The Cook Foundation

What The Cook Foundation does

The Cook Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 1999 by Adrianne Ryder-Cook Joseph and headquartered in Gloucester, Virginia (EIN 54-1894579). The foundation's mission is to nurture and sponsor the arts in Gloucester County, a rural Virginia community that historically lacked cultural infrastructure. Core programs include the month-long Gloucester Arts Festival (founded 2017), the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester (opened June 13, 2023, housing 300+ works by folk artist Kacey Carneal), an annual Symphony Under the Stars concert with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra (drawing 2,000+ attendees), six commissioned public murals (2007–2024), 20+ permanent sculpture installations, an Artist in Residence program launched with Arts on Main, a grant program for local arts initiatives, and a year-round Shoreline Gallery at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital. The foundation reports $3,333,393 in cumulative arts investment since 1999.

The foundation operates with a lean organizational structure: a 3-person staff (Executive Director Elizabeth Blackney, appointed October 2021; Accounting Manager Rosie Crawford; Festival Director Shandie H. Covington) supported by a 7-member Board of Directors (Adrianne Joseph, Carolyn Dudley, Karen Flowe, Margaret Singleton, Suzanne Scott, Kim Hensley, Julie Weissend). Revenue is sourced from individual donations (accepted via PayPal), corporate and foundation grants and sponsorships (Morgan Stanley, Brent & Becky's Bulbs, Virginia Commission for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts), and festival/event ticket and pass sales. The foundation has no proprietary technology, no API, no app, and no AI/ML capabilities; distribution is physical and event-driven, centered on Main Street Gloucester, Machicomoco State Park, and partner locations. The foundation reports no parent company, no subsidiaries, and is not pursuing any M&A activity.

Distribution and partnerships are deeply embedded in the regional arts ecosystem: core partners include the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA on the Road Artmobile, 2,800+ visitors), Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Seward Johnson Foundation (12 sculpture installations), Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, Arts on Main, Fairfield Foundation (CAPE collaboration announced October 2024), and Woodville Rosenwald School Foundation ($75,000 matching grant for interior restoration). The foundation has received the Virginia Living magazine 'Best Art Event' designation. There are no pending regulatory actions, no disclosed funding rounds, and no disclosed revenue figures; the foundation is privately funded and not pursuing an IPO or other liquidity event.

Name

The Cook Foundation

Legal name

The Cook Foundation

Website

https://thecookfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cook Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 that nurtures and sponsors arts programming in Gloucester, Virginia. It operates the Gloucester Arts Festival, the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester, public art installations, and grant programs serving the local community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Cultural Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

Keywords

• Arts foundation services
• Community arts programs
• Nonprofit cultural support
• Public art installations
• Arts grant funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Gloucester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Cook Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (EIN 54-1894579) that relies on donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations. The foundation states it has invested $3,333,393 since 1999 in arts initiatives.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants/Sponsorships: The foundation receives support from corporate sponsors (e.g., Morgan Stanley for Gloucester Arts Festival), as well as partnerships with organizations like Virginia Commission for the Arts and National Endowment for the Arts for partial funding of specific programs.
3. Festival and Event Revenue: Revenue generated from festival passes, event tickets, and advance purchases for the Gloucester Arts Festival and related events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Cook Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that nurtures and sponsors the arts through community-facing programs including the Gloucester Arts Festival, the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester, public art installations (murals, sculptures, lamp post baskets), Symphony Under the Stars, the Shoreline Gallery, an Artist in Residence program, and a grant program for local arts organizations. Its offerings are delivered primarily to Gloucester, Virginia residents, visitors, and partner arts nonprofits.

Product overview

The Cook Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 1999 that nurtures and sponsors the arts in Gloucester, Virginia. Rather than a unified technology product, the Foundation offers a portfolio of arts and cultural programs including the month-long Gloucester Arts Festival (featuring the premier Plein Air Invitational competition and Virginia Symphony Orchestra's Symphony Under the Stars), the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester opened in 2023, public art installations including six murals and multiple sculpture installations, grant programs for local arts initiatives, the Artist in Residence program, and partnerships bringing art exhibitions to the community. The Foundation's initiatives are supported by over $3.3 million in investments since 1999.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester: A museum project of the Cook Foundation opened June 13, 2023, housing over 300 works by folk artist Kacey Carneal.
• Gloucester Arts Festival

Products and services

• Gloucester Arts Festival A community arts festival organized by The Cook Foundation in Gloucester, Virginia, showcasing local and visiting artists and serving local residents and visitors.
• Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester A fine arts museum operated by The Cook Foundation that curates and displays artworks for Gloucester, Virginia residents and visitors.
• Public Art Program (Murals, Sculptures, Lamp Post Baskets) Outdoor public art installations including murals, sculptures, and lamp post baskets installed throughout the Gloucester community for public enjoyment.
• Symphony Under the Stars An outdoor symphony performance event hosted by The Cook Foundation for the local Gloucester community.
• Shoreline Gallery A gallery space operated by The Cook Foundation that exhibits artwork for local and visiting artists and the Gloucester community.
• Artist in Residence Program A residency program run by The Cook Foundation that provides artists with space and support to create and showcase work in Gloucester, Virginia.
• Grant Program for Nonprofit Arts Organizations A competitive grant program administered by The Cook Foundation that provides funding to local nonprofit arts organizations to support community arts programming.
• VMFA on the Road Partnership A partnership program with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA on the Road) that brings traveling museum experiences to the Gloucester community through The Cook Foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $3.3 million invested in arts initiatives since 1999
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• Fairfield FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2024Collaboration on restoration of J.C. 'Capt. Jack' Brown's Edge Hill Service Station into CAPE (Center for Archeology, Preservation & Education). Joint exhibition 'Everyday People: Through Freedom's Lens' featuring photographs by Freedom B. Goode at Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester through May 2025.
• Riverside Walter Reed HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Year-round partnership for Shoreline Gallery featuring plein air, botanical, and other works since 2022. Includes self-portrait by Virginia artist Sukenya Best and special exhibitions of works by Kacey Carneal. Partnership includes Symphony Under the Stars concert on hospital lawn each June.
• Virginia Museum of Fine ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership hosting VMFA on the Road (Artmobile) at Gloucester festivals. Over 2,800 visitors enjoyed the traveling exhibition featuring works from VMFA's permanent collection. VMFA relaunched its state-of-the-art traveling museum in October 2018, a 53-foot climate-controlled trailer with Wi-Fi and interactive components.
• Virginia Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Symphony Under the Stars concert held on Main Street each June as kick-off to Gloucester Arts Festival. Draws over 2,000 attendees. Cook Foundation has been providing this concert for over a decade alongside generous sponsors.
• Seward Johnson FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership bringing Seward Johnson sculpture installations to Gloucester Main Street. Multiple sculptures installed including 'Inner World, Outer World', 'Weekend Painter', 'Creating', 'Can Do!!', 'My Dog Has Fleas', 'Monet Our Visiting Artist', 'No Mommy That One', 'One Man's Search', 'Sharing the Headlines', 'When Now Becomes Then', 'Time's Up', and 'Double Check'.
• Arts on MaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong advocate since its inception through major gifts including challenge grants and COVID renovation funding. Helped transform from volunteer-led startup to thriving art center serving community with exhibits, performances, and classes. Artist in Residence program launched in collaboration.
• Woodville Rosenwald School FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner$75,000 matching grant awarded to complete interior restoration of historical Woodville Rosenwald School. Built in 1923, the school represents African American educational heritage. Foundation support critical to preserving this landmark and cultural touchstone.
• National Endowment for the ArtssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartial funding through Virginia Commission for the Arts for Symphony Under the Stars and other programs. The Virginia Commission receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and National Endowment for the Arts.
• Chrysler MuseumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobile Glass Studio visits during Village Arts Day at Gloucester Arts Festival, providing hands-on glass art experiences.
• Brent & Becky's BulbssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Best Boat award at Plein Air Invitational competition during Gloucester Arts Festival.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit that supports community-based arts organizations through advocacy, research, and programs like the National Arts Marketing Project. Directly comparable as a nonprofit arts infrastructure organization, though operating at a national rather than community level.
• Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation: Regional nonprofit that funds and promotes arts across the mid-Atlantic states. Comparable as a grantmaking arts nonprofit serving a defined geographic region with a similar mission of supporting cultural programming.
• South Arts: Regional nonprofit arts organization serving the southern United States through grant programs and artist development. Comparable as a regional arts-supporting nonprofit with similar grantmaking and capacity-building functions.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation: National nonprofit that preserves historic places and cultural heritage. Comparable in mission and activity to the Cook Foundation's heritage preservation work (Woodville Rosenwald School restoration, heritage-themed murals).

Direct peers

• Virginia Commission for the Arts: State arts agency that provides partial funding to the Cook Foundation for Symphony Under the Stars and other programs. Closely comparable as an arts-grantmaking organization operating in Virginia, and an actual funding partner of the Cook Foundation.
• Pollock-Krasner Foundation: National nonprofit that provides financial assistance to individual working artists. Comparable as an arts-focused grantmaking foundation, though operating at the individual-artist rather than community-organization level.
• Arts on Main (Gloucester): Local arts nonprofit in Gloucester, Virginia supported by the Cook Foundation through major gifts, COVID renovation funding, and the Artist in Residence program. Directly comparable as a community arts organization in the same geography with overlapping programming (exhibits, performances, classes).
• Fairfield Foundation: Local heritage preservation nonprofit in Gloucester collaborating with the Cook Foundation on the CAPE restoration and joint exhibitions. Comparable as a Gloucester-based nonprofit focused on heritage and cultural programming with similar small-staff, community-funded model.
• Chrysler Museum of Art: Norfolk, Virginia art museum that provides mobile glass studio programming at the Gloucester Arts Festival. Comparable as a Virginia cultural institution partnering with the Cook Foundation, though operating at significantly larger scale.

Others

• National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA): National membership organization of state and jurisdictional arts agencies. Comparable as an umbrella organization connecting arts funders and policy makers, related to the Cook Foundation's grant partnerships with Virginia Commission for the Arts and the NEA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

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

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Cook Foundation