Links Hall
Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 operating two professional performance studios and the Co-MISSION residency program for independent dance and multi-disciplinary artists; sunsetting operations effective June 30, 2025 due to funding shortfalls.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Links Hall does
Links Hall is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1978 by Bob Eisen, Carol Bobrow, and Charlie Vernon. For nearly 50 years it operated one of the city's few accessible multi-disciplinary performance spaces, serving independent choreographers, dancers, puppeteers, and multi-disciplinary performance artists through two professionally equipped studios (Studio A — a 60-seat White Box; Studio B — a 175-seat Black Box thrust) at 3111 N Western Avenue in the Lakeview neighborhood. Core programming includes the Co-MISSION Residency and Fellowship program, the annual Co-MISSION Festival of New Works, sliding-scale ticketed performances, space rentals, and accessibility-led services (ASL interpretation, supertitles, sensory reprieve spaces). Technical infrastructure — ETC lighting boards, Behringer and Qlab Pro sound systems, Blackmagic livestream rigs, Panasonic projectors — provides turnkey production capacity that would be cost-prohibitive for individual artists to replicate.
The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: earned income from ticket sales (sliding scale $10–$42 via QGIV and Eventbrite) and studio rentals, supplemented by individual donations (including the Lifeline for Links campaign targeting $350,000), foundation grants, and government arts funding (notably the National Endowment for the Arts supporting Co-MISSION). Customer acquisition is community-led and event-driven, relying on email newsletters, social media, community partnerships (Kuumba Lynx, AFIRE Chicago, El Paseo Community Garden), and word-of-mouth within Chicago's dance and performance ecosystem. Distribution combines direct venue access with regional outreach through partner organization venues.
In April 2025 the board voted to sunset the organization effective June 30, 2025, citing the loss of a multi-year general operating grant, diminished foundation and government support, and an unsustainable cash flow gap that prior leadership turnover and a 2024 staff layoff failed to resolve. Constellation, the building owner, will assume rental operations for Studios A and B after closure, with the DUSK marathon closing event scheduled for June 28, 2025 to mark the end of the 47-year legacy.
Links Hall firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Links Hall
- Legal name
- Links Hall
- Website
- https://linkshall.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 operating two professional performance studios and the Co-MISSION residency program for independent dance and multi-disciplinary artists; sunsetting operations effective June 30, 2025 due to funding shortfalls.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Links Hall industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Venue
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111), Dance Companies (71112), Dance Companies (711120), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Purpose Event Halls & Community Centers (THAHAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Meeting & Event Space Services (Setup/Teardown) (BPABAFAL), Backline & Musical Instrument Rentals (Concert/Performance Support) (THAHAEAL), Dance Floor, Staging & Platform Rentals (HSACAFAD)
Keywords
Where Links Hall is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Links Hall business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Space Rentals: Links Hall generates revenue by renting Studio A and Studio B to independent artists for rehearsals, workshops, and performances. Studio A is available for all rental requests; Studio B requires prior performance history at Links Hall.
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from ticketed performances and events. Tickets sold through QGIV platform with sliding scale pricing ranging from $10-$42 depending on event.
- Individual Donations: Community fundraising through campaigns like 'Lifeline for Links' and individual giving. Sliding scale donations encouraged.
- Foundation and Government Grants: Operating support from foundations and government cultural affairs departments, including general operating grants and program-specific funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | 2025 Co-MISSION Festival tickets |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Works-in-Progress showings |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Black Coffee + Raw Sugar |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | High Concept Labs Benefit Performance |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Links Hall product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Links Hall operates two performance studios in Chicago (Studio A White Box and Studio B Black Box) for independent dance and multidisciplinary artists, providing rehearsal and performance space rentals, residency programs through its Co-MISSION initiative, an annual Festival of New Works, technical production support, and accessibility services. Founded in 1978 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the organization supports experimental and emerging performance work through sliding-scale ticketing, mentorship, and production assistance. The board voted to sunset the organization effective June 30, 2025.
Product overview
Links Hall is a multidisciplinary performance space and artist development organization offering two studio spaces for rehearsals and performances: Studio A (White Box) with 60-80 seat capacity and comprehensive technical equipment, and Studio B (Black Box) with 175-seat thrust configuration. The organization supports independent artists through its Co-MISSION Residency Program and annual Co-MISSION Festival of New Works. Additional services include accessibility accommodations, technical production support with live streaming capabilities, and VR experience hosting. Founded in 1978, Links Hall is closing operations at the end of fiscal year 2025 (June 30, 2025).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Co-MISSION Festival of New Works: Annual festival showcasing new performance works by artists in residence at Links Hall
- Co-MISSION Residency Program
- DUSK
Products and services
- Studio A (White Box)
Quantifiable outcome
- 8,500+ people served annually through 125+ performances, workshops, and events
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Links Hall
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Links Hall technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Links Hall partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ConstellationcoreBuilding owner and long-time partner of Links Hall. Owns the property at 3111 N Western Avenue where Links Hall operates. Constellation will assume rental operations for Studios A and B after Links Hall's closure. Constellation bar operates on-site during events. Interested in stewarding some Links Legacy programs forward.
- Kuumba LynxcoreUrban arts youth development organization founded in 1996 by three women including Jaquanda Villegas and Jacinda Bullie. Long-term creative partner for Hip Hop Arts Activism programming. Collaborated on Juke 4 Liberation events and Co-MISSION festival performances. Co-founders are Links Hall Co-MISSION Fellows.
- AFIRE Chicago (Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment)minorGrassroots community organization working to build capacity of Filipinx/a/os to organize towards progressive change. Partner organization for KO-MISSION curatorial residency by HL Doruelo. Provides community connection and neighborhood-based programming support.
- El Paseo Community GardenminorNeighborSpace-protected community garden in Pilsen that has become a community center and partner for accessible community resources. Hosts outdoor dance workshops and ceremonies as part of Co-MISSION Curatorial Residency programming. Founded in 2009, over an acre of greenspace.
- The Honeycomb NetworkminorCommunity organization at 2659 West Division Street. Hosted Juke 4 Liberation dance battle event in partnership with Kuumba Lynx. Part of neighborhood-based community programming.
- PullmanArts / Block House GalleryminorArts organization on Chicago's far south side, home of The Block House Gallery. Hosted Tati's Butter Joint curated performance event. Partner for community-based performance programming.
- High Concept LabsminorArtist residency organization based at Mana Contemporary. Hosted benefit performance at Links Hall. Both organizations serve Chicago's experimental arts community and have collaborated on programming.
- Chicago Dance History ProjectminorArchives performances and events at Links Hall for the organization's archives. Documenting 47-year history for posterity through video recording of events like the Sunset Ceremony.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Links Hall competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Constellation: Chicago performance venue and Links Hall's building owner/partner that is set to assume direct rental operations of Studios A and B after Links Hall's sunset. Operates an adjacent bar/programming model for experimental music and performance, making it the most direct operational peer and successor.
- Danspace Project: New York nonprofit dedicated to experimental dance and performance through residencies, commissions, and presentations. Closest East Coast analog to Links Hall's artist-development-plus-presentation model.
- Velocity Dance Center: Seattle-based nonprofit dance presenting and residency organization. Closely analogous to Links Hall in mission (independent dance, residencies, accessible ticket pricing) and operational model (studio rentals plus ticketed performances).
- High Concept Labs: Chicago-based artist residency organization based at Mana Contemporary that partners with Links Hall on programming and benefit performances. Serves the same experimental artist community with comparable residency, presentation, and development services.
Broad incumbents
- Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Major Chicago performing arts institution presenting theater, dance, and interdisciplinary work. Operates multiple spaces and serves as a broader incumbent in the city's independent performance ecosystem.
- The Joyce Theater: New York's leading presenter of dance with multiple studios and a national/international programming profile. Operates at a larger scale than Links Hall but addresses the same core need for presenting and developing independent choreographic work.
- Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: Larger Chicago institution presenting experimental performance, including dance and interdisciplinary work, alongside visual art exhibitions. Competes for the same audience of experimental-performance attendees and artist collaborations.
- The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago: Chicago's largest presenter of contemporary dance and a longtime institutional hub for the same independent dance ecosystem that Links Hall served. Overlaps on presenting emerging and established choreographers and on educational programming.
Others
- 3Arts: Chicago nonprofit making unrestricted cash awards to Chicago-based artists working in dance, music, and theater. Functions as a funding/ecosystem peer that supported multiple Links Hall artists (e.g., Tuli Bera via the 3AP program) rather than a direct venue competitor.
Emerging players
- Rough House Puppet Arts: Chicago puppetry organization whose artistic director Kevin Michael Wesson was a Links Hall Co-MISSION Resident. Operates in the same multidisciplinary performance space, serving overlapping artist and audience communities.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Links Hall social profiles
Digital presenceLinks Hall financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Links Hall leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Links Hall funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Links Hall 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 Links Hall
What does Links Hall do?
Links Hall operates two performance studios in Chicago (Studio A White Box and Studio B Black Box) for independent dance and multidisciplinary artists, providing rehearsal and performance space rentals, residency programs through its Co-MISSION initiative, an annual Festival of New Works, technical production support, and accessibility services. Founded in 1978 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the organization supports experimental and emerging performance work through sliding-scale ticketing, mentorship, and production assistance. The board voted to sunset the organization effective June 30, 2025.
Is Links Hall a public or private company?
Links Hall is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently closed.
When was Links Hall founded?
Links Hall was founded in 1978. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Links Hall based?
Links Hall is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Links Hall make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Space Rentals are the primary driver. The others are ticket Sales, individual Donations and foundation and Government Grants.
Who are Links Hall's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Constellation, Danspace Project, Velocity Dance Center and High Concept Labs. Broad incumbents are Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Joyce Theater, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago. 3Arts is listed as an others. Rough House Puppet Arts is listed as an emerging player.
Does Links Hall have an API?
No public API is recorded for Links Hall.
What industry is Links Hall in?
Links Hall's product category is Performing Arts Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAAAI, Multi-Purpose Event Halls & Community Centers, with a secondary code of BPABAFAL, Meeting & Event Space Services (Setup/Teardown). Its NAICS code is 7111 and its SIC code is 7900.