Black Rock Arts Foundation

What Black Rock Arts Foundation does

Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 2001 and headquartered at 660 Alabama Street in San Francisco. BRAF supports and promotes community-driven, interactive public art and civic participation. Its core programs are the Global Art Grants program (which has funded more than 100 projects in over a decade, awarding roughly $70,000 to 15 projects in 2014) and the Civic Arts program (which has delivered 25+ large-scale permanent and temporary public installations in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Reno, and Detroit, including Caruso's Dream, Aurora, the Raygun Gothic Rocketship, and the Big Art for Small Towns NEA-funded initiative in Fernley, Nevada). In July 2014 BRAF merged with Burning Man's Art Department to create Burning Man Arts, becoming a subsidiary of Burning Man Project; staff and operations continue under the parent.

BRAF generates revenue from four principal streams: individual and institutional donations (with individuals providing the largest share of contributions), fee-based program services (around 64% of 2014 revenue per disclosed commentary), event revenue anchored by the annual Artumnal Gathering gala (with reported ticket tiers up to $10,000), and competitive government grants including NEA Our Town ($75,000 in 2012) and an NEA Bike Bridge grant ($10,000). A pilot Fiscal Sponsorship service launched in May 2014 extends the model by enabling tax-deductible donations to Burning Man-bound art projects. Distribution relies on the Burning Man Project's Jack Rabbit Speaks newsletter (160,000 subscribers), partner events such as Maker Faire, IlluminArts Walk, Twilight at the Presidio, and a network of civic partners including the San Francisco Arts Commission, SF Port Authority, Exploratorium, Illuminate the Arts, and The Crucible.

There is no proprietary technology product or platform underlying BRAF's operations — the foundation's "core technology" is the grant-making apparatus, fiscal-sponsorship infrastructure, and event production capability rather than software. Operations were carried out by a small staff (11–50 employees) with key personnel including Tomas McCabe (Executive Director), Eli Peterson, Joe Meschede, and Josie Schimke, supported by 200+ event volunteers. Following the 2014 merger, the organization no longer operates an independent newsletter; communications migrate to Burning Man Project channels.

Name

Black Rock Arts Foundation

Legal name

Black Rock Arts Foundation

Website

https://blackrockarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Black Rock Arts Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 in San Francisco that funds interactive public art through grants, civic installations, and fiscal sponsorship. Since July 2014 it operates as a subsidiary of Burning Man Project under the unified Burning Man Arts program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and culture nonprofit services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Arts grant funding
• Public art installations
• Civic arts programming
• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Community art events

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Primary revenue source; individual donors constitute the largest portion of contributions (53% of contributions). The organization maintains a diverse contributions portfolio.
2. Fee-based Program Services: Approximately 64% of revenue came through fee-based program services in 2014. This includes event revenue and program-related fees.
3. Artumnal Gathering: Annual gala and fundraising event featuring live/silent auctions, dinners, and performances. Major revenue driver for project funding.
4. Government and Foundation Grants: NEA Our Town grant of $75,000 awarded in 2012 for Big Art for Small Towns initiative. Also received NEA grant for Bike Bridge project ($10,000).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports and promotes community-driven, interactive public art. It does this primarily through seed grants to artists and collectives worldwide, a Civic Arts program producing large-scale public installations in cities, fiscal sponsorship enabling tax-deductible donations to qualifying art projects, and signature fundraising/community events such as the annual Artumnal Gathering.

Product overview

Black Rock Arts Foundation is a non-profit arts organization that does not offer a technology product or SaaS platform. Its services consist of grant programs, civic arts initiatives, fiscal sponsorship, and community events. The Grants to Artists Program provides funding for interactive public art worldwide. The Civic Arts Program produces permanent large-scale installations. Big Art for Small Towns brings sculpture to rural Nevada. Fiscal Sponsorship enables tax-deductible donations to Burning Man art projects. Events include the Artumnal Gathering annual gala and IlluminArts Walk. In 2014, BRAF merged with Burning Man to form Burning Man Arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grants to Artists Program Grant program that awards seed funding to individual artists and art collectives worldwide for community-driven, interactive public art projects. Awarded over $70,000 to 15 projects in 2014 and has supported more than 100 projects since inception.
• Civic Arts Program Program producing and supporting large-scale public art installations in cities, completed in partnership with local governments and arts commissions. Has completed over 25 Civic Arts projects in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Reno, and Detroit.
• Big Art for Small Towns NEA Our Town grant-funded initiative bringing large-scale sculpture to rural Nevada communities, including Rockspinner, Bottlecap Gazebo, and Desert Tortoise installations in Fernley, NV.
• Fiscal Sponsorship Program providing tax-exempt status and administrative support to Burning Man-bound art projects and other like-minded public art initiatives, enabling tax-deductible donations to sponsored projects.
• Artumnal Gathering Annual gala and fundraising event featuring live and silent auctions, performances, and original artwork; a major source of funding for BRAF/Burning Man Arts projects.
• IlluminArts Walk Annual free illuminated public art walking tour event produced in partnership with Illuminate the Arts and San Francisco Travel as part of the Illuminate SF seasonal program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ projects supported since 2001
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Burning Man ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2014BRAF joined forces with Burning Man's Art Department in July 2014 to create Burning Man Arts. BRAF became a subsidiary of Burning Man Project. Staff transitioned to Burning Man Project employment. Programs continue under same criteria and management.
• City of Fernley, NevadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2014Collaboration on Big Art for Small Towns project with two-phase implementation: existing sculpture installation plus new collaborative artwork with local residents.
• San Francisco Port AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for civic arts installations at Pier 14 Tidal Plaza. Previously hosted Passage (2007), Raygun Gothic Rocketship (2010-2013), and Soma (2014).
• San Francisco Arts CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership on civic arts programming, including Caruso's Dream commissioning and Future's Past installation.
• Maker FairemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual participation at Maker Faire with BRAF-funded and sponsored projects. Aurora, Y.E.S., and other projects exhibited at Maker Faire.
• ExploratoriummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Y.E.S. project and Homouroboros exhibition. Exploratorium hosts After Dark events featuring BRAF projects.
• The CruciblemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Bike Bridge project (welding and art-bike fabrication training for youth) and Y.E.S. project. Regional industrial arts education center in Oakland.
• Illuminate the ArtsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced IlluminArts Walk event. Partnership on San Francisco Travel's Illuminate SF seasonal program featuring illuminated public art.
• Presidio TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for Twilight at the Presidio event series in October 2013.
• Yerba Buena Center for the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRAF Executive Director Tomas McCabe spoke at Open City/Art City Festival. Partnership on urban artistic interventions discussions.
• SF Bicycle Coalition and SF Bike PartyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced Illuminated Bike Ride event in March 2014.
• Off the GridminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for Twilight at the Presidio event with street food vendors.
• San Francisco TravelmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced IlluminArts Walk as part of San Francisco Travel's inaugural Illuminate SF program.
• Zero One FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as community partner organization for arts programming.
• Children's Discovery Museum of San JoseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as community partner organization for arts programming.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts: Major arts grantmaking foundation funding contemporary visual arts projects and exhibitions. Comparable to BRAF as a private foundation that distributes grants to artists and supports experimental/participatory contemporary work.
• Pollock-Krasner Foundation: Provides financial assistance to individual working artists of recognized ability, including grants for public art and community-engaged work. Direct peer in artist-focused grantmaking with similar mission around enabling artistic practice.
• Joan Mitchell Foundation: Grants and programs supporting painters and sculptors, including public art initiatives and community-engaged projects. Comparable mission of supporting individual artists and expanding access to arts funding and resources.
• Creative Capital: Provides grants and advisory services to artists pursuing innovative project-based work, including socially engaged and public art. Direct peer in project-based artist grantmaking with similar focus on experimental and community-driven practices.
• Fractured Atlas: Provides fiscal sponsorship and arts services to individual artists and small arts organizations. Directly comparable to BRAF's fiscal sponsorship program and similar nonprofit model of enabling independent artist fundraising.
• United States Artists: Awards unrestricted grants to individual artists across disciplines, including public and socially engaged work. Comparable in providing direct funding to working artists with an emphasis on civic and community impact.
• MAP Fund: Supports live performance and public art projects that embody engagement with public life. Comparable grantmaking focus on participatory, community-driven artistic projects, similar to BRAF's interactive public art model.
• Creative Time: Produces and supports public art projects and civic engagement programming in urban contexts. Closely comparable to BRAF's Civic Arts program, including permanent/temporary installations and community partnership models.
• Asian Cultural Council: Provides grants and fellowships to artists and cultural professionals for international exchange. Comparable foundation model of grantmaking that supports individual artists and cultural exchange programming, similar to BRAF's global grant program.

Broad incumbents

• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA): Federal grantmaking agency and a BRAF funder/partner. Comparable as a much larger grantmaking institution for arts and civic projects, but operating at national scale rather than community/foundation scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BRAF
• Facebookfacebook.com/BRAF.Reno

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Black Rock Arts Foundation