Dayton Live

What Dayton Live does

Dayton Live is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization incorporated in 1976 as Victoria Theatre Association to save the historic 1866 Victoria Theatre from demolition. Operating from downtown Dayton, Ohio under the Dayton Live brand, the organization owns and operates a four-venue performing arts campus: the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center (with Winsupply Theatre and Mathile Theatre), Victoria Theatre, The Loft Theatre in the Metropolitan Arts Center, and the PNC Arts Annex — plus The Arts Garage parking facility. Across these venues, Dayton Live hosts approximately 300 performing arts and entertainment events annually, welcoming more than 400,000 guests and functioning as the sole authorized ticketing agent for all four sites.

The organization's technology backbone is a proprietary integrated ticketing and account management platform built on ACE Commerce (daytonlive.org, my.daytonlive.org, order.daytonlive.org) that unifies online, phone, and in-person box office channels for individual tickets, season subscriptions, DLCA class/camp registration, and donations. Volunteer operations run on the Better Impact scheduling system. Programmatic differentiation comes from a deep resident organization ecosystem — Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (Philharmonic, Ballet, Opera), Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Dance Initiative, The Human Race Theatre Company, and Muse Machine — supported by title corporate sponsors (Lexus of Dayton, PNC Foundation, U1 Credit Union, Projects Unlimited, Dayton Children's), media partners (ABC22 & FOX45), and a broad base of foundation funders and government arts grants (Ohio Arts Council, Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District).

Revenue is generated through seven distinct streams: ticket sales (individual and subscription), donations and fundraising (Annual Fund tiers of $25-$750, planned giving, capital campaign contributions), ticketing processing and convenience fees (16% per-ticket, waived for season subscribers), venue rentals for performances and galas, education and camp tuition through the Dayton Live Creative Academy (DLCA), parking fees at The Arts Garage, and group ticket sales via a dedicated B2B sales line. Season subscribers benefit from no exchange fees, swap-a-show privileges, priority seating, and up to 5-month installment payment plans. The organization also runs the Community Spotlight Program, Miami Valley High School Theatre Awards, sensory-inclusive Children's Theatre Series programming, and inclusive Q Theatre applied theatre programming for LGBTQ+ teens. Leadership is provided by President & CEO Gabriel van Aalst, with a C-suite covering Development, Operations, Finance, Marketing & Communications, Ticketing, and Facilities, supported by a Board of Trustees chaired by Erin R. Davis.

Name

Dayton Live

Legal name

Victoria Theatre Association

Website

https://daytonlive.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Dayton Live is a Dayton, Ohio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates four performing arts venues (Schuster Center, Victoria Theatre, The Loft Theatre, PNC Arts Annex) and hosts approximately 300 events annually for over 400,000 patrons, supported by an integrated ticketing platform, the Dayton Live Creative Academy education arm, and a deep resident organization ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venues

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Music Venues & Venue Operators (Clubs, Theaters, Arenas) (MPAIAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Performing arts venues
• Live entertainment ticketing
• Arts education programs
• Theatrical subscription series
• Venue rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dayton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 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 (single and subscription): Primary revenue stream generated through individual ticket sales and season ticket package subscriptions (e.g., 2026-2027 Broadway Series with seven shows) at the Schuster Center, Victoria Theatre, Loft Theatre, and PNC Arts Annex; subscriptions run on multi-month payment plans.
2. Donations and fundraising: Annual Fund giving with preset tiers ($25-$750), corporate support, foundation grants, planned giving, capital campaign contributions (Spotlight On The Future), and corporate matching gifts.
3. Ticketing processing and convenience fees: 16% per-ticket processing fee on individual ticket purchases (waived for season ticket holders); delivery fees and group order fees also charged.
4. Venue rentals: Performance/ticketed rentals and event/gala/reception/meeting rentals at the Schuster Center, Victoria Theatre, and PNC Arts Annex.
5. Education and camp tuition: Dayton Live Creative Academy (DLCA) classes, workshops, and summer camp tuition (e.g., Broadway Preview $299, School of Rock $499, Jungle Jam $99, Adult Moulin Rouge Intensive $299).
6. Parking fees: The Arts Garage is owned and operated by Dayton Live; season subscribers can purchase 7 prepaid parking passes for $56.
7. Group ticket sales: Group Sales Department (937-977-7160) sells blocks of tickets (10+) to community organizations, schools, and corporate groups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dayton Live is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that owns and operates four performing arts venues (Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, Victoria Theatre, The Loft Theatre, and PNC Arts Annex) plus The Arts Garage parking facility in downtown Dayton, Ohio. It sells single-event and subscription tickets for touring Broadway shows, ballet, opera, philharmonic, dance, comedy, and family programming; runs the Dayton Live Creative Academy (DLCA) for arts education; provides venue rentals; and serves as the sole authorized ticketing agent for all resident organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dayton Live Creative Academy (DLCA): Educational programming arm offering year-round performing arts experiences including classes, workshops, Broadway studios, summer camps, and adult intensives.
• Dayton Live Q Theatre
• Dayton Live Broadway Series
• Dayton Live Community Spotlight Program

Products and services

• Dayton Live Broadway Series

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 400,000 guests attend approximately 300 events annually across Dayton Live's venues.
• +6 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship resident organization, resident organization, flagship sponsor, media partner, community partner, major hosted event and venue concessionaire.

• Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA)flagship resident organizationStrategic or Co-development PartnerDPAA is a Dayton Live resident organization encompassing Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Ballet, and Dayton Opera. Performs regularly across all four Dayton Live venues and uses Dayton Live's ticketing services at discounted rates. Featured in Ballet, Opera, Masterworks, Family, FlexPass, and Create Your Own subscription series.
• Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC)flagship resident organizationStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCDC is a Dayton Live resident organization presenting its 57th season "Dancing In Our Light" featuring works including Reflections, Black By Popular Demand, and Rhythm of the City (a collaboration with Dayton Ballet). Performs regularly in Dayton Live venues.
• Dayton Dance Initiative (DDI)resident organizationStrategic or Co-development PartnerDDI is a Dayton Live resident organization in its 8th season, presenting The Light In Between at the PNC Arts Annex in June 2026. DDI's first-ever choreographic commission extends beyond Dayton to support artist David Morse.
• The Human Race Theatre Companyflagship resident organizationStrategic or Co-development PartnerDayton's professional, not-for-profit regional theatre; presents the Eichelberger Season of dramas, comedies, musicals, and world premieres from its home at The Loft Theatre in the Metropolitan Arts Center.
• Muse Machineflagship resident organizationStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationally celebrated arts education organization serving 76,800+ students and teachers annually across central and southwestern Ohio and Kentucky since 1982. Pairs students with professional directors, choreographers, musicians, and stagehands for musical productions.
• Lexus of Daytonflagship sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Luxury Vehicle of the Dayton Live Broadway Series; brand integration across the Broadway Series marketing materials.
• Projects Unlimited, Inc.flagship sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle Series Sponsor of the Dayton Live Star Attractions Series; also sponsor of My Hero Academia In Concert.
• U1 Credit Unionflagship sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle Series Sponsor of the Dayton Live Music Series (formerly VIC150 / VIC50 Music Series).
• Dayton Children'sflagship sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle Series Sponsor of the Dayton Live Children's Theatre Series; also a community partner providing expert support for sensory-inclusive programming with doctors and specialists training volunteers.
• PNC Foundationflagship sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle Series Sponsor of the Dayton Live Emerging Artists Series; also a foundation supporter. PNC Arts Annex is a Dayton Live venue.
• ABC22 & FOX45media partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as Media Partners for major touring Broadway productions including Beetlejuice: The Musical.
• Dayton Metro Librarycommunity partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint story times inspired by the Children's Theatre Series, averaging 25 attendees per session; the library also curated the Broadway Book Club reading list for Beetlejuice: The Musical.
• Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA)community partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides the Fueling Education Scholarship offering free trips to/from Dayton Live's campus for students and educators; 398 students attended Discovery Series shows via this partnership in 2024-2025.
• SICSA Pet Adoption and Wellness Centercommunity partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerDeveloped social media content naming Broadway Series characters after adoptable pets (Hamitail, Anne Bonelyn, Peter Paw); jointly hosted a pet adoption drive tied to the Lee Asher speaker engagement, resulting in multiple adoptions.
• Wright State Universitycommunity partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of Dayton Opera's West Side Story (September 2026); also provides the Creative Arts Center space for the MVHSTA Jimmy's workshop that prepared 30 local high school students for The Jimmy Awards in New York City.
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA)major hosted eventOthersIn May 2025 Dayton Live became the first performing arts center in the world to host the NATO PA Spring Session, welcoming 240+ delegates from 32 NATO member countries to the Schuster Center and Victoria Theatre for the Memorial Day weekend gathering.
• Starbucksvenue concessionaireOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerDayton Live features a Starbucks location on its campus (linked from main navigation as part of Plan Your Visit / before & after experience).

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Tickets.com / Paciolan (ticketing technology): Major performing arts ticketing platform vendors serving comparable PAC clients. Relevant as technology peer / potential platform alternative to Dayton Live's in-house ACE Commerce ticketing infrastructure.
• Broadway Across America (John Gore Organization): Largest presenter of touring Broadway productions in North America and a key supplier of touring content to Dayton Live's Broadway Series. Relevant as the upstream touring partner whose touring decisions affect Dayton Live's marquee programming.

Direct peers

• Cincinnati Arts Association: Nonprofit operator of the Aronoff Center, Music Hall, and Memorial Hall in Cincinnati, presenting Broadway, ballet, opera, and orchestral programming. Comparable Ohio Valley peer with similar multi-venue nonprofit structure and resident-organization ticketing model.
• Detroit Opera / Fox Theatre (Olympia Entertainment): Historic Detroit venues (Fox Theatre, Detroit Opera House) presenting touring Broadway, opera, and concerts. Comparable in scale, historic venue infrastructure, and Broadway-presenting nonprofit model to Dayton Live's Schuster Center and Victoria Theatre.
• Kentucky Performing Arts: Louisville-based nonprofit PAC operating the Kentucky Center and Brown Theatre, presenting touring Broadway and resident programming. Comparable regional Mid-South/South-Central peer with similar multi-venue structure and educational programming emphasis.
• Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC): Nonprofit performing arts center in Nashville operating multiple halls with Broadway, dance, and family programming. Comparable in scale, multi-venue structure, and nonprofit operating model to Dayton Live.
• Playhouse Square (Cleveland, OH): Ohio-based nonprofit operator of the country's second-largest performing arts center complex (multiple theaters in downtown Cleveland). Directly comparable to Dayton Live as a multi-venue nonprofit PAC presenting touring Broadway, dance, and resident company programming in the same state and regional market.
• Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA): Nonprofit manager of multiple Ohio performing arts venues including the Palace Theatre, Ohio Theatre, Southern Theatre, and McCoy Center. Closely mirrors Dayton Live's multi-venue ownership and Broadway/dance/classical programming model in an adjacent Midwestern market.
• Pittsburgh Cultural Trust / Heinz Hall: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust operates a downtown arts district including Heinz Hall, Byham Theater, and Benedum Center. Direct multi-venue nonprofit performing arts district peer comparable to Dayton Live's downtown campus model.

Regional players

• Toledo Performing Arts Center / Valentine Theatre: Historic Toledo theater (1895) and Stranahan Theater complex serving the Northwest Ohio market. Regional Ohio peer with comparable Broadway-presenting programming and nonprofit governance model, though smaller scale than Dayton Live.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/daytonlive
• Facebookfacebook.com/DaytonLive365
• Instagraminstagram.com/DaytonLive365
• Xx.com/DaytonLive365
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/daytonlive

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Dayton Live