The Center for the Performing Arts

What The Center for the Performing Arts does

The Center for the Performing Arts is a presenting and programming organization operating as a unit of Penn State University at University Park, Pennsylvania. It programs and operates a multi-venue complex anchored by Eisenhower Auditorium (2,451 seats), with additional spaces including Playhouse Theatre (150 seats), Schwab Auditorium (950 seats), and a Recital Hall (200 seats). It serves a regional central Pennsylvania audience, Penn State students and faculty, and K-12 school groups, with a season of more than 80 performances spanning Broadway national tours, jazz, world music, dance, classical chamber music, and family programming.

Its core programming is built around curated seasons rather than resident companies, including the Carnegie Hall-affiliated Decoda ensemble. The organization runs an eight-tier membership program (Student at $10 through Spotlight Circle at $10,000+) and a corporate sponsorship program featuring Penn Highlands Healthcare, TIAA, Foxdale Village, Geisinger, and Kish Bank. Education and access initiatives include the Spotlight Collective student program and KultureCity sensory-inclusion certification.

The business model combines earned revenue (single-ticket sales priced $14-$89, subscriptions, group sales, memberships, and concessions) with contributed revenue (corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and an implicit university subsidy via facilities, marketing, and a student fee board grant). Ticketing is delivered through Ticketmaster, with a proprietary Arts Ticket Center mobile app layering membership, discovery, and entry on top. No consolidated financial statements are publicly disclosed, consistent with its status as an embedded university unit.

Name

The Center for the Performing Arts

Legal name

The Pennsylvania State University

Website

https://cpa.psu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for the Performing Arts is a Penn State University presenting organization that programs 80+ annual performances across Broadway, jazz, classical, dance, and family genres in a four-venue complex at University Park, Pennsylvania, serving regional audiences, students, and K-12 schools through ticketing, memberships, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue and Live Event Programming

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), University & Educational Venue Operations (Auditoriums, Campus Arenas) (MPAGALAI), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live entertainment programming
• Broadway touring productions
• Arts ticketing services
• Membership and sponsorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

University Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for performances and events at Eisenhower Auditorium and Recital Hall. Prices range from $14 for University Park students to $89 for adult tickets for premium productions.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership donations starting at $150 for Friend level up to $10,000+ for Producer Circle, with tiered benefits including priority ticket access, recognition in programs, and parking privileges.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors including Penn Highlands Healthcare, TIAA, Foxdale Village, Geisinger, and Kish Bank support programming in exchange for recognition and brand visibility.
4. Concessions: On-site food and beverage sales during events including snacks, sodas, and alcoholic beverages priced from $1-$8.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts venue and event programming organization that operates the Eisenhower Auditorium (a 2,455-2,551 seat proscenium theatre) and Recital Hall at Penn State University. It presents live performances in music, drama, and dance featuring nationally and internationally recognized touring artists, including Broadway productions, ballet companies, chamber music ensembles, and rock concerts, and sells tickets, memberships, concessions, and sponsorship packages to support its programming.

Product overview

The Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts venue and programming organization at Penn State offering live performances across multiple venues including Eisenhower Auditorium (main proscenium theatre with 2,455-2,551 seats), Recital Hall, and Alumni Hall. The organization provides ticketing services through Ticketmaster and its own Arts Ticket Center mobile app, offers a tiered membership program from Student ($5) to Producer Circle ($10,000+), manages student engagement through Spotlight Collective and Student Advisory Council, and operates concession services. The Center hosts diverse programming including Broadway tours (The Wiz, The Music Man, Six), ballet (Shanghai Ballet, Nittany Ballet), chamber music (Decoda), rock performances (The Paradox), and cultural series (The Joyfull, Fanoos Ensemble).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spotlight Collective: A registered student organization affiliated with the Center for the Performing Arts, led by students serving as arts engagement assistants to provide student voice in programming and engagement efforts.
• The Joyfull
• Arts Ticket Center

Products and services

• Eisenhower Auditorium
• Recital Hall
• Alumni Hall
• Membership Program
• Ticketmaster Ticketing Platform
• Arts Ticket Center Mobile App
• Concessions Service
• The Joyfull Series
• Corporate Sponsorship Program
• School-Time Matinees and Educational Programming

Quantifiable outcome

• The Spotlight Collective is now in its fifth year, connecting Penn State students with performing arts programming

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Penn Highlands HealthcarecoreGTM or Marketing Partner2025-2026 corporate sponsor supporting Center for the Performing Arts programming. Provides healthcare community partnership bringing performing arts to central Pennsylvania.
• TIAAcoreGTM or Marketing Partner2025-2026 corporate sponsor. National financial services organization supporting arts programming at Penn State.
• Foxdale VillageminorGTM or Marketing Partner2025-2026 corporate sponsor. Retirement community organization supporting arts accessibility in the region.
• GeisingercoreGTM or Marketing Partner2025-2026 corporate sponsor. Major healthcare system supporting community arts programming.
• Kish BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner2025-2026 corporate sponsor. Regional community bank supporting arts in central Pennsylvania.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial ticketing partner of The Pennsylvania State University. Provides online ticketing platform and mobile app for purchasing tickets to all Center for the Performing Arts events.
• Carnegie Hall (Decoda Affiliate)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDecoda is the sole Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall, bringing prestige and connection to one of world's leading concert venues. CPA hosts Decoda performances featuring Penn State collaborations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Meadows School of the Arts (Southern Methodist University): University-affiliated performing arts presenter operating venues and programming at SMU. Comparable as a university-college-of-arts presenting unit with similar infrastructure, educational outreach, and regional rather than metropolitan audience base.
• Strathmore: Bethesda, Maryland-based performing arts center presenting nationally touring artists across a comparable ~2,000-seat venue with education and community engagement programming. Highly comparable as a suburban/secondary-market presenter with similar programming breadth and audience development focus.
• Tobin Center for the Performing Arts: San Antonio, Texas performing arts center presenting Broadway tours, concerts, and dance with a comparable multi-venue footprint. Comparable as a mid-major-market presenting organization with similar programming mix and venue scale (~2,000+ seats).
• Touhill Performing Arts Center (University of Missouri-St. Louis): University-affiliated performing arts center presenting touring productions and educational programming. Comparable as a university venue operator serving a regional audience with similar programming and community engagement emphasis.
• Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (University of Illinois): University of Illinois's multi-venue performing arts center presenting touring Broadway, dance, and music at comparable scale. Directly comparable as a Big Ten university presenting organization with similar student/community dual-audience model.

Broad incumbents

• Carnegie Hall: Iconic New York concert venue that shares a direct affiliation with the CPA through Decoda, its sole Affiliate Ensemble. Comparable as a presenting organization for world-class performing arts, though at vastly larger scale and in a global metropolitan market.
• Kennedy Center: National performing arts center presenting Broadway tours, dance, and orchestral programming in Washington, D.C. Comparable in scope of programming categories but operates at national-institutional scale versus the CPA's regional university-anchored model.
• Lincoln Center: Multi-venue New York performing arts complex presenting resident companies across theater, dance, and music. Comparable as a multi-format presenter and venue operator, though Lincoln Center's resident-company model differs from the CPA's touring-presenter approach.

Others

• Ticketmaster: Official ticketing platform partner for the CPA, handling online ticket sales, mobile ticketing, and ticket management. Comparable as the underlying infrastructure enabling the CPA's ticketing revenue rather than a direct presenting competitor.
• Shubert Theater (Broadway): New York Broadway theater operating as a presenting venue for touring and resident productions. Adjacent comparison for venue economics and Broadway tour booking relationships, though operating in the primary Broadway market rather than a university touring stop.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PSUpresents
• Facebookfacebook.com/PSCPA
• Instagraminstagram.com/psupresents
• Xx.com/psupresents
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eisenhower-auditorium

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 The Center for the Performing Arts