The Free Pass Project – A Social Practice of Spontaneous Compassion and Conversation

Creatively enacting spontaneous compassion and conversation.

(PLEASE NOTE: this website is now an archive of a ten year public art project that engaged and made the day better for over 4,000 people. My full art and project site is www.rachelcyreneblackman.com.)"FREE PASS": two words that can communicate simple compassion. Who needs the grace of a free pass now and again? Almost everyone. Think about your day, and even the last few hours. Has there been a moment where you've given yourself a hard time or been in a frustration? Have you interacted with a loved one or stranger who is stressed, is doing the best they can, feels disengaged from … Read More...

Read Our Stories...

Free pass conversation…

“What’s that Free Pass for?” I’m sitting at a bar, with an agenda in mind, and the recipient of my eventual inquiries beat me to the punch. Gone was the cascade of cool that was supposed to happen as the crunch of the first half of the football game faded, and suddenly I was up. […]

Free pass photo…

This busted up key chain was in the parking lot so I took this photo of a free pass next to it. I figured the free pass could be for a few things for this person who was probably trying very hard, probably had made some mistakes, or had things they could not overcome. It […]

Free pass wishes…token # 947

A couple of guys that come into my bar for wings and beers, Ryan and Louis, passed the coin along to me, and within minutes, I won $40,000 on a scratch-off lottery ticket. (That last part may be made up for the purpose of making my story more interesting) I have carried the coin in […]

For my Mom…

“My mom was out of town all weekend. A few hours before I knew she was due home tonight, I snuck into her house and set up this little Mother’s Day display. Two Free Passes! Dear Mom, you are totally off the hook for some unintentional childhood trauma, like my irrational fear of centipedes. Love […]