Pearson Lakes Art Center
Pearson Lakes Art Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit art center in Okoboji, Iowa, founded in 1965, operating free galleries, a 300-seat performing arts theatre, and an outdoor sculpture park for regional visitors, members, and tourism audiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersOkoboji, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Pearson Lakes Art Center does
Pearson Lakes Art Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit art center founded in 1965 and located in Okoboji, Iowa, in the Iowa Great Lakes region. It operates a free-admission gallery housing a 43-piece Russian and Soviet Impressionism Collection, described as the largest of its kind in the country, alongside the multi-piece Pearson Art Foundation Collection. The center also programs a 300-seat performing arts venue (the Lauridsen Performing Arts Theatre), maintains 23 permanent and 7 rotating outdoor sculptures, and runs classes, a gift shop, and venue-rental operations. Its audience is regional and tourism-driven, with 40,000+ annual on-site visitors, 90,000+ website visits, and 700+ dues-paying members.
The organization's business model blends earned and contributed revenue: individual memberships, performance ticket sales, art classes, gift shop retail, venue rentals, and a tiered corporate sponsorship program (Gold, Silver, Grantor) anchored by regional banks, hospitality operators, and a local foundation. It pursues active capital campaigns (most recently the Treehouse Studio project with Nelson Treehouse, targeting $1.25 million) and accepts tax-deductible donations and municipal grants. Day-to-day operations are run by a small staff of 10-15, consistent with a community-scale cultural institution.
Strategically, the center is investing in facility and programming expansion (Treehouse Studio), outdoor sculpture growth, and corporate sponsorship diversification to broaden its revenue base and visitor dwell time. Its competitive position rests on non-replicable art holdings, a regional destination status in a tourism corridor, and a multi-revenue ecosystem that combines gallery, performance, education, and retail lines.
Pearson Lakes Art Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pearson Lakes Art Center
- Legal name
- Pearson Lakes Art Center
- Website
- https://lakesart.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pearson Lakes Art Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit art center in Okoboji, Iowa, founded in 1965, operating free galleries, a 300-seat performing arts theatre, and an outdoor sculpture park for regional visitors, members, and tourism audiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pearson Lakes Art Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Arts & Cultural Center
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (71211), Museums (712110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Art Museums (THAJADAA), Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA), Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA)
Keywords
Where Pearson Lakes Art Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Okoboji
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pearson Lakes Art Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Memberships: Annual membership program offering discounts on lessons, workshops, and performance tickets, plus monthly updates and exhibit announcements delivered by mail.
- Performance Tickets: Revenue from ticketed performances in the 300-seat Lauridsen Performing Arts Theatre, including concerts, films, and special events.
- Educational Classes: Revenue from adult and youth visual arts classes, workshops, and summer programs across various mediums including pottery, painting, and drawing.
- Gift Gallery Sales: Sales from the Little Red Gift Gallery featuring locally made art, products, and cards.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partner program at Grantor, Silver, and Gold levels with benefits including newsletter recognition, brochure placement, video recognition, website links, performance playbill recognition, social media access, signage, and complimentary venue rental.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Major fundraising campaign for Treehouse Studio project seeking $1.25M.
- Venue Rental: Corporate partners receive complimentary venue rental; additional rentals available for events and private functions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate Partner Program with Grantor, Silver, and Gold tiers |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Electric Light Orchestra Experience - Members: $40, Non-members: $50 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Marilyn Maye - Members: $65, Non-members: $75 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Creativity Enhancement Workshop - Members: $45, Non-members: $55 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Ruthie Foster - Members: $15 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Manhattan Short Film Festival - Members: $15 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Introduction to Gouache Painting - Members: $200, Non-members: $225 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Cezannes (Grades 1-3) - Members: $20, Non-members: $25 per two-session class |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Seurats (Grades 4-6) - Pricing varies by class |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Teen Art (Grades 7-12) - Pricing varies by class |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Exploring Encaustics - Members: $90, Non-members: $100 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Still Life Thursdays- Florals - Members: $10, Non-members: $15 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Dick Bauman Big Band - Members: $10, Non-members: $10 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Create with Me (Ages 2-3 & Adult) - Non-members: $12 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Wines for Good Ol' Fashioned Fair Foods - Members: $50, Non-members: $60 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sourdough Bread Making - Members: $60, Non-members: $70 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | A Taste of Iowa Dinner - Members: $125, Non-members: $135 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Open Clay Studio - Thursday - Free |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Open Clay Studio - Saturday - Free (clay sold separately) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sculpture Walk - Freewill donation |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Art in the Park - Free |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Pearson Lakes Art Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pearson Lakes Art Center is a non-profit community art center that delivers visual arts exhibitions across six galleries (including the country's largest Russian & Soviet Impressionism collection), live performances in a 300-seat theatre, an outdoor sculpture trail, and a slate of paid art education classes and culinary workshops for adults and youth. It supplements these with a children's interactive gallery, a public clay studio, guided tours, and an on-site gift gallery selling locally made art and crafts.
Product overview
Pearson Lakes Art Center is a single-site arts institution offering a unified portfolio of visual arts, performing arts, education, and culinary programs. The core offering consists of six galleries with rotating and permanent collections, the 300-seat Lauridsen Performing Arts Theatre, ArtSmart Interactive Children's Gallery, outdoor Sculpture Trail with 23 permanent and 7 rotating sculptures, and a planned Treehouse Studio. Supporting offerings include adult and youth art education classes, a clay studio, culinary arts programming, guided tours, the Rita Leary Library, and the Little Red Gift Gallery. The institution serves as both a museum and community creative hub, with free admission to all.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Visual Arts Galleries
Companies that use Pearson Lakes Art Center
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Pearson Lakes Art Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Pearson Lakes Art Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
35 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, gold, silver, grantor and minor.
- Nelson Treehouse and SupplyflagshipWorld-renowned treehouse design team partnered with PLAC to design the Treehouse Studio, a one-of-a-kind outdoor space for art education, creativity, and community connection. Located along the PLAC Sculpture Trail loop with public access area and private courtyard/classroom.
- Bank MidwestgoldGold Corporate Partner
- DKOI Digital SignsgoldGold Corporate Partner
- Northwest BankgoldGold Corporate Partner
- Signe Kim Lauridsen-JonesgoldGold Corporate Partner and major donor for sculpture Kim's Conversations, Treehouse Studio, and exhibitions including Sarah Grant retrospective and Marilyn Maye performances
- Goodenow FoundationgoldGold Corporate Partner; major donor for Russian & Soviet Impressionism Collection
- Oakwood InngoldGold Corporate Partner
- Alger CompaniessilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Del's LandsilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Dickinson County NewssilverSilver Corporate Partner and local media partner
- DiscoversilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Hy-VeesilverSilver Corporate Partner
- KICDsilverSilver Corporate Partner and local radio station
- KILRsilverSilver Corporate Partner and local radio station
- KindermusiksilverSilver Corporate Partner
- KIWAsilverSilver Corporate Partner and local radio station
- KUOOsilverSilver Corporate Partner and local radio station
- Lake Okoboji ResortsilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Lakes Marketing & PrintsilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Lakes Plumbing Heating CoolingsilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Liberty National BanksilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Mau MarinesilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Parks MarinasilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Lakes News ShoppersilverSilver Corporate Partner and local newspaper
- Edward JonessilverSilver Corporate Partner
- WalmartsilverSilver Corporate Partner
- Arnolds ParkgrantorMunicipal Grantor partner hosting Art in the Park event at Preservation Plaza
- MilfordgrantorMunicipal Grantor partner
- OkobojigrantorMunicipal Grantor partner
- Spirit LakegrantorMunicipal Grantor partner
- WahpetongrantorMunicipal Grantor partner
- West OkobojigrantorMunicipal Grantor partner
- Good Neighbor FundgrantorGrantor partner
- Iowa Arts CouncilgrantorState arts council Grantor partner
- Okoboji MagazineminorOrganizer of the 2026 Speaker Series featuring Sarah Grant
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pearson Lakes Art Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pearson Lakes Art Center social profiles
Digital presencePearson Lakes Art Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pearson Lakes Art Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Pearson Lakes Art Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pearson Lakes Art Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pearson Lakes Art Center
What does Pearson Lakes Art Center do?
Pearson Lakes Art Center is a non-profit community art center that delivers visual arts exhibitions across six galleries (including the country's largest Russian & Soviet Impressionism collection), live performances in a 300-seat theatre, an outdoor sculpture trail, and a slate of paid art education classes and culinary workshops for adults and youth. It supplements these with a children's interactive gallery, a public clay studio, guided tours, and an on-site gift gallery selling locally made art and crafts.
Is Pearson Lakes Art Center a public or private company?
Pearson Lakes Art Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Pearson Lakes Art Center founded?
Pearson Lakes Art Center was founded in 1965. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pearson Lakes Art Center based?
Pearson Lakes Art Center is headquartered in Okoboji, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pearson Lakes Art Center make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Memberships are the primary driver. The others are performance Tickets, educational Classes, gift Gallery Sales, corporate Partnerships, donations and venue Rental.
Does Pearson Lakes Art Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pearson Lakes Art Center.
What industry is Pearson Lakes Art Center in?
Pearson Lakes Art Center's product category is Community Arts & Cultural Center. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAJ, Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions, with a secondary code of THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit). Its NAICS code is 7121 and its SIC code is 8200.