Donation Impact

Donations are important to sustaining Starlight and its programs for generations to come. Your gift supports a number of Starlight initiatives and its operations. Ticket sales only cover part of Starlight’s annual operating costs. Find out how your donation makes an impact in these ways:

Enhancing Kansas City’s Culture
Approximately 320,000 guests from across all 50 states attend an average of 100 performance nights. Starlight’s work contributes an estimated $61.2 million into the local economy.

Empowering Future Generations
Starlight has the unique ability to provide opportunities for students and young professionals by developing leaders and creating pathway avenues through college internships, performing arts industry training, and youth scholarships, serving on average more than 12,000 students and 50 local schools annually.

Preserving A Historic Landmark
Starlight is the oldest and largest continually operating performing arts organization in Kansas City. Since 1992, $35 million has been privately invested in the city-owned theatre, which receives less than 2% of its annual revenue from public funding.

Promoting Accessible Art
To provide accessible live entertainment to all audiences, Starlight provides 13,000+ free Broadway show tickets to more than 120 nonprofit organizations each year, while theatre arts programs are provided to hundreds of Kansas City’s most vulnerable residents at hospitals, shelters, and other social service agencies.

Inspiring Local Communities
More than 25,000 Kansas City area residents are inspired by community engagement programs each year through strategic partnerships with community schools and students, local nonprofit organizations, artists, neighborhood associations, community families, and individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

Sustaining Starlight’s Impact
In an average year, approximately 90 cents of every dollar we receive from donations directly supports Starlight performances, community engagement programs, and our historic venue.