How to Access EFA Works of Art
Education for the Arts presents an annual artistic repertoire, known as the EFA Rep, that is available to more than 100 schools within the Kalamazoo RESA service area. The EFA Rep includes professional works of art in dance, music, theater, visual arts, and, occasionally, other disciplines. Classes may attend the works of art for free or with minimal cost depending on the show, the student grade level, and the EFA programs in which they participate.
Performances are not open to the public.
Aesthetic Education Program
The Aesthetic Education Program provides K-8 classrooms with free admission to up to three works of art on the EFA Rep. Schools are assigned a professional Teaching Artist for each work of art. The Teaching Artists and Aesthetic Education-trained classroom teachers collaboratively plan and facilitate inquiry-based, experiential lessons designed to prepare students to view the works of art and to reflect after the viewing experiences. The bus rebate applies to all Aesthetic Education Program field trips.
Alternative Arts Initiative
The Alternative Arts Initiative is available to alternative education schools and special education classrooms. The program provides free admission to select works of art, along with specialized Teaching Artist residencies designed to prepare students to engage deeply with the works of art. The bus rebate applies to all Alternative Arts Initiative field trips.
EFA Presents! Ticket Program
EFA Presents! is open to K-12 schools and, occasionally, PreK classrooms. The ticket program provides students with free or low-cost admission to the world-class performances and exhibitions on the EFA Rep.
PreK Classrooms | Special Invitation Only
EFA works of art typically are designed for K-12 students. When available, EFA will invite select PreK classrooms to performances that are suitable for younger students. For the 2026-2027 school year, EFA invites PreK classrooms with students age four or older to attend Billy Goats Gruff and Other Tales by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. Admission is free and the bus rebate applies.
Elementary, Middle, and High Schools | Limited Free Admission
Performances | Schools may request one free ticket per enrolled K-12 student each school year. For example, a school with 300 students may request up to 300 free tickets for the school year. The tickets may be used for any combination of performances on the EFA Rep. For example, a school could bring every student to the same performance or select different shows for different grade levels. Free tickets are granted on a first-come, first-served basis and until shows are sold out.
If a school uses all of its free tickets, but wants to attend additional performances, it may purchase extra admissions at a cost of only $2 per K-12 student. To ensure every student has the opportunity to participate, priority will be given to schools using their free ticket allotment before purchased tickets are granted.
Exhibitions | All visual arts exhibitions are available to K-12 schools without cost and attending does not count towards the free ticket allotment. This includes docent-guided tours of A Taste of Art: Food as Form and Metaphor and Among the Beasts: Wild, Tamed & Imagined. Booking the From Here to There: Illustrations by Drew Brockington Traveling Exhibition also is free-of-charge. This means that a K-12 student could experience one performance plus three visual arts exhibitions with no admission cost.
Educational Materials | All schools receive educational prep materials.
Bus Rebate | Only K-8 students are eligible for the bus rebate. The bus rebate currently is not available for students in grades 9-12.
PACE Program
The PACE Program provides the K-8 classes participating in creative movement and creative drama residencies with free tickets to attend a professional dance or theater performance. The specific show depends on the discipline being studied and the semester in which the class is participating. For example, the Fall semester creative drama students are invited to the Fall theater performance. The bus rebate applies to all PACE Program field trips.
Image: Students attending Doodle POP by BRUSH Theatre of South Korea at Comstock Auditorium, 2022. Photo (detail) by Lesley Michelle.
