Support free youth education in 2026
Dear Friends Who Make a Difference,
Every week, children walk through the doors of Rockport Center for the Arts with wide eyes, eager hands, and imaginations ready to take flight. Some come after school for visual art, culinary, or ballet classes. Others join us on Free Family Saturdays, parents and grandparents alongside the youngest artists, creating memories as they create art. During the summer, our galleries, studios, and dance floor fill with color, movement, and laughter as hundreds of children participate in summer camps in visual arts, culinary arts, and dance. And each spring, local high school students step behind the camera in our Young Filmmakers of Tomorrow program, learning to tell stories with confidence and craft.
All of these programs are offered free of charge to all of our local children and families, year-round.
This commitment matters deeply in our community. More than 60% of the families we serve are experiencing economic hardship. For many of our students, access to the arts is not a luxury—it is a lifeline. It is a chance to grow, discover, and dream. It is a safe place to be seen, supported, and encouraged.
From January through August 2025 alone, Rockport Center for the Arts provided over 9,000 hours of free arts education to children of all ages, from toddlers to high school students. And in 2026, we are committed to doing even more.
We’re Halfway There — And Your Gift Can Take Us Further
Thanks to the incredible generosity of early supporters, we are excited to share that we have already secured $100,000 in matching gifts—bringing us halfway to our $200,000 2026 FREE Youth Education Fund goal.
This means that every new gift you make today will be matched dollar for dollar, doubling your impact—up to the full $100,000.
· Your $50 gift becomes $100, supplying materials for two Free Family Saturday programs.
· Your $150 gift becomes $300, covering art supplies for two full weeks of summer camp.
· Your $500 gift becomes $1,000, providing supplies and healthy snacks for two months of after-school classes.
· Your $1,000+ gift becomes $2,000 or more, helping underwrite our teaching artists and expanded youth programming for local children.
Reaching this halfway milestone is a powerful reminder of how deeply our community believes in providing free arts access for every child. Now, we need your help to finish strong.
When you support youth arts education, you are not just funding classes.
You are opening doors.
You are building confidence.
You are investing in the brightest future for our children.
On behalf of our students, families and teaching artists—thank you for believing in the transformative power of creativity and the potential of every young person we serve.
With gratitude,
Karen Ernst Kathleen Clark Barerra
Executive Director Deputy Director
P.S. Help us unlock the full $100,000 match and reach our $200,000 goal. Your gift today creates twice the opportunity—and twice the hope—insuring every child who walks through our doors has a chance to discover the joy of art!
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 DONORS!
Amy Ancira
Becky Baker
Tracey Bennett & Bill Zbieszkwski
CAPTRUST
Cheryl Bullen
Shawn & Kevin Carruth
Suzanne & Rick Cavender
Coastal Bend Community Foundation
Jill & Trevor Diehl
Shelly Dinkens
Carol & Don Douglass
Abigail Fletcher
Juliet Foster
Lisa Baer Frederick
Carla & David Gibson
Kathleen Giles
Bonnie Gilson
GSM Insurors
Janet Hagy
Laura & David Hausman
Dave Hayward
Kim Rose
Eric Kindervater
Legacy Wealth Partners
Maureen Leone & Terry Ludwig
Belinda & J. Andy Luddeke
Lynn L. Lynn
Margaret Sue Rust Foundation
Jane & Mark Mayfield
Dora McKelvey
Della & Darryl Meadows
Karen & Chas Mella
Cherry Morrill Donnell
Brigid Murrell
Geena Piwetz
Karen Raley Kantz
Rally Credit Union
Maureen Reilly
Sarah Robbins
Pat & Cecil Rousseau
Lynne & Bob Ruf
Matthew Savins
STEPS Foundation
Megan Stewart
Texas Commission on the Arts
Jennifer & William Todd
Laura & Jack Vogel
Bobbi Wagoner
Cynthia Walker
Susan & CJ Wax
Holly Waxman
Linda Weil
Cisco Willison
Ann & Forrest Word