Beginning in 1978, the professional Dell’Arte Company developed relationships with community groups through extensive rural touring residencies in addition to urban and college tours. In 1980, the Dell'Arte School began producing an end of year tour, expanding the touring trail blazed by the Company. In 1990, the Company and School began the annual show and tour to address a rural area study showing rates of domestic violence increasing during the holiday months of November and December. Dell’Arte connects with the county’s 135,000 underserved rural residents as well as seven Native American tribes. Rural communities have limited access to high quality art engagement experiences and professional theater.

Our programs reach isolated rural communities in our region about the size of Massachusetts, which extends north to Oregon and south to Point Arena in Mendocino County, just north of the San Francisco Bay Area. The Dell'Arte Holiday Show is a proud 'Hunger Fighter' with Food For People, and the aim year bring a message of hope as the light diminishes into the winter season. Community potlucks, song circles, story exchanges, classroom study guides about the play, and workshops accompany this regional tour, making it a cherished tradition. 

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