Donations
The mission of the Great Arizona Puppet Theater is: to advance and promote the art of puppetry, to celebrate the great state of Arizona - its culture, heritage and ecology - through the art of puppetry, to educate children and their families, and to make a positive impact on the cultural climate of Arizona.
We are so proud of the work we do with our small staff of professional puppeteers and theater artists. Throughout the worst of the pandemic, we provided drive-in shows to families who needed a break out of the house to see live entertainment. Like so many arts organizations and small businesses, we are still struggling to make ends meet.
Please consider making a donation today or setting up a monthly gift to ensure our historic venue continues to serve Arizona families well into the future.
GAPT is Arizona's only theater offering year-round puppet shows and has been operating since 1983. We provide entertaining and educational shows for students and have been named The New Times "Best Entertainment for Kids" and "Best Children's Theater." We have won The UNIMA-USA Citation for Excellence in Puppetry (the highest honor in the international puppetry community) for our original version of "Cinderella" We won the Mayor's Environmental Award for our environmental shows.
Great Arizona Puppet Theater serves a total audience of nearly 85,000 people annually, mostly children. Our historic building is typically open to the public year-round and our puppeteers perform traveling shows at schools, libraries, child cares, and community centers all over Arizona and beyond! Learn more about the history of the theater and our landmark building here.
We are a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Please click the "donate" button if you would like to make a one-time or a monthly donation through PayPal.
You can also donate by mailing a check or cash to: 302 W Latham St Phoenix, AZ 85003
Great Arizona Puppet Theater accepts gifts of appreciated stock. Please contact us if you would like to make a legacy contribution to the theater such as a gift of estate, a bequest, or naming rights at our long-standing theater.
The Great Arizona Puppet Theater wishes to thank the following donors for their support.
| Donor | Description |
|---|---|
| Arizona Commission on the Arts | The Arizona Commission for the Arts provides general opporating support. The mission of the Arizona Commission on the Arts is "An Arizona where people broaden, deepen and diversify their engagement with the arts, As creators, audiences and supporters, In ways that are satisfying and integral to their lives." |
| Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation & First Things First | Our 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 dental show program is generously funded by the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation. This program allows us to bring quality, educational puppet shows to Title 1 schools, head starts, and low-income child cares digitally or in-person at no cost to the school. The Foundation also provides SMILE bags for each student. |
| Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture | Partial funding for our programming provided by the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture through appropriations from the Phoenix City Council. The Office of Arts and Culture was established in 1985 by the Phoenix City Council to advance the growth and development of the city's arts and cultural community. It manages the city's public art program, administers a grants program, supports arts education, conducts research, provides information and assistance to artists and cultural organizations, and oversees the city's cultural planning efforts. |
| Puppet Slam Network | Spearheaded by IBEX puppetry, The Puppet Slam Network aims to catalogue, connect, support, and raise awareness for the Puppet Slam Nation. The Puppet Slam Network fosters connections in the growing field of independently produced puppet slams, cabarets, and showcases so that puppet artists know where they can perform, venues can find puppet artists, and audiences can enjoy this intimate, tactile, and compelling form of entertainment. |
| Puppeteers of America | Puppeteers of America, a national nonprofit organization founded in 1937, supported the production "Grand Canyon Condor." Puppeteers of America provides information, encourages performances, and builds a community of people who love puppet theatre. |
| The Torosian Foundation | The Peter G. & Elizabeth Torosian Foundation benefits the arts and culture in Arizona and Kansas City. |
| The Jim Henson Foundation | The Jim Henson Foundation provided support at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis to 20 theaters, including 10 puppet theaters across the nation. Great Arizona Puppet Theater is grateful for their support in a time of great need. |
| The Arizona Community Foundation | For more than four decades, the Arizona Community Foundation has worked in tandem with generous individuals, families, and organizations to address some of the biggest challenges facing our state. |
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