Research Foundation

The seventy-five concepts under study.

This page documents the cultural activations the Foundation is studying as candidate programs for Duncanville. Each concept is presented with its discipline classification, format and scale, peer organizations referenced during the research, and the sources consulted. The classifications and benchmarks used here come from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Texas Commission on the Arts, the National Center for Charitable Statistics, and SMU DataArts. This is the research foundation that the Cultural Investment Strategy operates against.

Scope and limits

The seventy-five concepts presented below are not original creations of the Foundation. They are program formats already in use at peer cultural organizations across the United States, identified through review of organizational practice in the public record. The Foundation’s research contribution is the selection of which formats merit study in the Duncanville context, the mapping of each format to standard discipline taxonomies, the identification of peer organizations operating each format at small, mid, and large scales, and the assembly of these into a single bounded portfolio for demand validation. Target attendance figures are derived from peer-organization disclosures and IRS Form 990 filings; they should be treated as benchmarks, not commitments.

At a Glance

What the catalog contains.

Concepts 75
Categories 11
Disciplines 9
Peer orgs cited 200+
Research Approach

How the seventy-five concepts were selected.

The catalog was assembled in three steps. First, the Foundation surveyed cultural-program formats currently in operation at peer organizations across the United States, drawing on the National Endowment for the Arts grant-making record, SMU DataArts organizational profiles, and ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer for IRS Form 990 disclosures. Second, formats were filtered against three Duncanville-specific criteria: relevance to a city of approximately 41,000 residents in a region of 7.5 million, compatibility with the existing Armstrong Park Cultural District designation, and absence from the current local programming inventory. Third, surviving formats were mapped to standard discipline taxonomies and assigned representative peer organizations at small, mid, and large operational scales for benchmarking.

Classification systems used

Each concept is classified under three taxonomies. The NTEE code (National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities) is the IRS classification used by the National Center for Charitable Statistics and ProPublica for Form 990 reporting. The NEA discipline is the format used by the National Endowment for the Arts in its Grants for Arts Projects program. The TCA discipline is the format used by the Texas Commission on the Arts in its grant programs and Texas Touring Roster. Mapping concepts under all three systems allows benchmarking against three different organizational populations: federally tax-exempt arts organizations (NTEE), federally funded arts programs (NEA), and state-funded Texas arts programs (TCA).

How peer organizations were identified

For each concept, the Foundation identified at least one peer organization at each operational scale: small (annual budget under $250,000), mid (budget $250,000 to $2,000,000), and large (budget over $2,000,000). Peer organizations were drawn from the Foundation’s research and from publicly available data including organizational websites, NEA grantee lists, regional cultural-data clearinghouses, and IRS Form 990 disclosures via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. The peer roster is illustrative and not exhaustive; it provides anchoring examples for benchmarking rather than a complete census of organizations operating each format.

How target attendance figures were derived

Per-event target attendance figures are derived from peer-organization disclosures and the format’s typical scale in the published literature on arts programming. Where peers report attendance directly (in annual reports, NEA grant filings, or ProPublica-accessible 990s), the median peer figure is used. Where direct disclosure is unavailable, the figure is inferred from venue capacity and operational frequency reported by peers. These figures function as benchmarks for the Foundation’s Cultural Investment Index demand-coverage calculations; they are not commitments to programming at those scales in Duncanville.

Performing Arts Series

Performing Arts Series, 9 concepts.

DAF-001

Chamber Music Subscription Series

NTEE A68 MusicNEA MusicTCA Classical / Opera, Vocal, Choral

A season of five to ten chamber music concerts featuring small classical ensembles, sold as single tickets or as a subscription to the full series.

Format
Curated season of chamber concerts
Frequency
Series, 5 to 10 concerts Sep-May
Scale
Mid (50 to 200)
Target attendance per event
125
Revenue model
Single tickets and multi-concert subscriptions; sponsorships; donor program
Peer organizations referenced
  • Chamber Music Society of Salt Lake City (small)
  • Chamber Music Houston (mid)
  • Chamber Music Northwest (mid)
  • CMS Lincoln Center (large)
DAF-002

Curated Jazz Series

NTEE A68 MusicNEA MusicTCA Blues, Jazz, Spiritual

A curated season of four to ten jazz concerts, sold as single tickets or as a six-show package, featuring a mix of regional and touring artists.

Format
Curated season of jazz concerts
Frequency
Series, 4 to 10 concerts per season
Scale
Mid to Large (50 to 500)
Target attendance per event
175
Revenue model
Single tickets, season subscriptions, membership, sponsorships, food and beverage; South Arts Jazz Road Tours can subsidize artist fees from $5,000 to $15,000
Peer organizations referenced
  • Jazz Road grantee presenters (small)
  • Jazz St. Louis (mid)
  • Jazz at Lincoln Center (large)
DAF-003

Cabaret and Intimate Vocal Series

NTEE A6B Singing & Choral GroupsNEA MusicTCA Opera, Vocal, Choral / Theater

Four to six evenings of intimate vocal performance in a club setting, with single-ticket admission and a food and beverage minimum.

Format
Year-round cabaret residency
Frequency
Series, year-round, 4 to 6 evenings per season
Scale
Intimate to Mid (under 50 to 190)
Target attendance per event
90
Revenue model
Tickets plus food and beverage minimum, donor giving; ticket revenue covers a minority of cost (Cabaret Indianapolis 31%, Front Line Productions under 40%)
Peer organizations referenced
  • Front Line Productions (small)
  • The Cabaret Indianapolis (mid)
  • 54 Below (large)
DAF-004

Mainstage Theater Season

NTEE A65 TheaterNEA TheaterTCA Theater / Musical Theater

A season of four to eight full-length theater productions, with single-ticket and subscription pricing.

Format
Producing or presenting full-length plays
Frequency
Series, 4 to 8 productions per season
Scale
Mid to Large (200 to 500)
Target attendance per event
200
Revenue model
Single tickets, subscriptions, donations, grants, sponsorships; per TCG Theatre Facts 2023, payroll averages 51% of expenses and ticket income remained 29% lower than 2019 in inflation-adjusted terms
Peer organizations referenced
  • Chester Theatre MA (small)
  • Hanover Theatre Worcester (mid)
  • Dallas Theater Center (large)
DAF-005

Black Box Studio Theater

NTEE A65 TheaterNEA TheaterTCA Theater / Musical Theater

A small-format theater program in a flexible black box venue, presenting two to four short-run productions per year.

Format
Small-format theater in flexible venue
Frequency
Series, 6 to 16 performances per show, 2 to 4 shows per year
Scale
Intimate to Mid (40 to 150)
Target attendance per event
75
Revenue model
Single tickets, flexible passes, sponsorship
Peer organizations referenced
  • TCG Group 1 community theaters (small)
  • university studios (mid)
  • LORT second stages (large)
Sources
DAF-006

Staged Reading Series

NTEE A65 TheaterNEA TheaterTCA Theater / Musical Theater

Script-in-hand readings of new plays in development, presented to small audiences as part of a free or pay-what-you-wish series.

Format
Script-in-hand readings of new plays
Frequency
Series, 4 to 8 readings per year
Scale
Intimate (under 50 to 150)
Target attendance per event
60
Revenue model
Suggested donation $0 to $15, donor and foundation subsidy; playwright honorariums $375 to $850 per workshop at Playwrights' Center
Peer organizations referenced
  • Regional new-play collectives (small)
  • Playwrights' Center Minneapolis (mid)
  • Playwrights Horizons (large)
DAF-007

One-Act Play Festival

NTEE A65 TheaterNEA TheaterTCA Theater / Musical Theater

An annual one to three-day festival of short plays selected through open submission, sold as single tickets or a festival pass.

Format
Festival of short plays
Frequency
Annual, 1 to 3 days
Scale
Mid (50 to 200)
Target attendance per event
100
Revenue model
Submission fees $10 to $25, single tickets, festival passes, sponsorships
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local community theater festivals
  • Humana Festival of New American Plays
DAF-008

Devised Theater Production

NTEE A65 TheaterNEA TheaterTCA Theater / Musical Theater

An original theatrical work created collaboratively by an ensemble over a development period, performed in a limited run with pay-what-you-can pricing.

Format
Ensemble-created theatrical work
Frequency
Limited run, 4 to 12 performances
Scale
Intimate to Mid (40 to 200)
Target attendance per event
90
Revenue model
Tickets often pay-what-you-can, project grants, fiscal sponsorship; ensemble stipends $200 to $500 per week
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local devising collectives
  • Tectonic Theater Project
  • touring devised work via APAP
DAF-009

Presented Dance Performance Series

NTEE A62 DanceNEA DanceTCA Dance: Contemporary, Ballet, Ethnic/Folk

A curated season of two to five dance performances by visiting touring companies, sold as single tickets or a subscription package.

Format
Curated dance season
Frequency
Series, 2 to 5 performances per season
Scale
Mid to Large (200 to 500)
Target attendance per event
250
Revenue model
Single tickets, subscriptions, sponsorships; touring company fees $5,000 to $50,000 plus per night for mid-tier
Peer organizations referenced
  • U-M UMS (mid)
  • Des Moines Performing Arts Dance Series (mid)
  • American Dance Festival Durham (large)
Music

Music, 9 concepts.

DAF-030

Indie Concert Series

NTEE A68 MusicNEA MusicTCA Rock / Folk / Indie

A curated season of four to ten indie, folk, and singer-songwriter concerts, sold as single tickets in a club-format venue.

Format
Curated touring artist concerts
Frequency
Series, 4 to 10 concerts per season
Scale
Mid (100 to 400)
Target attendance per event
200
Revenue model
Tickets, concessions; cost mix artist 40 to 55%, venue and production 15 to 25%, marketing 8 to 12%, hospitality 2 to 5%
Peer organizations referenced
  • Eddie's Attic Decatur (small)
  • Club Passim Cambridge (mid)
  • City Winery (large)
  • House of Blues (large)
DAF-031

Songwriter Rounds

NTEE A68 MusicNEA MusicTCA Country / Western Swing / Modern, Fusion

A weekly evening of three to four songwriters performing in-the-round, with a small cover charge and a food and beverage minimum.

Format
In-the-round songwriter performance
Frequency
Year-round, weekly
Scale
Intimate (under 100)
Target attendance per event
60
Revenue model
Cover plus food and beverage minimum; majority of door to performers (Bluebird Cafe model)
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local listening rooms (small)
  • Bluebird Cafe Nashville (mid)
DAF-032

Listening Room Series

NTEE A68 MusicNEA MusicTCA Country / Western Swing / Modern, Fusion / Blues, Jazz, Spiritual

A small-format acoustic concert venue with an attentive-listening policy, running multiple shows weekly with single-ticket admission.

Format
Acoustic concerts in attentive-listening setting
Frequency
Year-round, multiple shows weekly
Scale
Intimate to Mid (100 to 150)
Target attendance per event
100
Revenue model
Tickets, food and beverage, memberships, school of music tuition
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local 50-seat coffeehouse series (small)
  • Eddie's Attic Decatur GA (mid)
  • Club Passim Cambridge (mid)
DAF-033

Community Choir Concerts

NTEE A6B Singing & Choral GroupsNEA MusicTCA Opera, Vocal, Choral

Two to four annual concerts by a volunteer community choir, including a holiday and a spring program, with single-ticket admission.

Format
Volunteer choir concert series
Frequency
Series, 2 to 4 concerts per season
Scale
Mid (200 to 500)
Target attendance per event
300
Revenue model
Tickets, member dues, donations; per Chorus America 2022 COSR, choruses average 78% contributed and 11% earned revenue
Peer organizations referenced
  • South Metro Chorale MN (small)
  • Connecticut Master Chorale (mid)
  • Washington Chorus (large)
  • LA Master Chorale (large)
DAF-034

Subscription Choral Society

NTEE A6B Singing & Choral GroupsNEA MusicTCA Opera, Vocal, Choral

A season of concerts by an auditioned chorus, sold as single tickets or as a subscription with a holiday and major-work program.

Format
Auditioned choir with subscription season
Frequency
Series, seasonal plus holiday
Scale
Mid to Large (200 to 500)
Target attendance per event
400
Revenue model
Tickets $25 to $100 single, subscriptions $80 to $300, donor program
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local auditioned ensemble (small)
  • Connecticut Master Chorale (mid)
  • Washington Chorus (large)
  • Choral Arts Society (large)
DAF-035

Pocket Opera and Opera in Concert

NTEE A6A OperaNEA OperaTCA Opera, Vocal, Choral

A small-scale opera program presenting three to five productions per season in concert or semi-staged format, sold as single tickets or a subscription.

Format
Small-scale opera production
Frequency
Series, 3 to 5 productions per season
Scale
Mid (150 to 350)
Target attendance per event
220
Revenue model
Single tickets, subscriptions; per OPERA America, personnel runs 60 to 70% across budget groups
Peer organizations referenced
  • IN Series DC (small)
  • Opera Parallèle Bay Area (small)
  • OperaDelaware (mid)
  • Opera Maine (mid)
  • Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (large)
DAF-036

Mainstage Opera Production

NTEE A6A OperaNEA OperaTCA Opera, Vocal, Choral

A fully staged opera production with orchestra, sold as single tickets or as part of a season subscription.

Format
Fully staged opera
Frequency
Series, 2 to 4 productions per season
Scale
Large (400 to 1,200)
Target attendance per event
750
Revenue model
Tickets $25 to $250+, subscriptions, sponsorships; OPERA America FY2019 mid-size budget cost mix: artistic personnel 42%, artistic non-personnel 30%, marketing 11%, fundraising 18%
Peer organizations referenced
  • Austin Opera (small)
  • OperaDelaware (mid)
  • Opera Maine (mid)
  • Houston Grand Opera (large)
  • Dallas Opera (large)
  • Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (large)
DAF-037

World Music Presentation

NTEE A68 MusicNEA MusicTCA Ethnic / World

A curated world music series of four to eight concerts per season, sold as single tickets or paired with a season subscription.

Format
Curated world music concert
Frequency
Series, 4 to 8 concerts per season
Scale
Mid (100 to 400)
Target attendance per event
175
Revenue model
Tickets, sponsorships; free at parks-supported series
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local cultural center series (small)
  • World Music Boston (mid)
  • Globalquerque Albuquerque (mid)
  • SummerStage NYC (large)
DAF-038

Outdoor Free Concert Series

NTEE A68 MusicNEA MusicTCA Multiple genres

A weekly summer outdoor concert series in a public park, with free admission and on-site food and beverage.

Format
Free outdoor summer concert series
Frequency
Series, weekly summer
Scale
Mass (1,000 to 10,000 across season)
Target attendance per event
800
Revenue model
Sponsorships tiered Presenting $7,500+ to Bronze $500, municipal funding, food and beverage percentage; admission free
Peer organizations referenced
  • Niwot Rock & Rails (small)
  • Fairfax County Park Authority Summer Entertainment (189 performances at 14 venues) (since 1892)
  • Minneapolis Music in the Parks (since 1892)
  • SummerStage NYC (large)
Dance

Dance, 7 concepts.

DAF-039

Ballet and Contemporary Dance Performance

NTEE A63 BalletNEA DanceTCA Dance: Ballet / Contemporary

A season of two to five ballet and contemporary dance productions, sold as single tickets or a subscription package.

Format
Producing or presenting ballet/contemporary
Frequency
Series, 2 to 5 productions per season
Scale
Mid to Large (200 to 800)
Target attendance per event
425
Revenue model
Single tickets, subscriptions, group discounts (Charlotte Ballet 10% for 10+)
Peer organizations referenced
  • Mutual Dance Theatre Cincinnati (small)
  • Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (mid)
  • Charlotte Ballet (large)
  • Houston Ballet (large)
DAF-040

Modern Dance Series

NTEE A62 DanceNEA DanceTCA Dance: Contemporary

A presented season of three to six modern dance performances by visiting companies, sold as single tickets or a subscription.

Format
Presented modern dance season
Frequency
Series, 3 to 6 performances per season
Scale
Mid (200 to 500)
Target attendance per event
300
Revenue model
Single tickets, subscriptions, sponsorships
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local modern presenter (small)
  • DANCECleveland (mid)
  • The Joyce Theater NYC (large)
DAF-041

Contra Dance Social

NTEE A62 DanceNEA Dance / Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Dance: Ethnic/Folk

A weekly to biweekly evening of traditional contra dancing with live old-time or Celtic music, with a sliding-scale cover and beginner instruction.

Format
Live-music traditional dance evening
Frequency
Series, weekly to biweekly year-round
Scale
Mid (40 to 200)
Target attendance per event
90
Revenue model
Sliding cover $5 to $15; standard performer fee includes travel, lodging, food
Peer organizations referenced
  • Atlanta Chattahoochee Country Dancers (small)
  • Pittsburgh Fall Dance Weekend (mid)
  • CDSS Country Dance and Song Society national network
Sources
DAF-042

Salsa and Bachata Social

NTEE A62 DanceNEA Dance / Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Dance: Ethnic/Folk

A weekly evening of salsa and bachata social dancing with an optional pre-social lesson, with a cover charge for general admission.

Format
Latin dance social with optional lesson
Frequency
Series, weekly to biweekly
Scale
Mid (50 to 250)
Target attendance per event
100
Revenue model
Cover $10 to $15, optional workshop $25
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local Latin dance studio (small)
  • Glen Echo Park (mid)
  • Mr. Mambo Maryland (mid)
  • national salsa congresses (large)
DAF-043

Swing Dance Social

NTEE A62 DanceNEA Dance / Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Dance: Ethnic/Folk

A weekly to monthly swing dance social with a live band, with a cover charge for general admission and an optional pre-social lesson.

Format
Live-band swing dance evening
Frequency
Series, weekly to monthly
Scale
Mid (50 to 200)
Target attendance per event
90
Revenue model
Cover $10 to $20; band fee plus venue plus sound
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local swing dance club (small)
  • Studio 22 Dallas Country Social (mid)
  • Frankie Manning Foundation events (large)
DAF-044

Drop-In Dance Class

NTEE A6E Performing Arts SchoolsNEA Dance / Arts EducationTCA Dance: multiple

A single-session adult dance class meeting weekly, paid by drop-in fee or punch card, in styles such as ballet, contemporary, salsa, or hip-hop.

Format
Single-session adult dance class
Frequency
Year-round weekly schedule
Scale
Intimate (10 to 30)
Target attendance per event
18
Revenue model
Drop-in fee $15 to $25, multi-class punch cards, term registration
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local studio (small)
  • city arts center (mid)
  • 92nd Street Y Harkness (large)
DAF-045

Community Dance Showcase

NTEE A62 DanceNEA DanceTCA Dance: multiple

An annual showcase featuring local dance studios and ensembles across multiple styles, sold as single tickets.

Format
Multi-style community recital
Frequency
Annual
Scale
Mid to Large (200 to 600)
Target attendance per event
350
Revenue model
Tickets, participant fees, sponsorships
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local studio recital (small)
  • city dance festival (mid)
  • regional dance showcase (large)
Visual Arts

Visual Arts, 7 concepts.

DAF-010

Gallery Solo Exhibition

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A four to eight-week solo exhibition by a single artist, with free public admission and works available for sale on commission.

Format
Single-artist exhibition
Frequency
4 to 8 weeks per show, 4 to 8 shows per year
Scale
Intimate at opening, distributed during run
Target attendance per event
350
Revenue model
Sales commission 40 to 50%, sponsorships, opening reception donations; W.A.G.E. solo exhibition fees $500 to $3,000
Peer organizations referenced
  • Arts council galleries (small)
  • university and municipal art centers (mid)
  • Indy Art Center (large)
Sources
DAF-011

Group Exhibition

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A multi-artist curated exhibition running four to eight weeks, with free public admission and works available for sale on commission.

Format
Multi-artist curated exhibition
Frequency
4 to 8 weeks, 4 to 8 shows per year
Scale
Mid distributed
Target attendance per event
400
Revenue model
Sales commissions, occasional artist fees; W.A.G.E. group fee at TAOE under $500K is $190 per artist for six or more artists
Peer organizations referenced
  • Arts council galleries (small)
  • Greater Denton Arts Council (mid)
  • Indy Art Center (large)
DAF-012

Juried Exhibition with Cash Prizes

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Visual Arts, Murals

An annual open-call juried exhibition with cash prizes funded by sponsors, free public admission, and entry fees paid by submitting artists.

Format
Open-call competitive exhibition
Frequency
Annual
Scale
Mid (200 to 600 across run)
Target attendance per event
450
Revenue model
Entry fees $25 to $60, sponsor-funded prize pool $1,500 to $12,000, sales commissions; juror honorarium $500 to $2,000
Peer organizations referenced
  • Anderson Artists Guild ($1,000 first place, $30 entry)
  • St. Tammany Art Association
  • Wayne Art Center CraftForms
Sources
DAF-013

Open Studios Tour

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A self-guided one to two-weekend tour of working artist studios open to the public, with a printed map and online directory.

Format
Self-guided tour of artist studios
Frequency
Annual, 1 to 2 weekends
Scale
Mass distributed across artists
Target attendance per event
1,500
Revenue model
Artist participation fees $0 to $250, free public admission; artists keep 100% of sales (701 CCA model)
Peer organizations referenced
  • Arts Foundation for Tucson (small)
  • Artist Open Studios Maryland (mid)
  • 701 CCA (mid)
  • Portland Open Studios (large)
DAF-014

Regional Art Fair

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A one to three-day outdoor art fair with juried artist booths, free public admission, and food and beverage vendors.

Format
Outdoor multi-vendor art fair
Frequency
Annual, 1 to 3 days
Scale
Large to Mass (2,000 to 30,000)
Target attendance per event
5,000
Revenue model
Booth fees $100 to $600, application fees $15 to $45, sponsorship, parking, concessions; admission free or low
Peer organizations referenced
  • Medina County Art League (small)
  • Geneva Lake Art in the Park (mid)
  • Lubeznik Arts Festival (mid)
  • Artisphere Greenville (large)
DAF-015

Monthly Art Walk / First Friday

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A monthly evening of open galleries, street performances, and art vendors across a defined district, with free public admission.

Format
Recurring district-wide art event
Frequency
Year-round, monthly
Scale
Mass (1,000 to 20,000 per event)
Target attendance per event
2,500
Revenue model
Tiered member dues $50 to $150 per month, sponsorships, vendor registration $25 to $100, grants, city partnerships
Peer organizations referenced
  • Sequim First Friday (small)
  • Springfield Regional Arts Council (mid)
  • Ocala First Friday (mid)
  • Phoenix Artlink First Fridays (large)
DAF-016

Pop-Up Exhibition

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A short-term exhibition mounted in a temporary venue for one day to four weeks, with free or low-cost admission.

Format
Short-term venue exhibition
Frequency
1 day to 4 weeks
Scale
Mid (100 to 500)
Target attendance per event
300
Revenue model
Sales commissions, opening event ticketing, sponsorship; short-term venue $200 to $700 per day
Peer organizations referenced
  • Arts Warehouse Pop-Up Studio Delray Beach (small)
  • Art House Productions Jersey City (mid)
Public Art

Public Art, 6 concepts.

DAF-065

Commissioned Mural Program

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Design & Our TownTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A commissioned outdoor mural by a selected artist, funded by percent-for-art, sponsorship, or grant, with no public admission.

Format
Commissioned outdoor mural
Frequency
Project-based, 2 to 6 per year
Scale
Public, distributed
Revenue model
Percent-for-art (1 to 2% of capital project North American norm), grants, private development funds, sponsorships; artist fee ~20 to 30% of project budget per Americans for the Arts norms
Peer organizations referenced
  • Town arts council 1-day paint (small)
  • Mural Arts Philadelphia (large)
DAF-066

Community-Painted Mural

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Design & Our TownTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A mural designed by a lead artist and painted with community participation across one or more public paint days, funded by grants and sponsorship.

Format
Lead-artist mural with community paint days
Frequency
Project-based, 1 to 3 per year
Scale
Public, distributed
Revenue model
Grants, sponsorship, in-kind volunteer hours; project budget $10,000 to $40,000
Peer organizations referenced
  • Town arts council 1-day paint (small)
  • regional mural collective (mid)
  • Mural Arts Philadelphia (large)
Sources
DAF-067

Temporary Public Art Installation

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Design & Our TownTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A time-limited public art installation in a defined civic space, lasting 90 days to one year, commissioned by an open call.

Format
Time-limited public art object or environment
Frequency
Project-based, 90 days to 1 year
Scale
Public
Revenue model
Commissioned fee; Durham 90-day temporary installs $5,000 to $25,000
Peer organizations referenced
  • City temporary public art program (small to mid)
  • Bloomberg Public Art Challenge cities (large)
DAF-068

Sculpture Walk

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Design & Our TownTCA Visual Arts, Murals

A rotating outdoor sculpture exhibition with annual artist commissions or leases, distributed across a defined civic walking route, with free public access.

Format
Rotating outdoor sculpture exhibition
Frequency
Annual rotation
Scale
Public
Revenue model
Artist honoraria or lease (Clayton NC $1,500 per year smaller, $3,000 per year larger), sponsorships, grants
Peer organizations referenced
  • Clayton NC Sculpture Trail (14 works per year (small)
  • 11th year) (small)
  • SculptureWalk Sioux Falls 80+ sculptures year-round (mid)
  • Andres Institute of Art 107 sculptures (large)
  • 140 acres (large)
DAF-069

Pop-Up Performance Intervention

NTEE A60 Performing ArtsNEA Presenting & Multidisciplinary WorksTCA Multiple

A scheduled or surprise live performance in a public space such as a park, plaza, or street corner, free to the public.

Format
Surprise public-space performance
Frequency
Series, 6 to 12 per year
Scale
Public, ad hoc
Target attendance per event
75
Revenue model
Artist fee $200 to $2,000 per intervention, foundation funding, busking permit
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local busking program (small)
  • Pittsburgh Cultural Trust busking (mid)
  • Make Music Day national (large)
DAF-070

Light or Projection Installation

NTEE A40 Visual ArtsNEA Design & Our TownTCA Visual Arts, Murals / Film, Animation

An architectural-scale light or video projection installation in a public space, free to view, funded by sponsorship and grants.

Format
Architectural-scale projection or light art
Frequency
Project-based, 1 to 3 per year
Scale
Public
Revenue model
Sponsorship, grants, ticketed VIP options; small indoor $1,000 to $5,000 per day; mid-range mapping $15,000 to $75,000; architectural mapping $50,000 to $250,000+
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local light art commission (small)
  • regional festival (mid)
  • Vivid Sydney (large)
  • Lumière London (large)
Literary Arts

Literary Arts, 7 concepts.

DAF-017

Reading Series (Poetry and Fiction)

NTEE A20 Arts & CultureNEA Literary ArtsTCA Creative Writing

A monthly to quarterly series of poetry and fiction readings by visiting authors, with low-cost or free admission and books available for purchase.

Format
Author readings
Frequency
Series, monthly to quarterly
Scale
Intimate to Mid (40 to 150)
Target attendance per event
70
Revenue model
Tickets $0 to $15, book sales, grants; mid-career author honorariums $200 to $1,500 plus travel
Peer organizations referenced
  • Library series (small)
  • Hugo House Seattle (mid)
  • 92nd Street Y (large)
Sources
DAF-018

Book Festival

NTEE A20 Arts & CultureNEA Literary ArtsTCA Creative Writing

A one to three-day festival of author readings, panels, and book sales, with free public admission and sponsor-funded programming.

Format
Multi-author festival
Frequency
Annual, 1 to 3 days
Scale
Mid to Mass (500 to 50,000+)
Target attendance per event
3,000
Revenue model
Free admission; sponsorships $1,750 to $10,000+, grants, vendor fees; author travel and honoraria $100 to $500 typical
Peer organizations referenced
  • Hudson Children's Book Festival (small)
  • Pittsburgh (small)
  • Savannah (mid)
  • Boston (mid)
  • San Antonio Book Festivals (mid)
  • LA Times Festival of Books (large)
  • Bay Area Book Festival (large)
DAF-019

Single-Session Writing Workshop

NTEE A25 Arts EducationNEA Literary Arts / Arts EducationTCA Creative Writing

A single-session adult writing workshop with a published author or instructor, paid by class fee with scholarship support available.

Format
Adult writing class
Frequency
One-time, recurring schedule
Scale
Intimate (under 25)
Target attendance per event
18
Revenue model
Class fee plus scholarship subsidy; instructor stipend $50 to $150 per hour adjunct rate
Peer organizations referenced
  • Thurber House (small)
  • Hugo House (mid)
  • Piper Center ASU (mid)
  • GrubStreet (large)
  • Gotham Writers Workshop (large)
DAF-020

Multi-Week Writing Class

NTEE A25 Arts EducationNEA Literary Arts / Arts EducationTCA Creative Writing

A four to ten-week writing class meeting weekly, taught by a working writer, with eight to fifteen students per session.

Format
Sustained writing course
Frequency
4 to 10 week sessions, 2 to 3 sessions per year
Scale
Intimate (8 to 15)
Target attendance per event
12
Revenue model
Course tuition; intensive residentials higher (Community of Writers Lake Tahoe $1,900 plus housing)
Peer organizations referenced
  • Thurber House (small)
  • Hugo House (mid)
  • GrubStreet (large)
DAF-021

Spoken Word and Poetry Slam

NTEE A20 Arts & CultureNEA Literary ArtsTCA Creative Writing / Storytelling

A monthly competitive spoken word event with a small door cover, a competitor entry fee, and a sponsor-funded cash prize pool.

Format
Competitive spoken word event
Frequency
Series, monthly qualifiers and annual finals
Scale
Mid (75 to 200)
Target attendance per event
110
Revenue model
Door cover $5 to $15, competitor entry fee $10, sponsorships, prize pool $50 to $2,000
Peer organizations referenced
  • KMAC Poetry Slam Louisville (small)
  • GrowHouse Slam Tampa (mid)
  • BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam (large)
DAF-022

Author-in-Conversation Event

NTEE A20 Arts & CultureNEA Literary ArtsTCA Creative Writing

A single-evening conversation between a visiting author and a moderator, often paired with a book signing, sold as single tickets or a ticket-plus-book bundle.

Format
Author appearance with moderator
Frequency
One-time per author
Scale
Mid to Large (100 to 500)
Target attendance per event
175
Revenue model
Tickets free to $45, ticket plus book bundles $25 to $45; mid-career author honorarium $500 to $2,500 plus travel
Peer organizations referenced
  • Bookstore series (small)
  • library foundation programs (mid)
  • 92nd Street Y (large)
  • Politics & Prose (large)
  • Town Hall Seattle (large)
DAF-023

Lit Crawl

NTEE A20 Arts & CultureNEA Literary ArtsTCA Creative Writing

A single-night literary festival held across many small venues in a defined district, with free public admission and sponsor-funded programming.

Format
Multi-venue evening of literary events
Frequency
Annual, single night
Scale
Mass (5,000 in San Francisco)
Target attendance per event
1,500
Revenue model
Free public admission, sponsorships $1,000 to $25,000+, in-kind venues
Peer organizations referenced
  • Regional Lit Crawls (mid)
  • Lit Crawl San Francisco / Litquake (large)
Sources
Film and Media

Film and Media, 6 concepts.

DAF-024

Curated Themed Film Series

NTEE A31 Film & VideoNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Film, Animation

A curated film series organized around a theme, programmed monthly or seasonally, with single tickets and a member discount.

Format
Themed cinema programming
Frequency
Series, monthly to seasonal
Scale
Mid (50 to 200)
Target attendance per event
100
Revenue model
Tickets, member discounts, sponsorships; licensing fees 35 to 50% of gross to distributor
Peer organizations referenced
  • Images Cinema Williamstown (small)
  • Grand Cinema Tacoma (mid)
  • Frida Cinema Santa Ana (mid)
  • Film at Lincoln Center (large)
DAF-025

Film Festival

NTEE A31 Film & VideoNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Film, Animation

A four to ten-day juried film festival with single screenings and tiered passes, accepting open submissions and curating audience and industry programming.

Format
Multi-day juried festival
Frequency
Annual, 4 to 10 days
Scale
Mass (2,000 to 50,000)
Target attendance per event
4,500
Revenue model
Single tickets, festival passes, submission fees, sponsorships dominant, grants, parties, concessions
Peer organizations referenced
  • Denton Black Film Festival (small)
  • El Paso Film Festival (small)
  • Phoenix Film Festival (small)
  • Austin Film Festival (mid)
  • Big Sky Documentary (mid)
  • Cinema St. Louis (mid)
  • Sundance (large)
  • Telluride (large)
  • SXSW (large)
DAF-026

Screening with Filmmaker Q&A

NTEE A31 Film & VideoNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Film, Animation

A single screening of a documentary or independent film followed by a moderated Q&A with the filmmaker, sold as single tickets.

Format
Single screening plus filmmaker discussion
Frequency
One-time per filmmaker
Scale
Mid (75 to 200)
Target attendance per event
120
Revenue model
Tickets, community screening license $250 to $2,500 by audience size, filmmaker honorarium $100 to $600
Peer organizations referenced
  • Faith centers (small)
  • libraries (small)
  • schools (small)
  • IDA-affiliated screenings (mid)
  • Film at Lincoln Center (large)
Sources
DAF-027

Filmmaker Showcase

NTEE A31 Film & VideoNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Film, Animation

A program highlighting a single filmmaker's body of work, often paired with an in-person appearance, sold as single tickets.

Format
Spotlight on a single filmmaker's body of work
Frequency
One-time per filmmaker, recurring schedule
Scale
Mid (75 to 200)
Target attendance per event
110
Revenue model
Tickets, sponsorships, grants, submission fees for shorts blocks
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local filmmaker series (small)
  • regional film centers (mid)
  • Film at Lincoln Center retrospectives (large)
Sources
DAF-028

Documentary Series

NTEE A31 Film & VideoNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Film, Animation

A monthly series of curated documentaries on social, cultural, or scientific themes, with single-ticket admission and a sliding-scale option.

Format
Curated nonfiction film programming
Frequency
Series, monthly
Scale
Mid (50 to 200)
Target attendance per event
95
Revenue model
Tickets, members, grants; sliding-scale common; PBS POV partnerships sometimes free
Peer organizations referenced
  • POV community partner sites (small)
  • regional film centers (mid)
  • IFC Center DOC NYC (large)
Sources
DAF-029

Cinema Club Membership Program

NTEE A31 Film & VideoNEA Visual & Media ArtsTCA Film, Animation

A year-round membership program offering weekly art-house screenings, with annual dues from $50 to $1,000 and member ticket discounts.

Format
Year-round membership-based film program
Frequency
Year-round, weekly screenings
Scale
Mid distributed (year-round)
Target attendance per event
5,000
Revenue model
Annual dues primary $50 to $5,000+ tiers, ticket discounts, concessions, sponsorships
Peer organizations referenced
  • Images Cinema (small)
  • O Cinema (small)
  • Frida Cinema (mid)
  • Grand Cinema (mid)
  • Cinema St. Louis (mid)
  • Film at Lincoln Center (large)
Folk and Traditional Arts

Folk and Traditional Arts, 8 concepts.

DAF-046

Community Holiday Celebration

NTEE A27 Community CelebrationsNEA Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Cultural Traditions

A free annual community celebration tied to a civic holiday, featuring live performance, vendors, and family programming.

Format
Civic seasonal event
Frequency
Annual seasonal (tree lighting, July 4)
Scale
Mass (2,000 to 10,000)
Target attendance per event
5,000
Revenue model
Municipal funding, sponsorships, vendor fees; free admission
Peer organizations referenced
  • Texas City Charles Brown Juneteenth (mid)
  • large city civic celebrations (large)
DAF-047

Juneteenth Festival

NTEE A27 Community CelebrationsNEA Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Cultural Traditions

An annual Juneteenth heritage festival with live music, vendors, food, and a freedom walk, with free general admission and optional ticketed VIP elements.

Format
Heritage festival
Frequency
Annual
Scale
Mid to Mass (500 to 50,000+)
Target attendance per event
4,000
Revenue model
Free general admission, sponsorships, vendor fees, optional VIP and walk tickets
Peer organizations referenced
  • Mansfield TX (small)
  • McKinney TX (small)
  • Texas City (mid)
  • Longview (mid)
  • Houston Miller Outdoor Theatre Juneteenth Culture Fest (large)
  • Galveston Island Festival (large)
DAF-048

Día de los Muertos Festival

NTEE A27 Community CelebrationsNEA Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Cultural Traditions

An annual Día de los Muertos festival with altars, live music, vendors, and a procession, with free public admission.

Format
Heritage festival
Frequency
Annual
Scale
Mass (10,000 to 50,000+)
Target attendance per event
8,000
Revenue model
Free admission, vendor fees ~$75, corporate and cultural sponsorship
Peer organizations referenced
  • New Braunfels TX (small)
  • McKinney TX (mid)
  • Corpus Christi (mid)
  • Muertos Fest San Antonio Hemisfair (large)
  • El Paso MCAD Desfile (large)
DAF-049

Cinco de Mayo Festival

NTEE A27 Community CelebrationsNEA Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Cultural Traditions

An annual Cinco de Mayo celebration with live music, vendors, and food, with free or low admission.

Format
Heritage festival
Frequency
Annual
Scale
Mid to Mass (1,000 to 25,000)
Target attendance per event
3,500
Revenue model
Free or low admission $5 to $10, vendor fees, sponsorships
Peer organizations referenced
  • City park celebrations (small)
  • Fiesta St. Paul (mid)
  • Cinco de Mayo en La Villita San Antonio (large)
Sources
DAF-050

Diwali Festival of Lights

NTEE A27 Community CelebrationsNEA Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Cultural Traditions

An annual Diwali Festival of Lights with classical Indian dance and music, vendors, and food, with free public admission.

Format
Heritage festival
Frequency
Annual
Scale
Mid to Mass (5,000 to 50,000+)
Target attendance per event
6,000
Revenue model
Free admission, vendor fees, corporate and cultural sponsorship
Peer organizations referenced
  • City of Chandler AZ Diwali (small)
  • Cary NC Diwali (15 (mid)
  • 000+) (mid)
  • Bay Area Diwali Cupertino (13 (large)
  • 000+ (large)
  • 70+ vendors) (large)
  • LA Diwali Whittier Narrows (40 (large)
  • 000+) (large)
DAF-051

Craft and Artisan Market

NTEE A24 Folk ArtsNEA Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Cultural Traditions

A juried artisan market with handmade craft, fine art, and food vendors, with free or low public admission and vendor booth fees.

Format
Vendor-based artisan market
Frequency
Annual or quarterly
Scale
Mid to Large (500 to 10,000)
Target attendance per event
3,500
Revenue model
Vendor booth fees $100 to $500, admission free to $10
Peer organizations referenced
  • Naperville Artisan Market IL (small)
  • Occoquan VA Town Festivals (mid)
  • Chicago Artisan Market 115+ vendors (large)
DAF-052

Traditional Music Gathering

NTEE A24 Folk ArtsNEA Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Country / Western Swing

A weekly to monthly traditional music gathering for old-time, bluegrass, or related styles, with open jamming and concert-style sets.

Format
Old-time, bluegrass, or traditional music jam
Frequency
Series, weekly to monthly
Scale
Intimate to Mid (40 to 200)
Target attendance per event
75
Revenue model
Free jam, paid weekend gatherings $50 to $150 weekend pass
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local Saturday old-time jam (small)
  • Swannanoa Gathering (mid)
  • Ashokan camps (mid)
  • Folk Alliance International (large)
DAF-053

Storytelling Event

NTEE A24 Folk ArtsNEA Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Storytelling

A storyteller showcase running as a single evening or a multi-day festival, with single-ticket admission and weekend passes.

Format
Storyteller showcase
Frequency
Series or annual festival
Scale
Mid (100 to 600)
Target attendance per event
200
Revenue model
Tickets free to $145 weekend pass; National Storytelling Festival Jonesborough one-day $45 to $110
Peer organizations referenced
  • Library Tellabration (small)
  • Texas Storytelling Festival Denton (mid)
  • Timpanogos (mid)
  • International Storytelling Center National Storytelling Festival 10 (large)
  • 000+ attendees (large)
Arts Education

Arts Education, 6 concepts.

DAF-059

Single-Session Public Workshop

NTEE A25 Arts EducationNEA Arts EducationTCA Multiple

A single-session adult workshop in visual art, music, or performance, paid by class fee with sliding-scale options and supply fees.

Format
Adult arts workshop
Frequency
Year-round, recurring
Scale
Intimate (10 to 30)
Target attendance per event
16
Revenue model
Class fee $25 to $75 plus supply fees; membership programs $35 to $300
Peer organizations referenced
  • Rec center workshops (small)
  • Kennedy Heights Arts Center sliding scale 10 to 65% (mid)
  • 92nd Street Y (large)
  • MFA Boston (large)
DAF-060

Multi-Week Adult Class

NTEE A25 Arts EducationNEA Arts EducationTCA Multiple

A four to ten-week adult arts class meeting weekly, sold by term registration, with eight to fifteen students per class.

Format
Sustained adult arts course
Frequency
Term-based, 4 to 10 weeks, 3 terms per year
Scale
Intimate (8 to 15)
Target attendance per event
12
Revenue model
Term tuition $150 to $300; Kennedy Heights 7-week photography $203
Peer organizations referenced
  • Kennedy Heights Arts Center (small)
  • Community Creative Center (mid)
  • Pratt Manhattan Continuing Education (large)
DAF-061

Visiting Artist Masterclass

NTEE A25 Arts EducationNEA Arts EducationTCA Multiple

A single-session intensive class with a visiting master artist in a discipline such as theater, music, dance, or visual art, paid by workshop fee.

Format
Single-session intensive with master artist
Frequency
Recurring schedule, 4 to 8 per year
Scale
Intimate (10 to 30)
Target attendance per event
18
Revenue model
Workshop fee $35 to $120; audition $25 (Kennedy Center Youth Masterclass)
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local visiting artist program (small)
  • Kennedy Heights (mid)
  • Studio 22 Dallas (mid)
  • Kennedy Center (large)
  • Aspen Music Festival (large)
DAF-062

Youth After-School Arts Program

NTEE A25 Arts EducationNEA Arts EducationTCA Multiple

An after-school youth arts program meeting weekly during the school year, paid by weekly tuition with scholarship support.

Format
Sustained youth arts programming
Frequency
Year-round, school year
Scale
Intimate to Mid (15 to 60)
Target attendance per event
35
Revenue model
Per Wallace Foundation, average cost $24 per day per slot elementary school year; tuition $80 to $275 per week
Peer organizations referenced
  • City rec (small)
  • Brooklyn Arts Exchange ($595 to $745 per week summer) (mid)
  • VisArts Richmond ($190 per week ArtVenture) (mid)
  • Cincinnati Jazz Academy free for CPS students (large)
DAF-063

Summer Arts Camp

NTEE A25 Arts EducationNEA Arts EducationTCA Multiple

A multi-week youth summer arts camp with weekly registration, paid by weekly tuition with scholarship support.

Format
Multi-week youth summer camp
Frequency
Summer, 4 to 10 weeks
Scale
Mid (40 to 200 across summer)
Target attendance per event
80
Revenue model
Weekly tuition $185 to $745 (PAFA $340 per week member; VisArts $190 per week; BAX $595 to $745 per week)
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local studio camp (small)
  • VisArts Richmond (mid)
  • BAX Brooklyn (mid)
  • Pratt (large)
  • PAFA (large)
Sources
DAF-064

Teen Arts Program

NTEE A25 Arts EducationNEA Arts EducationTCA Multiple

A year-round teen arts program for ages 13 to 18, often free or low-cost, providing sustained instruction and a leadership pathway.

Format
Sustained teen arts programming
Frequency
Year-round
Scale
Intimate to Mid (15 to 50)
Target attendance per event
28
Revenue model
Per Wallace Foundation, $33 per day per slot teen school-year, $44 per day per slot summer; tuition free to $300 per term (Kennedy Heights free for ages 13 to 18)
Peer organizations referenced
  • Library teen arts (small)
  • Kennedy Heights Arts Center (mid)
  • BAX Understudies (mid)
  • Walters Art Museum Teen Arts Council (large)
  • MoMA Teens (large)
Multidisciplinary

Multidisciplinary, 5 concepts.

DAF-054

Multi-Day Multi-Genre Festival

NTEE A60 Performing ArtsNEA Presenting & Multidisciplinary WorksTCA Multiple

A two to four-day festival presenting visual art, music, theater, dance, and food across multiple stages and venues, with day passes and weekend passes.

Format
Festival across art forms
Frequency
Annual, 2 to 4 days
Scale
Large to Mass (1,000 to 30,000)
Target attendance per event
6,500
Revenue model
Day passes $30 to $150, weekend $80 to $535, sponsorships, vendors; artist fees 30 to 45% of budget
Peer organizations referenced
  • Town arts weekend (small)
  • Block Party at the Station Seattle ~$20K op budget (mid)
  • Northwest Folklife (large)
  • Charlotte SHOUT! (large)
DAF-055

Cultural District Year-Round Programming

NTEE A26 Arts & Humanities CouncilsNEA Local Arts AgenciesTCA Multiple

Year-round coordinated arts programming across a state-designated cultural district, including signature events, public art, and resident-organization support.

Format
Coordinated district arts program
Frequency
Year-round
Scale
Distributed across district
Target attendance per event
25,000
Revenue model
Municipal cultural district designation funding, sponsorships, member organizations; aggregate budget $250K to $2M+
Peer organizations referenced
  • Texas Cultural Districts state-designated (small to mid)
  • Tulsa Arts District (mid)
  • Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (large)
DAF-056

Arts and Gallery Crawl

NTEE A20 Arts & CultureNEA Local Arts AgenciesTCA Multiple

A quarterly to monthly evening of open galleries, live performance, and street activity across a defined district, with free public admission.

Format
Multi-venue evening of open galleries and performance
Frequency
Series, quarterly to monthly
Scale
Mass (5,000 to 30,000)
Target attendance per event
4,000
Revenue model
Free public admission, cultural-trust funded, business sponsors, vendor fees
Peer organizations referenced
  • Tulsa First Friday (small)
  • St. Paul Art Crawl (3 weekends (mid)
  • 50+ artists per node) (mid)
  • Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Gallery Crawl ~30 (large)
  • 000 visitors 4x per year (large)
DAF-057

Block Party with Arts Programming

NTEE A27 Community CelebrationsNEA Presenting & Multidisciplinary WorksTCA Multiple

A neighborhood-scale block party with live music, public art, and food vendors, free to the public with optional VIP tickets.

Format
Neighborhood-scale arts block party
Frequency
Annual or quarterly
Scale
Large to Mass (500 to 10,000)
Target attendance per event
1,500
Revenue model
Free or VIP $80 to $140; artist fees ($1,500 per artist Bronx Council Arts on the Block), permits, sound, food trucks
Peer organizations referenced
  • Town block party (small)
  • neighborhood arts council (mid)
  • Block Club Chicago (large)
DAF-058

Open Streets Event

NTEE A27 Community CelebrationsNEA Presenting & Multidisciplinary WorksTCA Multiple

A car-free street activation across a several-block route with live performance, public art, and food vendors, with free public admission.

Format
Car-free street activation with arts programming
Frequency
Series, 3 to 13 events per year
Scale
Mass (25,000 to 50,000 per event)
Target attendance per event
12,000
Revenue model
City funding, sponsorships, vendor registration; typically free; city in-kind $34,000 to $65,000 per event for permits, closures, police; five-event series budget $815,000 to $851,700 (Our Streets Minneapolis)
Peer organizations referenced
  • Cedar Riverside Cedarfest (small)
  • Minneapolis Open Streets (mid)
  • Sunday Streets San Francisco (large)
  • Summer Streets NYC (large)
Culinary and Cultural

Culinary and Cultural, 5 concepts.

DAF-071

Chef and Music Dinner Concert

NTEE A60 Performing ArtsNEA Presenting & Multidisciplinary WorksTCA Multiple

A multi-course tasting dinner paired with a live concert, sold as a single prix-fixe ticket per seat.

Format
Multi-course dinner with live music
Frequency
Series, monthly to quarterly
Scale
Intimate (20 to 80)
Target attendance per event
45
Revenue model
Prix-fixe ticket $75 to $255 (Brooklyn Fare chef's table $255); chef and food cost 40 to 55%, musician fee, F&B service staff, beverage cost
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local boutique series (small)
  • Vienna Mozart Concert plus dinner (mid)
  • Brooklyn Fare chef's table (large)
  • James Beard House (large)
DAF-072

Pop-Up Dinner with Art

NTEE A60 Performing ArtsNEA Presenting & Multidisciplinary WorksTCA Multiple

A single-evening pop-up dinner held inside a gallery, museum, or arts venue, sold as a single prix-fixe ticket per seat.

Format
One-night dinner in art venue
Frequency
Series, 4 to 8 per year
Scale
Intimate (20 to 80)
Target attendance per event
50
Revenue model
Prix-fixe ticket $85 to $200, sponsorship, in-kind venue
Peer organizations referenced
  • Nonprofit gallery pop-up (small)
  • Outstanding in the Field national (mid)
  • Resy x James Beard partnership events (large)
DAF-073

Heritage Food Festival

NTEE A24 Folk ArtsNEA Folk & Traditional ArtsTCA Cultural Traditions

An annual food and drink festival celebrating a heritage cuisine, with free or low admission, vendor booths, and ticketed VIP elements.

Format
Food and drink heritage festival
Frequency
Annual
Scale
Mid to Mass (1,000 to 25,000)
Target attendance per event
4,500
Revenue model
Free or low admission, VIP $80, $5 raffle and discount tickets, vendor fees
Peer organizations referenced
  • New Braunfels Wurstfest (free) (small)
  • Lofty Spaces Texas Food Fest Juneteenth Dallas (mid)
  • Galveston Island Juneteenth (large)
  • Stafford Centre Juneteenth 5 (large)
  • 000+ (large)
DAF-074

Wine and Beer Tasting with Arts

NTEE A20 Arts & CultureNEA Presenting & Multidisciplinary WorksTCA Multiple

A wine or beer tasting paired with live music, gallery exhibition, or hands-on art experience, sold as a single ticket per attendee.

Format
Tasting paired with arts programming
Frequency
Series, quarterly
Scale
Mid (75 to 250)
Target attendance per event
130
Revenue model
Tasting ticket $35 to $95, sponsorships
Peer organizations referenced
  • Local winery plein-air paint (small)
  • LaBelle Winery NH Spring Fine Craft & Artisan Market (mid)
  • Aspen Food & Wine Classic-style hybrid (large)
DAF-075

Cooking Demonstration as Cultural Programming

NTEE A24 Folk ArtsNEA Folk & Traditional Arts / Arts EducationTCA Cultural Traditions

A heritage cooking demonstration or hands-on class led by a tradition-bearer or chef, with single-class admission or free festival programming.

Format
Heritage cooking demonstration or class
Frequency
Series, monthly
Scale
Intimate (15 to 60)
Target attendance per event
30
Revenue model
Free at festivals (Seattle Center Festal Diwali); standalone class $45 to $125 per person
Peer organizations referenced
  • Heritage cultural center demo (small)
  • Seattle Center Festal cultural cooking demos (free (mid)
  • 25 festivals per year) (mid)
  • James Beard Foundation (large)
  • Smithsonian Folklife Festival Foodways (large)
Methodological Frameworks

How concepts move from catalog to activation.

The seventy-five concepts above feed the Foundation’s Cultural Investment Strategy through a four-stage pipeline: intake (catalog rating via artsindex.org), validation (financial pre-commitment), activation (live programming), and post-activation (outcome measurement). Movement between stages is governed by quantitative thresholds defined in the Strategy. The Foundation requires evidence at each stage before any concept advances to the next.

Calibrated demand methodology

Demand for each concept is measured through stated-intent ratings on the standard zero-to-ten Juster scale (Juster, 1966), translated into individual probability of attendance using the Juster mapping. Aggregate demand is calculated as the mean of individual probabilities across respondents, adjusted by two coefficients drawn from the consumer-research literature. The Morwitz factor of 0.60 (Morwitz, Steckel, and Gupta, 2007) corrects for the documented gap between stated intent and actual purchase in new-product categories. A social-desirability haircut of 0.50 (Kirchberg and Kuchar, 2014) further discounts cultural-attendance intent specifically, which research shows is overstated more than other consumer categories due to the perceived social value of arts participation. The combined adjustment of 0.30 means a respondent who marks a Juster score of 10 contributes a calibrated 30 percent probability to the final estimate.

Cultural Investment Index

The Cultural Investment Index combines five components into a single activation-decision score: calibrated demand (the catalog-derived measure described above), financial validation (pre-commitment of revenue at the format’s required threshold), geographic targeting (Duncanville-versus-regional segmentation of demand), governance fit (alignment with Foundation operating principles), and capacity match (organizational and venue readiness). The five components are weighted and summed to produce a 0-to-100 CII score. The activation threshold is 75; concepts below threshold remain in earlier pipeline stages until additional evidence is gathered.

Bibliography

Sources cited in the catalog.

The references below are organized by the function they serve in the catalog: discipline taxonomies, organizational financial benchmarks, demand-validation methodology, scoring frameworks consulted in the design of the Cultural Investment Index, and peer-organization financial sources. Hundreds of additional peer-organization websites are cited inline within individual concept entries above and are not repeated here.

Discipline taxonomies

National Endowment for the Arts. Grants for Arts Projects, FY 2027 discipline categories. arts.gov/grants/grants-for-arts-projects

Texas Commission on the Arts. Program overview, artistic disciplines, and Texas Touring Roster. arts.texas.gov

National Center for Charitable Statistics, Urban Institute. NTEE Major Group A reference. nccs.urban.org

SMU DataArts. Cultural Data Profile sectors and methodology, Arts Vibrancy Index. culturaldata.org

Americans for the Arts. Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study findings. aep6.americansforthearts.org

Cost structure and revenue benchmarks

SMU DataArts. National Trends 2025: FY2024 financial data covering approximately 6,500 cultural organizations. Contributed and earned revenue ratios by organization size. culturaldata.org

OPERA America. Annual Field Report 2022. Cost composition by budget group. operaamerica.org

OPERA America. Annual Field Report 2020. FY2019 and FY2020 budget breakdowns.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG). Theatre Facts 2023. Annual research report; payroll 51 percent of expenses; ticket income lower than 2019 levels after inflation adjustment.

Chorus America. Chorus Operations Survey Report 2022. Revenue mix benchmarks: 78 percent contributed, 11 percent earned, 11 percent investment income. chorusamerica.org

Capacity Interactive. Arts Industry Digital Marketing Benchmark 2019. 62 percent of marketing budgets allocated to paid media; cost-per-acquisition benchmarks. capacityinteractive.com

Whole Whale. 2024 Nonprofit Ad Study. IRS Form 990 analysis of more than 7,000 nonprofits; performing arts median ad spend over $50,000.

Bridgespan Group. True-cost research. Indirect costs measured at 21 to 89 percent of direct costs across the sector; median 40 percent. bridgespan.org

U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Uniform Guidance, revised 2024. De minimis indirect rate raised from 10 percent to 15 percent effective October 1, 2024.

Working Artists and the Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.). Fee Schedule. Artist fee benchmarks calibrated to Total Annual Operating Expense. wageforwork.com

Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), American Federation of Musicians (AFM). Performer minimum rates. Union scales referenced for cost modeling.

New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA). Presenter standards: NEST, Crossroads, National Theater Project, National Dance Project award structures. nefa.org

Demand-validation methodology

Juster, F. T. (1966). “Consumer buying intentions and purchase probability: An experiment in survey design.” Journal of the American Statistical Association, 61(315), 658–696.

Morwitz, V. G., Steckel, J. H., and Gupta, A. (2007). “When do purchase intentions predict sales?” International Journal of Forecasting, 23(3), 347–364.

Kirchberg, V. and Kuchar, R. (2014). “How global is global cultural consumption? An inquiry into intercultural differences.” Cultural Trends, 23(1), 22–36.

AC Nielsen BASES. Top-box translation rates for new product purchase intent.

National Endowment for the Arts. Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA), 2022. Five-year cadence national participation study. arts.gov

WolfBrown. Intrinsic Impact audience research methodology. wolfbrown.com

Slover Linett Audience Research. Culture + Community in a Time of Transformation, Wave 2. 2021. More than 75,000 responses across 50 states. sloverlinett.com

TRG Arts. Patron Loyalty research. Tryers, Buyers, Advocates pyramid model. trgarts.com

LaPlaca Cohen. Culture Track 2017. 4,035-respondent national study. culturetrack.com

Scoring frameworks consulted

National Endowment for the Arts. Our Town review criteria. arts.gov/grants/our-town/review-criteria

Texas Commission on the Arts. Grant guidelines. 100-point grant rubric. arts.texas.gov/guidelines

Bloomberg Philanthropies. Public Art Challenge. publicartchallenge.bloomberg.org

Knight Foundation. Knight Cities Challenge. knightfoundation.org/knight-cities-challenge

Peer-organization financial sources

ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Source for IRS Form 990 disclosures cited throughout the catalog. projects.propublica.org/nonprofits

Grand Prairie Cultural Arts Council. EIN 75-1657541. artsgp.org

ArtCentre of Plano. EIN 75-1786698. artcentreofplano.org

Greater Denton Arts Council. EIN 75-1326458. dentonarts.com

Decatur Arts Alliance. EIN 58-1836162. decaturartsalliance.org

Arlington Center for the Arts. EIN 04-3034682. acarts.org

John Michael Kohler Arts Center. EIN 39-1085180. jmkac.org