The Rialto Theatre is supported by the community and is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit, and that fact takes a lot of our patrons by surprise! As a 100+ year-old historic institution, the Rialto Theatre has been a part of the lasting stories we tell about our time in Tucson. If you have a Rialto story that you carry with you, please read on. If you haven’t yet visited our century-old theatre in downtown Tucson, keep scrolling and discover why the Rialto Theatre has a legacy worthy of preserving during AZ Gives Day campaign.

Each person who steps through our doors becomes a part of the collective stories we share, brought together by the power of music, laughter, community, and culture. The Rialto Theatre Foundation is on a mission to preserve the role and impact of the Rialto Theatre as a foundational Tucson institution. From connecting communities through the arts to driving locals and visitors alike to experience downtown Tucson, the Rialto Theatre works tirelessly to provide Tucson with a space that is uniquely their own as much as it is a community resource. Moreover, every donation made, every ticket purchased, every drink knocked back at R Bar, and all gifts bought at El Regalo are a part of how the Rialto Theatre Foundation funds and fosters arts education programs like the Youth Stage Crafters and provides free concert tickets for active duty military and veterans through the VetTix program. Your support is how we build a strong, connected community space for all.

While arts programming like ours strives to do as much as possible with limited resources, nonprofit arts funding and grant offerings at state, federal, and national levels have been critical components of our annual budget. This year, much of the grant-related resources we rely on have gone dormant, leaving many critical portions of our programming underfunded. During strained financial times like these, the Rialto Theatre Foundation reaches out to our community to help us keep on rocking. We’re hoping that you take the time to give the Rialto Theatre a financial gift on this AZ Gives Day on April 1, 2025.

Your support on AZ Gives Day will greatly help the Rialto Theatre reach our annual benchmarks, and every dollar goes right back into providing music, comedy, performance, and educational programming for all. If you have fond memories of the Rialto Theatre, and we’re sure you do, please consider making a donation during our AZ Gives Day drive on April 1. It may be just one day a year, but on this day we raise funding that can provide everything from free arts education for local high students to improving and restoring our century-old venue — and everything in between.

Best of all, donating to the Rialto Theatre Foundation for AZ Gives Day this year gets you a key to unlock a special event – a private VIP Thank You party at R Bar! Donors just like you who are 21-years-old and over will be in attendance, and your AZ Gives Day donation gives you tickets for you and a guest to enjoy cocktails, snacks, and getting to know some other local community members who opted to support the local nonprofit Rialto Theatre.


Please join us to reach our goal of raising $6,000 during AZ Gives Day 2025. Every donation helps us do more for you. As we always say, it’s your Rialto. Let’s keep it rocking, Tucson!