Bijou Theatre

What Bijou Theatre does

The Bijou Theatre Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts venue located at 803 South Gay Street in Knoxville, Tennessee, operating within the historic Lamar House Hotel (built 1817, possibly the oldest commercially active property in Tennessee). The theatre opened in 1909 and currently hosts 160+ public events annually, drawing more than 90,000 attendees to concerts, comedy, opera, spoken word, and touring Broadway shows. Its core technology includes traditional theatre seating, state-of-the-art sound, digital projection, full bars, and the Ticketmaster digital ticketing platform; supporting infrastructure includes a Shopify-powered gift shop and an 85,000-subscriber newsletter.

The business model is diversified across five revenue streams: (1) ticket sales at $17-$47+ per seat via Ticketmaster and a physical box office, (2) the Century Club major-gifts membership program with annual tiers at $12,500 (ICON), $25,000 (LEGEND), and $50,000 (JEWEL), (3) venue rentals for corporate and private events accommodating 100-750 guests, (4) tax-deductible donations from individual and corporate sponsors, and (5) earned income from Summer Stages youth camps ($400-$750 per program) and on-site food and beverage via the independent Bistro at the Bijou restaurant. Education and outreach are central: the Imagination Series serves Knox County Schools field trips at $6 per student, the Penny4Arts program subsidizes youth arts access, and a Community Outreach Grant Program provides free venue access to local nonprofits.

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Courtney Bergmeier, with a 17-person management team spanning executive, development, ticketing, technical, operations, marketing, and patron experience functions. Funding partners include the Tennessee Arts Commission, City of Knoxville, Knox County, East Tennessee Foundation, the federal U.S. Department of the Treasury (award SLFRP5534), and the Arts & Heritage Fund managed by the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville. Marketing reach extends across email, social media, community partnerships, and arts advocacy, while distribution occurs through Ticketmaster online, the Tennessee Theatre box office, group sales, and direct venue rentals.

Name

Bijou Theatre

Legal name

Bijou Theatre Center

Website

https://knoxbijou.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Bijou Theatre Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit historic performing arts venue in Knoxville, Tennessee, hosting 160+ annual concerts, comedy, opera, and touring Broadway shows for 90,000+ attendees, with diversified revenue from ticketing, Century Club memberships, venue rentals, donations, and youth arts education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Live performing arts venue
• Concert and event hosting
• Theatre venue rentals
• Youth arts education
• Nonprofit cultural institution

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for performances and events, managed through Ticketmaster.
2. Century Club Memberships: Prestigious major gifts program with annual membership tiers (ICON $12,500, LEGEND $25,000, JEWEL $50,000) offering season tickets, exclusive amenities, and recognition benefits to preserve and restore the theatre.
3. Venue Rentals: Rental of the theatre space for touring shows, concerts, film screenings, benefits, corporate meetings, and special events. The venue accommodates 100 to 750 guests.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with support from individual donors and corporate sponsors.
5. Bistro at the Bijou: On-site restaurant operated independently, providing food and beverage service during events.
6. Summer Camps: Youth performing arts education programs including Musical Camp ($450), Acting Camp ($400), and Broadway Revue ($750).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Bijou Theatre is a historic nonprofit performing arts venue that hosts live performances (concerts, comedy, opera, Broadway, spoken word) in a 750-seat Knoxville theatre built in 1909. It sells tickets through Ticketmaster, offers venue rentals for private and corporate events, runs youth arts education programs (Summer Stages camps, Imagination Series), provides membership programs (Friends of the Bijou, Century Club), and operates community outreach including the Locals Only Live local artist series and a Shop

Product overview

The Bijou Theatre is a nonprofit performing arts venue and cultural institution offering a diverse portfolio of products and services centered around live performing arts entertainment and community engagement. The core offering is the historic performance venue hosting over 160 annual public events including concerts, comedy, opera, and touring shows with ticketing through Ticketmaster. Supporting services include venue rentals for private events, an on-site restaurant (Bistro at the Bijou), and a Shopify-powered gift shop. Community-focused offerings comprise educational programs (Imagination Series field trips, Summer Stages youth camps), the Locals Only Live music series for regional artists, an art gallery with rotating local artist exhibits, and a Community Outreach Grant program providing free venue access to nonprofits. Membership programs include Friends of the Bijou (with pre-sale access) and the Century Club (a prestigious major gifts program with tiered benefits). The theatre also produces the annual Bijou Jubilee celebration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shows & Tickets Ticketed live performances at the historic Bijou Theatre including concerts, comedy, opera, spoken word, and touring Broadway shows, with tickets sold through Ticketmaster. Targeted at general public performing arts audiences in East Tennessee.
• Venue Rentals & Private Events Rental of the historic theatre for private corporate meetings, benefits, fundraisers, film screenings, and special occasions. Venue accommodates 100 to 750 guests with state-of-the-art sound and digital projection. Targeted at corporate event planners, nonprofits, and private event organizers.
• Summer Stages Program Youth performing arts summer camps including Musical Camp ($450, ages 9–13), Acting Camp ($400), and Broadway Revue two-week intensive ($750, ages 13–18), culminating in public performances at the Bijou Theatre. Targeted at youth and parents seeking performing arts education.
• Imagination Series Educational field trip program for Pre-K through 4th grade students featuring age-appropriate theatrical performances with study guides and curriculum-aligned content. Tickets $6 per student with transportation grants available. Targeted at K-12 schools in Knoxville and Knox County.
• Locals Only Live at the Bijou Local live music series providing accessibility for Knoxville-area artists to perform on the Bijou stage, featuring multiple showcases throughout the year. Targeted at local musicians and regional performing artists.
• Bijou Art Gallery Rotating art gallery featuring local artists with new exhibits every two months, displayed in the theatre lobby. Targeted at local visual artists and arts patrons.
• Bistro at the Bijou On-site restaurant located inside the Bijou Theatre open daily for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, offering sandwiches, burgers, steaks, pasta, and seafood. Operated independently. Targeted at theatre patrons and walk-in diners.
• Gift Shop E-commerce merchandise shop powered by Shopify, offering Bijou Theatre branded merchandise. Targeted at fans, patrons, and visitors.
• Century Club Membership Program Prestigious major gifts membership program with three annual tiers (ICON $12,500, LEGEND $25,000, JEWEL $50,000) offering season tickets, exclusive amenities, brass name plates, private events, ghost tours, and recognition benefits to preserve and restore the theatre. Targeted at high-net-worth donors and philanthropists.
• Friends of the Bijou General membership program offering exclusive access to premium seating, ticket concierge service, and pre-sale ticket access before the general public without service fees. Targeted at recurring arts patrons.
• Community Outreach Grant Program Grant program offering local nonprofit organizations free use of the Bijou Theatre venue to amplify voices and talents of those without access to traditional performance spaces. Targeted at local nonprofit organizations.
• 2026 Bijou Jubilee Annual celebration event marking the theatre's birthday, originally started in 2009 to celebrate the Bijou's 100th birthday. Targeted at theatre patrons and community members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 90,000 people annually through performances and educational programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater KnoxvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging the Arts & Heritage Fund that supports arts organizations and historic sites in the area. Funded by Haslam Family Foundation, Clayton Family Foundation, 21st Mortgage, Cornerstone Foundation, Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation, and Scripps Networks.
• Knoxville OperaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Summer Stages Broadway Revue performance, providing professional mentorship for young performers.
• Knoxville Chamber Music SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for chamber music performances featuring ensembles like Variego3+.
• Knox County Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Celebration of Women in Old-Time Music event in conjunction with the Birthplace of Country Music exhibit.
• Arab American Club of KnoxvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Melodies of the Middle East cultural event and fundraiser for UT student scholarships.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing platform for all performances, handling digital ticket sales and distribution.
• Bistro at the BijouminorOthersIndependent restaurant located inside the Bijou Theatre serving lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch with culinary creations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Ryman Auditorium: Ryman Auditorium is a historic 2,400-seat Nashville performance venue with a comparable nonprofit operating model, similar NYT-validated acoustic reputation, and touring Broadway/music programming — making it a close functional analogue operating in a different (larger) Tennessee market.

Direct peers

• Tennessee Theatre: The Tennessee Theatre is a historic 1,600-seat performing arts venue in downtown Knoxville and the Bijou Theatre's most direct local competitor, sharing overlapping programming (concerts, film, Broadway tours), ticketing partner (Ticketmaster), donor pool, and audience across the same Knoxville market.
• Boulder Theater: Boulder Theater is a restored historic 850-cap live music and events venue in Colorado operating a comparable touring-concert + private-rental business model with Ticketmaster-style ticketing.
• Knoxville Civic Auditorium: Knoxville's municipally operated multipurpose arena and auditorium hosts concerts, comedy, and touring shows within the same Knoxville / Knox County market as the Bijou, competing for the same touring content, corporate rentals, and patrons.
• The Tabernacle: The Tabernacle is a restored early-20th-century historic venue in Atlanta operating as a mid-size live music and comedy hall with comparable Ticketmaster distribution, concert programming, and private-event rental offerings.
• Actors Theatre of Louisville: Actors Theatre of Louisville is a regional nonprofit theater company producing a resident season plus touring work, with comparable mission-driven programming, educational outreach, and a similar reliance on ticket, donation, and grant revenue streams.
• Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC): TPAC is a Nashville-based nonprofit performing arts center hosting Broadway tours, concerts, and educational programming with a comparable donor, grant, and ticket revenue model anchored in Tennessee.
• Cains Ballroom: Cains Ballroom is a historic Tulsa live-music venue operating as a nonprofit-affiliated presenting house, with a comparable niche historic identity, Tickmaster-style ticketing, and a mix of touring concerts plus private/corporate rentals.

Emerging players

• Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is a Knoxville-based performing arts organization that uses the Bijou as a residency venue; it shares the same donor ecosystem, educational programs, and East Tennessee patron base, making it both a programming partner and a partial comparable for nonprofit arts operations.

Broad incumbents

• Playhouse Square: Playhouse Square is a large multi-venue nonprofit performing arts center in Cleveland, Ohio, hosting Broadway tours, concerts, and comedy across multiple historic theaters with a comparable ticket/donation/rental revenue mix and educational programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bijoutheatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/BijouTheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bijou-theatre-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

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 Bijou Theatre