will be held at will call, to be picked up on the day of the program. If you can no longer make it, please let us know so we can make your seats available to the public.

We love to hear from you and your students! If your group had a great time at one of our programs, send any testimonials, pictures, or follow-up questions to Jordan at [email protected].


FAQ

Is there a limit to how many programs I can attend for free?
No. Students & educators can request tickets for as many programs as they’d like. We just ask that you contact us once you can no longer make it, so we can free up the space for other students, educators, and patrons.

Do I have to bring a group of students in order to qualify?
No, educators are also allowed to request free tickets on an individual basis.

How many do I get?
We will issue 1 ticket per student/educator. If you would like to request on behalf of a group, or bring a +1, follow the instructions above.

Is there a size limit for school groups?
No. Our theater seats approximately 1,700, so for most programs there is plenty of room to accommodate school groups. We will always follow up closer to the date of each program to confirm your group number, so it never hurts to overestimate at first.

Is it only K-12? Or do university students/educators count?
Colleges & universities count! Anyone with a valid school-affiliated ID or .edu email is eligible for a free ticket.

Can I choose my seat?
For complimentary student & educator tickets, we will not assign seats until closer to the date of the program. If you would like a particular seat in advance, you can purchase it through the box office at (415) 392-4400.

I’ve made a request, but I have yet to hear back. 
We typically respond to these requests on Wednesdays & Thursdays. *Certain school district emails will block incoming messages from unknown addresses. If you suspect that this has happened, reply to your original message, and cc your personal email to ensure that you’ll receive a response.

Will my free ticket come with a book?
Some of our tickets are bundled with books. This is only the case if you purchase your ticket. Complimentary tickets will not include a book. 

We would not be able to provide this opportunity without the generosity of our donors and the support of our dedicated ticket buyers. If you would like to help us continue this effort, consider making a donation here.




"The value of hearing from authors' mouths directly about their process, goals, and thinking cannot be overstated. Students' lives have been forever changed thanks to the City Arts & Lectures series, and I hope to continue attending for years to come. Cheers!" John Becker, English Teacher, Berkeley High School

"The opportunity to bring students to City Arts & Lectures generates meaning in our discussions all year. The bravery of new ideas is contagious!" Annie Gwynne-Vaughan, Humanities Teacher, San Francisco Friends School

City Arts [ conversations] are a wonderful opportunity for our students to engage with current topics [...] They love coming to the city and seeing the beautiful auditorium [...] the Angela Davis lecture in particular had a huge impact, with many of our students [...] saying that they would remember if for the rest of their lives." Kenny Kruse, Dean of Instruction, Richmond Charter Academy

"As an aspiring author and poet, it was an incredible opportunity for me to be able to hear my favorite writer speak at City Arts & Lectures. It's an experience that will inspire me all the way through college and as I build a career of my own." Liliane Lozach, Berkeley High School Class of 2023

"It was funny. People were nice. I liked that there was no bad words." Jairo, 6th Grade, Richmond Charter Academy