Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts

What Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts does

Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 2011 and headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. It operates as the support arm for the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater, a 60-year-old cultural venue, and runs the Class Acts youth education program that serves over 25,000 K-12 students annually through curriculum-aligned live performances, BAM! Festivals (hands-on cultural field trips), and summer camp intensives. Approximately 60-70% of summer camp participants receive scholarship support, and the Mahaffey Theater draws 200,000+ visitors per year.

The foundation's product portfolio centers on educational programming and live entertainment rather than proprietary technology. Core offerings include the Class Acts field-trip program, BAM! Festivals, Broadway-style summer camps (Musical Theatre Bootcamp and Technical Theater Camp at $800 tuition), and 14 annual live performances aligned with Florida B.E.S.T. Standards. Supporting technology is limited to standard SaaS tools: Square for donation processing, Ticketmaster for ticketing, and Constant Contact for email marketing to a 110,000-subscriber list. There is no proprietary technology, AI capability, or app product.

The business model blends earned and contributed revenue. Earned revenue comes from ticket sales ($35-$125 per ticket), summer camp tuition, and venue-related activity. Contributed revenue flows through tiered corporate sponsorships ($5K to $100K+ across four levels), annual memberships, and grants/donations from institutional funders such as the Lightning Foundation ($50K in January 2025), Speer Dream Foundation, Community Foundation Tampa Bay ($40K in June 2025), and the St. Petersburg Police Department. Strategic partners include Imagine Museum (rotating gallery exhibitions), Sonata Restaurant (on-site dining), and IATSE (technical theater mentorship). The foundation is currently pursuing a $10 million '10 for Tomorrow' Capital Campaign to acquire a 3.6-acre property for a permanent Community Arts Center, while preparing to conclude management of the Mahaffey Theater in May 2026.

Name

Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts

Legal name

Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts

Website

https://billedwardsfoundationforthearts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in St. Petersburg, Florida that operates the Mahaffey Theater and runs the Class Acts youth arts education program serving 25,000+ K-12 students annually through performances, festivals, and summer camps.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Education

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI)

Keywords

• Performing arts education
• Youth arts programs
• Community arts foundation
• Live performance venue
• Nonprofit arts organization

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for live performances, summer camp showcases, and special events at the Mahaffey Theater.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship packages ranging from $5,000 to $50,000+ offering logo recognition, VIP experiences, and venue access.
3. Membership Programs: Annual membership donations providing benefits including pre-sale tickets, VIP lounge access, and discounted venue rentals.
4. Summer Camp Tuition: Tuition fees for Musical Theatre Bootcamp and Technical Theater Camp programs, with scholarship provisions.
5. Grants and Donations: Funding from foundations, corporations, and individuals supporting youth arts education programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that educates, engages, and entertains the Tampa Bay community through performing arts programming at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater. It delivers youth arts education (Class Acts field trips, BAM! Festivals, Summer Camps), professional live performances, and community events, funded via ticket sales, memberships, corporate sponsorships, grants, and donations.

Product overview

Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts is a nonprofit organization operating as a unified platform for performing arts education and community engagement centered around the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater. The core portfolio includes the Class Acts Program (field trips and live performances), BAM! Festivals (hands-on arts experiences), and Summer Camp (musical theater intensives), supported by Scholarship programs and Membership/Corporate Sponsorship offerings. The organization recently launched the $10 million '10 for Tomorrow' Capital Campaign for a new community arts center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Class Acts: Youth educational program providing field trips, live performances, and summer camps for students
• BAM! Fest
• 10 for Tomorrow
• Mahaffey Leading Ladies

Products and services

• Class Acts Program Youth educational field trip program bringing students to the Mahaffey Theater for live performances and BAM! Festivals, aligned with Florida B.E.S.T. Standards; serves over 25,000 students annually.
• BAM! Festivals Hands-on cultural field trips blending literature, visual arts, performing arts, and music into interactive festival experiences with rotating activity stations led by professional artists.
• Live Performances Professional productions staged at the Mahaffey Theater, with 14 annual shows featuring curriculum-aligned study guides and scholarship support for students.
• Summer Camp Three-week Broadway-style musical theater intensive (Musical Theatre Bootcamp and Technical Theater Camp) offering professional instruction in singing, acting, and dancing, culminating in a fully staged production on the Mahaffey stage.
• Membership Program Tiered annual membership donation program with benefits including presale ticket access, complimentary tickets, venue rental discounts, and VIP lounge access.
• Corporate Sponsorship Packages Sponsorship tiers ranging from $5,000 to $100,000+ offering logo recognition on digital marquee and HD screens, complimentary tickets, VIP suite access, and venue rental discounts for businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25,000+ students educated annually through Class Acts program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Sonata Restaurant & LoungecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2024Fine dining restaurant operated within the Mahaffey Theater, featuring coastal cuisine by Executive Chef Ted Dorsey. The restaurant complements performances with culinary arts and offers views of the moon installation. Voted Best Romantic Restaurant by Tampa Bay Magazine.
• Imagine MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2024Collaboration with Imagine Museum founder Trish Duggan to exhibit 3D glass and 2D artwork in gallery spaces throughout the Mahaffey Theater. The partnership includes a rotating gallery featuring local artists, with portions of art sale proceeds going to the foundation. Bill Edwards was appointed to Imagine Museum's Board of Directors.
• IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry professionals provide mentorship for Technical Theater Camp, offering students hands-on experience in lighting, sound, set construction, and stage management.
• Clearwater Marine AquariumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for BAM! STEAM Fest events, providing educational activities and content for the hands-on arts festivals.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Straz Center for the Performing Arts: The Straz Center is a Tampa-based performing arts center that also runs youth education programs, summer camps, and community engagement initiatives. It is the most direct regional peer to Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts given geographic overlap and parallel programming models serving the Tampa Bay arts ecosystem.
• Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts: Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando is a Florida-based performing arts venue with robust arts education programming, community outreach, and corporate sponsorship tiers. Comparable to the Bill Edwards Foundation in operating model centered on venue-based education and entertainment, but in a different Florida market.

Broad incumbents

• Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts: The Arsht Center is a major Miami-based performing arts center running education programs, free community events, and corporate sponsorship packages. It mirrors the foundation's blend of youth arts education, live performance programming, and corporate partner engagement at a larger scale.
• The Smith Center for the Performing Arts: The Smith Center is a Las Vegas performing arts complex with extensive education and community programming. Comparable to Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts in offering venue-based live performances alongside youth education initiatives and capital campaign-driven community arts programming.
• Carnegie Hall (Weill Music Institute): Carnegie Hall runs a substantial youth and education division serving tens of thousands of students annually through in-venue concerts and digital programming. Directly comparable to the Class Acts model of curriculum-aligned live performances for school audiences at a much larger scale.
• Lincoln Center Education: Lincoln Center operates an extensive K-12 arts education program serving schools across the New York region with field-trip performances aligned to curriculum standards. Mirrors the Class Acts model of bringing students into the venue for arts-based learning experiences.
• Kennedy Center Education: The Kennedy Center's education arm runs school performances, summer programs, and digital learning content for K-12 students nationwide. A larger-scale analog to Class Acts with similar school-partnership-driven arts education programming.

Direct peers

• Young Audiences Arts for Learning: Young Audiences is a national nonprofit network dedicated to arts education for K-12 students through in-school and venue-based programming. Directly comparable to the Class Acts mission of bringing performing arts experiences to youth, particularly underserved Title I school populations.

Emerging players

• Norton Museum of Art: The Norton Museum in West Palm Beach runs youth education programs, family festivals, and corporate partnership tiers similar to those offered by Bill Edwards Foundation. Comparable in operating a Florida-based cultural venue with combined arts education and community programming.
• Apollo Theater Foundation: Apollo Theater Foundation operates a historic performance venue with youth education and community programming, including summer camps, talent development, and partnerships with local schools. Comparable to Bill Edwards Foundation in operating as a nonprofit support arm for a culturally significant performance venue.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bill-edwards-foundation-for-the-arts-at-mahaffey

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts