What Farhang Foundation does

Farhang Foundation is a 501(c)(3) member-supported nonprofit organization established in 2008 in Los Angeles, California, with a stated mission to celebrate and promote Iranian art and culture for the benefit of the broader community. The foundation operates as a non-religious and non-political entity, distinguishing itself as the only major nonprofit focused exclusively on Iranian cultural programming. It delivers programs across multiple formats, including the annual Nowruz and Shab-e Yalda celebrations, the Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival, Farhang Performances concert series, Farhang Connect lectures, Farhang Flavor culinary programs, Iran Through Books at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, museum exhibition partnerships, and the Iranian Studies Initiative at USC.

The foundation operates no proprietary technology platform; its infrastructure consists of a marketing-oriented website (farhang.org), standard social media channels, and event management at partner cultural venues. Its primary technology-adjacent asset is the Freedom Sculpture, a permanent monumental public art installation unveiled on July 4, 2017 at the gateway to Beverly Hills — designed by Cecil Balmond Studio and supported by over 1 million backers across the U.S. and 50+ countries. The foundation holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and is recognized by Charity Navigator and Candid Guidestar for financial transparency.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model: recurring membership subscriptions across multiple tiers, a tiered patron program (Diamond $100K+ through Patrons $1K-$2,499), an annual fundraising gala at premium venues (Beverly Wilshire Hotel, $600/ticket for the 2026 gala), restricted academic grants (including multi-phase funding for the USC Iranian Studies Initiative totaling over $2.4M), and corporate sponsorship. Distribution is event-driven through partnerships with world-renowned cultural institutions including Getty, LACMA, MOCA, UCLA, USC, UCSB, The Broad Stage, and international partners such as ICA Miami and Parasol Unit Foundation. The foundation serves three primary segments: Iranian-American community members, cultural institutions, and Iranian-heritage artists seeking platforms for expression.

Name

Farhang Foundation

Legal name

Farhang Foundation

Website

https://farhang.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Farhang Foundation is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2008 that promotes Iranian art and culture through festivals, exhibitions, performances, lectures, and academic programs. It partners with premier cultural institutions and serves Iranian-American community members and broader public audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Iranian cultural programs
• Cultural nonprofit events
• Iranian art exhibitions
• Membership nonprofit foundation
• Cultural heritage programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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. Membership Fees: Member-supported organization offering various membership tiers with benefits including event access, recipe cards, and other perks.
2. Donations and Contributions: Patron program with Diamond ($100,000+), Platinum ($50,000-$99,999), Gold ($20,000-$49,999), Silver ($10,000-$19,999), Bronze ($5,000-$9,999), Angel ($2,500-$4,999), and Patrons ($1,000-$2,499) levels. Also accepts general donations.
3. Annual Fundraising Gala: 15th Annual Gala scheduled for November 7, 2026 at Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Ticket price $600. Sponsorship opportunities available. All proceeds support foundation programs.
4. Iranian Studies Initiative: Funding raised for academic programs at USC including Persian language classes and Iranian Studies Minor/Major programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Farhang Foundation is a 501(c)(3) member-supported nonprofit organization that funds, organizes, and delivers cultural programs celebrating Iranian art and culture. Its portfolio spans film festivals, Nowruz and Shab-e Yalda celebrations, concert series, lectures, museum exhibitions, culinary programs, academic initiatives at USC, and the permanent Freedom Sculpture monument. The foundation supports over 100 annual programs through membership fees, donations, and an annual fundraising gala.

Product overview

Farhang Foundation is a nonprofit cultural organization offering a diverse portfolio of programs celebrating Iranian art and culture. The organization operates multiple interconnected programs including the annual Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival, Nowruz and Shab-e Yalda celebrations, Farhang Connect lecture series, Farhang Performances concert series, Iran Through Books publishing initiative, museum exhibition partnerships, culinary programs (Farhang Flavor), and the Iranian Studies Initiative at USC. The organization also sponsored the Freedom Sculpture, a public monument in Los Angeles. These programs collectively serve the foundation's mission to promote Iranian art and culture to the broader community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival Annual film festival celebrating Iranian cinema and heritage through screenings and award ceremonies for short films, targeting the Iranian-American community and broader film enthusiasts.
• Nowruz Celebrations Annual Iranian New Year celebrations featuring concerts, cultural events, and community gatherings at venues including UCLA, LACMA, and other partner institutions. The UCLA event is recognized as the world's largest Nowruz celebration with over 35,000 visitors.
• Shab-e Yalda Celebrations Annual winter solstice celebration featuring Persian poetry, music, and cultural programming for the Iranian-American community and broader cultural enthusiasts.
• Farhang Connect Virtual and in-person talks, lectures, and conversations with artists, authors, chefs, and cultural figures exploring Iranian art and culture.
• Farhang Performances Concert series featuring Iranian musicians, orchestras, and vocalists performing traditional and contemporary Iranian music, including the Iranshahr Orchestra as official resident ensemble at UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music since 2024.
• Iran Through Books Book festival and publishing initiative presented at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, promoting Iranian literature and authors to the broader community.
• Freedom Sculpture Public monumental art installation commemorating humanitarian ideals inspired by Cyrus the Great and the Cyrus Cylinder, located in Los Angeles at the gateway to Beverly Hills, visible to up to 100,000 cars daily and supported by over 1 million people across America and 50+ countries.
• Farhang Flavor (Cuisine Programs) Culinary programs celebrating Iranian cuisine including cooking classes, food events, and Persian food festivals targeting Iranian-American community members and food enthusiasts.
• Museum Exhibitions Partnership exhibitions at major cultural institutions including The Broad, Getty, LACMA, MOCA, UCLA, UCI, and USC, showcasing Iranian art and artists to museum audiences.
• Iranian Studies Initiative at USC Academic program supporting Persian language classes and Iranian Studies at USC, with fundraising phases totaling over $2.4 million and Phase III raising $1,638,352 toward a $1,500,000 goal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 annual programs and initiatives supporting Iranian art and culture
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship, core, secondary and minor.

• TEDmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 December 2023Farhang Foundation partnered with TED to present the first-ever TED Immigrant Diaspora: Iranian event featuring Iranian diaspora speakers discussing ideas on immigration, culture, and science.
• Cecil Balmond StudioflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 July 2017Internationally renowned artist, architect and engineer Cecil Balmond OBE created the Freedom Sculpture design. The sculpture stands as a 'Statue of Liberty for the West Coast' inspired by Cyrus the Great and the Cyrus Cylinder, unveiled July 4, 2017.
• City of Los AngelesmajorOthers · 4 July 2017City Council and Mayor's office authorized the permanent installation of the Freedom Sculpture at a prestigious location at the gateway to Beverly Hills.
• The Broad StagemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for theatrical productions including 'Conference of the Birds' (June 2022) and 'Song of the North' (April 2024) with Iranian-American artists.
• MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarhang Foundation is proud Cultural Partner for the first North American survey of Iranian-born artist Tala Madani's 'Biscuits' exhibition (September 2022 - February 2023).
• Getty (Getty Villa, Getty Museum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Persia After Hours series, Bacchus Uncorked events, Royal Banqueting lectures, and Persia: Ancient Iran exhibition (2022) at Getty Villa.
• UCLA Herb Alpert School of MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Center for Iranian Music, annual Music of Iran concert, and Persia After Hours programming. Iranshahr Orchestra is official resident ensemble since 2024.
• USC (University of Southern California)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIranian Studies Initiative with major funding for Persian language classes, Iranian Studies Minor and Major programs. Distinguished Lecture Series and Iran through Books program.
• UCSB (University of California, Santa Barbara)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIranian Studies Initiative lecture series on Iranian Art and Literary Exchange Between Iran, Transcaucasia, Central Asia, and Russia.
• ICA Miami (Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Manoucher Yektai: The Stranger and the Tree exhibition (April-November 2026), the artist's first solo museum exhibition in the U.S.A.
• Parasol Unit FoundationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCuratorial partnership for Turandot: To The Daughters of the East exhibition at Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti during Venice Biennale (May-October 2026).
• Fictionville StudiossecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production of 'Song of the North' theatrical production with Hamid Rahmanian.
• ADVOCARTSYminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Iranian Mint: A Contemporary Art + NFT Exhibition (July 2022) featuring artists of Iranian origin.
• Governors Jerry Brown, Eric Garcetti, Anthony RendonmajorOthersCalifornia Governor, LA Mayor, and CA Assembly Speaker provided official proclamations of support for the Freedom Sculpture.
• Notable Supporters (Elon Musk, Salar Kamangar, Lynda Resnick, Sir Michael Moritz)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHigh-profile individuals who publicly supported the Freedom Sculpture project.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Japanese American National Museum: Los Angeles-based ethnic cultural institution preserving and presenting Japanese-American heritage through exhibitions, film festivals, and educational programs. Directly comparable as a diaspora-focused museum and cultural center with similar audience development and programmatic structure.
• Aga Khan Trust for Culture: Global cultural heritage organization funding restoration, museums, and artistic programming across the Islamic world. Highly comparable as a heritage-focused grantmaking foundation underwriting academic programs, exhibitions, and cultural preservation on a different but parallel model.
• National Iranian American Council: Advocacy and community organization serving the Iranian-American diaspora through policy engagement, education, and cultural programming. Directly comparable as a national Iranian-American nonprofit serving overlapping community members, though focused more on civic engagement than cultural preservation.

Regional players

• Skirball Cultural Center: LA-based Jewish cultural institution offering exhibitions, performing arts, and educational programs to bridge understanding across communities. Comparable as a regional cultural center using art and heritage to build inter-cultural dialogue, with similar programming genres and audience model.
• Italian American Museum of Los Angeles: LA-based cultural institution preserving Italian-American heritage through exhibits, events, and educational programs. Comparable as a regional ethnic-heritage nonprofit with similar museum partnership model and community-driven programming approach.

Broad incumbents

• Asia Society: Large pan-Asian cultural and policy organization with national footprint offering cultural programming, exhibitions, and educational initiatives. Comparable to Farhang as a heritage-focused nonprofit producing museum exhibitions, performance series, and educational programs, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: National museum and cultural institution advancing Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage through exhibitions, storytelling, and community engagement. Comparable as a diaspora heritage organization with museum partnerships and educational programming, but at larger scale and broader scope.

Emerging players

• Turkish American National Steering Committee: Community-based umbrella organization supporting Turkish-American cultural, educational, and advocacy initiatives. Comparable as a diaspora cultural organization with similar target audience demographics in Southern California and overlapping programming genres.

Others

• J. Paul Getty Trust: Major LA-based cultural grantmaking institution underwriting exhibitions and educational programs. Comparable not as a competing peer but as a primary institutional partner and likely funding source for Farhang's collaborative programming at Getty Villa.
• Persian American Cancer Society: Iranian-American health-focused nonprofit. Not a cultural peer but illustrates the broader ecosystem of Iranian-American nonprofits drawing on the same donor and community base as Farhang Foundation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/farhangfound
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/farhangfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/farhangfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/farhangfoundation
• TikToktiktok.com/@farhangfoundation?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Farhang Foundation