get “punched by the arts” withPortsmouth’s new Arts Alley Pass

Six nonprofit cultural institutions in Portsmouth are collaborating this summer to give people another reason to visit the city. 

The new Arts Alley Pass is free at participating locations or available to print online. Those who take the punch card to four or more of the venues on it are entered into a drawing for prizes. The best prizes go to the winners with all six holes punched. 

Included on the punch card are the Prescott Park Arts Festival, Strawberry Banke Museum, Seacoast Repertory Theatre, The Players’ Ring, the Gundalow Company and the Portsmouth Museum of Art—all located within a short walk from each other.

Ben Anderson, executive director of the Prescott Park Arts Festival, said the prize list continues to grow and now includes Broadway tickets and a season pass to Waterville Valley.

He said the pass is intended to encourage the community to explore all that the area has to offer. “Portsmouth is so diverse and artistically rich,” he said. “It was very easy to put this together.”

The idea is an expansion of past collaborations between the festival and the Rep, which is co-producing this summer’s musical in the park, Anderson said. He said the local artistic community is all about sharing resources and working together.

There’s plenty to choose from at Prescott Park this summer. The festival is staging “The Wizard of Oz” beginning June 24 and running every weekend through Aug. 21. The summer concert series in the park begins June 23 with Tom Rush and continues through Aug. 26.

This year’s Folk Festival on July 30 is headlined by master fiddler Natalie MacMaster. The Showcase Festival on July 9 will feature Patty Larkin, Jason Spooner, and the Seacoast’s own Jon Nolan.

New to the festival is Shakespeare in Prescott Park, presenting “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on July 24 and Aug. 14 at 2 p.m. 

Prescott Park will also host food festival and other events. For more information, visit www.prescottpark.org.

Anderson said organizers try to improve the festival each year, and it seems to be working. Membership is up 25 percent over last year.

“We think it’s one of our best yet,” he said. 

The pass also encourages people to check out some local theater this summer. The Seacoast Repertory Theatre will be staging “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” from June 17 to July 16, and “Hairspray” from July 22 to Aug. 28. Visit www.seacoastrep.org.

The Players’ Ring’s Late Night Summer Series starts June 24 with “Only for You.” Plus, “Tuesday Night Improv,” featuring local comedy troupe Stranger than Fiction, runs through Aug. 23. Visit www.playersring.org. 

The Portsmouth Museum of Art’s current exhibit, “Street a.k.a. Museum,” runs through Sept. 11. Visit www.portsmouthmfa.org.

Strawbery Banke Museum offers a variety of events, activities and exhibits throughout the summer, including “an American Celebration” on July 4. Visit www.strawberybanke.org.

The Gundalow Company is in the process of building a new functional replica gundalow at Strawbery Bank. They’re existing replica, the Captain Edward H. Adams, will be docked around the Seacoast this summer. Visit www.gundalow.org.

The Arts Alley Pass is valid through Labor Day weekend.

“So you have all summer to get punched by the arts,” Anderson said.