Stage the Change

What Stage the Change does

Stage the Change, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization founded in 2013 and headquartered at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Brookville, New York. Its mission is to empower high school students to use theater, dance, film, storytelling, and movement as vehicles for addressing social issues including bullying, racism, LGBT acceptance, and human rights. The organization was launched out of the Hauppauge High School Drama program following the success of 'The Anti-Bully Project' and is led by founding Executive Director Ruthie Pincus. Since founding, it claims to have served over 5,000 students cumulatively across programs.

The core product portfolio consists of five interlocking programs: an annual one-day conference at Tilles Center (entering its 13th year in November 2026), the Voices of Change in-school field-trip program that pairs students from two neighboring schools, a week-long Summer Ambassador Leadership intensive, the newer Queer Voices of Change pilot for LGBTQIA+ youth, and the STC Pacific Northwest regional conference in Bend, Oregon delivered with Tower Theatre. Workshop content is supplied through a deep partner network that includes Tectonic Theater Project, Dance Theatre of Harlem, The Moth, New York Theatre Workshop, Urban Bush Women, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Epic Theatre Ensemble, and others, with keynote speakers who have included Tony Award winners such as Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kristin Chenoweth, and J. Harrison Ghee.

The business model blends four revenue streams: tiered one-time conference registration fees (students $18-$20, adults $30-$35 in 2025), individual donations processed through GivingFuel, foundation and government grants from the Arts Reach Fund at The New York Community Trust, the Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund, the New York State Council on the Arts, and Long Island Grants for the Arts, and program sponsorships from school districts (Hauppauge) and local funders in Oregon. The go-to-market is event- and community-led: conferences serve as the primary demand-generation event, while Long Island school theater programs, educator networks, teaching artists, and student alumni ambassadors drive word-of-mouth registration. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations run on standard tools (RegFox, Constant Contact, Google Forms, TicketSpice, GivingFuel).

Name

Stage the Change

Legal name

Stage the Change, Inc.

Website

https://stagethechange.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stage the Change is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization that uses theater, dance, and storytelling to empower high school students to address social issues. It operates an annual conference, in-school programs, and youth leadership initiatives across the Northeast US and Pacific Northwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

akta.pro primary industry

Orientation, Welcome Week & Transition Programs (EDALAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Transitional Justice, Accountability & Reparations (BPADAGAL)

Keywords

• Arts education programs
• Theater based social change
• Student leadership workshops
• Youth performing arts
• Civic engagement theater

Headquarters

HQ city

Brookville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration Fees: Tiered pricing for students and adults attending the annual conference. Early bird and regular pricing available.
2. Donations: Individual donations through GivingFuel platform. Co-sponsored by Stage the Change, Inc.
3. Foundation and Government Grants: Funding from Arts Reach Fund at The New York Community Trust, Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund, New York State Council on the Arts, and Long Island Grants for the Arts. Administered by Huntington Arts Council.
4. Program Sponsorships: Voices of Change sponsored by Hauppauge School District and NYSCA. Pacific Northwest conference sponsored by Bend Cultural Tourism Fund, St. Charles Healthcare, Ronald W Naito Foundation, Autzen Foundation, Deschutes County Arts & Culture Grant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stage the Change is a non-profit arts education organization that empowers high school students to use theater, dance, film, storytelling, and movement to address social issues such as bullying, racism, LGBT acceptance, and human rights. It delivers an annual conference, in-school Voices of Change programs, a Summer Ambassador Leadership intensive, Queer Voices of Change initiatives, and a Pacific Northwest regional conference, supported by school district and arts foundation partnerships.

Product overview

Stage the Change is a non-profit arts education organization that operates as a unified suite of programs centered on empowering students through creativity and performance to become global citizens and catalysts for social change. The core offerings include the Annual Stage the Change Conference (featuring workshops, keynotes, and student performances), Voices of Change (in-school arts-based civic learning field trips), the Summer Ambassador Leadership Program (weeklong intensive), Queer Voices of Change (LGBTQIA+ youth leadership initiative), and the STC Pacific Northwest regional conference. All programs utilize theater, dance, film, and movement to address social issues including bullying, racism, LGBT acceptance, and human rights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Voices of Change (VOC): Full-day in-school field trip that brings together students from two neighboring schools. Through theater, movement, storytelling, and dialogue, students explore identity, examine assumptions, collaborate across difference, and create original socially conscious performance work grounded in equity, compassion, and understanding.
• STC Summer Ambassador Program
• Queer Voices of Change
• STC Pacific Northwest

Products and services

• Annual Stage the Change Conference A one-day annual conference featuring panel discussions, interactive workshops, keynote speakers (including Tony Award-winning Broadway stars), and student performances that empower students to produce original works of theater, film, and dance addressing social issues.
• Voices of Change (VOC) A full-day in-school field trip that brings together students from two neighboring schools to explore identity, build empathy, and create original socially-conscious performance work through theater, movement, storytelling, and dialogue.
• Summer Ambassador Leadership Program A weeklong intensive summer program guided by professional teaching artists who teach theatre and movement workshops and help high school students craft original performances for social change.
• Queer Voices of Change A pilot initiative that helps LGBTQIA+ students, young artists, activists, and allies tell their stories, advocate for inclusion, build community, and lead with confidence through storytelling, playwriting, and performance.
• STC Pacific Northwest Conference A two-day regional conference empowering high school students from across the Pacific Northwest to use performing arts to find their social voice and be catalysts for change, with workshops, showcases, and dialogue with professional artists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 students empowered through arts-based civic learning since 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Tilles Center for the Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue for annual Stage the Change Conference. Located at LIU Post (now Long Island University). Co-sponsor of Stage the Change programs. Hosts 11th, 12th, and 13th annual conferences.
• Hauppauge Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor and founding partner. Stage the Change originated through Hauppauge High School Drama program in 2013. Voices of Change sponsored by Hauppauge School District.
• Huntington Arts CouncilmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAdministers Long Island Grants for the Arts funding on behalf of Stage the Change and other Long Island arts organizations.
• Tower Theatre (Bend, Oregon)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiator and host of STC Pacific Northwest two-day conference. Committed to equity and inclusion through this partnership with Stage the Change.
• Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkshop presenter and program partner. Education and Outreach Coordinator Michael Di Bianco leads 'Create the Change' workshop annually.
• Tectonic Theater ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents 'Moment Work' workshop annually at conference. Creators of THE LARAMIE PROJECT. Barbara Pitts McAdams leads workshop.
• New York Theatre WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents Theatre of the Oppressed workshop. Alexander Santiago-Jirau, Director of Education, leads workshops.
• Dance Theatre of HarlemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents dance workshops including 'Be The Movement of Change' at conference. Founded by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook.
• The MothcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents 'Moth Storytelling 101' workshop. International storytelling organization with MacArthur Award. Podcast downloaded 25M+ times annually.
• Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents workshops on using art to affect change. Founded by Broadway Musical Director Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Juilliard students.
• Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoe Norton served 17 years as Director of Education & Outreach. Presented Theatre as a Social Voice workshop. Raised funds for AIDS services through school theatre programs.
• Teatro YerbabrujacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents 'Invisible and Voiceless' workshop on undocumented immigrants. Founded by Margarita Espada, based on Long Island.
• Epic Theatre EnsemblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents 'Image Theatre' and Newspaper Theatre workshops. Co-founded by Ron Russell. NEA Shakespeare for a New Generation recipient.
• EarSaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents 'Writing and Performing Stories of Our Lives' workshop. Founded by Judith Sloan and Warren Lehrer. Cross-cultural storytelling organization.
• I.D.E.A.S. (Interactive Drama for Education and Awareness in the Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents accessibility workshops for theater education. Founder Lisa Dennett specializes in drama for people with disabilities.
• Urban Bush WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents 'Dance for Every Body' movement workshop annually. Founded 1984. BOLD Leadership Institute. Choreographic Center.
• LIU Post School of Visual and Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference venue host and workshop presenter. Faculty members David Hugo, Davyd Suber, Fritzlyn Hector lead workshops.
• Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents playwriting workshops. Vice President Jim Hoare leads sessions on writing for stage and screen with social voice.
• Nassau & Suffolk County BOCES Arts in Education ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistered program provider for Stage the Change conference. Arts education coordination for Long Island schools.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Imagination Stage: Bethesda, MD-based performing arts organization for young people producing professional theater and running year-round education programs. Comparable as a youth-focused performing-arts nonprofit combining professional performance, education programs, and student performance opportunities.
• Tectonic Theater Project: NYC theater company (creators of The Laramie Project) that uses 'Moment Work' methodology for socially engaged theater and runs education workshops. Directly comparable in applying theater craft to social-justice themes; current Stage the Change partner that presents the Moment Work workshop annually.
• National Theatre for Children: Touring theater company that produces live educational performances for K-12 audiences on social and health topics. Comparable in using theater as a vehicle to teach social issues in school settings, though focused on touring productions rather than student-devised work.
• TheatreSquared: Regional professional theater in Fayetteville, Arkansas with a robust education department serving K-12 students. Comparable in combining professional theater with school-based education programming for youth.
• Urban Bush Women: NYC-based dance company using performance as a catalyst for social change, with an explicit leadership-development and community-engagement mission. Highly comparable in combining professional performing arts, social-justice mission, leadership programs, and youth workshops. Listed as a Stage the Change partner for the 'Dance for Every Body' workshop.
• New Victory Theater: NYC's nonprofit theater dedicated to performing arts for kids and families, with extensive in-school and education programs. Comparable in combining accessible live performance, arts-education programming for young people, and school partnerships, though broader in scope.
• Metro Theater Company: St. Louis-based professional theater company producing original work for young audiences that addresses social issues including race, identity, and bullying. Directly comparable in combining theater production with youth-focused social-justice programming and school partnerships.
• Urban Arts Partnership: NYC nonprofit delivering arts-education programming in underserved schools, with a focus on equity and student voice. Comparable as a youth-arts-education nonprofit combining in-school programs, performance, and leadership development for high schoolers.
• Epic Theatre Ensemble: NYC-based nonprofit that uses theater as a vehicle for civic engagement and social change, running in-school residencies and youth-devised original work. Highly comparable to Stage the Change in mission (theater for social change), audience (high school students), and delivery model (in-school programs plus performance showcases).

Broad incumbents

• Roundabout Theatre Company: Major NYC nonprofit theater with substantial education and outreach programming for students and schools. Comparable as a theater-education provider but operates at significantly larger scale and broader programming scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stagethechange
• Facebookfacebook.com/stagethechange
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stagethechangeinc.

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 Stage the Change