Fulcrum Arts

What Fulcrum Arts does

Fulcrum Arts is a Pasadena, California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating at the intersection of art and science, founded in 2017 according to the organization's own materials (note: firmographics data lists 1968, but the company's website and history consistently state "since 2017"). The organization runs four primary programmatic assets: the Fulcrum Festival, an annual regional celebration across Greater Los Angeles; the Fulcrum Incubator, a residency program that places midcareer artists inside Southern California scientific institutions including NASA/JPL, Caltech, UCLA Brain Research Institute, UCSB Marine Science Institute, UC Irvine Marine Biodiversity Lab, Chapman University, and Carnegie Observatory at Las Campanas; the Emerge fiscal sponsorship program, which is the largest arts-focused fiscal sponsor in the region and serves 80+ independent projects with documented client outcomes including $1.5M+ raised for People's Pottery Project and $100k+ each for BADWest and Clay Day LBC; and Sequencing, an online publishing platform for essays, interviews, video, and artworks. The organization also operates the Tending Ecologies workshop series with ecological artist Paige Emery and a free-admission Pasadena gallery.

Revenue mechanics rely on a mix of institutional grants and donations from a small group of major arts funders (National Endowment for the Arts, Getty Foundation, Perenchio Foundation, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Pasadena Art Alliance, Simons Foundation, City of Pasadena Arts and Culture Commission, Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts) plus fee-based income from Emerge (7% administrative fee on all charitable and earned income plus a $100 annual membership) and ancillary workshop revenue. Go-to-market is community-led: programming is distributed through the physical gallery, regional festival venues, partner institutions, social media (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Bluesky), an email newsletter via Mailchimp, and the Sequencing platform. The organization serves three primary segments: midcareer artists seeking research residencies, independent artists/collectives/small arts organizations needing 501(c)(3) fiscal infrastructure, and the general public engaging with art-science programming in Greater Los Angeles.

Name

Fulcrum Arts

Legal name

Fulcrum Arts

Website

https://fulcrumarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fulcrum Arts is a Pasadena-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates at the intersection of art and science, running artist residencies with Southern California scientific institutions, a regional Los Angeles festival, fiscal sponsorship for 80+ independent projects, and the Sequencing online publishing platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Services

NAICS

Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (71132)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Artist residencies
• Fiscal sponsorship
• Arts festivals
• Art science programs
• Nonprofit arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Fulcrum Arts operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by donations from individuals, foundations, and government arts agencies. Major funders include National Endowment for the Arts, Getty Foundation, and Pasadena Arts Alliance.
2. Fiscal Sponsorship Fees: The Emerge fiscal sponsorship program charges a 7% administrative fee on all charitable and earned income, plus a $100 annual program membership fee. This is the largest arts-focused fiscal sponsor in the region.
3. Artist Residency Support: The Fulcrum Incubator residency program connects midcareer artists with scientific institutions. Funded by National Endowment for the Arts, Perenchio Foundation, Andy Warhol Foundation, and Pasadena Art Alliance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fulcrum Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates programs at the intersection of art and science, including the Fulcrum Incubator artist residency program pairing midcareer artists with scientific laboratories, the Emerge fiscal sponsorship program providing 501(c)(3) financial infrastructure to independent artists and small arts organizations, the annual Fulcrum Festival across Greater Los Angeles, the Sequencing online publishing platform, exhibitions, and workshops.

Product overview

Fulcrum Arts is an arts organization offering a portfolio of programs at the intersection of art and science, including the Fulcrum Festival (annual regional celebration), Fulcrum Incubator (artist residency connecting artists with laboratories), Emerge Fiscal Sponsorship Program (financial/legal sponsorship for artists), Sequencing (online publishing platform), Tending Ecologies workshop series, and various exhibitions. The organization serves as a hub for artists and scientists to collaborate on research and public engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fulcrum Incubator: Connects midcareer artists with Southern California's preeminent laboratories and scientific institutions for research residencies
• Emerge Fiscal Sponsorship
• Fulcrum Festival
• Sequencing

Products and services

• Fulcrum Festival
• Fulcrum Incubator Residency program connecting midcareer artists with Southern California's preeminent laboratories and scientific institutions for collaborative research and new methods of artmaking.
• Emerge Fiscal Sponsorship Program Hybrid Model A and Model C fiscal sponsorship program offering financial management, fundraising consulting, and 501(c)(3) status access to independent artists, collectives, and small arts organizations, with a 7% administrative fee and $100 annual membership.
• Sequencing Online publishing platform hosting essays, interviews, video, and artworks by contributors exploring connections among art, science, and progressive social change.
• Tending Ecologies Workshop series led by ecological artist Paige Emery exploring ecological practices including seed saving, native plant identification, composting, and bioremediation, teaching participants techniques for healing bodies and land.
• Energy Fields: Vibrations of the Pacific Major exhibition exploring vibrations across music, science, and perception, presented as part of PST ART: Art & Science Collide.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.5M+ raised for People's Pottery Project
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chapman UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Fulcrum Festival 2024 and host institution for artist residencies including Marie-Luce Nadal's residency with Dr. Joshua Fischer.
• CAP UCLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter with Fulcrum Arts for William Basinski and Bethan Kellough program as part of Fulcrum Festival 2024.
• Carnegie ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for Christopher O'Leary's artist residency at Las Campanas Observatory, studying spectroscopy and astronomical instrumentation.
• CaltechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for Sarah Rara residency and LIGO collaboration, exploring sound and performance.
• UCSB Marine Science InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost for Marcos Lutyens residency working with Dr. Milton Love and Dr. Ann Bull on reimagining decommissioned oil rigs.
• UC Irvine Marine Biodiversity LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost for Maja Godlewska + Mare Ranis residency with Dr. Joleah Lamb on Mare Liberum project about kelp and ocean conservancy.
• UCLA Brain Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost for Leslie Garcia residency working on Transient Hypofrontality Tools with Dr. Mark S. Cohen on brain imaging research.
• NASA/JPLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for Julia Christensen residency exploring technology, time, and planned obsolescence.
• National Network of Fiscal SponsorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization committed to raising understanding of fiscal sponsorship among public and funders, sharing best practices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fractured Atlas: National nonprofit fiscal sponsor serving 25,000+ artists and arts organizations. Directly comparable to Fulcrum's Emerge program, though at significantly larger scale and with a national (not regional) footprint.
• New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA): Major arts fiscal sponsor and grantmaker offering fiscal sponsorship, fellowships, and professional development. Comparable to Fulcrum's Emerge program, with similar hybrid Model A/C offerings, though concentrated in the New York region.
• United States Artists: National arts organization providing fellowships and fiscal sponsorship to artists across disciplines. Comparable to Fulcrum in providing financial infrastructure and direct artist support, though with a fellowship rather than residency focus.
• Leonardo/ISAST: International nonprofit at the intersection of art, science, and technology, publishing Leonardo journal and supporting art-science research. Directly comparable to Fulcrum's art-science mission and Sequencing publishing platform.
• Pioneer Works: Brooklyn-based nonprofit combining artist residencies, scientific programming, exhibitions, and publishing. Comparable to Fulcrum's multi-program approach integrating art and science, with a stronger technology orientation.

Regional players

• Armory Center for the Arts: Pasadena-based community arts center presenting exhibitions, performances, and education programs. Directly comparable as a Pasadena arts nonprofit presenting exhibitions and workshops, though without Fulcrum's fiscal sponsorship or art-science focus.
• Clockshop: Los Angeles nonprofit arts organization producing socially engaged programming, exhibitions, and public projects. Comparable to Fulcrum's community-focused arts programming and Southern California footprint.
• Self Help Graphics & Art: Los Angeles-based Chicano arts nonprofit offering residencies, exhibitions, and fiscal sponsorship to artists. Comparable to Fulcrum's combined residency/fiscal sponsorship model with a regional, culturally specific focus.

Emerging players

• Eyebeam: NYC-based nonprofit at the intersection of art, technology, and social justice, offering residencies and public programs. Comparable to Fulcrum's art-science (specifically technology) residency model and publication platforms.
• Rhizome: Digital arts nonprofit supporting art-science/technology practice through commissions, residencies, and editorial programming. Comparable to Fulcrum's Sequencing platform and forward-looking arts curation, with a more digital-media-specific orientation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCN_PAsWUsV9ikivAkMuQ31Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/fulcrumarts
• Instagraminstagram.com/fulcrumarts
• Xx.com/Fulcrum_Arts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fulcrum-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Fulcrum Arts