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...

Closing time token #909?…

I gave a free pass token to a waitress last night because we got to the restaurant sort of near closing time. We were very, very hungry and tired. She was very kind and patient as other workers began their tasks of cleaning and such for closing time. She was wonderfully excited and enthusiastic to […]

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. […]

My photo project…

I’m really loving the project. I’m looking for photo ops of things that can be interpreted as needing a free pass, so maybe folks will see the photos and go” I needed a free pass for that today as well. Today was “you know what, it’s okay not to make your bed every morning.” But […]

Free pass for my dad

My Dad gets very long winded and I’m going to hand him this free pass…