The Flynn

What The Flynn does

The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Ltd. (The Flynn) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts center headquartered at 153 Main Street, Burlington, Vermont. The organization was incorporated as a nonprofit in 1980 following community-led fundraising led by Lyric Theatre to acquire the 1930-vintage Art Deco theater; it reopened in September 2000 as a comprehensive performing arts center after a full restoration recognized by the Art Deco Societies of America. It operates a 1,439-seat Main Stage (proscenium auditorium) and Flynn Space (a 110-200+ seat flexible black box), supported by Chase Studio (1,000 sq. ft.) and Hoehl Studio (1,050 sq. ft.) dance studios, plus the Amy E. Tarrant Gallery for visual arts. The Flynn hosts more than 200 performances annually across Broadway, music, theater, dance, comedy, and family programming, reaching approximately 200,000 people per year and serving 35,000+ young people through the Student Matinee Series and ten annual school productions.

The Flynn generates revenue across multiple streams: ticket sales (individual performances plus Broadway and Family subscriptions), memberships and donations (Donor, Patron, and JJ Flynn tiers with annual price increases), facility rentals, corporate sponsorships, and government grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and Vermont Arts Council. Distribution is direct-only: flynnvt.org, phone box office, and in-person sales, with no third-party reseller relationships. Education is a core line of business, including year-round classes, camps, and workshops with pay-what-you-can and scholarship options. Community programming — the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, Playing Fields (reaching 9 Vermont school districts), Kickline, Movement for Parkinson's (Dance for PD), The Black Experience (with nuwave and the City of Burlington's REIB Office), Hot Butter LGBTQIA+ series, and *snap* First Person Arts Festival — extends reach beyond the Burlington venue. Resident and partner relationships with Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Vermont Youth Orchestra, Lyric Theatre, Vermont Stage, and UVM Lane Series anchor long-tenured programming partnerships, and free ticketing flows through 87 social services agencies.

Operational leadership is provided by Executive Director Jay Wahl, CFO Ingrid Pels, and Chief Experience and Infrastructure Officer Deb Vandergrift, with directors across Development, Corporate Relations and Major Gifts, Creative Learning, Programming, Production, and an interim Marketing function. Governance rests with a board chaired by Chiuho Sampson with Treasurer Michael Seaver and Secretary Lynda Gutman. The Flynn is independently operated, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, with no parent company and no venture capital, private equity, or institutional investment ownership. Technology footprint is conventional for a performing-arts venue; no AI/ML capabilities, proprietary software, or API integrations are documented in the source materials.

Name

The Flynn

Legal name

The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts. Ltd.

Website

https://flynnvt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Flynn is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts center in Burlington, Vermont, operating a 1,439-seat Main Stage and Flynn Space to host 200+ annual performances, education programs, and community events serving 200,000+ attendees and 35,000+ students across Vermont and northern New England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Center

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Nightclub & Small Live Venue Operations (Clubs, Bars with Stages) (MPAGALAF)

Keywords

• Performing arts center
• Live theater performances
• Arts education programs
• Facility rental services
• Community concert programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual tickets to performances and events across Main Stage and Flynn Space venues, including Broadway series, concerts, comedy, theater, dance, and family shows.
2. Memberships and Donations: Annual membership programs providing benefits including early access to tickets, complimentary tickets to select performances, and other donor perks. Also includes major gifts, planned giving, and general donations.
3. Donor Benefits: Complimentary tickets to select performances provided to Donor, Patron, and JJ Flynn level members as a membership benefit.
4. Government Grants: Funding from government arts agencies including Vermont Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants to support arts programs and activities.
5. Facility Rental: Rental income from external events held at Main Stage, Flynn Space, studios, and gallery spaces for weddings, corporate events, and private gatherings.
6. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors as part of the organization's development and funding strategy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Flynn operates Northern New England's premier performing arts center, hosting over 200 live performances annually across a 1,439-seat Main Stage proscenium auditorium and a flexible 180-seat Flynn Space black box theater. Programming spans Broadway, music, theater, dance, comedy, and family shows, complemented by year-round arts education (classes, camps, workshops), signature festivals (Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, *snap* First Person Arts Festival), community engagement initiatives (Student Matinee Series, Playing Fields, Movement for Parkinson's), and venue rental services. The organization functions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit sustained by ticket sales, memberships, donations, grants, corporate sponsorships, and facility rentals.

Product overview

The Flynn is Northern New England's premier performing arts center, operating as a multi-venue cultural institution with a unified portfolio of live performance, education, and community engagement offerings. The core product portfolio centers on two performance venues: the Main Stage (1,439-seat proscenium auditorium) and Flynn Space (180-seat black box theater), which host world-class performances spanning music, Broadway, theater, dance, comedy, and family programming. Complementing the performance venues are education programs (classes, camps, workshops), signature festivals (Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, *snap* First Person Arts Festival), and community initiatives (Playing Fields, Kickline, Movement for Parkinson's). The institution also offers facility rentals, membership programs, and the FlynnZONE Family Series. Over 200 performances are hosted annually, with 200,000+ people attending and 35,000+ students participating in student matinees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Stage The Flynn's primary 1,439-seat proscenium auditorium hosting world-class music, Broadway, theater, dance, comedy, and family performances. Built in 1930 and fully restored in 2000 to its Art Deco splendor.
• Flynn Space A flexible 110-200+ seat black box theater below street level, ideal for emerging, local, and experimental artists. Configurable for live music, cabaret, theater, and more, equipped with a Yamaha C-7 grand piano.
• Amy E. Tarrant Gallery Exhibition and reception space in the Flynn's Main Stage lobby featuring rotating exhibits of regional artists.
• Education Programs Year-round classes, camps, and workshops in music, theater, and dance for children, teens, and adults, including pay-what-you-can options and camp scholarships.
• Student Matinee Series Weekday matinee performances for school groups, with subsidized tickets and financial aid, serving thousands of Vermont students annually.
• Burlington Discover Jazz Festival Annual multi-day jazz festival providing free music across the city, featuring hundreds of Vermont students and thousands of attendees.
• FlynnZONE Family Series Family-focused programming including Kids Hour, Family Night, and a subscription series offering performances from music and dance to cirque arts, with free child subscriptions with adult purchases.
• *snap* First Person Arts Festival Annual storytelling festival celebrating personal narratives across disciplines, featuring professional and emerging artists with free storytelling workshops and story slams.
• Playing Fields Free outdoor performances bringing entertainment to Vermont school districts and communities across the state.
• Kickline Dance event at Burlington Waterfront engaging students and teachers in learning new dance moves, movement-based games, and celebration.
• Movement for Parkinson's Year-round dance and wellness class designed for people with movement challenges, led by certified Dance for PD teachers.
• Facility Rental Rental of Flynn venues including Main Stage, Flynn Space, Amy E. Tarrant Gallery, Chase Studio, and Hoehl Studio for events and special occasions.
• Flynn Memberships Flynn membership program offering benefits including early access to tickets, complimentary tickets to select performances, and donor recognition across Donor, Patron, and JJ Flynn levels.
• Broadway Subscription Series Annual subscription series bundling touring Broadway performances at the Main Stage with member early access, with the 2026-2027 season opening on August 21, 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000 people attend performances annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vermont PubliccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Flynn partners with Vermont Public to present events such as Hidden Brain: THE PERCEPTIONS TOUR. Vermont Public is a presenting partner for select programming at the venue.
• Vermont Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Flynn provides a performance venue for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. The VSO performs regularly at the venue including Summer Tour events at various Vermont locations.
• Vermont Youth OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Flynn serves as a venue for Vermont Youth Orchestra performances, one of the longstanding partner organizations since the early 1980s.
• Lyric TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyric Theatre Company, founded in 1974, has performed regularly at the Flynn and played a key role in the organization's non-profit acquisition and development.
• Vermont StagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Flynn provides performance venue for Vermont Stage, one of the resident arts organizations that partnerships continue to this day.
• UVM Lane SeriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Flynn maintains partnership with UVM Lane Series for presenting performing arts programming, one of the founding allied organizations.
• nuwavecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Flynn partners with nuwave and the City of Burlington's Racial Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Office to host The Black Experience annual event celebrating Vermont's Black lived experience.
• City of Burlington Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership for The Black Experience event and collaboration on community programming to promote diversity and inclusion in the arts.
• Merrill Jarvis / Merrill Theater CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired the Flynn in 1972; longtime Vermont company that operates the Roxy and Ethan Allen cinema complexes. Less than two years after acquisition, live performance returned to the theater.
• Vermont HumanitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Vermont Humanities for speaker events and programs such as the Diversity Speaker Series.
• King Street CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner receiving free tickets and collaborative programming for youth engagement.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Overture Center for the Arts: A multi-venue performing arts center in Madison, WI operating comparable Main Hall + smaller venue model with presenting, education, and community programming analogous to The Flynn.
• Mahaffey Theater: St. Petersburg, FL presenting venue operated by a nonprofit management entity, hosting touring Broadway, concerts, and education programming with a comparable mission profile.
• Meadow Brook Theatre: Regional nonprofit theater producing and presenting live performances with education outreach, sharing The Flynn's mix of programming, education, and community engagement.
• Blumenthal Performing Arts: Charlotte, NC-based nonprofit performing arts center operating multiple venues with Broadway subscriptions, education, and presenting programming structurally similar to The Flynn.
• Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts: Arizona-based nonprofit performing arts center offering presenting, education, and community programming across multiple venues with a similar regional presenting-center model.
• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts: Long Island, NY presenting venue offering Broadway-tour programming, concerts, and family shows with subscription and education components comparable to The Flynn.
• Paramount Theater (Charlottesville): Historic restored theater presenting music, Broadway, dance, and film in a smaller-market setting, sharing The Flynn's heritage-venue and multi-format presenting approach.

Regional players

• Boothbay Region YMCA / Center for Performing Arts: Smaller New England presenting venue offering concerts and community arts programming in Maine; comparable in scale and rural-Northeast audience profile though with a different parent organization.

Broad incumbents

• The Smith Center for the Performing Arts: Las Vegas-based multi-venue performing arts center with Broadway, concerts, and education programming; operates at a much larger scale but with the same presenting-center mission as The Flynn.

Others

• Vermont Symphony Orchestra: Resident partner organization at The Flynn; not a peer competitor but a strategic ally whose programming model (orchestra touring + education) overlaps with The Flynn's presenting and education functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/flynnbtv
• Facebookfacebook.com/FlynnCenter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Flynn