David H. Koch Theater

What David H. Koch Theater does

The David H. Koch Theater is a 2,550-seat performing arts venue located at 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY, operating as Lincoln Center's designated home for dance. Originally opened on April 23, 1964 as the New York State Theater designed by architect Philip Johnson, the venue was renamed in November 2008 following philanthropist David H. Koch's $100 million, 10-year pledge for renovation and operating endowment. The theater is owned by the City of New York and operated in connection with Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, with the New York City Ballet as its resident company since 1964.

The venue's physical infrastructure comprises a 56-foot-wide by 30-foot-tall proscenium stage with a 54-foot stage depth, six-level seating configuration, and a complete counterweight fly system purpose-built for dance. Beyond the auditorium, the facility offers the 7,900-square-foot Promenade (one of NYC's largest interior event spaces), the 2,000-square-foot Boardroom with built-in A/V, the Travelers Patron Lounge, the Howard and Sarah Solomon Studio, and three Rose Building Studios with resilient floors for rehearsals. Programming is delivered through direct ticketing (online, box office, phone), membership subscriptions, and venue rentals for corporate and private events. Pricing spans $10 student/$20 under-40 access tiers up to $219 premium patron tickets, with multi-buy and group discounts layered on top of $49-$179 standard single tickets plus a $4 facility fee and $8 convenience charge.

The 2026 calendar illustrates a multi-tenant programming model: the NYCB resident season, the sixth annual BAAND Together Dance Festival (sponsored by CHANEL and uniting five major NYC dance companies), a three-week Paul Taylor Dance Company season with live Orchestra of St. Luke's music, and internationally touring productions including Mulan (presented by China Arts and Entertainment Group) and Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting (presented by China Oriental Performing Arts Group). Revenue streams consist of ticket sales, venue rentals across multiple spaces, recurring membership/subscription programs, and accessibility services such as hearing-assistance equipment rentals.

Name

David H. Koch Theater

Legal name

David H. Koch Theater

Website

https://davidhkochtheater.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The David H. Koch Theater is a 2,550-seat Lincoln Center performing arts venue owned by the City of New York, purpose-built for dance and serving as the home of New York City Ballet. It operates through ticketing, venue rentals, and membership programs for audiences, resident/visiting dance companies, and corporate event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Ballet theater operations
• Event space rentals
• Dance performance ticketing
• Lincoln Center arts

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single ticket purchases for performances by New York City Ballet, visiting dance companies, and performing arts events at the 2,550-seat auditorium
2. Venue Rentals: Revenue from renting the auditorium, promenade, studios, boardroom, and patron lounge spaces for performances, galas, corporate events, and private functions
3. Membership Programs: Revenue from membership programs offering exclusive events, presale ticket access, and curated experiences with visiting artists
4. Accessibility Services: Revenue from rental of hearing assistance equipment (infrared headsets) with driver's license or credit card security deposit

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The David H. Koch Theater operates a 2,550-seat dance-specific performance venue at Lincoln Center in New York City, hosting ballet, modern dance, and other performing arts. It serves as the permanent home for the New York City Ballet and rents its auditorium, Promenade, Boardroom, Patron Lounge, and studio spaces to visiting dance companies and for corporate galas, private events, and rehearsals. The venue generates revenue through direct ticket sales, venue rentals, and membership programs.

Product overview

David H. Koch Theater is Lincoln Center's home for dance, serving as a world-class performing arts venue and event space. The theater offers multiple distinct products: (1) an elegant 2,550-seat Auditorium for dance performances and events; (2) several event spaces including the Promenade, Boardroom, and Travelers Patron Lounge for galas, dinners, and corporate events; (3) studio spaces including The Howard and Sarah Solomon Studio and Rose Building Studios for rehearsals and classes; (4) ticketing services for performances; and (5) presented performance seasons including New York City Ballet (resident company), Paul Taylor Dance Company, BAAND Together Dance Festival, and touring productions like Mulan and Poetic Dance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Auditorium (2,550-seat Dance Theater) Elegant proscenium-style theater with 2,550 seats on six levels, designed specifically for dance with classic design, impeccable acoustics, and sightlines. Features a 56' wide by 30' tall proscenium opening and 54' stage depth at center, complete counterweight fly system, professional performance lighting, and audio. Available for performance rental by resident and visiting companies and corporate event organizers.
• Promenade Event Space Elegant 7,900-square-foot event space featuring a gold-leaf ceiling, large windows, and a balcony overlooking Lincoln Center Plaza. One of the largest interior event spaces in New York City, accommodating 700 for seated dinner, 1,000 for standing receptions, and up to 1,100 with a temporary permit and Portico. Designed for galas, corporate functions, weddings, and private celebrations.
• The Boardroom 2,000-square-foot mixed-use space accommodating up to 125 persons. Ideal for board meetings, dinners, and pre/post-performance events. Features built-in audio and video systems for teleconferencing and distance learning plus a catering preparation room.
• Travelers Patron Lounge Premium event space in the Orchestra level lobby, ideal for donor cultivation events and pre/post-performance gatherings. Accommodates 50 for receptions and 35-40 for seated dinners, with an adjoining kitchen and ADA-compliant restroom.
• The Howard and Sarah Solomon Studio 2,750-square-foot (50' x 55') studio space with full freight elevator access for equipment transport. Available for dance rehearsals, master classes, and auditions with resilient flooring designed for dance.
• Rose Building Studios Three dance studios (two approximately 57' x 45' and one approximately 45' x 45') featuring resilient floors, abundant natural light, and locker-room facilities. Used for rehearsals, classes, and auditions by visiting dance companies.
• Ticketing Services Online, phone, and in-person ticket sales and customer service for performances and events at the theater. Box office in the theater lobby is open Monday 10AM-7:30PM, Tuesday-Saturday 10AM-8:30PM, Sunday 11:30AM-7:30PM. Online portal includes account management, basket, and waiting-room features for high-demand shows.
• BAAND Together Dance Festival Annual multi-company dance festival curated by the artistic directors of five NYC dance companies. Presented as repertory favorites and collaborative programming each summer at the theater.
• Paul Taylor Dance Company Season Resident choreographer-led season featuring classic Paul Taylor works, world premieres, and company premieres performed by the Paul Taylor Dance Company with live music by the Orchestra of St. Luke's and family-friendly matinees.
• Mulan Dance Drama Flagship production by CAEG's Image China initiative, featuring classical Chinese dance and martial arts dramatizing the Mulan legend. Winner of the China Dance Lotus Award.
• Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting Poetic dance drama based on the Northern Song Dynasty landscape painting, produced by China Oriental Performing Arts Group. Phenomenon-level cultural IP with over 920 performances to sold-out audiences.
• Hearing Assistance Accessibility Services Rental of infrared headsets for hearing assistance during performances, available with a driver's license or credit card as security deposit at the box office.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 920 sold-out performances for featured productions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• New York City BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResident company of the David H. Koch Theater since 1964. NYCB is one of the foremost dance companies in the world, founded in 1948 by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. The theater serves as the permanent home for NYCB performances.
• Lincoln Center for Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLincoln Center serves as the world's leading presenter of artistic programming and manages the campus where the David H. Koch Theater is located. The theater is on the south side of the main plaza of Lincoln Center.
• Paul Taylor Dance CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual resident company presenting three-week seasons at the theater. The 2026 season features world premieres by resident choreographers Lauren Lovette and Robert Battle, plus company premieres and Taylor repertory.
• Orchestra of St. Luke'smajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusical partner for Paul Taylor Dance Company seasons, under the baton of Music Director David LaMarche. The orchestra performs live music for select performances.
• China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting organization for the Mulan dance drama production at the David H. Koch Theater. CAEG's Image China initiative presents Mulan as a flagship production making its New York debut.
• China Oriental Performing Arts GroupmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting organization for Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting. The production premiered at Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts and has become a phenomenon-level cultural IP.
• China Ningbo Performance & Arts GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerElite cast of dancers performing Mulan, presented by China Arts and Entertainment Group at the theater.
• Paul Taylor Dance Company (Listed Partner)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a friend of the theater alongside other major dance organizations.
• The Joyce Theater FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a friend of the theater among partner organizations.
• Ballet Hispánico New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAAND Together Dance Festival participant; one of five major NYC dance companies featured in the collaborative summer festival at Lincoln Center.
• Alvin Ailey American Dance TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAAND Together Dance Festival participant; one of five major NYC dance companies featured in the collaborative summer festival.
• American Ballet TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAAND Together Dance Festival participant; one of five major NYC dance companies featured in the collaborative summer festival.
• Dance Theatre of HarlemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAAND Together Dance Festival participant; one of five major NYC dance companies featured in the collaborative summer festival.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New York City Center: Manhattan-based performing arts venue hosting major dance companies, including the Alvin Ailey season and Fall for Dance festival, with a comparable mix of resident companies, rental events, and ticketed dance programming.
• The Joyce Theater: Chelsea-based dance-focused venue that presents major American and international dance companies on a smaller, intimate stage; competes for the same visiting-company and dance-audience market as the Koch Theater.
• Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): Multi-venue performing arts campus presenting international and contemporary dance, opera, and theater with significant rental and event business; directly competes for touring dance productions and event clients in NYC.

Regional players

• New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC): Major multi-venue performing arts center in Newark serving the greater New York metro with resident companies, dance programming, and event rentals; a regional alternative for many of the same audience and event clients.

Emerging players

• The Shed: New Hudson Yards cultural venue commissioning and presenting new dance, music, and multidisciplinary work; competes for the same culturally curious, premium-paying NYC audience and corporate event budgets.
• Park Avenue Armory: Manhattan venue commissioning large-scale, immersive performing arts productions and offering high-end corporate and private event rentals; comparable in event-space monetization and premium client overlap.

Others

• New York City Ballet: Resident company of the Koch Theater since 1964; not a venue peer but a tightly coupled partner whose artistic and audience success directly drives Koch Theater's ticketing, brand, and venue utilization.

Broad incumbents

• Segerstrom Center for the Arts: Large multi-venue performing arts center in Costa Mesa, California, presenting major dance companies (including NYCB tours) and operating premium event spaces; comparable in scale and venue-rental business model.
• Kennedy Center: National performing arts center with multiple theaters hosting ballet, modern dance, and international touring productions; comparable in scale, federal/public funding model, and event-rental offerings.
• Lincoln Center (David Geffen Hall / Metropolitan Opera): Campus partners of the Koch Theater, with overlapping audiences, joint marketing, and shared Lincoln Center infrastructure. The Met and Geffen Hall program opera, classical music, and large-scale events at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/davidhkochtheater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/david-h-koch-theater-at-lincoln-center

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 David H. Koch Theater