7 Stages and MARTA Create Green Partnership

9/30/2011

Last February 7 Stages received a $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta via their Grants to Green initiative. The funding supports the implementation of capital improvements to make the theatre more eco-friendly. The theatre is expanding their green initiative beyond the walls of their building and has partnered with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) to encourage patrons to take mass transit to the theatre. “Our staff carpools, bikes and takes MARTA to the office and around town. We want to encourage our patrons to do the same,” says Charles Swint, Director of Marketing for 7 Stages. Many theaters are accessible by MARTA rail or bus line. 7 Stages is located just a few blocks from the Inman Park/Reynolds Town Station, the Alliance Theatre and 14th Street Playhouse are located across the street from the aptly named Arts Center Station, and Georgia Shakespeare is a hop skip and a jump from the Brookhaven Station.

"We are excited to join 7 Stages in encouraging theatre-goers to be 'green' by taking MARTA to enjoy their great performances," said MARTA Director of Marketing Jennifer Jinadu-Wright. "MARTA is proud to provide our community convenient and affordable access to all the outstanding arts and cultural events that Atlanta has to offer."

The unconventional partnership between 7 Stages and MARTA raises the visibility of both businesses. 7 Stages production posters will be seen on the side of select MARTA buses throughout the year, and MARTA will reach new arts going audiences through the theater’s website and marketing material. As an added bonus, 7 Stages is offering $5 off tickets to their productions to MARTA Breeze Card holders. Swint comments, "In a time when dollars are short and budgets are being cut left and right we were looking for a creative way to increase our visibility in the community, and partnering with MARTA just made sense."

About 7 Stages
The name is derived from the ancient book of I Ching, The Book of Changes (#24, Turning Point). 7 Stages Theatre has been bringing local and international emerging artwork of social, political, and spiritual importance to Atlanta audiences for over 32 years. Artists in performance, musical, visual and the spoken arts have found the organization a haven in the support and development of new works and methods of collaboration.

About MARTA
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is the ninth largest transit system in the United States and has provided combined bus and rail service to DeKalb and Fulton Counties and the City of Atlanta for over 30 years. MARTA serves as the backbone of a growing regional transit network operating 91 bus routes and 38 rail stations on nearly 48 miles of track. MARTA provides transportation for over 500,000 passenger boarding each weekday and helps to remove more than 185,000 cars off Metro Atlanta roads each day.