Quad City Arts
Quad City Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1970 that presents and supports the arts across the Quad Cities region, serving 350,000+ people annually through galleries, school residencies, public art, youth apprenticeships, and grant administration.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersRock Island, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Quad City Arts does
Quad City Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 1970 and headquartered at 1715 2nd Avenue in Rock Island, Illinois, serving the Quad Cities region across six counties (Clinton, Scott, and Muscatine in Iowa; Henry, Rock Island, and Mercer in Illinois). It operates with a small staff of 1–10 employees and a dual mission as both an arts presenter and an arts resource. Programs include the Visiting Artist Series (running since 1974), the High School Art Invitational (49th edition), Arts Dollars grant administration (over $1.6 million awarded since 1990), the Metro Arts Youth Apprenticeship (26 years), public sculpture and mural commissions, the Chalk Art Fest, the Riverssance Festival, and the Festival of Trees.
The organization's product surface combines physical retail (Rock Island Gallery, Airport Gallery, Second Avenue Window storefront) with an e-commerce platform (shopquadcityarts.com), free digital resources including the Artist Index directory and Artist Opportunities Board, and grant administration infrastructure. Distribution is delivered through 200+ rural and urban community sites and direct school partnerships. Technology stack is conventional web and e-commerce tooling with no disclosed AI/ML components.
Revenue is generated through four streams: gallery art sales commissions from 75+ represented artists, individual and institutional donations (tax-deductible), pass-through administration of Arts Dollars grants funded by the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, Quad Cities Community Foundation, and Illinois Arts Council, and tiered performance ticketing ($10 subsidized to $60 Angel). Operating grants from the Illinois Arts Council, Iowa Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Regional Development Authority, Scott County Regional Authority, and The Cultural Trust form the institutional funding backbone. The organization reaches 350,000+ people annually, including 35,000 K-12 students receiving free arts education.
Quad City Arts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Quad City Arts
- Legal name
- Quad City Arts
- Website
- https://quadcityarts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Quad City Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1970 that presents and supports the arts across the Quad Cities region, serving 350,000+ people annually through galleries, school residencies, public art, youth apprenticeships, and grant administration.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Quad City Arts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Arts Programming
- NAICS
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA), Visual Arts & Media Arts Programs (Art Club, Photography, Film) (EDAJAJAF)
Keywords
Where Quad City Arts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rock Island
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Quad City Arts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Gallery Art Sales: Quad City Arts operates a Gallery Store selling original artwork from over 75 regional artists. The organization takes a commission on sales while artists retain majority of proceeds. Sales occur both in-person at Rock Island Gallery and online through their e-commerce platform.
- Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations supporting the organization's mission to enrich quality of life through arts. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Arts Dollars Grant Administration: Quad City Arts administers the Arts Dollars grant program, distributing funds to local artists, nonprofits, and schools. They serve as administrators and moderators, with funds provided by Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, Quad Cities Community Foundation, and Illinois Arts Council Agency.
- Performance Tickets: Revenue from ticket sales for public performances by visiting artists. Tiered pricing model includes Angel Tickets ($60), True Cost Tickets ($40), General Admission ($20), and Subsidized Tickets ($10) to ensure accessibility.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | No-cost artist application to Gallery Store |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Tiered ticketing for performances |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Quad City Arts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Quad City Arts is a regional nonprofit arts organization that presents and supports the arts across the Quad Cities region through gallery retail of original artwork by 75+ regional artists, performing artist residencies (Visiting Artist Series), youth arts apprenticeship programs, public art installations including murals and sculptures, grant administration (Arts Dollars), annual arts festivals, and free K-12 arts education reaching 35,000 students annually. Its combined online storefront, physical galleries, and community-based program delivery serve more than 350,000 people annually across eastern Iowa and western Illinois.
Product overview
Quad City Arts operates as a nonprofit arts organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services centered on arts access and community engagement. The core offerings include the Gallery Store (physical and online retail for regional artists), multiple gallery spaces (Rock Island Gallery and Airport Gallery), the Visiting Artist Series (performing artist residencies since 1974), and the High School Art Invitational. Supporting programs include the Arts Dollars Grant Program, Metro Arts Youth Apprenticeship, Public Sculpture Program, and Murals. Events include Chalk Art Fest, Riverssance Festival, and Festival of Trees. Resources include the free Artist Index directory and Artist Opportunities Board. The organization reaches over 350,000 people annually across the Quad Cities region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 350,000+ people served annually
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Quad City Arts
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Quad City Arts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Quad City Arts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Windborn GroupminorReal estate development and community revitalization organization partnering with Quad City Arts on public mural project at 112 E. Main St., Aledo, honoring Gertrude Abercrombie and Doris Lee.
- Figge Art AcademyminorSponsor of High School Art Invitational awards and Artist of Promise Certificates; collaborative partner for student recognition.
- Rock Island Art GuildminorSponsor providing Members' Selections at High School Art Invitational; collaborative arts organization.
- WQPT (Quad Cities PBS)minorPublic broadcasting partner for Imagination Station programming and airings of Art Is Work documentary created by Metro Arts apprentices.
- Friends of MLKminorJoint partner with Downtown Davenport Partnership and Quad City Arts on MLK Park Mural project in Davenport, Iowa.
- Downtown Davenport PartnershipminorJoint partner with Friends of MLK and Quad City Arts on MLK Park Mural project honoring Black Davenport history.
- DPHILMSminorVideo footage provider and film award sponsor for High School Art Invitational excellence in film category.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Quad City Arts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ArtsWave: ArtsWave is a Cincinnati-based community arts nonprofit that similarly combines arts presenting, grantmaking, and community-wide fundraising through workplace campaigns and donor-supported programs — a closely analogous regional arts council model.
- Silicon Valley Creates: Silicon Valley Creates is a regional arts support organization serving Santa Clara County with grantmaking, advocacy, and artist resource programs — directly comparable as a community arts council combining funding administration with artist services.
- Regional Arts & Culture Council: RACC serves the Portland, Oregon metro with grants, public art, and community arts programs through a comparable presenter-plus-resource model anchored in county and regional government funding.
- Vermont Arts Council: Vermont Arts Council is a state-level arts council providing grants, education programs, and artist services to a defined geographic region — directly comparable in mission and funding structure to Quad City Arts.
- Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council: Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is a regional arts service organization providing grants, advocacy, and artist resources for a multi-county region — a strong structural analog in mission and operating model.
Broad incumbents
- Americans for the Arts: Americans for the Arts is the national arts service organization providing advocacy, research, and capacity-building for local arts councils like Quad City Arts — a broader umbrella counterpart in the same ecosystem.
- Mid-America Arts Alliance: Mid-America Arts Alliance is a regional arts organization providing grants and touring artist programs across six central states, comparable to Quad City Arts' Visiting Artist Series and grantmaking functions but at multi-state scale.
- ArtsMidwest: ArtsMidwest is a larger regional arts organization serving nine Midwestern states with grantmaking and programming — overlapping with Quad City Arts' grant administration role but at significantly broader geographic and budget scale.
Regional players
- Figge Art Museum: Figge Art Museum is the regional art museum in Davenport, Iowa serving the same Quad Cities geography and partnering with Quad City Arts on the High School Art Invitational — a complementary cultural institution in the same market.
Others
- Quad Cities Community Foundation: Quad Cities Community Foundation is a major local funder and partner of Quad City Arts (via the Isabel Bloom Art Education Endowment) — comparable as a community-focused grantmaker in the same geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Quad City Arts social profiles
Digital presenceQuad City Arts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Quad City Arts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Quad City Arts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Quad City Arts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Quad City Arts
What does Quad City Arts do?
Quad City Arts is a regional nonprofit arts organization that presents and supports the arts across the Quad Cities region through gallery retail of original artwork by 75+ regional artists, performing artist residencies (Visiting Artist Series), youth arts apprenticeship programs, public art installations including murals and sculptures, grant administration (Arts Dollars), annual arts festivals, and free K-12 arts education reaching 35,000 students annually. Its combined online storefront, physical galleries, and community-based program delivery serve more than 350,000 people annually across eastern Iowa and western Illinois.
Is Quad City Arts a public or private company?
Quad City Arts is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Quad City Arts founded?
Quad City Arts was founded in 1970. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Quad City Arts based?
Quad City Arts is headquartered in Rock Island, United States, in the North America region.
How does Quad City Arts make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Gallery Art Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and Contributions, arts Dollars Grant Administration and performance Tickets.
Who are Quad City Arts's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ArtsWave, Silicon Valley Creates, Regional Arts & Culture Council, Vermont Arts Council and Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. Broad incumbents are Americans for the Arts, Mid-America Arts Alliance and ArtsMidwest. Figge Art Museum is listed as a regional player. Quad Cities Community Foundation is listed as an others.
Does Quad City Arts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Quad City Arts.
What industry is Quad City Arts in?
Quad City Arts's product category is Community Arts Programming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAH, Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs, with a secondary code of EDAMAAAA, Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture). Its NAICS code is 71 and its SIC code is 7900.