Our first club as kids was probably a girls- or boys-only club.

We may remember holing up in the most unassailable tree or fort available and picking a password, then waiting for the neighborhood gaggle of opposite-gendered children to show up and demand entry.

Your first and only question: “What’s the password?” Part of the allure of clubs, we learn early on, is that they leave people out.

You could say the Austin Area Commission for the Arts has a new clubhouse in the ArtWorks Center. But this one is different–we want everyone to know the password. The truth, though, is that this clubhouse will take a bit of work if we want to keep those doors wide open. That work takes the form of time and, yes, money. While we might like our artists romantic and starving, we have to feed them if we want to see the art truly thrive. That’s where you come in.

The AACA is looking for members. You might ask why we need a club in the first place.

What makes memberships so important to us is that they help support our operational costs. This sounds boring, but with $60 or $120 per year, you’re helping us lay the foundation for events, classes, and opportunities to enrich the community with visual and performing arts. Basically, you’re helping us keep the doors open to everyone.

And to say thanks, we make sure to hook our members up with great discounts on Paramount events and classes at the ArtWorks Center, as well as free popcorn.

We can give you a password, too, though you won’t be needing one.

To join the club, stop by the Center or visit us online at www.austinareaarts.org/membership.