Paramount Center for the Arts

What Paramount Center for the Arts does

Paramount Center for the Arts is a non-profit community arts facility headquartered at 913 West St. Germain Street in St. Cloud, Minnesota, operating a single historic venue established in 1921 and serving the Central Minnesota region. The organization functions as a multi-disciplinary arts center combining a live performance venue, visual arts studios, gallery space, and community programming under one roof. Its portfolio spans On Stage performances (touring concerts, tribute acts, Broadway-style productions, comedy, speaking events, and classic film screenings), Art Classes and Summer Art Camps for youth ages 7–14 across disciplines including clay, glass, carpentry, printmaking, cartooning, and stop motion animation, rotating gallery exhibitions, theatre rentals, a gift shop, studio passes, and an Assistance Fund for financial-aid access. Customers range from individual ticket-buying community audiences and families enrolling children in camps, to schools attending field-trip performances, regional visual artists exhibiting in the gallery, and community organizations or businesses renting the theatre. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, led operationally by a small staff of 11–50, and supported by institutional partners including St. Cloud State University, the City of Saint Cloud, WACOSA, the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Central MN Arts Board, GREAT Theatre, and corporate sponsors such as Stearns Bank.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight: the center does not operate any proprietary technology platform and instead relies on Salesforce Sites for online ticketing and Coursestorm for class and camp registration, with a standard website (paramountarts.org) and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) serving as the digital front door. Revenue is generated through six streams: ticket sales (typically $3.50–$75 depending on event and seat zone), art class and summer camp registration ($125–$150 per camp), theatre rental services, individual donations (including sustainer programs, legacy circle planned giving, and stock gifts), gift shop retail, and institutional sponsorships. Most tickets carry a $3.50 processing fee and a $0.50 Historic Preservation fee, and group discounts of $3 per ticket are available for groups of 20+ across many shows. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer through the physical box office and online portal, supplemented by community partnerships, email newsletters, and sponsor co-promotion rather than paid acquisition.

Name

Paramount Center for the Arts

Legal name

Paramount Center for the Arts

Website

https://paramountarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paramount Center for the Arts is a non-profit community arts center in St. Cloud, Minnesota, operating a historic 1921 venue that delivers live performances, visual arts classes, youth summer camps, gallery exhibitions, and theatre rentals to Central Minnesota audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Center

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Visual Arts & Media Arts Programs (Art Club, Photography, Film) (EDAJAJAF)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Visual arts education
• Community arts center
• Arts education programs
• Youth art camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Cloud

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Direct sales of tickets to live performances including concerts, theater productions, dance shows, movies, and special events through box office and online channels.
2. Art Class and Camp Registration: Educational programming revenue from visual arts classes and summer camps for youth ages 7-14, including clay camps, glass art, carpentry, printmaking, cartooning, stop motion animation, and fabric arts.
3. Theatre Rental: Venue rental services for external organizations and productions to use the Paramount facility for their own events.
4. Individual Donations: Charitable contributions from individuals including sustainer programs, legacy circle planned giving, and stock gifts.
5. Gift Shop Sales: Retail sales of art-related merchandise through the on-site gift shop.
6. Sponsorship: Institutional sponsorships from businesses and organizations supporting specific events and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Paramount Center for the Arts is a community arts facility that presents live stage performances (concerts, theater, comedy, dance, film screenings, TEDx conferences), delivers visual arts education through classes and summer art camps for youth ages 7-14 (clay, glass, carpentry, printmaking, cartooning, stop motion animation, fabric arts), hosts rotating gallery exhibitions of regional artists, and rents its theatre to external organizations for events.

Product overview

Paramount Center for the Arts is a performing arts center and visual arts studio that operates as a single unified venue offering live performances, arts education, and community programs. The portfolio consists of On Stage live performances (concerts, tribute shows, comedy, theatre, and speaking events), Art Classes and Summer Art Camps (visual arts instruction for children and adults in mediums including clay, glass, carpentry, printmaking, and mixed media), Community Outreach programming, Theatre Rental services, Exhibitions (rotating gallery displays), and ancillary offerings including a Gift Shop, Studio Passes, and an Assistance Fund for financial aid.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• On Stage Performances Live stage performances including concerts, tribute shows, comedy, speaking engagements, and theatrical productions presented at the venue for the general public.
• Art Classes Visual arts educational programming including drawing, painting, printmaking, and other 2D art instruction for various age groups.
• Summer Art Camps Multi-day art immersion programs for youth ages 7-14 covering clay/ceramics, glass art, carpentry, printmaking, cartooning, stop motion animation, fabric arts, and mixed media.
• Theatre Rental Venue rental services for external organizations, performers, and community groups to host performances and events at the Paramount Center facilities.
• Exhibitions Rotating gallery exhibitions featuring local and regional visual artists displayed at the center, with an application process for artist inclusion.
• Gift Shop Retail gift shop offering art-related merchandise and gifts located on-site at the Paramount facility.
• Studio Passes Access passes allowing patrons to use studio facilities for independent artistic work.
• Community Outreach Arts engagement programs serving the broader community, including partnerships with organizations like WACOSA for disability services and the Empowered Stars program.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St. Cloud State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Cloud State University partners with the Paramount for the annual 'Journey Across the World' cultural showcase featuring international song, dance, and skits performed by SCSU students. The university and City of Saint Cloud co-present this event celebrating cultural diversity.
• City of Saint CloudcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Saint Cloud co-presents the 'Journey Across the World' showcase with St. Cloud State University, demonstrating municipal support for arts and cultural programming at the Paramount.
• WACOSAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWACOSA (Stearns County Adult Disability Services) partners with Paramount for the 'Empowered Stars' program, an original ensemble production created by adults with disabilities. WACOSA works to build circles of support for individuals with disabilities, empowering skill development and community connections.
• Minnesota State Arts BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerState arts agency providing grant funding that supports Paramount programming. Activity made possible by voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board via legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
• Central MN Arts BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional arts council providing grant support for Paramount arts programming and community engagement initiatives.
• COB Market PlaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business co-sponsor of the Summer Movie Series, providing promotional support for classic film screenings at the Paramount.
• AGC AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal advertising agency partner for the Summer Movie Series sponsorship.
• GLT (Greening Up The Streets)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal organization partner sponsoring the Summer Movie Series at Paramount.
• GREAT TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional theater company that brings touring productions to the Paramount stage, including 'Les Miserables' and 'A Christmas Carol'. GREAT Theatre serves as the venue presentation partner for these Broadway-style shows.
• The Lord Chamberlain's MenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthentic Shakespearean theater company performing 'Othello' in traditional Elizabethan style with all-male cast. The company traces its history back to Shakespeare's original company.
• Stearns BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal financial institution sponsoring the 'Empowered Stars' community program at Paramount.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Midland Center for the Arts: Midland, MI non-profit combining a performing arts venue, visual arts studios, science center, and education programming. Highly analogous to Paramount in multi-disciplinary scope and mid-size regional market position.
• Hult Center for the Performing Arts: Eugene, OR performing arts center presenting concerts, theater, dance, and education programming. Comparable mid-size community-presenter model with similar emphasis on touring productions and educational outreach.
• Luther Burbank Center for the Arts: Non-profit performing arts center in Santa Rosa, CA presenting touring concerts, family shows, comedy, and education programs in a mid-size regional market. Closely analogous to Paramount in scope, venue size, and community-oriented programming strategy.
• Paramount Theatre (Aurora, IL): Historic restored theater presenting Broadway tours, concerts, comedy, and offering community arts programming in a mid-size Illinois city. Directly comparable operating model: single historic venue with diverse touring booking strategy and education programming.
• Overture Center for the Arts: Multi-disciplinary performing arts and education center in Madison, WI presenting touring concerts, theater, dance, and offering visual arts classes. Closely comparable to Paramount's combined live-performance + studio programming model in a similar mid-size regional market.

Broad incumbents

• Marcus Performing Arts Center: Larger regional performing arts center in Milwaukee, WI operating multiple venues with presenting, education, and community programming. Comparable mission and programming mix but at a meaningfully larger scale than Paramount.
• Aronoff Center for the Arts: Cincinnati's primary presenting venue for touring Broadway, concerts, family shows, and community programs. Comparable presenter-only operating model but in a substantially larger metro market than St. Cloud.
• Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC): Nashville-based non-profit presenting Broadway tours, concerts, and education programs. Similar mission and presenter model to Paramount but operates multiple venues at a larger scale and budget.
• Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts: Multi-venue performing arts center in Orlando presenting Broadway, concerts, comedy, and education programming. Comparable breadth of programming categories but operates at significantly larger scale and budget than Paramount.
• Mesa Arts Center: Large multi-disciplinary arts complex in Mesa, AZ combining performance venues, visual arts studios, galleries, and education programs. Closely mirrors Paramount's combined performance + visual arts + gallery model but at substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ParamountArtsMN
• Facebookfacebook.com/paramountartsmn
• Instagraminstagram.com/paramountartsmn
• Xx.com/paramountartsmn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paramount-center-for-the-arts-st-cloud

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Paramount Center for the Arts