Granada Theatre
The Granada Theatre is a 1,500-seat historic performing arts venue in Downtown Santa Barbara, operated by the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, serving as the primary performance home for eight resident companies and hosting Broadway, classical, dance, and film programming for the Central Coast.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1924
- HeadquartersSanta Barbara, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Granada Theatre does
The Granada Theatre is a 1,500-seat historic performing arts venue in Downtown Santa Barbara, California, owned and operated by the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts (SBCPA), a privately-funded 501(c)(3) non-profit established in 1983. The venue originally opened in 1924 as a Grand Movie Palace, was extensively restored (including a seismic retrofit) and reopened on March 6, 2008. It serves as the anchor performance home for eight resident companies - the Santa Barbara Symphony, Opera Santa Barbara, State Street Ballet, Music Academy of the West, CAMA, Santa Barbara Choral Society, American Theatre Guild, and UCSB Arts & Lectures - and also hosts touring Broadway productions, concerts, dance, and film programming.
Technical infrastructure includes Santa Barbara's first all-digital 4K HD cinema system with a 40-foot screen, a true-stereo sound system designed by recording engineer Allen Sides in partnership with Ocean Way Audio, a multifaceted lighting system, hearing-loop accessibility technology, a 60-foot stage with modern fly system, and accessible facilities. Adjacent assets include the McCune Founders Room (an upstairs reception space accommodating up to 100 guests) and Plaza Granada, a landscaped public space.
Revenue is generated through five streams: ticket sales (online, phone, in-person box office), venue rentals for public ticketed events and private functions (weddings, corporate events, fundraisers, private film screenings), individual donations (Annual Fund, monthly giving, planned giving via the Alhambra Society), tiered corporate sponsorship of the annual Legends Gala ($2,500 Bronze to $50,000 Sapphire), and concessions/hospitality. Distribution relies on direct ticket sales, an in-house ticketing platform, and authorized partners hosted by each resident company. Private-event packages (Silver Stage, Golden Granada) layer higher-margin utilization on top of the core performance calendar.
Granada Theatre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Granada Theatre
- Legal name
- Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts
- Website
- https://granadasb.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1924
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Granada Theatre is a 1,500-seat historic performing arts venue in Downtown Santa Barbara, operated by the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, serving as the primary performance home for eight resident companies and hosting Broadway, classical, dance, and film programming for the Central Coast.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Granada Theatre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Venue
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Broadway & Commercial Theatre Productions (MPAGABAA), VIP Hospitality & Client Entertainment (Boxes, Suites, Hosted Experiences) (MPAGAHAG)
Keywords
Where Granada Theatre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Barbara
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Granada Theatre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to performances including concerts, Broadway shows, classical music, dance, and film presentations. Tickets sold online, by phone, and at the box office.
- Venue Rental: Rental of the historic theater for public ticketed events and private functions including weddings, rehearsal dinners, fundraisers, private film screenings, and corporate events. The McCune Founders Room accommodates up to 100 guests.
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from donors including Annual Fund gifts, monthly giving, stock donations, tribute gifts, and planned giving through the Alhambra Society.
- Gala Sponsorships: Corporate and individual sponsorships for the annual Legends Gala with tiered benefits ranging from $2,500 (Bronze) to $50,000 (Sapphire).
- Concessions and Hospitality: Revenue from food and beverage sales during performances, including bar services and concessions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Sapphire sponsorship includes two tables (20 tickets), dedicated server/bartender, exclusive use of McCune Founders Room, full-page tribute, and one-year Premier Patron membership |
| Other | Annual | Platinum sponsorship includes one table (10 tickets) and platinum listing |
| Other | Annual | Gold sponsorship includes one table (10 tickets), gold listing, and half-page tribute |
| Other | Annual | Silver sponsorship includes four tickets and quarter-page tribute with Luminarios Society membership |
| Other | Annual | Bronze sponsorship includes two tickets with Luminarios Society membership |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Subsidized non-profit rental of Community Engagement Space |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Granada Theatre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Granada Theatre is a 1,500-seat historic performing arts venue that hosts concerts, Broadway shows, classical music, opera, dance, film screenings, and lectures. The theater also rents its venue for both public ticketed performances and private events such as weddings and corporate functions, while operating ticketing services and community engagement programs including the Community Access Ticketing initiative.
Product overview
The Granada Theatre is a 1,500-seat performing arts venue operated by the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts. The venue operates as a platform offering venue rental services for both public events (concerts, Broadway, classical music, dance, film) and private events (weddings, corporate functions), with ticketing services for performances. Additional offerings include the 4K HD digital cinema system, Community Access Ticketing programs, and event spaces like the McCune Founders Room available for community and nonprofit use. The venue also hosts the annual Legends Gala fundraising event.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Granada Theatre
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Granada Theatre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Granada Theatre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- American Theatre GuildcoreNational non-profit theatrical presenter dedicated to providing the experience of live theatre. Brings Broadway productions to The Granada Theatre through the Broadway In Santa Barbara Series.
- CAMA (Community Arts and Music Association)coreSanta Barbara's oldest arts organization presenting internationally acclaimed orchestras and soloists from around the globe as part of their International Series.
- Music Academy of the WestcoreDedicated to advancing the development of the next generation of great classically trained musicians; presents summer music festival at The Granada Theatre.
- Opera Santa BarbaracorePresents diverse repertoire of traditional and contemporary operas and community programs at The Granada Theatre.
- Santa Barbara Choral SocietycoreSemi-professional community chorus providing opportunities for individual community members to study and perform great works of choral music.
- Santa Barbara SymphonycoreCreates powerful musical experiences performed with passion and excellence; provides indispensable music education and community engagement; conducted by Maestro Nir Kabaretti.
- State Street BalletcoreCombines discipline and timeless elegance of classical ballet technique with updated, cutting-edge choreography; founded by former ABT dancer Rodney Gustafson.
- UCSB Arts & LecturescoreAnnually presents critically acclaimed concerts and dance performances by world-renowned artists, talks by groundbreaking authors, and films.
- Lobero TheatreflagshipCalifornia's oldest continuously operating theatre (founded 1873, rebuilt 1924). Part of Santa Barbara's Historic Theatre District with cooperative programming.
- Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) at the New VicflagshipProfessional theater company with an intimate, contemporary 300-seat venue. Part of Santa Barbara's Historic Theatre District with cooperative programming.
- MBT (Season Title Sponsor)minorSeason title sponsor supporting the performing arts programming at The Granada Theatre.
- Allen Sides / Ocean Way AudiocoreRecording legend designed the superior true-stereo sound system at The Granada Theatre. Ocean Way Audio provided technical expertise for the audio infrastructure.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Granada Theatre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco Symphony): San Francisco's principal symphony hall and home to a resident symphony comparable to the Santa Barbara Symphony resident partnership at the Granada. Same resident-company venue model, tiered sponsorship structure, and classical music programming axis.
- Segerstrom Center for the Arts: Major Southern California performing arts venue presenting Broadway, dance, opera, and concerts on a resident-company model. Comparable in scale, programming breadth, and nonprofit venue-operating model, though serving the larger Orange County market rather than the Central Coast.
- Lobero Theatre: Historic Santa Barbara theater (founded 1873, rebuilt 1924) and one of two other members of the Santa Barbara Historic Theatre District alongside the Granada. Operates as a direct competitor for audiences, resident performing arts companies, donors, and private event rentals in the same Central Coast market.
- Ensemble Theatre Company at the New Vic: Professional Santa Barbara theater company operating an intimate 300-seat venue that is the third member of the Santa Barbara Historic Theatre District. Competes directly with the Granada for theatrical programming, patrons, and donor dollars in the same affluent Central Coast market.
- McCallum Theatre: 1,100-seat nonprofit performing arts theater in Palm Desert that presents Broadway tours, concerts, dance, and film with a similar multi-genre programming model, donor/sponsorship structure, and venue-rental business — a closely comparable regional California arts venue.
Emerging players
- Chautauqua Institution: Historic performing arts and education destination with a multi-venue arts campus, resident-company programming, donor/subscription funding model, and seasonal programming cadence. Comparable as a heritage arts institution with venue rental, community engagement, and touring partnership dynamics.
- La Jolla Playhouse: California regional theater presenter with similar Broadway-tour relationships, nonprofit venue operations, and donor-society structure. Comparable as a presenter of theatrical programming, though its programming model is more producing-heavy than the Granada's primarily hosting model.
Broad incumbents
- Broadway In Hollywood (Pantages Theatre): Hollywood presenting organization that brings touring Broadway productions to the historic Pantages Theatre, operating on a comparable Broadway-presenting presenting-partnership model with tiered ticketing and sponsor relationships used by venues like the Granada.
- Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre): Major Los Angeles nonprofit presenting Broadway and theatrical programming at multiple larger venues including the Ahmanson and Mark Taper Forum. Comparable as a presenting/theater operator for Broadway tours and large-scale theatrical productions, but at significantly larger scale.
Others
- Music Academy of the West: Named resident company partner of the Granada that presents a summer music festival and classical concerts in the venue. Closely intertwined as an ecosystem partner producing programming at the venue, comparable to how a touring resident company activates a presenting venue.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Granada Theatre social profiles
Digital presenceGranada Theatre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Granada Theatre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Granada Theatre subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Granada Theatre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Granada Theatre 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 Granada Theatre
What does Granada Theatre do?
The Granada Theatre is a 1,500-seat historic performing arts venue that hosts concerts, Broadway shows, classical music, opera, dance, film screenings, and lectures. The theater also rents its venue for both public ticketed performances and private events such as weddings and corporate functions, while operating ticketing services and community engagement programs including the Community Access Ticketing initiative.
Is Granada Theatre a public or private company?
Granada Theatre is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Granada Theatre founded?
Granada Theatre was founded in 1924. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Granada Theatre based?
Granada Theatre is headquartered in Santa Barbara, United States, in the North America region.
How does Granada Theatre make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are venue Rental, individual Donations, gala Sponsorships and concessions and Hospitality.
Who are Granada Theatre's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco Symphony), Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Lobero Theatre, Ensemble Theatre Company at the New Vic and McCallum Theatre. Emerging players are Chautauqua Institution and La Jolla Playhouse. Broad incumbents are Broadway In Hollywood (Pantages Theatre) and Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre). Music Academy of the West is listed as an others.
Does Granada Theatre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Granada Theatre.
What industry is Granada Theatre in?
Granada Theatre's product category is Performing Arts Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAB, Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses), with a secondary code of MPAGALAC, Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues). Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 7990.