Third Streaming

What Third Streaming does

Third Streaming (also stylized as 3S) is a boutique cultural strategy and consulting practice founded in 2010 by Yona Backer, with offices in New York City and Amsterdam. The firm delivers strategic planning, organizational development, fundraising strategy, legacy stewardship for artist estates, executive coaching, public program design, and cross-sector collaboration services. Its clients are nonprofit arts and culture institutions, foundations supporting the arts, artist-endowed foundations, individual artists and artist estates, and charitably-minded families and individuals, primarily in the United States and Europe. The firm is also the long-term steward of The Alvin Baltrop Trust, managing the photographic archive and licensing pipeline for artist Alvin Baltrop.

The service portfolio is delivered as consulting rather than technology, organized around six core practices: Cultural Strategy & Organizational Development, Legacy Stewardship & Artist Estates, Philanthropy & Fundraising Strategy, Public Programs & Convenings, Futures Thinking & Systems Change, and Cross-sector Collaboration & Social Impact. Engagements are project-based and advisory in nature, with services priced on custom scope rather than published rate cards. The Alvin Baltrop Trust functions as a sub-brand with its own institutional partnerships, including archive donation to the Bronx Museum of the Arts (2014), representation by Galerie Buchholz (2016), and copyright administration by Artists Rights Society (2011), plus downstream licensing into music (Anohni, 2023) and fashion (Joseph Altuzarra).

Third Streaming's go-to-market is relationship-led, relying on thought leadership, word-of-mouth, and the founder's network across the arts and philanthropy sectors. The firm is privately held, founder-owned, and bootstrapped, with no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds. Public headcount indicators place the team at 1-10 employees, supported by an extended bench of interdisciplinary consultants including archival, curatorial, and strategy specialists. Revenue is derived from professional services fees and a recurring rights/licensing stream, with no software, marketplace, or platform revenue lines.

Name

Third Streaming

Legal name

Third Streaming

Website

https://thirdstreaming.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Third Streaming is a boutique cultural strategy consulting practice founded in 2010, serving nonprofit arts institutions, foundations, artist-endowed foundations, artists, and philanthropists with strategic planning, fundraising, legacy stewardship, and organizational development in the US and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Strategy and Arts Consulting Services

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural & Heritage Entertainment Booking (Traditional/Folk Acts) (HSACAHAG)

Keywords

• Cultural strategy consulting
• Artist estate management
• Nonprofit fundraising advisory
• Legacy stewardship services
• Arts philanthropy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Advisory Services: Third Streaming generates revenue through professional consulting engagements with cultural organizations, foundations, artist estates, and philanthropists. Services include strategic planning, organizational development, fundraising strategy, legacy planning, and executive coaching. Revenue is derived from project-based engagements and ongoing advisory relationships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Third Streaming is a global cultural strategy practice that delivers advisory and management consulting to nonprofit arts institutions, foundations, artist-endowed foundations, individual artists, and charitably-minded families. Its core offerings span cultural strategy and organizational development, legacy stewardship and artist estate management, fundraising and philanthropy strategy, public programs and convenings, futures thinking and systems change, and cross-sector collaboration for social impact. A signature engagement is long-term stewardship of the Alvin Baltrop Trust.

Product overview

Third Streaming is a global cultural strategy practice that operates as a service-based consulting firm rather than a software product company. The company offers an integrated suite of advisory and management consulting services organized around cultural strategy, organizational development, legacy stewardship, and social impact. Core service offerings include Cultural Strategy & Organizational Development, Legacy Stewardship & Artist Estates, Philanthropy & Fundraising Strategy, Public Programs & Convenings, Futures Thinking & Systems Change, and Cross-sector Collaboration & Social Impact. The practice also provides specialized services for individual artists including Legacy Planning, Estate Management, Professional Development, and Market Advice. A notable sub-brand is The Alvin Baltrop Trust, which manages the photographic legacy of artist Alvin Baltrop. The company is led by founder Yona Backer and serves nonprofit arts institutions, foundations, artist-endowed foundations, individual artists, and charitably-minded families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cultural Strategy & Organizational Development
• Legacy Stewardship & Artist Estates
• Philanthropy & Fundraising Strategy
• Public Programs & Convenings
• Futures Thinking & Systems Change
• Cross-sector Collaboration & Social Impact
• Executive Coaching & Professional Development Workshops
• The Alvin Baltrop Trust

Quantifiable outcome

• Client foundation income doubled in three years through fundraising strategy implementation

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Galerie BuchholzcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016Third Streaming partners with Galerie Buchholz for sales inquiries related to Alvin Baltrop's photographs. The gallery has been representing Baltrop since 2016, helping ensure his photographs reach broader audiences and gain critical recognition. Galerie Buchholz operates galleries in Cologne and New York.
• The Bronx Museum of the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Third Streaming facilitated the donation of Alvin Baltrop's complete archive to The Bronx Museum of the Arts in 2014. The archive includes recordings, interviews, correspondence, family photographs, cameras, personal ID cards, and more. The museum is undergoing renovation of its South Wing, with archive access expected to resume in 2025.
• Artists Rights Society (ARS)coreOthers · 1 January 2011Third Streaming administers copyright permissions for Alvin Baltrop's images through Artists Rights Society (ARS). All reproductions must include the required credit line and are subject to licensing fees. ARS handles permissions requests at their New York office.
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird Streaming facilitated MoMA's acquisition of Alvin Baltrop photographs for their permanent collection, contributing to institutional recognition of Baltrop's work.
• The Whitney Museum of American ArtsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird Streaming facilitated the Whitney Museum's acquisition of Alvin Baltrop photographs for their permanent collection.
• The GettysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird Streaming facilitated The Getty's acquisition of Alvin Baltrop photographs for their permanent collection.
• Hammer MuseumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird Streaming facilitated the Hammer Museum's acquisition of Alvin Baltrop photographs for their permanent collection.
• The Watermill CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird Streaming facilitated The Watermill Center's acquisition of Alvin Baltrop photographs for their permanent collection.
• Anohni (artist)minorOthersAlvin Baltrop's photographs were featured on the album cover for Anohni's 'My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross' (2023), a licensing partnership that brought Baltrop's work to new audiences in the music industry.
• Joseph Altuzarra / AltuminorOthersAlvin Baltrop's photographs were integrated into fashion through a collaboration with Joseph Altuzarra/Altu, expanding visibility of his work into the fashion industry.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths6 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ThirdStreaming
• Facebookfacebook.com/thirdstreaming

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Third Streaming