Bath and Brunswick Libraries Offer Free Chocolate Church Tickets in Pilot

Patten Free Library in Bath and Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick announced a six-month pilot to lend free Chocolate Church Arts Center tickets to library card holders, broadening access to concerts, plays and live art across Midcoast Maine. Beginning Feb. 1, card holders at either library will be able to check out two free tickets to eligible CCAC events slated for the 2026 season.

The pilot covers a wide variety of programming, including community-theater comedies, live poetry and storytelling, a Smithsonian Folkways event, and concerts featuring classic rock, New Orleans jazz, Memphis soul and the stories and songs of Billy Prine. The collaboration was initiated by CCAC Art Director Jeremy Eaton and is fiscally supported by the Chocolate Church Arts Center, Patten Free Library and Curtis Memorial Library.

“We are so thrilled to work with Curtis Memorial and Patten libraries,” Eaton said. “I have always felt that the public library model is a sort of ideal for making and experiencing art. Now we can make sure more folks are able to attend concerts and plays with their library pass, removing the financial burden that many can’t afford to bear.”

Curtis Memorial Library’s Kelly McElligott, MLIS, adult services and technology manager, framed the program as an extension of the library mission. “By partnering with the arts, we expand access to creative experiences and reinforce the library as a place where learning, inspiration and expression intersect,” McElligott said.

Library pass programs are increasingly common nationwide. Many public libraries now loan free or heavily discounted passes to museums and attractions to foster lifelong learning and reduce cost barriers to cultural participation. Patten Free Library and Curtis Memorial Library already participate in pass programs that include Maine state parks, botanical gardens, and art and history museums; adding the Chocolate Church ties performing arts more directly into that network.

For local residents, the pilot reduces a direct price hurdle to attending live shows and may broaden audiences for CCAC productions, with secondary benefits for restaurants, retailers and service businesses around performance nights. The program also strengthens cultural equity by connecting lower-income, older and younger patrons to curated programming without an upfront ticket cost.

A full event schedule is available on the Chocolate Church Arts Center website. To reserve passes, patrons must present a valid Patten Free Library or Curtis Memorial Library card and should check with their library for checkout procedures and eligibility.

The six-month trial beginning Feb. 1 gives Bath and Brunswick patrons a simple way to test the program; success during the pilot will help determine how broadly the partnership is used and whether the practice becomes a permanent part of Midcoast cultural access.