Center for the Arts at George Mason University
The Center for the Arts at George Mason University is a public university performing arts venue in Fairfax, Virginia, operating the Great Performances at Mason Series, Family Series, and artist-in-residence programs for the regional community, K-12 schools, and George Mason students.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersFairfax, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Center for the Arts at George Mason University does
The Center for the Arts at George Mason University is a performing arts venue located on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University in Northern Virginia, operated as a unit of the university's College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). The venue features a nearly 2,000-seat Concert Hall alongside the Harris Theatre, TheaterSpace, and deLaski 3001, and hosts more than 100 performances annually, drawing hundreds of thousands of community attendees. Its core programming consists of the Great Performances at Mason Series (classical music, opera, jazz, global music, dance, and theater by nationally and internationally acclaimed artists), the Family Series (children's programming), and the Mason Artists-in-Residence program (currently anchored by the Silkroad Ensemble in its fourth consecutive year). It also serves as performance home for community arts organizations including the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra and Virginia Opera, and supports student and faculty work from CVPA's Schools of Music, Theater, Dance, Art, Film and Video Studies, Computer Game Design, and Arts Management.
Center for the Arts at George Mason University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Center for the Arts at George Mason University
- Legal name
- George Mason University
- Website
- https://cfa.gmu.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- The Center for the Arts at George Mason University is a public university performing arts venue in Fairfax, Virginia, operating the Great Performances at Mason Series, Family Series, and artist-in-residence programs for the regional community, K-12 schools, and George Mason students.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Center for the Arts at George Mason University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fairfax
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Center for the Arts at George Mason University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from individual and subscription ticket sales for performances in the nearly 2,000-seat Concert Hall. Ticket sales cover just a part of the cost of bringing internationally-acclaimed artists.
- Donations and Sponsorships: Reliance on donor generosity to ensure the Center can provide world-class arts experiences and education. Corporate partnerships and Friends of the Center for the Arts membership programs.
- Facility Rentals: Spaces available for rent including the Concert Hall, Harris Theatre, TheaterSpace, and deLaski 3001. Rental interest form available on website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Choose-Your-Own Subscription (3+ performances) |
| Subscription | Annual | Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel (4 performances) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Mason Faculty/Staff/Retiree Discount |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Group Discounts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Youth Tickets |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Mason Student Tickets |
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Center for the Arts at George Mason University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Center for the Arts at George Mason University is a performing arts venue that hosts national and international professional artists through the Great Performances at Mason Series and Family Series in its nearly 2,000-seat Concert Hall. It provides arts education programs, individual and subscription ticket sales, and venue rentals, while supporting George Mason University's College of Visual and Performing Arts student and faculty performances. Revenue is diversified across ticket sales, donations, sponsorships, facility rentals, and memberships.
Product overview
The Center for the Arts at George Mason University is a performing arts venue operated by the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Its product portfolio consists of multiple integrated offerings: the core Great Performances at Mason Series and Family Series for professional and children's performances, complemented by the Mason Artists-in-Residence Program bringing extended artist engagements. Subscription products include Choose-Your-Own Subscriptions with 15% savings and Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel with 20% savings for full-series subscribers. Educational offerings include the GrEET Program ($20 student tickets), Field Trip Program, and Free Student Tickets through Mason 360. The digital Mason Arts Amplified platform extends access virtually. ARTS by George! serves as the signature annual benefit event, while the Give Voice campaign supports facility renovation. All ticketing is processed through Tickets.com, with Friends of the Center for the Arts providing membership benefits including early subscription access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Great Performances at Mason Series The main professional performance series bringing national and international artists to the Center's nearly 2,000-seat Concert Hall, featuring classical music, opera, jazz, global music, dance, and theater for community audiences in Northern Virginia and the greater Washington D.C. area.
- Family Series Performance series designed to introduce children to the arts through lively programs in song, dance, and story, affordably priced for families with children through grade 12, including half-price youth tickets and free lap tickets for children under 2.
- Mason Artists-in-Residence Program Extended engagement program in which distinguished visiting artists, such as the Grammy Award-winning Silkroad Ensemble, participate in performances, master classes, and workshops designed to engage and inspire diverse audiences both on and off campus.
- Mason Arts Amplified Digital venue platform allowing patrons to enjoy performing arts from anywhere through virtual and streaming content, extending the Center's reach beyond the physical Concert Hall.
- ARTS by George! Signature annual benefit event featuring Grammy and Tony Award-winning performers (such as Renée Elise Goldsberry, Darren Criss, and Jeff Goldblum) to raise funds for the Center for the Arts.
- GrEET Program (Group Educational Enrichment Tickets) Educational group ticket program offering $20 per student for K-12 school groups of 10+ to attend select Great Performances at Mason events and matinee field trips, introducing students to dance, theater, and music from around the world.
- Choose-Your-Own Subscriptions Custom subscription package allowing patrons to select three or more eligible performances and save 15%, with benefits including no-fee ticket exchanges and priority seating for the 2026-27 season.
- Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel Subscription series featuring pianist Jeffrey Siegel with four annual concerts of Keyboard Conversations. Full series subscribers save 20% on tickets, with series seats priced at $192, $166, and $122.
- Friends of the Center for the Arts Membership Membership program providing early access to subscriptions during the priority period (May 20-27) before public sales, plus exclusive refreshment area access during performances.
- Venue Rentals Facility rental service offering the Concert Hall, Harris Theatre, TheaterSpace, and deLaski 3001 spaces for rent to outside organizations and event organizers.
Companies that use Center for the Arts at George Mason University
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Center for the Arts at George Mason University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Center for the Arts at George Mason University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)coreThe Center for the Arts is managed by Mason's College of Visual and Performing Arts. The Center hosts many student and faculty performances presented by the Schools of Music, Theater, and Dance and supports events of the School of Art, Film and Video Studies, Computer Game Design, and Arts Management programs. The Center presents the annual season through the Great Performances at Mason Series.
- Silkroad EnsemblecoreGrammy Award-winning Silkroad ensemble serves as Mason Artists-in-Residence for extended engagements. The ensemble has completed four consecutive years as Artist-in-Residence, bringing educational programming to campus and community through master classes and performances.
- Community Arts OrganizationsminorThe Center for the Arts serves as a performance home for many community arts organizations in the greater Washington, D.C. area, providing venue access and collaborative opportunities.
- Fairfax Symphony OrchestracoreSeason presenter at the Center for the Arts. Co-produces performances including Nutcracker with Fairfax Ballet, Celtic Woman, Yo-Yo Ma collaboration, and other classical music events.
- Virginia OperacoreVirginia Opera presents its season at the Center, including productions such as 'Intelligence' and 'Cinderella'.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Center for the Arts at George Mason University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hylton Performing Arts Center: The Center's sister venue within George Mason University (Manassas campus), offering a comparable mix of presenting, education, and community programming for the same D.C. metro market. Operationally and strategically aligned, making it the closest comparable peer.
- Lisner Auditorium: George Washington University's downtown D.C. auditorium, another university-affiliated presenter competing for the same D.C.-area audiences, donors, and touring artist relationships.
- Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center: University of Maryland's performing arts center, also a multi-venue presenter combining professional touring artists, university-produced work, and K-12 educational programming. Direct functional and mission overlap with the Center for the Arts.
- Strathmore: A Bethesda, MD-based presenting organization offering a similar classical, jazz, world music, and family programming mix in the same D.C. metro market, with comparable subscription, education, and rental revenue streams.
Broad incumbents
- Kennedy Center: The dominant national performing arts venue and the Center's largest DC-area incumbent competitor. Overlaps substantially in programming genres and donor pools but operates at a vastly larger scale and national scope.
- Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts: A federally chartered presenting organization in Vienna, VA serving the same DC metro with Filene Center and The Barns venues. Comparable presenting and family-programming model, but operates at a larger scale and with a distinct outdoor component.
Regional players
- George Washington Masonic Memorial Theatre: A 1,000+-seat Alexandria, VA venue offering theater, concerts, and rentals in the same Northern Virginia market, directly overlapping in corporate events, school group outings, and touring artist rentals.
- Atlas Performing Arts Center: A D.C.-based multi-venue performing arts center presenting theater, music, and dance with a comparable community/education focus, though at a smaller scale and with a more interdisciplinary programming slate.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Center for the Arts at George Mason University social profiles
Digital presenceCenter for the Arts at George Mason University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Center for the Arts at George Mason University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Center for the Arts at George Mason University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Center for the Arts at George Mason University 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 Center for the Arts at George Mason University
What does Center for the Arts at George Mason University do?
The Center for the Arts at George Mason University is a performing arts venue that hosts national and international professional artists through the Great Performances at Mason Series and Family Series in its nearly 2,000-seat Concert Hall. It provides arts education programs, individual and subscription ticket sales, and venue rentals, while supporting George Mason University's College of Visual and Performing Arts student and faculty performances. Revenue is diversified across ticket sales, donations, sponsorships, facility rentals, and memberships.
Is Center for the Arts at George Mason University a public or private company?
Center for the Arts at George Mason University is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Center for the Arts at George Mason University founded?
Center for the Arts at George Mason University was founded in 1977. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Center for the Arts at George Mason University based?
Center for the Arts at George Mason University is headquartered in Fairfax, United States, in the North America region.
How does Center for the Arts at George Mason University make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and Sponsorships and facility Rentals.
Who are Center for the Arts at George Mason University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hylton Performing Arts Center, Lisner Auditorium, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and Strathmore. Broad incumbents are Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Regional players are George Washington Masonic Memorial Theatre and Atlas Performing Arts Center.
Does Center for the Arts at George Mason University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Center for the Arts at George Mason University.