Krannert Center

What Krannert Center does

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is a multi-venue performing arts center operated as a unit of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, founded in 1969 and headquartered at 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, Illinois. The Center operates six physical performance venues on a single campus: the Foellinger Great Hall (seating up to 2,059, with a custom Max Abramovitz / Cyril Harris acoustic design featuring hand-selected Indiana butternut wood), Tryon Festival Theatre (979 seats, with computerized lighting, HMI followspots, and sound reinforcement), Colwell Playhouse (565 seats, recently ADA-renovated), Studio Theatre (a 2,700 sq ft flexible black-box for up to 200), the lobby Stage 5 bandstand, and an outdoor Amphitheatre (560 seats). These venues anchor a programming portfolio including the Marquee Performance Series, ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival (biennial), Krannert Center Uncorked (free Thursday concert series), the Krannert Center Youth Series, and the newer Artists Talk series, delivering 50+ marquee performances per season alongside productions from resident ensembles (Jupiter String Quartet, Sinfonia da Camera) and university academic units (Illinois Theatre, Dance at Illinois, Lyric Theatre @ Illinois, School of Music).

The business model blends several revenue streams. Single-event tickets and multi-concert series subscriptions are sold primarily through the eVenue platform embedded in krannertcenter.com and an on-site Ticket Office (with tiered pricing for Standard, Senior, Student, U of I/Youth, and Advocate supporters; U of I students are capped at $10 per ticket). Contributed income flows through Individual Giving, Corporate + Community Giving, Sponsor a Performance, Endow the Dream, and the Marquee Circle / Loop donor tiers, which also grant early ticket access. Ancillary revenue comes from the on-site Intermezzo cafe (under Chef Amy Thomas since October 2022, Illinois Green Business Association certified) and the Stage 5 Bar, plus Space, Prop, and Costume Rentals. Distribution is overwhelmingly direct-to-consumer in a single domestic geography, with marketing executed across an owned website, an Eloqua-powered email newsletter, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter/X, and Facebook, plus free community events that double as top-of-funnel touchpoints.

Customer segments are mixed: individual ticket buyers and subscription holders, U of I students and faculty, school groups (KCYS), Champaign-Urbana and east-central Illinois community members, and visiting ensembles / touring artists. A 5-person Engagement team leads community outreach and school-based arts integration. The Center is governed under the University of Illinois Board of Trustees; no independent equity, venture, or private-equity ownership is disclosed.

Name

Krannert Center

Legal name

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

Website

https://krannertcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), 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 industries

Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Nightclub & Small Live Venue Operations (Clubs, Bars with Stages) (MPAGALAF), Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live performance programming
• Arts education programs
• Venue rental services
• Concert hall management

Headquarters

HQ city

Urbana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales (single event): Single-event ticket sales through evenue.net platform across all performances; price tiers include Standard, Senior Citizen, Student, U of I/Youth, and Advocate (premium supporting ticket). Example pricing: Poeisis Quartet — Stan $56 / SC $51 / Stu $15 / UI & YTH $10 / Advocate $90; Balcony $10 / UI & YTH $5.
2. Series subscription packages: Multi-concert subscription packages (Great Hall Classical Series, Sunday Salon Series—Emerging Artistry, Jupiter String Quartet Series, Sinfonia da Camera Series) sold before individual tickets. 2022-23 example pricing: Great Hall Classical Stan $244 / SC $219 / Stu $75 / UI/Yth $50 / Advocate $430.
3. Individual and corporate donations: Donor giving programs including Individual Giving, Corporate + Community Giving, Sponsor a Performance, Endow the Dream, and Marquee Circle / Loop membership tiers with early ticket access as perks.
4. Food & beverage (Intermezzo cafe, Stage 5 Bar): On-site cafe (Intermezzo) serving coffee, pastries, daily lunch specials (e.g., Meatball Sub $10.50), and pre-show dinner buffet ($21.95); Stage 5 Bar serves beverages; College Street Roastery coffee supplier partnership.
5. Space, prop and costume rentals: Rental income from leasing venue spaces (Space Rental), as well as Prop Rentals and Costume Rentals (krannertcenter.com/costumerentals).
6. Performance/event sponsorship: Sponsorships attached to specific events. Examples: Season-long Patron Sponsors (A. Mark Neuman; Jo & Thomas Emerson; Phyllis Robeson & Family), Endowed Sponsors (Lois & Louis Kent), Patron Sponsor (Anna Merritt), Patron Co-Sponsor (Diana Sheets).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts operates six performance venues on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus and presents a curated season of live music, dance, and theatre performances. It also runs ancillary services including a ticketing office, the Intermezzo café, the Stage 5 Bar, venue rentals, and community engagement programs such as free events and school matinees.

Product overview

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is a multi-venue performing arts center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that operates as a venue-and-programming platform rather than a unified software product. Its core offering centers on six physical performance venues (Foellinger Great Hall, Tryon Festival Theatre, Colwell Playhouse, Studio Theatre, Stage 5, and the Amphitheatre) that host a portfolio of curated programming series including Marquee, ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival, Krannert Center Uncorked, the Krannert Center Youth Series, and the Artists Talk series. Supporting services include the Krannert Center Ticket Office (powered by the eVenue ticketing platform), on-site dining at Intermezzo cafe and the Stage 5 Bar, community Engagement programming, and rental services for space, props, and costumes. The product portfolio is anchored by the performance venues themselves, which enable the programming series, and supported by ancillary amenities that make the center a one-stop cultural destination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stage 5: In-house bandstand/club stage in the Krannert Center lobby; home to Krannert Center Uncorked free concert series and the Stage 5 Bar.
• ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival
• Intermezzo
• Krannert Center Uncorked
• Krannert Center Youth Series (KCYS)

Products and services

• Live Performance Season Programming
• Venue Rental Services
• Intermezzo Café
• Stage 5 Bar
• Community Engagement and School Matinee Programs
• Subscription and Membership Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• Six performance venues on one campus seating up to 2,059 (Foellinger Great Hall), 979 (Tryon Festival Theatre), 565 (Colwell Playhouse), 560 (Amphitheatre), and 200 (Studio Theatre).
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship partnership, core partnership and minor partnership.

• Illinois Public Media (IPM) / Illinois Soul 101.1 FMflagship partnershipGTM or Marketing PartnerKrannert Center has teamed with Illinois Public Media to support their initiative Illinois Soul, which debuted February 1, 2024 on WILL-FM 101.1 in Champaign-Urbana. The partnership made its first appearance with the February 1 edition of Krannert Center Uncorked, with all five February 2024 Uncorked events presented in collaboration with Illinois Soul 101.1 FM in celebration of Black History Month. A renewed Juneteenth Celebration with Raphael & Whitney on June 18, 2026 was presented in collaboration with Illinois Soul 101.1 FM.
• Spurlock Museum of World Cultures (University of Illinois)core partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Krannert Center for the Hip Hop Convene February 25-28, a celebration of hip hop's legacy and future as a force for cultural innovation, social change, and community empowerment. The Spurlock Museum also hosted the February 27 roundtable discussion 'The Art and Impact of Terence Blanchard: A Conversation on Culture, Music and Storytelling'.
• University of Illinois School of Musiccore partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of the Krannert Center Hip Hop Convene February 25-28 alongside Spurlock Museum and Grainger College of Engineering. School of Music faculty (Professor Jeff Magee; Dr. Ollie Watts Davis) participate in Engagement roundtables.
• Grainger College of Engineering (University of Illinois)core partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of the Krannert Center Hip Hop Convene February 25-28 alongside Spurlock Museum and University of Illinois School of Music.
• Department of Dance (University of Illinois)core partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of the Krannert Center Hip Hop Convene February 25-28; also produces Dance at Illinois performances (October Dance, February Dance, Studiodance, Studiodance Extended) in Krannert Center venues.
• Krannert Center Student Association (KCSA)minor partnershipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLed a study/social event for Reading Day (Krannert Center Games and Karaoke Spot) at Krannert Center; ongoing student-led engagement partner.
• Global Arts Performance Initiatives (Facebook group)minor partnershipGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram featuring the music of east-meets-west fusion artist Sunny Jain's Wild Wild East, and Shona musicians from Zimbabwe 'Samaita' Vitalis Wilbert Botsa and Erica Azim, supported through performances and workshops.
• Columbia Street Roasteryminor partnershipOthersCoffee supplier to the Intermezzo cafe — first order of coffees and syrups delivered when new chef Amy Thomas began October 24, 2022.
• Hendrick House / Parkland College / Betsy's Bistrominor partnershipOthersAmy Thomas (Krannert Center's Intermezzo chef) previously worked in catering at Hendrick House, helped run catering operations for Hendrick House at Parkland College, and worked at Betsy's Bistro before joining Krannert Center.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ravinia Festival: Oldest outdoor music festival in North America, presenting CSO residencies and a broad summer lineup across multiple performance spaces. Comparable to Krannert Center as a multi-venue summer-season presenter with subscription ticketing, donor programs, and family/community engagement.
• Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): Multi-venue performing arts presenter known for cutting-edge programming in opera, dance, music, and film across several theaters. Comparable to Krannert Center as a multi-format presenter with subscription series, education programs, and a curator-driven programming identity.
• Hopkins Center for the Arts (Dartmouth College): College-affiliated multi-venue performing arts center at Dartmouth College presenting music, theater, dance, and film with strong academic integration. Comparable to Krannert Center as a university-embedded multi-venue presenter combining marquee programming, academic partnership, and donor programs at a similar mid-size scale.
• Smith Center for the Performing Arts: Las Vegas multi-venue performing arts center with presenting, education, and donor programs modeled on classic performing arts centers. Comparable to Krannert Center as a multi-venue presenting campus with a resident-ensemble model and education focus, though in a different regional market.

Broad incumbents

• Kennedy Center: National performing arts center and presenting organization with multiple theaters and an education mandate. Comparable to Krannert Center as a multi-venue presenter with federal affiliation, donor programs, and broad community/education programming.
• Symphony Center (Chicago Symphony Orchestra): Chicago's premier orchestral presenting venue and CSO home. Comparable to Krannert Center's Foellinger Great Hall as a high-acoustics concert hall presenting world-class orchestral, recital, and chamber programming, though within a larger urban market.
• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts: America's largest multi-venue performing arts campus, operating multiple theaters and presenter programs (Met Opera, NY Philharmonic, Juilliard, NYC Ballet). Comparable to Krannert Center as a multi-venue presenting platform with donor, educational, and engagement functions, though at far greater scale and in a global tourism market.

Regional players

• Goodman Theatre: Chicago's flagship resident theater producing across two stages. Comparable to Krannert Center as a Midwest-presenting theater operation with subscription ticketing, education programs, and donor-funded operations.
• Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Major Chicago-based theater ensemble and presenter producing new plays across multiple in-house stages. Comparable to Krannert Center's Colwell Playhouse and Tryon Festival Theatre programming as a theater-focused presenter serving a regional audience with subscription ticketing and donor programs.

Emerging players

• MASS MoCA: Large-scale contemporary arts presenting and exhibition complex in North Adams, Massachusetts, with multiple performance and gallery venues. Comparable to Krannert Center as a multi-venue presenter combining performing arts programming with campus-style amenities, though oriented around contemporary/visual arts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/krannertcenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/krannertcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/krannertcenter
• Xx.com/krannertcenter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Krannert Center