Vilar Performing Arts Center Launches Free STARS Program for Eagle County Schools

Aspen —A $14 million performing arts center. 10,000 students served annually. Free tickets.

That’s the math behind the Vail Valley Foundation’s Vilar Performing Arts Center’s latest push to keep its Support the Arts Reaching Students (STARS) program alive and well. The foundation just announced the initial lineup for the 2026-27 season, and if you’re an educator in Eagle County, you need to act now. The school request form is live.

This isn’t a new experiment. Launched in 1998, STARS has been a staple of local education for nearly three decades. It brings nationally touring artists and companies to students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The catch? You have to request the seats. They aren’t handed out automatically. And they are free, but they are finite.

The 2026-27 slate kicks off with 18 performances scheduled between August and April. The goal, according to the Vilar, is to inspire, educate, and entertain. The reality is that it’s often the only time a student in a rural or suburban school district gets to see a high-level production without their parents shelling out for tickets and parking.

Highlights for the upcoming season include the Trinity Irish Dance Company making its first Colorado appearance in over a decade. That’s Aug. 28 at 12:30 p.m., for third graders and up. It’s high-energy Irish dance and live music. Then there’s a musical adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s Cat Kid Comic Club and Lightwire Theater’s technicolor take on The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare. It’s a mix of dance, theater, world music, and STEAM education.

Harry Jaffe, the arts education and community engagement manager for the Vilar, says this isn’t just a field trip. It’s often a student’s very first chance to experience the "magic of live performance." He argues that arts are critical to a holistic education experience. The Vilar is intentional about selecting performances that meet students where they are and stretch their imaginations. This season, they’re introducing kids to global music traditions alongside beloved stories and characters they already love.

Cameron Morgan, the executive director, calls STARS a core component of the Vilar since the very first season. The belief is that every young person in the community should have access to exceptional live performance, regardless of financial circumstances. Morgan says they’re proud to continue expanding the program’s reach and serving more students across the region each year. They’re grateful to donors for their generosity and to local schools for their partnership.

Let’s look at the logistics. The program serves more than 10,000 students and faculty each year. That’s a significant number of buses. A lot of teachers pulling classes out of regular curriculum for a few hours. The shows are often integrated into lesson plans. It’s not just sitting in a chair; it’s supposed to be educational.

The tickets are distributed through a request form. Educators fill it out. They get seats. It’s free for PreK-12th grade students in Eagle County and surrounding areas. The programming spans dance, theater, world music, STEAM education, and cultural experiences. The idea is to strengthen critical thinking, enhance cultural literacy, and develop creative problem-solving skills.

It’s a considerable overhead for a building that costs millions to maintain and operate. But for the schools, it’s a line item that doesn’t require a budget increase. For the parents, it’s a day off from finding childcare on a Tuesday morning. For the Vilar, it’s a way to justify its existence to the donors who keep the lights on.

The Trinity Irish Dance Company show is the first big ticket. August 28. 12:30 p.m. If you’re a teacher, you’re already thinking about how to fit that into your schedule. If you’re a parent, you’re wondering if your kid got the slot. The request form is the only way to know.

The bottom line is simple: The Vilar is still giving away tickets. The demand is still there. The logistics are still complex. And the cost to the taxpayer is largely absorbed by the foundation’s donor base and operational budget, not a direct levy on your property tax bill. But the competition for those free seats is real. You don’t get them because you show up. You get them because you requested them.