Old School Square

What Old School Square does

Old School Square Center for the Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural arts organization founded in 1989 by Frances F. Bourque to save the historic Delray Beach school campus from demolition. It operates a National Historic Site campus at 96 NE 2nd Ave in downtown Delray Beach, Florida, comprising five venues within restored early 20th century school buildings: the Cornell Art Museum (1913), the Crest Theatre (323-seat, 1925), the Creative Arts School, the outdoor Pavilion (completed 2002), and the Fieldhouse (1925). Programming spans visual arts exhibitions, ticketed and free performing arts events, arts education for all ages and skill levels, community festivals, and the annual 6x6 Exhibition & Sale.

The organization monetizes through a diversified nonprofit revenue mix: CRA grants (less than 25% of operating budget), corporate sponsorships (Capital One, iHeart Media, Lagunitas, IMI Group), ticket sales, private event and corporate venue rentals, educational class fees, food and beverage, individual donations and fundraising, outside cultural grants, and 6x6 artwork sales at $40 per piece. A $1/year lease with the City of Delray Beach has governed campus access since 1989. During COVID-19 the organization pivoted to virtual content production, building green-screen studios and a white infinity cove wall and launching the free 'Amplified' virtual concert series, which reached 15 million viewers across 40 states; this infrastructure was subsequently commercialized to enterprise clients including HSM (60-episode deal) and Honda Classic.

The organization distributes through direct physical attendance at its campus venues, a national virtual streaming channel (YouTube), social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), email newsletter, and earned media across regional outlets. Customer segments span Delray Beach residents and Palm Beach County families, regional visitors and tourists, students and arts education enrollees, and corporate sponsors and enterprise rental clients. Strategic position is anchored by 30 years of brand equity, National Historic Site designation, ownership of all interior venue assets, and deep community advocacy — though the August 2021 lease termination by the City of Delray Beach, the COVID-era CEO departure and 85%+ staff furlough, and the May 2024 letter indicating that a new partnership with the City was not possible represent material governance and operational risk to forward execution.

Name

Old School Square

Legal name

Old School Square Center for the Arts, Inc.

Website

https://oldschoolsquare.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Old School Square Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a National Historic Site campus in downtown Delray Beach, Florida, offering visual arts, performing arts, education, and community programming across five restored-venue facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Delray Beach

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. CRA Grants: Annual grants from the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency that offset programming costs. These grants provide less than 25% of OSS's annual operating budget and are investments in community programs that further the CRA's mission.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from businesses and organizations. Sponsorship revenue increased 550.677% year-over-year from 2020 to 2021 ($37,175 to $206,590).
3. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticketed events at Crest Theatre (323-seat venue) and outdoor Pavilion performances. Ticket revenue exceeded 2021 goal by 1600% in the third quarter.
4. Private Events: Rental revenue from private events, corporate functions, and the virtual production studio space (HSM, Honda Classic).
5. Educational Programs: Revenue from art classes, summer camps, and the Creative Arts School offering beginner through master level classes for all ages.
6. Food and Beverage: Revenue from food and beverage operations during events and programs.
7. Fundraising and Donations: Individual donor contributions and fundraising campaigns, including major private donations for building renovations.
8. Outside Cultural Grants: Grants from cultural agencies and organizations outside of city taxpayer funding.
9. 6x6 Art Exhibition Sales: Sale of donated 6x6 inch artworks at $40 each, with proceeds benefiting youth-related art education programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Old School Square Center for the Arts is a nonprofit arts campus operating the Cornell Art Museum for visual arts exhibitions, the Crest Theatre for performing arts productions, and the Creative Arts School offering classes and workshops. The campus also includes the Fieldhouse and The Pavilion for outdoor and community events, plus Virtual Production Studios used to deliver live-streamed performances.

Product overview

Old School Square Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural arts organization that operates a multi-venue campus in downtown Delray Beach, Florida. The organization offers a portfolio of distinct venues and programs including the Cornell Art Museum (housed in a restored 1913 elementary school), the Crest Theatre (a 323-seat restored 1925 high school auditorium), the Creative Arts School (offering classes for all skill levels), the Fieldhouse (historic 1925 gymnasium), and The Pavilion (outdoor concert venue). Major annual events include the 6×6 Exhibition & Sale and community concert series. The organization serves as Delray Beach's primary arts and cultural hub, combining historic preservation with arts programming and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cornell Art Museum: Art museum housed in the restored 1913 Delray Elementary School building, dedicated in 1990 and named in honor of Harriet W. and George D. Cornell.
• Crest Theatre
• Creative Arts School
• The Pavilion
• Fieldhouse

Products and services

• Cornell Art Museum

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $100M annual economic activity generated in Delray Beach (Americans for The Arts study)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Capital OneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor providing financial support for arts and cultural programming at Old School Square venues.
• iHeart MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner sponsor providing marketing and promotional support for events and programming.
• Lagunitas Brewing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeverage sponsor for events and concerts at the Pavilion venue.
• MusicWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcert presenter that partners with Old School Square to present major concerts at the Pavilion venue. MusicWorks has presented multiple major concerts including three major shows in March 2020.
• IMI GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Old School Square arts and cultural programming.
• City of Delray BeachcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner30-year lease partner providing access to historic campus buildings. The city is responsible for building maintenance, grounds upkeep, and major system repairs per the lease agreement. Settlement was reached in April 2023 after litigation. OSS pays $1 per year rent.
• Page Turner AdventurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership creating childhood literacy programming. 127+ hours of episodes created reaching 600 libraries nationwide and 600,000 students, valued at $50,000 for Delray Beach Schools.
• South Florida Children's TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create virtual summer children's camp and virtual musical performance using South Florida actors and actresses.
• Palm Beach County Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for Empty Bowls hunger relief program. OSS hosted VIP appreciation event and created artist-made bowls sold to benefit the organization.
• Boca Ballet TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to display ballet costumes from fairy tales during holiday exhibition at Cornell Art Museum.
• DeBilzan GalleriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor and judge for the 6x6 Exhibition and Sale event.
• Stuart & Shelby Development Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for the 6x6 Exhibition and Sale art event.
• The Box Art GalleryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for the 6x6 Exhibition and Sale.
• Easton Art GalleryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for the 6x6 Exhibition and Sale.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kravis Center for the Performing Arts: A 2,200-seat performing arts center in West Palm Beach, FL, hosting national touring Broadway, dance, and music acts. Directly comparable to OSS as a regional South Florida performing arts nonprofit serving similar audiences with similar ticketed event programming.
• Broward Center for the Performing Arts: Fort Lauderdale-based multi-venue performing arts complex (Au-Rene Theater, Amaturo Theater) operating as a community-anchored nonprofit. Comparable to OSS in operating multiple performing arts venues, hosting touring national acts, and delivering educational/community programming in South Florida.
• Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts: Miami's largest performing arts center, a nonprofit operating two venues (Knight Concert Hall and Ziff Ballet Opera House). Directly comparable to OSS in multi-venue performing arts nonprofit model with educational outreach and corporate sponsorship programs.
• Norton Museum of Art: West Palm Beach-based nonprofit art museum comparable to OSS's Cornell Art Museum component. Operates similarly as a regional arts nonprofit with permanent collection, rotating exhibitions, and educational programming for Palm Beach County audiences.
• Boca Raton Museum of Art: Regional art museum in Boca Raton, FL operating as a nonprofit cultural institution comparable to the visual arts arm of OSS. Both serve South Florida residents and visitors with curated exhibitions and arts education in adjacent markets.
• Palm Beach Dramaworks: A nonprofit professional theater company in West Palm Beach comparable to OSS's Crest Theatre component. Similar regional theater nonprofit model with ticketed productions, educational programming, and community engagement in Palm Beach County.
• Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami (MOCA): South Florida-based nonprofit contemporary art museum comparable to the Cornell Art Museum. Operates a similar cultural-anchored nonprofit model with exhibitions, educational programming, and free community programs serving a regional audience.
• Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre: Coral Gables-based nonprofit professional regional theater in a restored historic venue, comparable to OSS's Crest Theatre. Operates as a cultural nonprofit with ticketed productions, children's theater, and educational programming in South Florida.
• Young at Art Museum: A nonprofit art and education-focused museum in Davie, FL with strong educational programming comparable to OSS's Creative Arts School. Both combine arts education for children/families with exhibits and community programming in South Florida.

Broad incumbents

• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts: National-scale multi-venue performing arts complex in New York comparable to OSS's multi-venue structure. While far larger, Lincoln Center operates a similar nonprofit model spanning concert halls, theater, education, and outdoor programming with corporate sponsorship and ticketed events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oldschoolsquare
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Oldschoolsquare
• Facebookfacebook.com/OldSchoolSquare
• Instagraminstagram.com/oldschoolsquaredelray

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Old School Square