Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions

What Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions does

Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 1978 by CETA artists in El Monte, California, and currently operating from a temporary office at 6464 Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles while its gallery space undergoes renovation. Self-described as the longest-running incubator for contemporary artists and curators in Los Angeles (48+ years), LACE combines a free-admission exhibition program with a portfolio of developmental programs: the Emerging Curator Program (annual $6,000 project budgets for emerging curators), the Apprenticeship Program (paid professional development run since the organization's founding), the Lightning Fund and Jacki Apple Award (annual artist grants totaling ~$70–71.5K per year), bilingual 'Se habla español' programming, and the LACE Publications and VideoLACE digital archive. Its core technology consists of a digital archive spanning 40+ years of exhibition history, a SquareUp e-commerce storefront for special editions and prints, Vimeo/YouTube for video programming, Mailchimp for the mailing list, and Submittable for emerging curator applications — a conventional nonprofit stack with no AI components.

LACE's business model is grant-and-donation funded rather than transaction-driven. Revenue streams include multi-year core grants from foundations (Ruth Foundation for the Arts $150K over 2025–2028, Warhol Foundation 2015, Getty Foundation since 1996, Mike Kelley Foundation), membership and individual donations, an annual Benefit Art Auction described as a significant portion of the budget, and limited-edition art print sales through the online store. Exhibitions and public programs are free admission with RSVP; pricing is therefore not a lever for revenue. The customer base is segmented into emerging and experimental artists (primary beneficiaries of exhibition space, grants, and curatorial mentorship), emerging curators (program participants), institutional partners (Getty Foundation, UCLA, LACC, LACHSA, Pitzer College, plus venue partners Barnsdall Art Park, MOLAA, CECUT), and a general public audience for free exhibitions. Distribution is multi-channel: physical gallery in Hollywood, partner-venue co-presentations, global online programming, and a SquareUp storefront. Marketing runs through owned social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube), email newsletter, and earned media in Hyperallergic, LA Weekly, ARTnews, and the Los Angeles Times.

LACE's leadership team is small (~6–10 staff), headed by Executive Director Sarah Russin (since 2014), Chief Curator and Director of Programming Daniela Lieja Quintanar, Curator and Director of Programs Selene Preciado (promoted from LACE's first Emerging Curator class of 2016), and Deputy Director Fiona Crary. The organization's strategic posture in 2024–2026 shows deliberate programmatic expansion — its first traveling exhibition to CECUT Tijuana, a new UCLA Archive Fellow role, a multi-institutional High Performance Conference (2025–2027), and partnerships with the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Art Park — funded in part by a secured Ruth Foundation multi-year core grant, while the gallery renovation is completed.

Name

Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions

Legal name

Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions

Website

https://welcometolace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) is a 48-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Los Angeles operating free-admission contemporary art exhibitions alongside paid apprenticeship, emerging curator, and artist grant programs (Lightning Fund, Jacki Apple Award), funded primarily by foundation grants, donations, and a benefit auction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Art Exhibitions and Nonprofit Arts Programming

NAICS

Art Dealers (45992), Museums (71211)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA)

Keywords

• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Artist incubation programs
• Curatorial training programs
• Artist grant programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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. Foundation and Government Grants: LACE receives major grant funding from arts foundations including the Ruth Foundation for the Arts (2025-2028 Core Grant of $150,000 over three years), Getty Foundation (ongoing Marrow Undergraduate Internship grants since 1996), Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts, Warhol Foundation, City of West Hollywood arts grants, and Pasadena Art Alliance. These grants support exhibitions, programs, and operational costs.
2. Membership and Donations: Annual membership program offering various benefits, plus individual donations from supporters. A significant portion of annual budget is raised through the Benefit Art Auction and direct contributions.
3. Special Editions and Publications: LACE produces limited edition artwork prints (such as Carmen Argote's BLOAT edition) and publications available for purchase through their online Squareup store. Also offers digital publications for free download.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) is a nonprofit contemporary art organization that operates an exhibition space showcasing experimental, emerging, and socially-conscious contemporary art. It provides exhibition opportunities to artists, curatorial training through the Emerging Curator Program, paid professional development through the Apprenticeship Program, direct artist grants via the Lightning Fund, and produces bilingual publications and limited art editions.

Product overview

LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions) is a nonprofit contemporary art organization founded in 1978, operating as a unified platform offering exhibition programming, educational programs, grantmaking, and publications. The core product is its exhibition space showcasing experimental contemporary art, supported by the Emerging Curator Program for discovering curatorial talent, the Apprenticeship Program providing paid professional development through academic partnerships, the Lightning Fund for artist grants, and LACE Publications documenting exhibitions. Additional offerings include Membership, Benefit Art Auction, Special Editions (limited artist prints), VideoLACE video programming, and the bilingual Se habla español initiative. LACE serves as what they describe as 'the longest-running incubator for contemporary artists and curators in LA,' combining exhibition space with mentorship, grants, and professional development programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lightning Fund: Artist grant program awarding funds to emerging artists in Los Angeles.
• Jacki Apple Award
• Emerging Curator Program
• Apprenticeship Program
• Se habla español

Products and services

• Exhibition Programming

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of apprenticeship alumni have gone on to prestigious positions at museums and arts organizations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Pitzer College Art GalleriesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Benjamin Godsill '00 and Anna Burns Student Apprenticeship Award, established in 2022, offers Pitzer College first-generation students and students of color opportunities to gain in-depth curatorial experience at innovative arts organizations including LACE.
• Getty FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Through organization-based grants from the Getty Foundation since 1996, LACE participates in the Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship, hosting two interns every summer in Curatorial and Programming, and Communications and Media. The goal is to expose college students from backgrounds underrepresented in the arts to museum careers.
• Los Angeles City College (LACC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hisako Terasaki Internship at LACE provides opportunities for LACC students for hands-on experience and in-depth exploration of careers in the arts. This program is possible thanks to a generous endowment from the Terasaki family to LACC's Visual and Media Arts Department, in honor of artist and LACC alumna Hisako Terasaki.
• Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeen Curators is a LACE program for LACHSA students to learn about careers in the arts and develop art exhibitions. Developed in collaboration with LACHSA faculty, the program includes Career Camp with panels and workshops, and Curatorial Camp for hands-on exhibition development.
• UCLA Department of Information StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2025, LACE became one of 50+ organizations working with UCLA to offer a paid fellowship to an MLIS graduate student. The UCLA Archive Fellow works with the LACE Digital Archive conducting research-based curatorial, archival, and publication projects.
• The Revolution SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Revolution School and LACE co-present RevCon 2026: An Open Space (un)Conference on Revolution. RevCon uses Open Space Technology inviting participants to co-create the event, with the theme 'liberation for ALL'.
• Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Art ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLACE announced a new partnership with the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Art Park and the City of Los Angeles for PST ART venue space and renovated gallery.
• Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLACE and MOLAA co-present Crack Rodriguez: DREAM TEAM exhibition (Feb-June 2022) at MOLAA in Long Beach, co-curated by LACE Chief Curator Daniela Lieja Quintanar.
• Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLACE's 'A Tender Excavation' travels to CECUT in Tijuana, Mexico - LACE's first traveling exhibition in its 48-year history. This international partnership marks a significant expansion of LACE's geographic reach.
• Performance Art Museum, Highways Performance Space, Getty Research Institute, 18th Street Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThese organizations co-present High Performance: A 2-Year Conference (2025-2027), a collaborative initiative exploring performance art across multiple institutions.
• ArtTableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtTable is among the funders and partners who have supported LACE's Apprenticeship Program over the decades.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 18th Street Arts Center: Santa Monica-based nonprofit arts incubator offering residency, exhibition, and apprenticeship programs for experimental artists. Directly comparable to LACE in mission, nonprofit structure, and pipeline model for emerging cultural workers.
• Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA): Nonprofit contemporary art institution in downtown LA focused on experimental and underrepresented artists. Directly comparable to LACE as a nonprofit LA contemporary art space with similar programmatic emphasis on emerging practices.
• Human Resources LA: Nonprofit experimental art space in Chinatown, LA supporting performance, installation, and emerging artist projects. Directly comparable to LACE in its focus on experimental, boundary-testing contemporary art in Los Angeles.
• Self Help Graphics & Art: LA-based nonprofit arts organization focused on Chicano and Latino artistic expression through printmaking, exhibitions, and community programming. Comparable to LACE's bilingual and Latinx-focused initiatives and community-engaged nonprofit model.
• MAK Center for Art and Architecture: LA-based nonprofit contemporary art and architecture institution operating exhibitions and residencies from Schindler House. Comparable to LACE as a nonprofit LA contemporary art space with residency and exhibition programs.
• Socrates Sculpture Park: NYC-based nonprofit outdoor sculpture park and artist residency program supporting emerging artists. Directly comparable to LACE in nonprofit arts incubator model with residency and apprenticeship components, though serving a different geographic market.
• The Kitchen: NYC-based nonprofit art space presenting experimental contemporary art, performance, and emerging artists. Comparable to LACE as a nonprofit contemporary art organization focused on experimental programming in a major US city.

Broad incumbents

• The Hammer Museum: UCLA-affiliated contemporary art museum with significantly larger budget and programming. Comparable to LACE in LA contemporary art focus but operates as a much larger incumbent with broader portfolio and permanent collection.
• Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Los Angeles: Major LA contemporary art museum with permanent collection and major exhibitions. Comparable to LACE in contemporary art focus but operates as a substantially larger institution with admission revenue and broader programming.
• The Broad: Major LA contemporary art museum with significant permanent collection and ticketed general admission. Comparable to LACE in contemporary art focus but operates at substantially larger scale with major institutional funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/welcometolace
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKVWGnDf1Vm2tuB1awaj5Qw
• Facebookfacebook.com/welcometoLACE
• Instagraminstagram.com/welcometolace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions