Frequently Asked Questions about ArtsLink

The ArtsLink staff has compiled a list of frequently asked questions about the program and service we offer. Should you have any further questions, please email cam2015@columbia.edu.

STUDENTS: GENERAL QUESTIONS

1. Why can't I bring a friend along with me to an ArtsLink event?
2. I cannot attend the night my professor assigned the event. Are there any alternative dates?
3. What is the last day I can purchase a ticket?
4. How can students and faculty improve the ticket purchasing process?
5. Are there any service fees associated with these tickets?
6. Why does my name need to be on the class list?
7. How do I make suggestions about ArtsLink?

FACULTY: ACADEMICS & PREP MATERIAL

1. Is ArtsLink really a good teaching tool?
2. Are supplemental materials on the productions/exhibits available?
3. Can I get a copy of the play before the performance?

FACULTY: ARTSLINK RECOMMENDED LIST

1. How is the ArtsLink Recommended List created?
2. When will the ArtsLink Recommended List be available?
3. Can I request tickets to an event that is not on the recommended list?

FACULTY: TICKETS

1. How much will the tickets cost?
2. What if I have a student who is on financial aid and cannot afford to buy the ticket?
3. Will there be enough tickets for my students?
4. Can my class attend the same night? Will we be sitting together?
5. As a faculty member, how do I get tickets to the show that I have assigned?
6. Will the students know how buy tickets and where to go?
7. How many events can I request in one semester

FACULTY: MISCELLANEOUS

1. Are there any important deadlines that I should be aware of?
2. Where can I get the latest reviews and information on a production?
3. How do I make comments and  suggestions about ArtsLink?

STUDENT QUESTIONS

1. Why can't I bring a friend along with me to an ArtsLink event? Although the events themselves are open to your friends and the public, an ArtsLink event, like a discussion section for a course, is assigned by your professor to augment  classroom instruction. Due to the nature of the subsidies and the limited number of tickets that we pre-purchase (based on student enrollment in participating classes) priority is necessarily given to students in participating classes.

Tickets that remain after the ArtsLink deadline will be sold to the Columbia community, and your friend will be able to purchase a ticket if one becomes available at this time. These remaining tickets will not have the ArtsLink subsidy. If you and a friend are looking for cultural events in the City to enjoy together we recommend you sign up for the weekly Arts initiative newsletter - full of discounted tickets for on- and off-campus events - including Broadway shows and the Met Opera.

2. I cannot attend the night my professor assigned the event. Are there any alternative dates? If you cannot attend the show on the night requested by your professor, please inform your professor and have them notify us at cam2015@columbia.edu. From there, we will figure out the best solution to finding another date for you to attend.

3. What is the last day I can purchase a ticket? Each semester there will be a deadline for ArtsLink ticket purchases. For Spring 2010 , you MUST purchase your tickets by Friday, February 12 at 8PM. NO EXCEPTIONS. Once that deadline passes, the ticket price will go up and the tickets will be released to the Columbia general public. We do recommend that you buy your ticket as soon as you get the assignment from your professor.

4. Why are there sometimes long lines at the TIC? Just as there are long lines at Book Culture and Barnes & Noble at the start of a semester, some of the wait time will be unavoidable. Nonetheless, we are instituting some changes and can offer some suggestions based on the experience of ArtsLink Spring '09 to speed up the process. We are unable to offer print at home tickets at this time. Do not wait until the last day to buy your tickets.

5. Are there any service fees associated with these tickets? All fees (except the online service fee) have been eliminated for ArtsLink tickets and we encourage students to purchase their tickets online prior to picking up tickets.

6. Why does my name need to be on the class list? If your name is not on the class list, then we cannot sell you a ticket. It is the best way for us to make sure that tickets are not sold to students who are not in your class. If you did not pre-register for the class, please make sure that the professor sends your name to ticketinfo@columbia.edu to let ArtsLink know that you have been added to the class.

7. How do I make comments and  suggestions about ArtsLink? The ArtsLink staff wants to hear from you. Please email Chad Miller at cam2015@columbia.edu with any comments or suggestions.

ACADEMICS & PREP MATERIAL

1. Is ArtsLink a good teaching tool? We think so. Students, like everyone else, respond strongly to questions and themes expressed in a dramatic context, no doubt because drama depends on conflict. Is Hamlet crazy, grief-stricken, or very clever? Why does Hedda Gabler kill herself and her unborn child? Is Mary Stuart a victim of Elizabeth's ambition, or a necessary sacrifice to the stability of an endangered nation? Shakespeare, Ibsen and Schiller make these questions live.

You don't need to just take our word for it: 90 percent of students responding to our semester-end survey reported that the assigned ArtsLink event "strongly" or "somewhat strongly" influenced their understanding of the related topic(s) discussed in class; and 85 percent of faculty reported that the event had a considerable to high degree of academic value. (You can browse the full results of the Spring 2009 surveys here and here.

2. Are supplemental materials on the productions/exhibits available? Yes, on the ArtsLink site under Explore Events. We will provide links to reviews when available, the theatre's website, which will list cast and production information, and relevant background material on the play and playwright. If a professor or student finds additional material, we'll post it as well

3. Can I get a copy of the play before the performance? Classic plays are of course published. When possible, ArtsLink will make copies of new plays available. Please keep in mind however that most playwrights and producers are reluctant to make the play available before it opens.

ARTSLINK INVENTORY AND SUGGESTING A NEW EVENT

1. How is the ArtsLink Sample Events list created?

a. The ArtsLink Sample Events list is compiled by the Arts Initiative staff, who cull events from arts organization's press releases, season brochures, and websites.

b. Columbia faculty can suggest an event: Professors are encouraged to suggest an event for the upcoming semester, so that it can be added to the Sample Events list. Suggesting an event does not commit the professor or class.

2. When will the ArtsLink Sample Events list be available? The Spring 2010 Sample Events list is online as of December 1, 2009. Events may be added throughout the semester as outlined above.

3. Can I request tickets to an event that is not on the Sample Events list? Yes, you can request tickets to an event that is not on the Sample Events list. Faculty are welcome to request tickets to any cultural event happening in New York City or the 5 Boroughs. Please keep in mind that it is still best if these requests are for 15+ tickets, so that ArtsLink can find the best student group discount price.

TICKETS

1. How much will the tickets cost? Generally between $15 and $25 depending on the originally discounted price from the venue. We are able to obtain such discounted tickets through our established relationships with the City's various cultural organizations and by negotiating group ticket sales. Ticket prices are then further reduced through the generous subsidies provided by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation and matching funds from the Columbia Alumni Arts League. Our ticket prices are generally significantly less than available to the public. Here are some sample ticket subsidies:

$20 tickets are $15 with subsidy
$25 >>> $20
$30 >>> $20
$35 >>> $25
$40 >>> $25
$45 >>> $30
$50 >>> $35
$55+>>> Not eligible for subsidy

2. What if I have a student who is on financial aid and cannot afford to buy the ticket? Each student's situation should be handled on a case by case basis through the Financial Aid office. Please encourage your students to come to you if they have an issue with buying a ticket to an event. If you do not have a contact in the Financial Aid office, please contact Chad Miller: cam2015/212.851.1875.

3. Will there be enough tickets for my students? Once you fill out the Request ArtsLink Tickets form and the tickets have been confirmed, the exact number of tickets requested will be held until the specified deadline date during each semester - February 12, 2010 for the Spring semester. Students in your class must purchase their ticket by this date. After the deadline, tickets will be released to the general Columbia public at the originally discounted price (non-subsidized). PLEASE encourage your students to purchase there tickets early and remind them of impending deadlines.

4. Can my class attend the same night? Will we be sitting together? Your class can attend the same night or two different nights depending on the information you give us in your request form. We will do our best, but we cannot guarantee that you and your students will all sit adjacent to each other. Most likely the group will be sitting in the same approximate section.

5. As a faculty member, how do I get tickets to the show that I have assigned? Faculty members and instructors can purchase 2 discounted tickets online or in person at the Ticket and Information Center in the lobby of Alfred Lerner Hall. You can only purchase tickets to shows which you have assigned. In order to buy your 2 tickets online, you must have a promotional code. You will receive the promotional code when the tickets for your requested event are confirmed.

6. Will the students know how to buy tickets and where to go?  The Ticket and Information Center (the TIC) has sold over 150,000 tickets to the Columbia community since opening in January 2008. Three-quarters of students responding to our online survey reported that the process of purchasing an ArtsLink ticket was "easy" or "somewhat easy." Further, in conjunction with the TIC, we are making several improvements to ArtsLink, thereby making the purchasing and picking up of an ArtsLink ticket more efficient.

7. How many events can I request per semester? Instructors can request subsidized tickets for one event per class per semester. If tickets are not available for the one event requested, you can submit another request.  If you would like ArtsLink to arrange for your class to see more than one event, we will try to accomodate your class, but unfortuantely we cannot guarantee subsidy for additional events.

MISCELLANEOUS

1. Are there any important deadlines that I should be aware of? Yes!

For Faculty and other Instructors: Friday, January 29 is the day to fill out the ArtsLink Ticket Request form and request tickets for the Spring 2010 semester.

For Students: Friday, February 12, 2010 is the last day to purchase ArtsLink tickets for the entire semester.

2. Where can I get the latest reviews and information on a production? Throughout the semester we will update the confirmed event pages with the latest reviews and news as they becomes available. Alternatively, you can check our latest news page for a summary of new additions to the site, including reviews, newly confirmed events, and upcoming deadlines.

3. How do I make comments and  suggestions about ArtsLink? The ArtsLink staff wants to hear from you. Please email Chad Miller at cam2015@columbia.edu with any comments or suggestions.  If you are an instructor, please comment on our Faculty Forum.