Programming
What we stage, host, and champion
From our own programming to co-productions, free Ally events, our participating artists, and fiscal sponsorship.
Programming is everything The 418 Project brings to life on our stages — the events we produce ourselves, the work we co-produce with local creators, the community events we sponsor for free, the artists we spotlight, and the projects we shelter under our nonprofit. Here's how each program works and how to take part.
Explore our programs
Upcoming Events
The events we produce ourselves — recurring nights and signature gatherings rooted in community, wellness, and the arts.
Jump to events →Co-Production
You bring the programming; we bring the space, the systems, and the audience — and we share ticket revenue at the door.
Jump to co-production →Ally Events
Eight fully sponsored events a year for community organizations — free space, tech, and marketing, with 100% of net ticket sales to you.
Jump to Ally Events →Participating Artists
Fifteen board-selected artists, each given a year-long spotlight and one dedicated showcase event built with our full support.
Jump to artists →Fiscal Sponsorship
Raise tax-deductible donations and pursue grants under our 501(c)(3) — without forming your own nonprofit.
Jump to sponsorship →Rentals
Host your own event in our theaters and lobby, with flexible spaces and full technical support for performances, classes, and gatherings.
Explore rentals →Upcoming Events
The heart of our calendar is the work we make ourselves.
The 418 Project produces its own ongoing slate of recurring nights and signature events — community gatherings, performance series, and seasonal traditions that belong to 418 itself, distinct from the rentals and partner events we also host in the building. These are often the best entry point if you're new to us: rooted in our mission of community, wellness, and the arts, and designed to be welcoming and accessible.
The events below are pulled live from our calendar. Tap any event for details, then grab tickets or RSVP through our box office.
Coming up
Co-Production
You bring the programming. We bring the space, the systems, and the audience.
Co-production is an active partnership model built to lower the financial and logistical barriers that keep local creators from staging ambitious work. You focus on the art; we handle the venue and operations — and we share both the risk and the reward. Our aim is to build sustainable, recurring relationships with artistic partners, not one-off transactions.
What The 418 Project provides
- Venue & facilities — full access to the designated event space and standard utilities.
- Technical infrastructure — house sound, house lighting, and standard equipment.
- Operational support — event-operations staff to run the venue during your production.
- Ticketing services — setup and management of all digital and gate ticketing.
- Concessions — staffing and operation of the venue's concession bar.
- Institutional leverage — access to relevant grant opportunities where applicable.
What you provide
- Programming — your content, classes, schedule, and timeline.
- Talent & vibe — the artists or instructors, and the creative energy of the event.
- Copyright & licensing — any required performance licensing (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) for your content.
How we split ticket revenue
Splits are calculated from gross ticket sales and are starting points for a conversation — every agreement is a little different:
- 50 / 50 (418 / Partner) — standard classes or short-form events under 1.5 hours that use a single space.
- 60 / 40 (418 / Partner) — productions over 1.5 hours, or events that occupy multiple spaces or stages.
Because the split is on gross sales, 418 absorbs all ticketing-platform and card-processing fees. Partners keep 100% of their merchandise sales; 418 retains concessions revenue. Complimentary tickets are capped at 10% of projected sales, and your share is paid out within seven days of the event.
Good to know
Final promotional materials are due six weeks before the event for full marketing support; load-in is up to two hours before doors and load-out within one hour after. High-risk acts (aerial, fire, acrobatics) carry their own liability insurance. We evaluate every partnership for artistic alignment and a collaborative, reliable working relationship.
Recent co-productions
Ally Events
Eight fully sponsored events a year, awarded to eight community organizations.
The Ally Events Program uplifts community voices, fosters cultural expression, and supports local initiatives by providing fully subsidized event space and operational resources. Each year The 418 Project awards eight (8) sponsored event slots to eight (8) different organizations — a limit of one event per organization per calendar year.
What's covered
Selected Ally Events receive a 100% rental-fee waiver, which includes:
- Space access — use of one designated theater and the main lobby.
- Technical support — basic technical staff for setup, the event itself, and strike.
- Marketing support — inclusion in our digital newsletter, social channels, and in-venue flyer placement.
Ticketing & payout
To keep things seamless for attendees, 418 manages all ticketing through our official box-office platform. The partner organization receives 100% of the net payout — gross ticket sales minus standard credit-card processing and ticketing-platform fees.
Application timeline
- Application window: July 1 – August 31
- Review period: September 1 – September 30
- Notifications: applicants are notified by October 15
Eligibility & selection
Applications are evaluated in two phases:
- Phase 1 — qualification screening. The event must align with 418's commitment to community engagement, inclusivity, wellness, or the arts, and priority is given to events serving a significant, underserved, or distinct demographic in our community.
- Phase 2 — selection. Among qualified applicants, slots are awarded strictly first-come, first-served by application submission timestamp. Once the eight slots are filled, remaining qualified applicants join a waitlist in order of receipt.
Applications are open now — apply by August 31.
Apply for an Ally SlotRecent Ally Events
Participating Artists
Fifteen artists. A year in the spotlight. One showcase each.
Each year our board selects fifteen artists working across disciplines — dance, music, theater, visual art, film, and beyond — to join our Participating Artists cohort. It's our way of celebrating and investing in the people who make our creative community extraordinary.
Being selected means a year-long spotlight: a featured profile, promotion across our channels, and one dedicated event built around the artist's work and produced with 418's full support — space, technical resources, and our audience.
The cohort is curated by the board rather than through an open application, but we always want to learn about artists doing remarkable work. If that's you, or someone you admire, tell us — your suggestion helps shape future cohorts.
This year's cohort
Fiscal Sponsorship
A 501(c)(3) home for mission-aligned artists and organizations.
Fiscal sponsorship lets artists and organizations whose mission aligns with ours receive tax-deductible donations and apply for grants under The 418 Project's 501(c)(3) status — without having to form their own nonprofit. You focus on your mission; we handle the financial and administrative side.
How it works
Apply, interview, and once you're approved you get your own profile and donation button on our website. From there, we:
- process donations responsibly and turn funds around within 14 days of receipt;
- provide our 501(c)(3) number so you can pursue grant funding;
- send donors timely acknowledgments and year-end tax letters;
- keep your information current on our site and feature your work on social media.
We charge a 7% fee on funds raised. The program began in 2001; in the past year alone it raised over $250,000 for artists and organizations, positively impacting more than 5,000 people.
Our fiscal sponsees
155 S. River St.
Santa Cruz CA, 95060
(831) 466-9770
community@the418project.org
Made with ❤️ by: The Electric Family