La Sala

What La Sala does

La Sala is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization, founded in 2007 in Seattle, Washington, that creates and catalyzes opportunities for Latine/x artists and arts organizations across the Pacific Northwest. As the only arts organization in King County dedicated to serving the Latine/x arts community across all disciplines, it operates a portfolio that includes the Community Investment Fund grant program (twice-yearly grants of $250–$2,500), the LTX Artist Catalogue network directory, the Cartelera community events calendar, recurring exhibitions such as "Abya Yala: Indigenous Connections en Latinoamérica" (November 2024–January 2025), and professional development programming spanning literary, visual, musical, and performance arts.

The organization's core "products" are programs rather than technology platforms. La Sala runs a bilingual (English/Spanish) website, newsletter, and social presence on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and uses Tockify for community event submission and Shunpike for donation processing — all third-party, off-the-shelf tools. There is no proprietary technology system, mobile application, API, or AI/ML component disclosed. Programming is delivered through direct community engagement and a network of 14+ named partner venues including Columbia City Gallery, Hugo House, CoCA, ArtXchange Gallery, Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery, Seattle Public Library, El Centro de la Raza, and the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle.

La Sala is fiscally sponsored by Shunpike, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency, and has no parent company or external investors. Revenue mechanics consist of individual donations, corporate and foundation sponsorships (4Culture, Office of Arts & Culture Seattle, Screen Arts Fund, Arts Fund, Artists Up, ArtsWA, NEA, NALAC, Creative Capital, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation), and pass-through grant distribution. The organization is staffed by a part-time Executive Director (José Luis "Pepe" Montero, appointed February 2024), a part-time Program Manager (Lauren Davis), and a volunteer Board of Directors, making it a small, operationally lean nonprofit serving a niche identity-based arts segment in greater Seattle and Washington State.

Name

La Sala

Legal name

La Sala

Website

https://lasalanw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Sala is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates opportunities for Latine/x artists and arts organizations in the Pacific Northwest through grants, exhibitions, artist directories, and community programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Community arts organization
• Latine/x artist services
• Arts grant funding
• Artist network directory
• Cultural exhibitions programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Individual Contributions: La Sala accepts financial gifts from individuals, including monthly contributions and one-time donations through their Shunpike-powered donation page.
2. Corporate and Foundation Sponsorships: La Sala receives support from sponsors including 4Culture, Screen Arts Fund, Office of Arts & Culture Seattle, and other regional arts funders.
3. Community Investment Fund Grant Program: La Sala distributes grant funding to Latine/x artists and arts organizations twice per year through their Community Investment Fund, with grants typically ranging from $250 to $1,000 per project (maximum awarded to date: $2,500).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

La Sala is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that creates and catalyzes opportunities for Latine/x artists and arts organizations in the Pacific Northwest. It provides professional development, exhibition and performance spaces, institutional connections, expanded audiences, commissioned creative opportunities, and grant funding through its Community Investment Fund, along with the LTX Artist Catalogue directory and the Cartelera community event calendar.

Product overview

La Sala is a Latine/x artist-centered service organization that creates and catalyzes opportunities for Latine/x artists and arts organizations in Washington State. The organization's portfolio includes grant programs (Community Investment Fund), artist networking and directory services (LTX Artist Catalogue), curated exhibitions (Abya Yala), community event calendars (Cartelera), and professional development programming. Together, these offerings expand access to professional education, art spaces, institutional connections, expanded audiences, and commissioned creative opportunities for Latine/x artists in the greater Seattle area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Investment Fund Twice-yearly grant program that funds projects expanding definitions of Latine/x art, supporting continuation of artistic traditions, building community through the arts, and creating career-growth platforms. Open to Latine/x artists, creative workers, and arts groups throughout Washington State. Funding typically ranges from $250 to $1,000 per project with a maximum of $2,500 awarded to date.
• LTX Artist Catalogue Online network directory of Latine/x artists in the Pacific Northwest, featuring literary artists, musicians, visual artists, performance artists, and partner organizations. The catalogue connects artists with opportunities, audiences, and venues.
• Abya Yala: Indigenous Connections en Latinoamérica Collaborative exhibition with Columbia City Gallery celebrating visual and literary art featuring local Latiné/x artists of Indigenous descent, curated by Fulgencio Lazo (visual art) and Clara Olivo (ekphrastic writing), with an ekphrastic writing component, workshops, and receptions.
• Calendar of Latine/x Arts Events (Cartelera) Community calendar platform for Latine/x arts events in the Pacific Northwest, allowing artists and organizations to submit and promote cultural events including gallery shows, literary readings, pop-ups, and virtual performances.
• Professional Development Programs Programming providing Latine/x artists with access to professional education, art spaces, institutional connections, expanded audiences, and commissioned creative opportunities. Programs include workshops, artist residencies, and networking events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17+ years of service creating opportunities for Latine/x artists in the Pacific Northwest
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 secondary.

• ShunpikecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLa Sala is fiscally sponsored by Shunpike, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency that provides independent arts groups in Washington State with services, resources, and fiscal sponsorship. Shunpike processes donations and provides organizational support.
• ArtXchange GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural exchange gallery promoting diversity; partnered on exhibitions including Indigenous Connections at ArtXchange Gallery and LTX Space programming.
• Columbia City GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey venue partner for the Abya Yala exhibition (November 2024-January 2025) and other programs. Located at 4864 Rainier Ave S, Seattle.
• Hugo HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle's writers' center partnered on Enflorar: A Literary Día de los Muertos Ceremony, Siluetas De Ebano pop-up, and other literary programs.
• El Centro de la RazacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partnered on Seattle Reads 2022 with Luis Alberto Urrea, Day of the Dead celebrations, and various community events.
• Seattle Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Seattle Reads 2022 (first Latinx author selection), Writing the Land event, author readings, and community programs.
• CoCA (Center on Contemporary Art)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on (Where) Do We Belong? exhibition and Not Your Monolith exhibition exploring BIPoC artistic communities.
• Nepantla Cultural Arts GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Lowrider Block Party, La Cocinita: The Concentration Camp exhibition, and Latinx in the Northwest exhibition.
• Movimiento Afro-Latino Seattle (MAS)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on community programming including Siluetas De Ebano event with Milvia Pacheco, and artist networking.
• Seattle City of LiteraturesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO-designated literary city organization; La Sala's Executive Director serves on Seattle City of Literature's board.
• Consulate of Mexico in SeattlesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on annual El Grito concert celebrating Mexican and Central American independence at Town Hall.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA): San Jose, CA-based nonprofit presenting contemporary Latin American art, supporting Latine/x artists through exhibitions, performances, and education. Most comparable as a multi-discipline Latine/x arts presenter with a similar community-organizing, bilingual programming model.
• Mexic-Arte Museum: Austin, TX-based nonprofit museum and arts organization dedicated to Latino art and culture, presenting exhibitions, programming, and education. Comparable in mission and multi-discipline Latine/x arts focus, with a larger venue-based footprint.
• Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery: Pacific Northwest Latine/x-focused gallery and cultural organization. Direct local programming peer, having partnered with La Sala on events including the Lowrider Block Party and Latinx in the Northwest exhibition.
• Galería de la Raza: San Francisco-based Chicano/Latino arts organization presenting exhibitions, performances, and community programming since 1970. Comparable as a multi-discipline Latine/x arts presenter with similar community-led programming model.
• Self Help Graphics & Art: Los Angeles-based nonprofit arts center advancing Chicano/Latino art through printmaking, exhibitions, and community programs. Comparable in mission, multi-discipline arts focus, and community organizing model.
• Ballet Hispánico: New York-based Latino dance organization presenting performances, education, and community programming. Comparable as a discipline-spanning Latine/x arts presenter, though with a primary focus on dance.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC): National advocacy and grantmaking organization supporting Latino arts organizations across the U.S. NALAC is both a funder of La Sala and a structural peer operating at a national scale, providing professional development and grant funding to Latine/x arts groups.

Regional players

• El Centro de la Raza: Seattle-based Latino community organization offering arts, culture, education, and social services. Directly comparable as a Seattle-area Latine/x organization with overlapping programming, board interlock, and shared community base.
• Hugo House: Seattle-based writers' center offering literary programming, classes, and residencies. A direct programming partner of La Sala on literary events, and comparable as a Seattle-area nonprofit arts organization with a specialized disciplinary focus.

Emerging players

• Movimiento Afro-Latino Seattle (MAS): Seattle-based Afro-Latino community organization co-led by Milvia Pacheco, who is a La Sala board member. A direct local peer in serving communities of color through arts and culture, with overlapping leadership and event partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/lasalaseattle
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/lasalaseattle
• Facebookfacebook.com/LaSalaNW

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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 La Sala