The Center for the Performing Arts

What The Center for the Performing Arts does

The Center for the Performing Arts, operating under the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts brand, is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 20-3901164) founded in September 2005 that runs a three-venue performing arts campus in Carmel, Indiana's City Center district: the Payne & Mencias Palladium (headline concert hall), The Tarkington (500-seat theater), and The Studio Theater (190-seat proscenium). The organization presents hundreds of live events per year through its Center Presents series and serves as the institutional home for six resident companies — Actors Theatre of Indiana, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, Civic Theatre, Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre, and Indiana Wind Symphony — alongside the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation led by Artistic Director Michael Feinstein.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit operating stack: earned revenue from ticket sales and subscriptions (up to 20% discount, annual cadence), venue rental (corporate, social, weddings, performances), and educational programming fees is supplemented by contributed revenue from individual donations, planned giving through a Legacy Society, and a multi-tier corporate sponsorship stack with Allied Solutions holding flagship/season naming rights, Fifth Third Bank operating the integrated Box Office, and additional series sponsors (BHI Senior Living, Leo Brown Group, Drewry Simmons Vornehm, Katz Sapper & Miller, Telamon) and event partners (IU Health, Jaguar/Land Rover/Volvo). Distribution is event-driven through a multi-channel marketing mix spanning the thecenterpresents.org website, email newsletters, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Threads), SEO, and PR, with sales executed via the secure online portal and two physical Fifth Third Bank Box Office locations.

The underlying technology is conventional for the sector: integrated ticketing via the Fifth Third Bank Box Office with SSL-encrypted, tokenized payment processing (card data not stored in internal systems), metal-detector weapons detection at all three venue entrances for patron safety, Auracast Bluetooth-based assistive listening (sponsored by Professional Hearing Services), and KultureCity sensory-inclusion certification. The website uses Google Tag Manager for analytics, GiveSmart US, Inc. for fundraising/contribution processing, and AI chatbot tools for text-based data analysis, language parsing, idea formulation, and process automation — with personally identifiable information stripped before submission. The organization is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors, is independently operated (no parent company), and is led by President & CEO Jeffrey C. McDermott with Michael Feinstein as Artistic Director.

Name

The Center for the Performing Arts

Legal name

The Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.

Website

https://thecenterpresents.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Center for the Performing Arts is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a three-venue campus (Palladium, Tarkington, Studio Theater) in Carmel, Indiana, presenting hundreds of live performances annually, hosting six resident companies and the Great American Songbook Foundation, and serving individual patrons, students, corporate clients, and event renters through ticketing, sponsorship, donations, and education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue and Live Entertainment

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Live performing arts
• Concert venue rental
• Performing arts education
• Subscription ticket packages
• Cultural event programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Carmel

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual tickets and subscription packages for Center Presents performances and events across the three-venue campus
2. Venue Rental: Rental revenue from external organizations and performers using the Palladium, Tarkington, and Studio Theater venues
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Naming rights, branding opportunities, and physical visibility at events in exchange for fiscal benefit - multiple series sponsors including Allied Solutions (season), BHI Senior Living (Songbook Series), Leo Brown Group (Classical Series), Drewry Simmons Vornehm LLP (Jazz Series), Katz Sapper & Miller (Pop/Rock Series), Telamon (Passport Series)
4. Individual Giving and Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals supporting artistic and educational programming as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit
5. Planned Giving: Legacy Society membership and planned giving programs for long-term donor relationships
6. Educational Programs: Fees from classes, camps, clubs, and student opportunities including music lessons, comedy classes, songwriting, and ukulele instruction

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Center for the Performing Arts operates a three-venue performing arts campus in Carmel, Indiana (Payne & Mencias Palladium, The Tarkington, and The Studio Theater), hosting hundreds of ticketed performances annually through its Center Presents series and six Resident Companies. It also delivers arts education programs, venue rental services for corporate and social events, live streaming of performances, and houses the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation's library and gallery.

Product overview

Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts operates a three-venue campus (Payne & Mencias Palladium, The Tarkington, The Studio Theater) hosting a main Center Presents performance series, six Resident Companies, and hundreds of events annually. The offering combines ticketing services through the Fifth Third Bank Box Office, educational programs (Palladium PALS, teen and adult classes), the Local Mix Music Series for local artists, live streaming capabilities, and venue rental services. The affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation preserves American music heritage through its Library, Archives, and Traditions Songbook Gallery. The organization also offers subscription packages, public tours, and accessibility services including Auracast assistive listening.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Payne & Mencias Palladium

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship/season sponsor, core, minor, core series sponsor, event sponsor, core/resident company and flagship/affiliated organization.

• Allied Solutionsflagship/season sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAllied Solutions serves as the primary season sponsor for Center Presents, providing naming rights and branding opportunities across all performances and marketing materials. This is the flagship sponsorship relationship for the organization.
• Fifth Third BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFifth Third Bank provides comprehensive box office services for all ticket sales, subscriptions, and patron services. The Fifth Third Bank Box Office operates at both the Palladium and Tarkington/Studio Theater locations.
• Jaguar IndianapolisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerValet parking partner offering complimentary valet service for Jaguar vehicle owners attending Center Presents performances at the Payne & Mencias Palladium.
• Land Rover IndianapolisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerValet parking partner offering complimentary valet service for Land Rover vehicle owners attending Center Presents performances at the Payne & Mencias Palladium.
• Tom Wood Volvo CarsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerValet parking partner for Center Presents events at the Payne & Mencias Palladium.
• BHI Senior Livingcore series sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerBHI Senior Living sponsors the Songbook Series at the center, supporting programming related to the Great American Songbook Foundation.
• Leo Brown Groupcore series sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeo Brown Group serves as sponsor for the Leo Brown Group Classical Series, supporting classical music programming at the center.
• Drewry Simmons Vornehm LLP Attorneyscore series sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerDrewry Simmons Vornehm LLP sponsors the Jazz Series at the center, supporting jazz music programming.
• Katz Sapper & Miller CPAs and advisorscore series sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerKatz Sapper & Miller serves as sponsor for the Pop/Rock Series, supporting popular music programming.
• Telamoncore series sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelamon sponsors the Passport Series at the center.
• Professional Hearing ServicescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional Hearing Services sponsors the Auracast™ Assistive-Listening System at the Payne & Mencias Palladium, providing Bluetooth-based assistive listening technology for patrons with compatible devices.
• GiveSmart US, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationGiveSmart provides fundraising and contribution processing services for the center, enabling secure communication and processing of donations.
• IU Healthevent sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerIU Health presents the Holiday Pops concert by Carmel Symphony Orchestra.
• Actors Theatre of Indianacore/resident companyStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of six resident performing arts companies that call the Allied Solutions Center home, using the venues for productions and performances.
• Carmel Symphony Orchestracore/resident companyStrategic or Co-development PartnerResident symphony orchestra performing multiple concert series annually at the center's venues.
• Central Indiana Dance Ensemblecore/resident companyStrategic or Co-development PartnerResident dance company calling the center home for performances and programming.
• Civic Theatrecore/resident companyStrategic or Co-development PartnerResident theater company performing productions including Annie and Chicago at the center.
• Gregory Hancock Dance Theatrecore/resident companyStrategic or Co-development PartnerResident dance company with home base at the center.
• Indiana Wind Symphonycore/resident companyStrategic or Co-development PartnerResident wind symphony performing multiple concert series annually at the center, including programming for the 2026-27 season.
• Great American Songbook Foundationflagship/affiliated organizationStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated nonprofit organization founded by Michael Feinstein that preserves and celebrates the golden age of American popular music through Library & Archives, programming, and the Traditions Songbook Gallery.
• KultureCitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKultureCity certification for Sensory Inclusive venues, providing training and resources for accommodating patrons with sensory sensitivities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Clowes Memorial Hall: Clowes Memorial Hall is a performing arts venue at Butler University in Indianapolis, comparable to the Palladium as a mid-size regional concert hall hosting touring Broadway, music, and dance presentations for similar audiences in the same Indianapolis market.
• Hilbert Circle Theatre: Home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Hilbert Circle Theatre is a comparable concert venue in the same Indianapolis metro serving a similar classical/jazz patron base and competing for subscription audiences.
• Murat Theatre at Old National Centre: Murat Theatre is a historic Indianapolis performing arts venue that competes directly with the Center for the Performing Arts for touring pop, rock, comedy, and Broadway shows in the same metro area.
• The Smith Center for the Performing Arts: The Smith Center in Las Vegas is a comparable multi-venue performing arts campus (Reynolds Hall, Troesh Studio Theater, Cabaret Jazz) operated by a nonprofit, presenting touring and resident programming with educational outreach.
• Tobin Center for the Performing Arts: The Tobin Center in San Antonio operates a multi-venue nonprofit performing arts complex with a flagship concert hall, comparable in scale and programming breadth to the Carmel Center's three-venue campus.
• Aronoff Center for the Arts: The Aronoff Center in Cincinnati is a comparable multi-venue performing arts complex (Procter & Gamble Hall, Jarson-Kaplan Theater, Fifth Third Bank Theater) run by a nonprofit, offering a similar concert, theater, and educational programming mix to the Indianapolis/Carmel market.
• Kravis Center for the Performing Arts: The Kravis Center in West Palm Beach is a comparable nonprofit multi-venue performing arts center hosting touring artists, resident programming, and education programs — similar operating model and scale to Allied Solutions Center.

Broad incumbents

• Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts: The Arsht Center in Miami is a larger nonprofit performing arts complex operating two main halls, comparable in operating model (nonprofit presenting/hosting touring arts) but at a meaningfully larger scale than the Carmel Center.
• Kennedy Center: The Kennedy Center in Washington DC is the nation's premier performing arts center, comparable as a multi-venue nonprofit arts presenter but at dramatically larger scale and broader national scope.
• Lincoln Center: Lincoln Center in NYC is a comparable multi-venue performing arts campus operating as a nonprofit presenter, but at far greater scale, with multiple resident companies and global brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuMZ0A4wZxpwxqgkzqYaI5g
• Facebookfacebook.com/CPApresents
• Instagraminstagram.com/CPApresents
• Xx.com/CPApresents

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