Akron Soul Train

What Akron Soul Train does

Akron Soul Train is a non-profit 501(c)(3) artist residency program headquartered in downtown Akron, Ohio, founded in 2016 through a Knight Foundation Challenge grant. The organization grants residencies to artists across all creative disciplines—including visual arts, performing arts, music, dance, film, writing, and mixed media—providing studio space, exhibition opportunities, and production resources at no cost to recipients. It operates two gallery spaces at 191 S. Main Street (also referenced as 191 King James Way): the Burton D. Morgan Foundation Gallery, which hosts the annual Artist in Residence exhibitions, and the CapSOUL Gallery, dedicated to community-focused projects and group exhibitions. Since inception, the program has hosted over 100 artists in residence, with approximately 14-15 residents per year.

The organization's funding model is philanthropy-driven rather than revenue-generating. Income streams include state appropriations distributed through the Ohio Arts Council, private foundation grants (Knight Foundation, GAR Foundation, Akron Community Foundation, Burton D. Morgan Foundation, The Brennan Family Foundation, The Lehner Family Foundation, Richard S. and Alita Rogers Family Foundation, and Peg's Foundation), corporate sponsorships (HFS Wealth Advisors, Brennan Manna Diamond LLC, Sikich, Jilly's Music Room), Summit County government support via ArtsNow/ArtsForward, and individual donations. The only quantified funding transaction disclosed in the source data is a $50,000 grant from the GAR Foundation in March 2018. Distribution occurs primarily through physical gallery attendance (free admission, Wednesday-Saturday plus extended Thursday summer hours), the organization's website and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), email newsletter, opening receptions and public events, and partnerships with local arts venues including Outside the Box at TrueNorth Akron, Jilly's Music Room, Akron Civic Theatre, and Summit Artspace. The staff remains small at 1-10 employees.

Beyond the core residency, Akron Soul Train operates a Fiscal Sponsorship program that enables emerging Akron artists to receive tax-deductible donations and grant funding through the organization's 501(c)(3) status, and a CapSOUL Projects program that hosts curated group exhibitions such as Nick Lee's "Through Our Nikkei Eyes." Notable site-specific installations include Ian Brill's "Inflection" (a 2024 Knight New Work-funded audiovisual piece) at Outside the Box. The organization shares a co-founding origin with Curated Storefront—both established via 2016 Knight Foundation Challenge grants—and both organizations marked their 10th anniversary together in 2026.

Name

Akron Soul Train

Legal name

Akron Soul Train

Website

https://akronsoultrain.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Akron Soul Train is a non-profit 501(c)(3) artist residency program in Akron, Ohio that grants free residencies to artists across all creative disciplines and operates two public gallery spaces, funded primarily by foundation grants and government arts appropriations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Residency Programs

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAC

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAHAL

Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAHAH

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

Keywords

• Artist residency program
• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Community arts funding
• Creative development grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Akron

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. Grants and Government Funding: The organization receives state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Arts Council and other government agencies to fund the residency program and community arts initiatives.
2. Foundation and Corporate Sponsorship: Funding from private foundations including GAR Foundation, Akron Community Foundation, Knight Foundation, Burton D. Morgan Foundation, and corporate sponsors to support artist residencies and exhibitions.
3. Individual Donations: Individual supporters contribute financially to sustain impactful programs, with the organization relying on donations as a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Akron Soul Train is a non-profit 501(c)(3) artist residency program that grants residencies providing resources across all creative disciplines (visual arts, performing arts, music, dance, film, writing) to foster a more vibrant downtown Akron. The organization operates two gallery spaces — the Burton D. Morgan Foundation Gallery and CapSOUL Gallery — which host rotating exhibitions by resident and visiting artists, and offers a Fiscal Sponsorship program enabling emerging artists to receive tax-deductible donations through the organization's charitable status.

Product overview

Akron Soul Train is a non-profit 501(c)(3) artist residency program that operates as a single unified offering with multiple interconnected components. The core product is the Artist Residencies program, which grants residencies providing resources for all creative disciplines. This is complemented by two gallery spaces—the Burton D. Morgan Foundation Gallery and CapSOUL Gallery—which host rotating exhibitions by resident and visiting artists. Additional offerings include Fiscal Sponsorship for emerging artists and special projects like the CapSOUL Projects exhibitions. The organization also partners with venues like Outside the Box at TrueNorth Akron for site-specific installations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CapSOUL: A project/program brand for special exhibitions and projects at Akron Soul Train
• CapSOUL Gallery
• Burton D. Morgan Foundation Gallery

Products and services

• Artist Residencies A competitive residency program that grants individual artists studio space, exhibition opportunities, and resources across all creative disciplines (visual arts, performing arts, music, dance, film, writing, mixed media). The program hosts approximately 14-15 artists per year and has supported over 100 artists since inception.
• Burton D. Morgan Foundation Gallery Primary gallery space located at 191 King James Way in downtown Akron, hosting rotating exhibitions by resident artists and visiting artists. Open to the public Wed-Sat 11AM-4PM with extended summer hours on Thursdays until 7PM from June through August.
• CapSOUL Gallery Secondary gallery space within Akron Soul Train dedicated to community-focused exhibitions and CapSOUL Projects, featuring work by emerging and established artists. Used for exhibitions such as 'Through Our Nikkei Eyes' curated by Nick Lee.
• Fiscal Sponsorship Program A special projects program providing fiscal sponsorship to emerging Akron artists, enabling them to receive tax-deductible donations and grant funding through Akron Soul Train's 501(c)(3) charitable status. Used for projects such as Althea Jones' 'Skin Color' interactive art performance.

Named customers9 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• ArtsNow / ArtsForwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Akron Cultural Plan providing grant support for projects like Althea Jones' 'Skin Color' fiscal sponsorship extension.
• Curated StorefrontcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization that activates vacant and underutilized spaces in downtown Akron with contemporary art. Both Curated Storefront and Akron Soul Train were founded through 2016 Knight Foundation Challenge grants and share a 10th anniversary in 2026.
• Nightlight CinemaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit cinematic organization in the local arts ecosystem.
• Akron Civic TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric theater venue in Akron, part of the local arts and cultural partner network.
• Summit ArtspacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor arts organization in Akron providing exhibition and programming space, part of the cultural ecosystem.
• Jilly's Music RoommajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal music venue that has partnered with Akron Soul Train for events, including presenting live broadcasts of Red Rose Panic band.
• TrueNorth AkroncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Outside the Box public art installations, providing space for site-specific works like Ian Brill's 'Inflection'.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts: Omaha-based artist-in-residence program offering studio space, exhibition opportunities, and community programming across disciplines. Closely comparable model of free residencies supported by foundation funding and public exhibitions.
• McColl Center for Art + Innovation: Charlotte-based residency and innovation hub providing studio space, public exhibitions, and community engagement. Operates a similar artist-residency-plus-public-gallery model funded by foundations and corporate sponsors.
• Headlands Center for the Arts: Marin County, CA residency program offering studio space, public programming, and exhibition opportunities to multidisciplinary artists. Comparable in scale, funding mix (foundations + public), and mission-driven model.
• Anderson Center at Tower View: Minnesota-based artist residency supporting multidisciplinary artists with studio space, exhibitions, and community programming. Similar foundation-supported model and discipline-inclusive approach.
• Art Omi: New York-based international artist residency with multidisciplinary programs including visual arts, writing, and music. Comparable in offering free studio space and public exhibitions to a community audience.
• Elsewhere: Greensboro, NC-based artist residency operating inside a former thrift store with public programming and residencies. Comparable in using unconventional downtown space to activate community through artist-led programming.
• Joan Mitchell Center: New Orleans-based residency and artist community offering studio space, fellowships, and public programming. Foundation-supported (Joan Mitchell Foundation) with a similar multi-discipline residency-plus-public-program model.
• Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture: Maine-based residency program providing studio space and community to working artists. Foundation-supported model with public programming components, comparable in mission and funding structure.
• Curated Storefront: Akron-based non-profit that activates vacant downtown spaces with contemporary art; co-founded alongside Akron Soul Train through the same 2016 Knight Foundation Challenge grant. Direct local peer with a comparable mission of activating downtown Akron through art.

Broad incumbents

• MASS MoCA: Large contemporary art museum in North Adams, MA with an artist-in-residence program. Broader institution with a wider portfolio of programming, but overlaps on residency, exhibition, and community-engagement functions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AkronSoulTrain
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJLpkfb3_uAM6sYBDmZvGRg
• Facebookfacebook.com/AkronSoulTrain
• Instagraminstagram.com/akron_soul_train
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/akron-soul-train

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Akron Soul Train