The Next Generation Artist Series is a free, weekly, afternoon open-mic event open to all area high school students who wish to express themselves artistically in a fun, safe, relaxed environment. Every Wednesday, from 4:00 to 6:30, up to forty students at a time gather from The Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, Petersburg High School, Prince George High School, Colonial Heights High School, Dinwiddie High School, Hopewell High School, and from home-schooled environments. The students share poetry, short stories, music performance, dance pieces, monologues and scenes, and sometimes short films and visual art.

The Next Generation Artist Series has begun a new approach: on the first Wednesday of each month, a professional artist (choreographer, musician, author, actor, etc.) joins the students for the open-mic session, and then leads them in a short question and answer session about their craft and a short workshop to expose the students to their art form.

The Petersburg Public Schools 8th grade Field Trip Initiative: By partnering with the City of Petersburg and Petersburg Public Schools, Sycamore Rouge has been able to provide a free theatre ticket for every eighth-grade student in the city of Petersburg. Since the Virginia SOLs dictate that students begin to study drama in the 9th grade, this opportunity provides a real-life experience for students to apply as they approach their high school curriculum. In 2007, the eighth grade students attended a special performance of The Velveteen Rabbit. Prior to attendance, each middle school teacher with an 8th grade class was provided a study guide by Sycamore Rouge which included 8th grade SOL-based graphic organizers, writing prompts, and activities to be used in conjunction with the live theatre experience.

The Arts for Everyone! program: Sycamore Rouge seeks to involve all of its community members as active audience members. No one is turned away from Sycamore Rouge’s doors. Through Sycamore Rouge’s partnership with the City of Petersburg, The Arts for Everyone! program provides free theatre tickets for any Petersburg resident, should they decide they need it. The Arts for Everyone! program relies on the honor system: all a Petersburg citizen needs to do to receive their ticket is to show up at the box office, request an Arts for Everyone! ticket, show proof of residence, and enjoy the show!