What Irish Arts Center does

Irish Arts Center is a nonprofit cultural institution founded in 1972 in New York City, dedicated to presenting and advancing Irish and Irish-American arts. It operates a multidisciplinary program of theatre, music, dance, literature, film, visual arts exhibitions, language classes, and community events, serving the Irish diaspora alongside general arts audiences, families, students, and educational institutions. The organization's core technology footprint is a digital programming and ticketing platform that supports online classes registration, event ticketing through tickets.irishartscenter.org, and a Watch & Listen on-demand content channel featuring the Irish Word of the Week educational series and commissioned digital works; its physical infrastructure is the new $60.1M, 34,000+ sq ft facility at 726 11th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, opened December 2021, which replaced the original 51st Street site and houses the JL Greene Theatre plus gallery and classroom spaces.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit earned-and-contributed revenue stack. Earned revenue comes from ticket sales (with subsidized $25 access seats for every performance, plus tiered pricing from $25 to $86+ for theatre, music, master classes, and special events), recurring fees for music, dance, and language education classes, annual membership subscriptions (standard plus $50 discounted memberships for seniors, veterans, students, and people with disabilities), group packages with private receptions at the Devlin Caf\u00e9, and free flagship events such as the annual St. Patrick's Open Day. Contributed revenue is sourced from a diversified institutional and corporate base including the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYS Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, Culture Ireland, the Emigrant Support Programme, Tourism Ireland, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Ireland Funds, Howard Gilman Foundation, Shubert Foundation, M&T Bank, CIE Tours, and many others, plus the Claddagh Circle high-donor community. Distribution is multi-channel: direct ticketing at the box office and online, D.O.E. vendor school and senior center programming, co-presentations with Carnegie Hall and National Concert Hall Dublin, and global digital distribution via Watch & Listen.

Name

Irish Arts Center

Legal name

Irish Arts Center

Website

https://irishartscenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Irish Arts Center is a New York-based nonprofit founded in 1972 that presents Irish and Irish-American theatre, music, dance, visual arts, language classes, and community programs, serving the Irish diaspora, general arts audiences, families, and NYC schools from a Hell's Kitchen facility opened in 2021.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts & Cultural Center

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Irish cultural programming
• Performing arts venue
• Arts education classes
• Visual arts exhibitions
• Community cultural events

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

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. Ticket Sales: Revenue from performance tickets, with subsidized $25 seats for every performance and tiered pricing for various event types including theatre, music, film, and visual arts exhibitions.
2. Education Classes: Fees from music, dance, and language instruction including fiddle, concertina, Celtic harp, bodhran, tin whistle, Irish language, and literary arts classes.
3. Membership Program: Annual membership providing discounts on classes and tickets, plus access to special events and community belonging. Discounted $50 memberships available for seniors, veterans, students, and people with disabilities.
4. Institutional and Government Grants: Support from government agencies, foundations, and cultural institutions including New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, Culture Ireland, and various private foundations.
5. Corporate Sponsorship: Support from corporate partners including Bloomberg Philanthropies, Tourism Ireland, CIE Tours, and others.
6. Group Packages and Private Events: Private pre-show receptions and group bookings for events such as North Star, with 20 premium tickets and private reception at Devlin Café.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Irish Arts Center is a multidisciplinary nonprofit cultural institution that presents live theatre productions, music performances, literary events, film screenings, and visual arts exhibitions at its 11th Avenue facility in New York. It offers education classes in Irish traditional instruments, language, and dance, alongside community and family programs, digital content, and artist residencies in partnership with Irish cultural institutions.

Product overview

Irish Arts Center is a multidisciplinary cultural institution offering a unified portfolio of live performance events, educational programming, and digital content. The core offering centers on theatre productions and music performances at the JL Greene Theatre, complemented by visual arts exhibitions in gallery spaces. Education services include instrument lessons, language instruction, and dance classes, while digital programming provides online access through Watch & Listen content including the Irish Word of the Week series. Community engagement features arts-in-education school programs, family activities, and special events including annual celebrations. The venue also offers hospitality services through group packages and the Devlin Café.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Theatre Productions
• Music Performances
• Visual Arts Exhibitions
• Education Classes
• Digital Programming (Watch & Listen)
• Literature Programs
• Film Screenings
• Special Events
• Kids & Family Programs
• Arts in Education
• Annual Membership Program
• Artist Residencies & Partnerships
• Group Packages & Private Events

Quantifiable outcome

• Sustained sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall for Martin Hayes St. Patrick's Day celebrations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SolabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Co-producer of North Star production, a Belfast live music and spoken word performance making its US debut at Irish Arts Center in June 2026.
• Lyric Theatre BelfastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Belfast theatre partnering with Irish Arts Center on North Star production, part of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding.
• Belfast City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Five-year Memorandum of Understanding between Belfast City Council and British Council, with first major outcome being North Star production.
• British CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Belfast City Council supporting Belfast's international cultural profile through productions like North Star.
• Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Six-year partnership (2025-2031) presenting three exhibitions from IMMA's permanent and special collections, beginning with Patricia Hurl's Irish Gothic.
• Consulate General of Ireland, New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for John Minihan in Conversation photography exhibition celebrating his 80th birthday and 50+ year career.
• Galway Film FleadhminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Guthanna Nua na Gaeilge (New Irish Voices) short film programme as part of Féile na Gaeilge.
• Under the Radar FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting Bellow as part of Under the Radar, a citywide festival of more than 20 leading NYC cultural institutions celebrating risk-taking art.
• BrokentalkerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreator/producer of Bellow, an acclaimed Irish live music and theatre performance exploring tradition and memory.
• The EverymanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Bellow along with Droichead Arts Centre, Mermaid Arts Centre, and Town Hall Theatre Galway.
• Droichead Arts CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Bellow along with The Everyman, Mermaid Arts Centre, and Town Hall Theatre Galway.
• Mermaid Arts CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Bellow along with The Everyman, Droichead Arts Centre, and Town Hall Theatre Galway.
• Town Hall Theatre GalwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Bellow along with The Everyman, Droichead Arts Centre, and Mermaid Arts Centre.
• Rua Red, South Dublin Arts CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Brian Maguire Portraits—The Failure of the State exhibition and concurrent presentation of new work focusing on international protection applicants.
• Missoula Art MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned Brian Maguire for Outrage: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People in Montana exhibition, supporting the project over five years.
• Culture IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency for promotion of Irish arts worldwide, providing generous support for multiple productions and exhibitions at Irish Arts Center.
• Tourism IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting Irish arts programming including Martin Hayes Quartet at Carnegie Hall and general operations.
• New York City Department of Cultural AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic funds from NYC in partnership with Mayor's Office and NYC Council supporting Irish Arts Center programs.
• New York State Council on the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState arts council supporting IAC with support from Governor Kathy Hochul and NY State Legislature.
• Emigrant Support ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting traditional Irish sessions in the café and various community programming for diaspora audiences.
• Carnegie HallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presentation with Carnegie Hall for Martin Hayes St. Patrick's Day celebrations, including sold-out 2026 concert and 2027 return.
• National Concert Hall, DublinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Carnegie Hall and Irish Arts Center for Martin Hayes St. Patrick's Day programming.
• Ardesia Wine BarminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOperator of Devlin Café at Irish Arts Center, providing bar and café service for events and group receptions.
• New York Textile MonthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlice Maher and Rachel Fallon's The Map presented as part of New York Textile Month exhibition series.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 92nd Street Y (92NY): New York-based nonprofit cultural and community center offering live performance, education classes, and community programming across multiple disciplines. Directly comparable to IAC in operating model: ticketed events, recurring education classes, memberships, donor-supported programming, and a single flagship venue serving diverse audiences.
• Irish Repertory Theatre: Off-Broadway New York theatre dedicated exclusively to Irish and Irish-American works. Directly comparable to IAC's theatre programming arm — same Irish-arts specialization, same NYC audience, similar dependence on Irish government and diaspora funding.
• Carnegie Hall: Iconic NYC concert presenter and IAC's co-presentation partner for Martin Hayes' St. Patrick's Day concerts. While much larger, it is a direct operating peer for IAC's music performance programming and shares the same institutional/government funding base and NYC venue economics.
• Symphony Space: Upper West Side NYC nonprofit performing arts venue offering multi-disciplinary programming, education, and literary events. Comparable single-venue NYC presenter model with similar mix of ticketed performance, education, and community programming funded by ticket sales, classes, and donations.
• The New York Irish Center: Long Island City nonprofit serving the Irish and Irish-American community through cultural events, language classes, music, and heritage programming. Comparable in mission and Irish-diaspora focus, though smaller and primarily community- rather than performance-led.

Regional players

• Project Arts Centre: Dublin-based multidisciplinary arts centre presenting theatre, music, dance, visual arts, and community programs. Closely comparable in mission and programming mix to IAC but operating in Ireland rather than the US, making it a regional peer with shared cultural remit.
• Smock Alley Theatre: Dublin's historic cultural venue hosting theatre, music, and family programming with strong community engagement. Comparable to IAC as a multidisciplinary cultural venue with educational programming, but operating from Ireland rather than New York.

Broad incumbents

• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts: NYC's largest multidisciplinary performing arts campus presenting music, theatre, dance, and film across multiple resident companies. Comparable as a NYC presenting institution with overlapping arts disciplines, but operates at substantially greater scale with multiple venues and broader programming mandate.

Emerging players

• Centre for Irish Music (Minnesota): US-based nonprofit delivering Irish traditional music education (instrument instruction, ensemble performance, community events). Smaller and education-focused, but a meaningful partial overlap with IAC's education program in Irish traditional instruments.
• Celtic Arts Foundation: US nonprofit promoting Celtic cultural arts through performances, workshops, and education. Partial overlap with IAC's Irish traditional music and cultural programming, though operating at a smaller scale on the West Coast.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IrishArtsCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/irish-arts-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Irish Arts Center