Firehouse Cultural Center

What Firehouse Cultural Center does

Firehouse Cultural Center (FCC) is a non-profit arts and cultural organization operating from a converted firehouse on a creek in downtown Ruskin, Florida, serving Tampa Bay's SouthShore community. The organization delivers a full spectrum of arts programming across live performances (Center Stage music, theater, and comedy), art education classes (pottery, painting, drawing, jewelry making, glass fusing, photography), summer camps for children ages 7-15, and facility rentals. FCC operates from two physical locations — the main headquarters at 101 1st Ave NE and an Annex building on 305 US HWY 41 — and reaches customers through on-site participation, online booking via firehouseculturalcenter.org, phone reservations, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), an email newsletter, and a radio partnership with WPHX 101.9 - The Phoenix.

The revenue model is diversified across six streams: performance tickets ($23-$35 per ticket), tuition from classes and workshops ($15 for single figure-drawing sessions, $180-$200 for multi-week pottery courses, $40-$45 for glass fusing), summer camp fees ($0-$230 weekly), annual memberships with discounted pricing, facility rental income, and charitable donations. Programming is segmented horizontally across general adults, children and youth (ages 5-15), performing arts enthusiasts, seniors (55+ via Studio 55), and homeschool families, with strategic partnerships extending capabilities through the Tampa Museum of Art (photography workshops), FL Drama Kids Camp (10-week summer camp), and Ifi Heritage Center (Gospel Soul Jam events). The organization has received two Community Foundation Tampa Bay grants ($30,000 in May 2023 and $55,000 in June 2025).

FCC is not a technology organization. It has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, no API, no SDK, no proprietary software features, and no app; the underlying technology stack is a WordPress website supplemented by standard nonprofit outreach tools. Its competitive position rests on community-rooted programming, the distinctive physical venue, institutional partnerships with regional cultural organizations, and a multi-channel local marketing approach — none of which constitute a technology moat. Operating scale is reported at 51-100 employees, and the organization is actively operating with programming booked through December 2026.

Name

Firehouse Cultural Center

Legal name

Firehouse Cultural Center

Website

https://firehouseculturalcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts and Cultural Center

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking) (EDAMALAH), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Community arts center
• Live performance venue
• Arts education classes
• Summer camp programs
• Facility rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Ruskin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Live Performance Tickets: Revenue from Center Stage performances including music, theater, comedy, and special events. Ticket prices vary by membership status and event.
2. Classes and Workshops: Fees for pottery, painting, drawing, jewelry making, glass fusing, and other art education programs. Multi-week courses and single-session workshops available.
3. Summer Camps: Weekly summer camp programs for children ages 7-15, partnering with FL Drama Kids Camp for expanded offerings.
4. Memberships: Annual membership program offering discounted ticket prices and class fees for members.
5. Facility Rental: Rental of Firehouse facilities for events, classes, and community gatherings.
6. Donations: Charitable donations from supporters of the arts and cultural programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Firehouse Cultural Center is a nonprofit community arts organization that delivers live performances, arts education classes, and youth summer camps from its venue in Ruskin, Florida. It also rents its facility to outside groups for events and gatherings.

Product overview

Firehouse Cultural Center is an arts and culture organization operating from a converted firehouse in Ruskin, Florida. Their portfolio consists of multiple interconnected programs: Center Stage venues for live music, theater, and comedy performances; educational programs including pottery/ceramics classes, painting workshops, photography courses, and figure drawing sessions; summer camps for children ages 7-15; and facility rentals. The organization also partners with Tampa Museum of Art for photography workshops and offers membership benefits for regular patrons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Performances Live performing arts programming hosted at the center's venue in Ruskin, Florida, intended for local community members and arts audiences seeking in-person cultural experiences.
• Arts Education Classes Instructional arts classes for community members offered at the center, providing hands-on arts learning experiences for local residents.
• Summer Camps for Children Seasonal youth summer camp programming offered at the center for children in the Ruskin and surrounding South Hillsborough communities.
• Facility Rentals Rental of the center's venue to outside individuals and groups for private or community events such as parties, receptions, meetings, and gatherings.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FL Drama Kids CampcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCC and FL Drama Kids Camp partnered to create ten full weeks of summer camp programming for campers ages 7-15. FCC offers 8 weeks while FL Drama Kids Camp provides 2 weeks of programming.
• Tampa Museum of ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Studio 55 workshops - photography classes for adults 55+ held at Firehouse locations. Classes draw inspiration from Tampa Museum of Art exhibitions.
• Ifi Heritage CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint programming for Gospel Soul Jam events featuring vocalist Maurice Allen 'Pastor Mo' and band.
• Palladium (St. Petersburg College)minorOthersARConnection ensemble, which performs at Firehouse, received the 2026 Palladium Creative Fellowship award.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tampa Museum of Art: Tampa art museum already in partnership with FCC via Studio 55 photography workshops. Comparable in visual arts education programming and Tampa Bay cultural footprint, with a broader museum exhibition mission.
• Tampa Theatre: Historic nonprofit movie palace and event venue in Tampa offering films, concerts, and community programming. Shares FCC's nonprofit venue model, historic-building character, and Tampa Bay community-arts positioning.
• Morean Arts Center: St. Petersburg-based community arts center offering pottery classes, glass blowing, exhibitions, and youth programs. Highly comparable multi-disciplinary arts education and event programming model serving the same Tampa Bay region.
• Dunedin Fine Art Center: Community-focused nonprofit arts center in Dunedin offering classes, exhibitions, and cultural programming for all ages. Closely mirrors FCC's model of combining visual arts education with community events and memberships in the Tampa Bay area.
• Palladium Theater (St. Petersburg College): St. Petersburg performing arts venue that already partners with FCC (Palladium Creative Fellowship) and presents similar music, theater, and cultural programming. Comparable scale and regional mission make it a strong operational and programming peer.

Broad incumbents

• Straz Center for the Performing Arts: Tampa's largest performing arts complex presenting Broadway tours, opera, concerts, and comedy. Overlaps with FCC's Center Stage music/theater/comedy offerings but at a much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Ruth Eckerd Hall: Major Clearwater-based performing arts venue presenting national touring music, comedy, and theatrical productions. Comparable Center Stage-style concert programming at substantially larger scale and ticket volume.

Regional players

• American Stage (St. Petersburg): Professional regional theater company in St. Petersburg producing plays and educational programming. Comparable in performing arts mission and Tampa Bay service area but operates as a producing theater rather than a multi-discipline cultural center.
• Florida Studio Theatre (Sarasota): Sarasota-based professional theater and cabaret venue with extensive education programming. Comparable performing arts + education hybrid model, though operating further south on Florida's Gulf Coast.

Emerging players

• Creative Clay Cultural Arts Center: St. Petersburg nonprofit offering visual arts classes, exhibitions, and community programs with an inclusive mission. Smaller scale than FCC but highly comparable visual-arts-education-plus-community-engagement model in the same metro.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/firehousecc
• Facebookfacebook.com/FirehouseCulturalCenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/firehouseculturalcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/firehouse-cultural-ctr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 Firehouse Cultural Center