The Performing Arts Project
The Performing Arts Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 that delivers summer intensive performing arts training—acting, dancing, and singing—to young performers ages 14-25, primarily high school and gap year students preparing for college auditions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Performing Arts Project does
The Performing Arts Project (TPAP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts training organization founded in 2011, delivering intensive instruction in acting, dancing, and singing to young performers between roughly ages 14 and 25. Its core audience comprises high school students, gap year students, and young adults pursuing pre-professional training and college audition preparation, with a secondary mission of expanding access for students who could not otherwise afford such instruction. The organization is headquartered in New York with a mailing address in Tallahassee, FL, and conducts its summer programming on the campus of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC.
TPAP's product portfolio is anchored by four summer intensives: Blueprint (two weeks, $3,700, for high school and gap year students), Panorama (three weeks, $4,550, for students ages 16+), and two one-week Compass tracks—Dance for Movers ($1,500-$1,750) and Acting for Camera ($1,500). Complementary offerings include the year-round Upstage Left online community platform for virtual master classes, the Sound-On activism campaign, administrative and artistic internships, and a fundraising merchandise store operated through Spring. The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight: a WordPress-based website, PayPal payment processing, the third-party GetAcceptd.com platform for digital audition submissions, YouTube/Vimeo/Dropbox for video uploads, and Constant Contact for email marketing. Proprietary programmatic differentiators include the Bluenifieds college audition simulation and a Community Agreement Framework created by faculty member Alejandro Rodriguez.
Revenue is generated primarily through summer program tuition ($1,500-$4,550 per student, inclusive of housing, meals, and airport transportation), supplemented by $25-$35 application fees and tax-deductible donations across multiple giving tiers ($3,000-$50,000). The go-to-market motion is audition-driven and direct-to-consumer: students apply through in-person auditions across multiple US cities or through digital submissions, with rolling admission until program capacity is filled. The organization has signaled significant operational stress with the public announcement that no on-campus training will be offered in summer 2024, while continuing to collect contact-list signups for future programming.
The Performing Arts Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Performing Arts Project
- Legal name
- The Performing Arts Project
- Website
- https://performingartsproject.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Performing Arts Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 that delivers summer intensive performing arts training—acting, dancing, and singing—to young performers ages 14-25, primarily high school and gap year students preparing for college auditions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Performing Arts Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE)
Keywords
Where The Performing Arts Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Performing Arts Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Summer Intensive Tuition: Primary revenue from tuition fees for Blueprint ($3,700), Panorama ($4,550), and Compass programs ($1,500-$1,750). Tuition includes room, board, and airport transportation. Non-refundable deposits required to hold spots.
- Application Fees: $25 application fee via website, $35 if submitted through GetAcceptd.com. Fee waivers available for students with financial hardship.
- Donations and Fundraising: 501(c)(3) nonprofit receiving tax-deductible donations. Various giving levels for scholarships ($5,000-$50,000) and faculty support ($3,000-$8,000). Corporate matching, donor advised funds, and planned giving accepted.
- Merchandise Sales: Online store on Spring selling items designed by alums, faculty, and staff as fundraiser for scholarships and operating costs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Blueprint Summer Intensive - Two-week program for high school and gap year students |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Panorama Summer Intensive - Three-week program for students ages 16 and up |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Compass: Dance for Movers - One-week dance intensive for beginner to intermediate dancers |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Compass: Acting for Camera - One-week on-camera training for ages 14-25 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Application Fee - Required for all program applications |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Linen Package - Optional add-on for dormitory stay |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Choose-a-palooza Day - Specialty class day during Panorama |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Compass Fall Program - Online six-week dance program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Performing Arts Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Performing Arts Project delivers multi-week and one-week performing arts summer intensives covering acting, dancing, singing, and on-camera technique for students ages 14-25. Programs include college audition preparation with mock audition simulations, taught by working Broadway, television, and film professionals. The organization also operates an online community platform, internship programs, and a merchandise fundraising store.
Product overview
The Performing Arts Project is a nonprofit performing arts training organization offering a portfolio of summer intensive programs for young performers. The core offerings include Blueprint (a two-week college audition prep program for high school/gap year students), Compass: Acting for Camera and Compass: Dance for Movers (one-week focused intensives for ages 14-25), and Panorama (a three-week comprehensive training program for students 16+). Additional offerings include the Upstage Left online community platform for virtual master classes and artistic workshops, the Sound-On service-based campaign for community activism, and internship programs for administrative and artistic experience. The programs are held primarily at Wake Forest University with online components, and the organization operates an e-commerce store on Spring for merchandise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Panorama Summer Intensive A three-week summer intensive for students ages 16 to 25 that provides rigorous training in acting, dancing, singing, and connected fields, with a 360-degree approach to artistic development and inclusion of research and development sessions. Priced at $4,550 in-person, includes room and board and airport transportation.
- Blueprint Summer Intensive A two-week summer intensive for high school and gap year students focusing on performance training and college audition preparation, covering acting, dancing, singing, and college audition curriculum including the Bluenifieds college audition simulation. Priced at $3,700 in-person, includes room and board and airport transportation.
- Compass: Dance for Movers A one-week program for high school and gap year students providing beginner to beginner/intermediate-level dance technique training in ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance, designed for students preparing for dance auditions. Priced at $1,500 for Blueprint student discount rate or $1,750 for Compass-only students; includes room and board and airport transportation.
- Compass: Acting for Camera A one-week program for students ages 14-25 providing technique training in all aspects of on-camera work, including self-tapes, film/TV sets, and technical skills like hitting marks and lighting. Priced at $1,500 for Blueprint student discounted rate (in-person, includes room and board).
- Upstage Left Online Community An online community platform offering live virtual events, master classes, and artistic workshops with Broadway professionals for those pursuing careers in the arts.
- Sound-On Community Initiative A service-based campaign using monthly themed initiatives to amplify voices, spread awareness, educate, and take action through community-driven artistic projects.
- Administrative Internship Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Small class sizes ensure individual attention for every student
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Performing Arts Project
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Performing Arts Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Performing Arts Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Wake Forest UniversitycoreWake Forest University serves as the host site for The Performing Arts Project's summer intensives, providing facilities, food service (Aramark), and housing in air-conditioned dormitories. The university functions as the venue provider but explicitly assumes no responsibility for the conduct of any program or activity offered by The Performing Arts Project.
- Always, Enough FoundationsupportingPartnership with organization that breaks barriers to performing arts education access by providing financial and socio-emotional support to families. They assist in ensuring performing arts education is accessible to kids of all races, genders, abilities, shapes, and economic levels.
- Aramark Food ServicesupportingFood service provider for Wake Forest University dining facilities, serving students three meals daily at the Fresh Food Company dining hall. Accommodates dietary restrictions including vegetarians, vegans, and students with food allergies to nuts, gluten, and lactose.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Performing Arts Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Broadway Workshop: NYC-based private coaching and summer intensive for young performers preparing for college and Broadway auditions; mirrors TPAP's small-class, faculty-of-working-Broadway-professionals model at a similar premium price point.
- National High School Institute (Cherubs): Northwestern University's five-week summer theater program for high school students, also feeding BFA programs; directly comparable in structure, length, and college-audition-prep positioning to TPAP's Blueprint and Panorama.
- Stagedoor Manor: Well-known summer theater training program for ages 10-18 in Loch Sheldrake, NY, producing full musicals each session; directly competes with TPAP for the same college-aspirational teen performer segment and audition-driven GTM motion.
- Interlochen Arts Camp: Premier multi-week summer intensive covering theater, dance, music, and interdisciplinary arts for K-12 students; competes for the same college-bound performing arts families with a much larger endowment and brand footprint.
- National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center: Intensive semester and summer conservatory-style theater training program co-founded by TPAP Artistic Director Jonathan Bernstein; directly comparable in curriculum intensity, faculty caliber, and college-credit positioning.
- Camp Broadway: NYC-based Broadway-themed summer performing arts program for kids and teens using working Broadway professionals as instructors; directly mirrors TPAP's faculty-of-working-professionals and Broadway-curriculum approach.
- Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program: Multi-week summer music and performing arts intensive at Berklee College of Music serving high school and pre-college students; competes for the same audition-driven, parent-funded cohort with strong brand recognition and college-credit pathways.
- Broadway Theatre Project: Predecessor Tampa-based summer intensive for high school and college-age performers in acting, dance, and vocal performance; co-founder Kim Slade served as its Program Director for 20 years, making it the closest historical and operational analog to TPAP.
Emerging players
- Paper Mill Playhouse (Education Programs): Regional theater with a long-running conservatory and summer training programs for young performers in NJ; partial overlap with TPAP in college audition prep and Broadway-style training but tied to a producing theater rather than a standalone nonprofit.
Others
- YoungArts (National YoungArts Foundation): National foundation identifying and supporting exceptional young artists (ages 15-18) across performing, visual, and literary arts with programs, awards, and residencies; comparable audience of college-track performers and a parallel donor pipeline rather than direct competition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Performing Arts Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Performing Arts Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Performing Arts Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
The Performing Arts Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Performing Arts Project 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 The Performing Arts Project
What does The Performing Arts Project do?
The Performing Arts Project delivers multi-week and one-week performing arts summer intensives covering acting, dancing, singing, and on-camera technique for students ages 14-25. Programs include college audition preparation with mock audition simulations, taught by working Broadway, television, and film professionals. The organization also operates an online community platform, internship programs, and a merchandise fundraising store.
Is The Performing Arts Project a public or private company?
The Performing Arts Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Performing Arts Project founded?
The Performing Arts Project was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Performing Arts Project based?
The Performing Arts Project is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Performing Arts Project make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Summer Intensive Tuition is the primary driver. The others are application Fees, donations and Fundraising and merchandise Sales.
Who are The Performing Arts Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Broadway Workshop, National High School Institute (Cherubs), Stagedoor Manor, Interlochen Arts Camp, National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Camp Broadway, Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program and Broadway Theatre Project. Paper Mill Playhouse (Education Programs) is listed as an emerging player. YoungArts (National YoungArts Foundation) is listed as an others.
Does The Performing Arts Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Performing Arts Project.
What industry is The Performing Arts Project in?
The Performing Arts Project's product category is Performing Arts Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAAAG, Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater), with a secondary code of EDAMALAI, Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 7900.