Support
Your continued support of the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the arts plants the seeds of creativity and enriches our community through the arts.
As a collegiate performing arts center, we rely on the generosity of individuals, foundation grants, corporate supporters, and volunteers to achieve our mission of connecting communities and celebrating culture by offering vibrant visual and performing arts experiences that entertain, deepen understanding, and inspire joy and creativity.
There are many ways to get involved and support the arts in Ocean County based on what you are able to give!
Donate
Support the Grunin Center for the Arts
If you are able, any donation made to the Grunin Center for the Arts will help aid us in our mission to connect communities and celebrate culture by offering vibrant visual and performing arts experiences that entertain, deepen understanding, and inspire joy and creativity.
Become a Sponsor
Contribute to the Jersey Shore’s quality of life in a meaningful way, and enjoy exposure to our 35,000+ visitors each year. Sponsorship packages are customized to meet your marketing and philanthropic objectives and can include ticket perks for your employees. Opportunities include supporting:
- Performances in the theater
- Technological upgrades to the Center
- Schools ‘N Stage programming
- And more!
For more information, contact Heidi Sheridan, Executive & Artistic Director, at hsheridan@ocean.edu
Membership
The Grunin Center for the Arts offers three great Membership options to enhance your relationship with the Center. Members enjoy discounts on tickets, early access, and special events, and help support our vibrant, diverse, and transformative arts programming.
Memberships and their associated benefits are for a full season (July to June) and are valid for the season in which they are purchased. 2026-2027 Membership benefits will apply to the combined Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 events.
Learn more about each membership level:
River Memberships
$75 for the season, 1 per household
Benefits
- Sneak peeks at upcoming shows before we announce them to the public
- An OCC Swag Bag filled with goodies
- Early Access – buy tickets to newly on-sale shows 1 day before the general public
- Exchanges—Can’t attend a show? Exchange your tickets to another show within the same series, no questions asked. Exchanges are subject to ticket availability.
- Ticket Discounts – Save 15% off the face value of tickets to shows in the following series:
- Grunin Presents shows
- Family Series shows
- Repertory Theatre Company productions
- OCC Concert Band concerts
Discount limit of 4 per show, max 12 tickets per season (Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 events combined)
Bay Memberships
$200 for the season, 1 per household
Benefits
- Sneak peeks at upcoming shows before we announce them to the public
- An OCC Swag Bag filled with goodies
- Early Access—buy tickets to newly on-sale shows 3 days before the general public
- Exchanges—Can’t attend a show? Exchange your tickets to another show within the same series, no questions asked. Exchanges are subject to ticket availability
- Refunds—1 no-questions-asked refund per membership year, limit to 2 tickets, Rental events excluded
- Ticket Discounts—Save 20% off the face value of tickets to shows in the following series:
- OCC Concert Band concerts
- Grunin Presents shows
- Family Series shows
- Repertory Theatre Company productions
Discount limit of 4 per show, max 20 tickets per season (Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 events combined)
Ocean Memberships
$375 for the season, 1 per household
Benefits
- Sneak peeks at upcoming shows before we announce them to the public
- An OCC Swag Bag filled with goodies
- Early Access—buy tickets to newly on-sale shows 7 days before the general public
- Exchanges—Can’t attend a show? Exchange your tickets to another show, no questions asked. May be exchanged for any event eligible for a Membership discount. Exchanges are subject to ticket availability.
- Refunds—1 no-questions-asked refund per membership year. Limit to 2 tickets. Rental events excluded
- Waived fees—waived $4 per ticket fee on all purchases
- Ticket Discounts—Save 25% off the face value of tickets to shows in the following series:
- Grunin Presents shows
- Family Series shows
- Repertory Theatre Company productions
- OCC Concert Band concerts
Discount limit of 4 per show, max 32 tickets per season (Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 events combined)
Here are some FAQs to help you select your Membership!
Why should I become a member?
Memberships are mutually beneficial relationships. By buying a membership for the season, you are helping support our mission to provide transformative arts experiences at the Jersey Shore. In return, we provide great benefits for a more personal and customized experience with our center.
How long does my Membership last?
Each Membership is for one season. Our seasons run from July 1st of a year through June 30th of the following year, so July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
Whether you buy a Membership in July, October, or February, it expires at the end of the following June. Benefits apply to events within the season for which the membership is for.
We typically publish our brochures for half a season, Fall and Spring. A Membership year spans both of these brochures for a given season.
Why do your seasons span over two calendar years?
The Grunin Center for the Arts is part of Ocean County College. Our operations follow the college’s academic and fiscal calendar, and our seasons follow this academic-style calendar for several reasons, mostly for accounting purposes.
Which events can I used my Membership Discount on?
Membership Discounts apply to events in the following series’:
Grunin Presents Series
Family Series
OCC Repertory Theatre Company productions
OCC Concert Band events
The following series do not provide Membership Discounts:
Afternoon Recital Series
Blauvelt Speaker Series
Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon Series
Rental Events
Do I have to buy all my discounted tickets at once?
No. Your membership is applied to your account in our system, so we keep track of your allotment. Your discounted ticket allotment is for the whole season. You can buy tickets one at a time or pre-buy several events at once—it’s up to you!
Plus, the number of tickets per show is variable based on your needs. There may be a show only you want to attend, and you buy just 1 discounted ticket. You may bring your spouse and another couple for the next show, so you buy four discounted tickets. Membership tickets are flexible to your needs as long as you haven’t hit your maximum for the year.
Can my spouse/partner and I both buy Memberships and get double the discounts?
No. Memberships are limited to one per household, and while you may elect to allow multiple household members to use your benefits, you cannot buy multiple Memberships per year to increase the number of discounted tickets. You may buy a higher membership if you’re looking for more discounted tickets.
Can I extend my benefits to tickets purchased under a different account?
No. Membership benefits are only for the membership holder and the tickets purchased under their account. Tickets gifted to members by non-members do not qualify for membership benefits.
Can I combine my Membership Discounts with other discounts?
No. Membership discounts are applied to the Face Value of the ticket (Adult, Child, or Senior, where applicable) and cannot be combined with any other promotion or discount, including Group, Military, or OCC Faculty discounts.
If I don’t redeem all my allotted discounted tickets, will I be refunded at the end of the season?
No. Memberships are priced based on the value of all the benefits offered. There is no compensation if you do not fully use your Membership for that year.
I like to buy my tickets online. How will my discounts be applied?
Our ticketing system covers this. Each Member has an account with us tied to their email address. When buying tickets, you log into your account. You may choose to set up a password that you remember or get emailed a one-time access link each time you buy. Once you are logged into your account and have an active Membership with remaining discounts available, the system will automatically apply your discount or ticket fee waiver!
The system will limit discounts to four tickets per show and will know when you’ve hit your annual limit.
I don’t like to buy online. Can I still buy tickets in person or over the phone?
Yes! Our Box Office is open Tuesday to Friday noon – 5:00 p.m., where our team will be available to assist you with your ticket purchases both in person and over the phone. We can pull up your account and apply your Membership benefits to your orders.
Can I request an exchange or refund online?
For these benefits, no. You will need to call the Box Office and speak to a representative to redeem your exchange and/or refund benefits.
When will I get my Swag Bag?
If you visit us to buy your Membership in person, we’ll give it to you then!
If you buy your Membership online, we’ll have it ready for you at your first event after your Membership purchase.
Volunteer
Great Performances. Great People. Give the Gift of Time!
Volunteering at the Grunin Center is not only a great way to meet people, learn new skills, and enjoy performances, but it also serves as a meaningful way to help the community and enrich lives by connecting people with art. Our diverse group of volunteers, made up of men and women of all ages and backgrounds, works to welcome visitors to the center and deliver outstanding customer service.
Giving is Rewarding
Becoming a Grunin Center volunteer makes you part of the family. As you share your talents and interests with fellow volunteers, you also learn more about the theater’s inner workings, its education programs, and its role in the community. Other benefits include tickets to performances and biannual recognition luncheons.
Ushering
All ushers must pass a background check and complete annual training. The main goal of our usher program is to ensure the best experience for our patrons. This includes, but is not limited to, patron safety and evacuation support, accessibility assistance, greeting guests, guiding patrons to their seats, and being flexible with job duties. All Grunin Center ushers are volunteers and receive training and supervision from a House Manager. Having familiarity with, and access to, a computer and email is required.
Our Supporters
The Grunin Center wishes to thank the following Sponsors and Supporters. Through their generous support of various series, shows, programs, and special projects, they help us provide transformative experiences that connect our community together.
Sponsors
Supporters
