Sammons Center for the Arts

What Sammons Center for the Arts does

Sammons Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts center founded in 1981 and headquartered at 3630 Harry Hines Blvd. in Dallas, Texas. It operates as a "greenhouse" or incubator for 15 resident performing arts organizations spanning theater, dance, music, and spoken word, providing affordable access to rehearsal and performance venues (Meadows Hall, Kurth Hall, Mezzanine Suite, and Conference Room), equipment rentals, marketing and fundraising assistance, and continuing education through its Art-Works program. The center curates its own programming under multiple sub-brands, including Sammons Jazz (a North Texas jazz performance series running since 1989 with more than 2,600 artists presented), Sammons Cabaret / The Linda Petty Series (launched 2012), Sammons Discovery, and Artfully, Sammons fundraising events.

The center's technology footprint is modest: a WordPress website paired with Neon CRM for patron portal access, ticketing, and donations. There is no public API, no proprietary AI or ML systems, and no mobile app. The only AI-adjacent activity is an educational workshop ("Practical AI for Small Nonprofits") co-presented with DACAC in March 2026.

Revenue is generated through four streams: facility rentals to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, universities, arts schools, and individual artists; event ticketing at $50–$55 per person; an annual membership program with discounted tickets and exclusive access; and fundraising/donations, including an active $1M "Artfully, Forward" capital campaign supporting facility upgrades, the Olimpio-Sammons Scholarship Fund at UNT, artist wages, and general operations. Go-to-market is community- and event-led, supplemented by email newsletters, social media (Facebook, Instagram), and direct sponsorships with public arts agencies.

Name

Sammons Center for the Arts

Legal name

Sammons Center for the Arts

Website

https://sammonsartcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sammons Center for the Arts is a Dallas-based 501(c)(3) performing arts center serving as an incubator for 15 resident arts organizations, offering affordable venue space, programming (Sammons Jazz, Sammons Cabaret), and artist resources funded through rentals, ticketing, memberships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Center Services

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Facility rental services
• Nonprofit arts incubator
• Jazz concert series
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Facility Rental: Rental of performance and rehearsal spaces to nonprofit performing arts organizations for meetings, events, rehearsals, performances, and receptions. The center rents to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, universities, arts schools, and individual artists.
2. Event Ticketing: Ticket sales for jazz concerts, cabaret performances, and other events. Revenue from individual event admissions with member discounts available.
3. Membership Program: Annual membership program offering benefits including discounted ticket prices, exclusive access, and donor recognition.
4. Fundraising and Donations: Annual fund drives, campaign fundraising (Artfully Forward campaign targeting $1M), and general donations from patrons and sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sammons Center for the Arts is a nonprofit performing arts center in Dallas that rents four performance and rehearsal spaces to 501(c)(3) arts organizations and produces multiple performance series (Sammons Jazz, Sammons Cabaret, Sammons Discovery, Artfully Sammons) plus weekly African Drum & Dance classes and free arts-management education through its Art-Works program. It supports 15 resident arts organizations with affordable facilities, equipment, marketing, and fundraising assistance, and funds operations through facility rentals, ticket sales, memberships, donations, and grants.

Product overview

Sammons Center for the Arts is a performing arts center and incubator for small arts organizations in Dallas, Texas, offering a portfolio of performance series and educational programs. The core offerings include Sammons Jazz (jazz performance series since 1989), Sammons Cabaret (Linda Petty Series of New York-style cabaret performances since 2012), and the Art-Works Program (free resources for nonprofit arts organizations). Additional offerings include African Drum & Dance Classes and facility rental services featuring four distinct venue spaces: Meadows Hall (2,800 sq ft, 300 capacity), Kurth Hall (1,200 sq ft, 150 capacity), the Mary Anne Sammons Cree Mezzanine Suite (150 capacity), and Conference Room (20 capacity). The organization serves as a "greenhouse" for 15 performing arts organizations representing theater, dance, music, and spoken word disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sammons Jazz: The most widely recognized jazz performance series in North Texas, presenting local jazz legends and rising stars since 1989.
• Sammons Cabaret
• Art-Works
• Artfully, Sammons
• Sammons Discovery

Products and services

• Sammons Jazz Monthly jazz performance series featuring local jazz legends and rising stars, presented on the first Wednesday of each month from February through May and September through December. Aimed at Dallas jazz audiences and the broader community.
• Sammons Cabaret (Linda Petty Series) New York-style cabaret performance series featuring top local vocal performers presenting music from the Great American Songbook, Broadway show tunes, torch songs, and standards in an intimate setting, generally held on the third Thursday of each month from February through May and September through December.
• Art-Works Program Free resource program for nonprofit arts organizations and artists offering tools, information, and best-practice concepts in organizational management, board governance, human resources, fundraising, marketing, programming, technology, continuing education, venues, volunteers, publications, and policy advocacy. Includes free workshops such as Practical AI for Small Nonprofits.
• African Drum & Dance Class Weekly African drum and dance class taught by Bandan Koro, accompanied by live African drumming, open to all ages and skill levels at $15 for adults and $5 for children.
• Facility Rental Rental of four venue spaces for performances, rehearsals, auditions, meetings, receptions, and events. Includes Meadows Hall (2,800 sq ft, 35-ft ceiling, 300 capacity, Steinway B grand piano, LED lighting, sound system), Kurth Hall (1,200 sq ft, 150 capacity, Steinway L grand piano, vaulted ceiling), the Mary Anne Sammons Cree Mezzanine Suite (150 capacity), and the Conference Room (20 capacity), plus commercial kitchen, parking, and accessibility features. Available to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, universities, arts schools, and individual artists.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership program offering tiered benefits to patrons including discounted tickets ($50 member jazz / $45 member cabaret versus $55/$50 general), exclusive access to events, and donor recognition. Available to individuals and community supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 2,600 artists presented through Sammons Jazz series since 1989
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bees KeysminorOthersLocal Dallas business displayed as sponsor on website.
• Dallas Area Cultural Advocacy Coalition (DACAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of Art-Works workshops including Practical AI for Small Nonprofits workshop. Partnership for educational programming serving North Texas arts organizations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yerba Buena Center for the Arts: San Francisco nonprofit presenting contemporary performing arts and visual art, hosting resident and community arts organizations in a multi-venue facility — closely aligned incubator/presenting hybrid model, though operating at a larger scale and in a different geography.
• New York Live Arts: NYC-based nonprofit presenting dance and performing arts while supporting resident artists and organizations through residencies and technical assistance — comparable presenter-plus-incubator hybrid model, though serving a different metropolitan market.
• Bishop Arts Theatre Center: Dallas-based nonprofit performing arts venue serving small and emerging arts organizations through affordable space and community programming — directly comparable to Sammons Center's incubator/greenhouse model and Dallas-only geographic focus.
• The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL): Dallas nonprofit presenting music, dance, theater, and visual arts with an emphasis on education and community engagement — similar scope of multi-discipline performing arts presentation, resident-organization-style programming, and Dallas-only operations.
• South Dallas Cultural Center: City of Dallas-operated cultural facility presenting performing arts, classes, and community programming from a single neighborhood venue — comparable mission of arts access and community-driven programming in the same DFW market.

Broad incumbents

• AT&T Performing Arts Center: Major Dallas Arts District complex housing the Winspear Opera House, Wyly Theatre, and Strauss Square — broad incumbent providing large-venue presenting capacity that overlaps with Sammons' programming ambitions in the same metropolitan market.
• Dallas Theater Center: Largest nonprofit regional theater in Texas and a DFW presenting/resident-company operator — broader incumbent in the same Dallas arts ecosystem, with a deeper operational and financial base than Sammons.

Regional players

• Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts: Richardson, TX (DFW suburb) performing arts venue presenting concerts, theater, and rentals to community and resident organizations — directly comparable venue-based presenting model but operating in the adjacent northern DFW submarket.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SammonsCenterfortheArts
• Instagraminstagram.com/sammonsartcenter
• Xx.com/SammonsArtCtr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sammons-center-for-the-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Sammons Center for the Arts