Welcome to
Grads for the Arts
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Grads for the Arts?
A: Grads for the Arts is a program funded by a Graduate Student Life Grant. Its purposes are to bring together individuals across the entire MIT graduate population who share a common interest in the performing arts and to make the performing arts more accessible by providing subsidies.
Q: How does it work?
A: Grads for the Arts has negotiated group rates for certain professional theater, opera, and dance performances in the Boston area. Graduate students may enter lotteries for up to 2 subsidized tickets. Thirty tickets are subsidized for each performance, at $15 or half the group-rate price, whichever is lower. Independent of the lottery, any member of the MIT community may purchase tickets at the discounted group rate through Grads for the Arts, as long as ticket requests are received by the posted deadlines. Requests received after the deadline are not guaranteed at the discounted group rate.
Q: Is there a mailing list I can join?
A: YES! There is a mailing/discussion list for MIT grad students interested in the performing arts. You can post and receive messages to organize activities (both formally and informally), suggest ideas, and solicit accompaniment. Add yourself to the gradsforarts mailing list by going to http://web.mit.edu/moira (requires MIT Certificates) or by typing blanche gradsforarts -a username at the athena% prompt.
Q: What does the ticket price include?
A: All tickets (subsidized and unsubsidized) include admission to the show and dessert (in the form of an informal post-performance discussion group)! The post-performance gathering is a chance for participants to discuss their impressions of the show, to get to know each other, and to build connections as a community, all while enjoying free dessert at a nearby venue! Some events also include pre-performance lectures, which offer educational insights into event production or the history of the artistic group. For more information, see the Events page.
Q: Who is eligible for the subsidy?
A: Any enrolled MIT graduate student is eligible to enter the lottery. There is a limit of two subsized tickets per student to any of the eight events. This can be one ticket for yourself and one ticket for a guest at a single performance or two single tickets to two different performances.
Q: What if I am not eligible for the subsidy?
A: Members of the general MIT community (undergraduate students, faculty, staff, spouses/partners, and graduate students who have already claimed two subsidized tickets) may purchase tickets at the discounted group rate if ticket requests and payment are received by the posted deadlines.
Q: Is there a limit to how many tickets I can get at the discounted group rate?
A: No. While there is a limit of two (2) tickets per student at the subsidized rate, there is no such limit on the discounted group rate. You may purchase as many tickets as you like at the discounted group rate, as long as ticket requests and payment are received by the posted deadlines.
Q: How do I request tickets or enter the lottery?
A: To request tickets at the discounted group rate, go to the Events page, find the event you're interested in, and click on the "Lottery/Ticket Request" link and fill out the form.
Q: What forms of payment are acceptable?
A: A check or money order is preferred, made payable to Mehdi Alighanbari. Please clearly indicate on the check your full name, MIT ID#, and the performance.
Q: Where do I send the payment?
A: Payment must be received by the payment deadline. Please make checks payable to Mehdi Alighanbari. You can either send the check (using interdepartmental mailing) to the following address:
Q: What if I win tickets in a lottery and have already entered lotteries for future shows?
A: For the future shows, where you are no longer eligible for the lottery, if you specified that you wanted to purchase group-rate tickets anyway, we'll get them for you.
Q: How are tickets distributed?
A: You'll get an email about ticket distribution. This will be different for every show, depending on how tickets are handled by the box office and the GFTA person organizing the show.
Q: I missed the payment deadline for the tickets I won in the lottery, and so I didn't get any tickets! Am I eligible for future lotteries?
A: No!
Q: Who are you?
A: We are graduate students Medhi Alighanbari, Paola Cappellaro, Mea Cook, and Dana Hunt. We took over for Lisa Treat who founded Grads for the Arts last year.
Q: What if my question is not listed on this page?
A: Send an e-mail to gradsforarts-request@mit.edu! We'll do our best to respond quickly.