Outfest

What Outfest does

Outfest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1982 by UCLA students and headquartered in Los Angeles, focused on LGBTQ+ film programming, artist development, and cultural preservation. It operates the Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival, the Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival, the multi-day OutfestNEXT screening series, and the new year-round Outfest Cinema Series. The organization also runs three artist development programs — the Screenwriting Lab, the Producers Lab (launching September 2026), and OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project for ages 16–24 — and administers the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, the world's only program exclusively dedicated to preserving LGBTQ+ moving images, with 47,000+ films archived at UCLA.

The organization's business model is diversified nonprofit revenue across six streams: individual membership/donation tiers ($250–$10,000+ annually), corporate sponsorships (HBO Max as Presenting Sponsor, plus Delta, Eventive, Sony, SAGIndie, Art & Rev, The Film Collaborative), foundation grants (David Bohnett Foundation), government arts grants (LA County and City Departments of Cultural Affairs), ticket sales through the Eventive platform, and FilmFreeway submission fees from filmmakers. Distribution is anchored at the LA LGBT Center's Renberg and Davidson/Valenti Theaters, with secondary venues at LOOK Cinema Glendale and Landmark Theatres Sunset.

Following a 2023 financial crisis and a full programming pause in 2024, Outfest returned to active programming in November 2025 with a new Board of Directors and rehired core staff. In 2026, the organization is expanding its product surface with the year-round Cinema Series, the inaugural Producers Lab, the second edition of OutfestNEXT in July, and the planned return of the flagship LA festival. Outfest has voluntarily recognized the Queer Filmworkers United union as part of its rebuild. Headcount is described as 'small but mighty' (11–50 employees); no financial figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

Outfest

Legal name

Outfest

Website

https://outfest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Outfest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982 that operates LGBTQ+ film festivals, year-round screenings, and artist development programs in Los Angeles, serving queer filmmakers, audiences, and corporate sponsors while preserving 47,000+ LGBTQ+ films.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBTQ+ Film Festivals and Artist Development

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAD

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYBPAGAHAG

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

Keywords

• LGBTQ+ film festivals
• Artist development programs
• Film preservation services
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Community film screenings

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Memberships and Donations: Annual membership donations at multiple tiers from Friend ($250+) to Champion ($10,000+). Individual donors at Vanguard, Champion, Benefactor, Patron, Advocate, and Supporter levels. Funding is described as primarily non-restricted and allocated across all programs.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors including HBO Max (Presenting Sponsor), Delta Air Lines, Eventive, Sony, SAGIndie, Art & Rev, and The Film Collaborative. Sponsors receive brand activation opportunities at festivals and events, direct engagement with tens of thousands of community members, and naming opportunities for artist development programs.
3. Foundation and Government Grants: Grants from foundations (The David Bohnett Foundation) and government funders (Los Angeles County Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs). Funding supports specific programs and initiatives.
4. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual screening and festival tickets sold through Eventive platform and at physical venues. Members receive discounted or complimentary tickets based on giving level.
5. Festival Submissions: Film submission fees through FilmFreeway platform for filmmakers seeking to have work screened at Outfest festivals and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Outfest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit LGBTQ+ arts organization that produces film festivals, year-round screening programs, filmmaker development labs, an annual awards ceremony, and the only program in the world dedicated exclusively to preserving LGBTQ+ moving images. Its offering spans the full film life cycle — from artist development through production support, public exhibition, and archival preservation — anchored in the Los Angeles LGBTQ+ community and presented in partnership with the LA LGBT Center and UCLA Film and Television Archive.

Product overview

Outfest is a nonprofit organization operating as a year-round ecosystem for LGBTQ+ filmmaking support. The organization offers film festivals (Outfest Los Angeles, Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival), screening series (OutfestNEXT, Outfest Cinema Series), and artist development programs (Screenwriting Lab, Producers Lab, OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project), plus the Legacy Awards ceremony and the UCLA Legacy Project for film preservation. No other LGBTQ+ organization supports the entire film lifecycle from development and production to distribution and archiving.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OutfestNEXT A four-day screening series featuring independent queer cinema, filmmaker workshops, panels, and community events celebrating LGBTQ+ storytelling. Aimed at LGBTQ+ community members, filmmakers, and allies.
• Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival The flagship annual film festival showcasing diverse LGBTQ+ narratives to audiences, founded in 1982 and targeted at LGBTQ+ community members, filmmakers, and allies.
• Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival Film festival founded in 2004 to spotlight queer and trans filmmakers of color, directly addressing systemic access gaps for LGBTQ+ people of color in the industry.
• Outfest Cinema Series Year-round screening series featuring queer stories, including receptions, screenings, and filmmaker Q&As at venues like the Renberg Theater. Targeted at LGBTQ+ community members year-round between marquee festivals.
• Legacy Awards Annual awards ceremony honoring visionary leaders, companies, and emerging talent in LGBTQ+ filmmaking. For LGBTQ+ industry recognition and audience celebration.
• Outfest UCLA Legacy Project Preservation program dedicated to safeguarding and restoring significant LGBTQ+ films in collaboration with the UCLA Film and Television Archive, housing over 47,000 films and videos. Serves filmmakers, historians, and the broader LGBTQ+ cultural record.
• Producers Lab Five-day intensive program for emerging LGBTQ+ producers focused on career sustainability, creative innovation, and industry impact through workshops and mentorship. Targeted at emerging LGBTQ+ producers.
• OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project

Quantifiable outcome

• Preserved 47,000+ LGBTQ+ moving images
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• HBO MaxflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 September 2025Presenting Sponsor for OutfestNEXT November 2025 event. Returning partner described as 'decades long partner' supporting Outfest's mission to champion LGBTQ+ filmmakers and stories. HBO Max is the premier global streaming platform from Warner Bros. Discovery.
• Queer Filmworkers United (QFU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2025Union representing former and current Outfest staff. Outfest has voluntarily recognized the union and is collaborating closely with QFU to ensure team members are supported by union guidance on creating a world-class work environment. QFU expressed excitement about Outfest's return and fresh approach.
• EventivecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsor providing ticketing and event platform technology for Outfest screenings and festivals.
• Delta Air LinescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsor for OutfestNEXT July 2026 event.
• Art & RevcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsor providing complementary canned and craft cocktails for receptions at OutfestNEXT events.
• LA LGBT CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2024Host venue for OutfestNEXT screenings and year-round programming. Provides Renberg and Davidson/Valenti Theaters at Village at Ed Gould Plaza for film screenings and community events.
• UCLA Film and Television ArchiveflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Partner for the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project—the only program in the world exclusively dedicated to preserving LGBTQ+ moving images. Houses the largest publicly accessible collection of LGBTQ+ moving images. Partnership established in 2009.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Frameline: San Francisco-based LGBTQ+ film festival and media arts nonprofit. Directly comparable: same mission (LGBTQ+ film exhibition and filmmaker development), membership/donation-driven nonprofit model, comparable festival scale.
• NewFest: New York City's LGBTQ+ film festival and filmmaker organization. Directly comparable as an LGBTQ+ festival operator with year-round programming, filmmaker development programs, and similar sponsor/donation revenue model.
• Inside Out: Toronto-based LGBTQ+ film festival. Directly comparable: full-year LGBTQ+ film programming, filmmaker development labs, and similar nonprofit funding model, though with a Canadian audience base.
• QFest (Austin): Texas-based LGBTQ+ film festival. Directly comparable as a smaller LGBTQ+ film festival with similar programming, filmmaker showcase, and nonprofit operations.

Regional players

• BFI Flare: London's LGBTQ+ film festival operated by the British Film Institute. Comparable as an LGBTQ+ film festival, but operates in the UK and is backed by a much larger institutional parent.

Broad incumbents

• Sundance Film Festival: Largest US independent film festival operated by a nonprofit institute. Comparable as a festival organizer with filmmaker development programs, but vastly larger scale and broader (non-LGBTQ+ specific) programming.
• Tribeca Festival: Major New York-based film festival with filmmaker programming and corporate sponsorships. Comparable as a large-scale film festival operator with brand activation model, though broader in scope.
• SXSW Film & TV: Major Austin-based multi-track festival with film programming. Comparable as a festival operator with substantial corporate sponsor relationships, though not LGBTQ+-focused.

Others

• GLAAD: National LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization. Adjacent: shares the LGBTQ+ media visibility mission and engages corporate partners for LGBTQ+ inclusion, but focuses on advocacy rather than film exhibition.
• Lambda Literary: National LGBTQ+ literary arts nonprofit. Adjacent peer in the LGBTQ+ cultural nonprofit space with similar donation/sponsor funding model, though focused on literature rather than film.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/outfest
• Facebookfacebook.com/outfest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/outfest

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Outfest