Temescal Art Centre

What Temescal Art Centre does

Temescal Art Centre (TAC) is a small nonprofit arts venue and gathering space located at 511 48th Street in Oakland, California. Founded in 1997 and directed by Leyya Mona Tawil since inception, TAC functions as a program of the ELIXIR 501c3 organization and operates primarily as a subsidized sanctuary space for Bay Area artists, musicians, healers, educators, and activists, with explicit prioritization of BIPOC and LGBTQI+ communities. The venue is 23' x 38' x 10' with a maximum capacity of 49 people, modular seating for approximately 30 chairs plus bench and floor seating, and is equipped with professional-grade performance infrastructure including a Meyer Sound PA system with subwoofers, a Mackie 1642VLZ4 16-channel mixer, six theater lamps on dimmers, three open/close skylights, and basic backline (mic stands, music stands, XLR cables).

TAC's product surface is organized around several programs. The core commercial offering is venue space rental available for half-day, full-day, and event bookings, with rates disclosed only by direct contact (the venue explicitly does not offer weekly rental spots). Programming is anchored by TACmusic, which supports the experimental and creative music community through residencies, workshops, research, and two monthly free public events focused on improvised, folk, and experimental interdisciplinary music and live art. Arab.AMP is a resident partner program supporting experimental live art, music, and ideas from the SWANA Diaspora and allied BIPOC communities. Other offerings include the monthly Do-Over Music Series and artist residencies. The organization has a small team consisting of a director/curator, operations manager, and digital media manager, with operational support from artistic and community partners.

The business model is hybrid but heavily grant-dependent. Earned revenue derives from direct venue rental bookings, while the majority of operating support comes from foundation and public-sector grants: Hewlett Foundation, California Arts Council, City of Oakland Cultural Funding Program, Kenneth Rainin Foundation (NEW Grant), Well-Being in the Arts: National Arts Partners (NAP) Fund, East Bay Community Foundation (administering the City of Oakland Cultural Affairs Pooled Fund), and Akonadi Foundation. A $0 grant was recorded from Live Music Society in June 2023. Distribution and customer acquisition are community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, Instagram (@TAC_OAKLAND), email newsletter, partner organization channels (notably Arab.AMP), and earned media coverage from SFMOMA's Open Space, East Bay Express, SF Weekly, In Dance, and the Daily Californian. No mobile app, API, or digital product exists; technology is limited to the physical venue infrastructure.

Name

Temescal Art Centre

Legal name

Temescal Art Centre

Website

https://temescalartcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Temescal Art Centre is a nonprofit arts venue and gathering space in Oakland, California, operating under the ELIXIR 501c3 organization since 1997. It provides subsidized 49-capacity performance space and programming including TACmusic and Arab.AMP, serving Bay Area artists prioritizing BIPOC and LGBTQI+ communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts Venue

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

Keywords

• Community arts venue
• Performance space rental
• Experimental music venue
• Artist residency programs
• Live art programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

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

Revenue model

1. Venue Space Rental: Half-day and full-day rental of the 49-capacity venue space for events, gatherings, and performances. Contact-based pricing. Does not offer weekly rental spots.
2. Foundation and Grant Funding: Support from Hewlett Foundation, California Arts Council, City of Oakland Cultural Funding Program, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, Well-Being in the Arts: National Arts Partners (NAP) Fund, City of Oakland Cultural Affairs Pooled Fund at East Bay Community Foundation, and Akonadi Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Temescal Art Centre (TAC) operates a 49-capacity subsidized venue and gathering space in Oakland, California, offering half-day and full-day space rentals equipped with professional audio/visual systems. The organization runs curated programs including TACmusic (experimental and improvisational music programming, residencies, workshops, and research), artist residencies, and monthly free public events. TAC serves as a sanctuary space for Bay Area artists, musicians, healers, educators, and activists, with priority access for BIPOC and LGBTQI+ communities, and operates as a program of the ELIXIR 501c3 nonprofit.

Product overview

Temescal Art Centre (TAC) operates as a multi-program arts venue and sanctuary space in Oakland, California, offering subsidized gathering space primarily serving BIPOC and LGBTQI+ communities. The core offering is its 49-capacity venue space for events and performances, supported by a suite of programs including TACmusic (supporting experimental and creative music), Arab.AMP (supporting SWANA Diaspora art and music), artist residencies, workshops, and the monthly Do-Over Music Series. TAC functions as a program of the ELIXIR 501c3 organization, directed by Leyya Mona Tawil since 1997.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TACmusic: Program supporting the experimental and creative music community of Oakland, hosting gatherings, residencies, workshops, and research on improvised, folk, experimental interdisciplinary music and live art.
• Arab.AMP

Products and services

• Venue Space Rental Half-day, full-day, and event rental of a 49-capacity performance space (23' x 38' x 10') featuring a wood floor, modular seating, Meyer Sound PA system with subs, 16-channel mixer, theater lighting on dimmers, opening skylights, private bathroom, heating, fan, and WiFi. Targeted at Bay Area artists, musicians, and community groups seeking affordable gathering and performance space.
• TACmusic Program Curated programming supporting the experimental and creative music community of Oakland, conducting gatherings, residencies, workshops, and research on behalf of improvised, folk, experimental interdisciplinary music and live art, plus two monthly events free to the public. For musicians, artists, and audiences engaged with experimental and improvisational work.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Elixir (Dance Elixir) 501c3coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTAC is a program of Elixir 501c3 organization. Dance Elixir is the parent nonprofit organization that oversees TAC operations and provides institutional support.
• Arab.AMPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatform supporting experimental live art, music, and ideas from the SWANA Diaspora and allied BIPOC communities. Arab.AMP is resident at TAC as a key community partner.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• CounterPulse: San Francisco-based nonprofit performing arts organization providing space, residencies, and community-driven performance programming with a focus on experimental and BIPOC/QTPOC artists. Highly comparable to TAC in mission, scale, and program mix.
• The Lab: San Francisco experimental arts space supporting radical, interdisciplinary, and community-based performance and visual art. Operates as a small nonprofit venue with curated programming, similar in scope and ethos to TAC.
• Dance Mission Theater: San Francisco nonprofit venue hosting dance, music, and community performances with a focus on affordability and community access. Comparable to TAC in serving mission-driven performing arts programming at a small scale.
• La Peña Cultural Center: Berkeley-based nonprofit cultural center with a Latin American social justice mission, hosting performances, classes, and community events. Highly comparable as a Bay Area BIPOC-focused cultural center providing subsidized gathering space.
• EastSide Arts Alliance & Cultural Center: Oakland-based arts, cultural, and media equity nonprofit providing performance space, residencies, and community programming for BIPOC and immigrant communities. Direct peer in geography, mission, and small-venue model.
• Intersection for the Arts: San Francisco-based arts nonprofit providing space, residencies, and community-based performance programming with a social justice lens. Comparable to TAC as a Bay Area small-scale, mission-driven performing arts presenter and venue.

Emerging players

• The Flight Deck: Oakland storefront performance and exhibition space supporting experimental and emerging artists. Comparable as a small, curated Oakland performance venue, though at an earlier operational stage than TAC.

Regional players

• The Crucible: Oakland-based nonprofit industrial arts education space hosting classes, performances, and community events. Comparable as a Bay Area nonprofit arts space with programming emphasis, though focused on industrial/fire arts rather than experimental music.

Broad incumbents

• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Major East Bay professional theater producing a full season of productions with a substantially larger budget and venue capacity. Comparable as a Bay Area performing arts organization with similar funding access, though operating at far greater scale than TAC.
• Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: San Francisco free outdoor performing arts series presenting music, dance, and cultural programming with foundation and city support. Comparable as a Bay Area performing arts presenter with foundation funding and free public programming, though at a larger and more institutionalized scale.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/tac_oakland
• Facebookfacebook.com/Temescalartcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Temescal Art Centre