Mainframe Studios
Mainframe Studios operates the nation's largest nonprofit building for creative workspaces, providing 180 affordable studios to over 220 artists across 30+ disciplines in a 160,000 sq ft converted computer facility in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, funded by studio and venue rental income plus grants and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersDes Moines, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Mainframe Studios does
Mainframe Studios is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating the nation's largest nonprofit building for creative workspaces, a 160,000 square foot, five-story converted 1978 Brutalist mainframe computer facility at 900 Keosauqua Way in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. The organization was founded in 2012 as DesMoinesArts (renamed Mainframe Studios in 2016) by Justin Mandelbaum and acquired the building in 2014; after phased renovations and a $15M capital campaign, the final studio floor opened in 2023, at which point the organization became financially self-sustaining. The core product is 180 permanent, affordable studio workspaces serving over 220 artists across 30+ creative disciplines — including glass blowing, sculpture, painting, fashion design, ceramics, music production, game development, and AI development — supported by recurring studio rental income structured to cover operating expenses plus a reserve fund.
The business model layers four revenue and contributed-income streams onto this core: (1) recurring affordable studio rents, (2) one-time venue rental fees for The Big Room (4,650 sq ft, $1,950-$3,750), The Small Room, and The Atrium for weddings, corporate events, and fundraisers, with Tangerine Food Company as required in-house caterer, (3) monthly First Friday open-studio events drawing an average of 11,250 monthly visitors and approximately 174,000 annual visitors across all programming, and (4) donations and grants from sources including Bravo Greater Des Moines, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Operation Downtown, Greater Des Moines Partnership, Polk County, and major donors such as Steve and Cathy Lacy. Distribution is community-led: direct public access during posted hours, application-based studio leasing, direct venue booking, bookable guided tours, and earned media across the Des Moines Register, dsm Magazine, We Are Iowa, and Arts Midwest channels. The organization also operates the Work of Art professional development program (using Springboard for the Arts' curriculum) and four public gallery spaces plus outdoor installations, and is governed under a 2026-2028 strategic plan developed with Syverson Consulting and Schabel Solutions.
Mainframe Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mainframe Studios
- Legal name
- Mainframe Studios
- Website
- https://mainframestudios.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Mainframe Studios operates the nation's largest nonprofit building for creative workspaces, providing 180 affordable studios to over 220 artists across 30+ disciplines in a 160,000 sq ft converted computer facility in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, funded by studio and venue rental income plus grants and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mainframe Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arts Workspace and Creative Studios
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Studio Campus / Production Facility Operators (MPADAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Studio Operations, Scheduling & Stage Management (MPADAIAH), Rehearsal & Pre-Production Studios (Rehearsal Rooms, Backline) (MPAIAHAK)
Keywords
Where Mainframe Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Des Moines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mainframe Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Studio Rental Income: Affordable studio rentals priced to cover operating expenses and reserve fund. Rents are designed to be financially self-sustaining while keeping space permanently affordable for artists.
- Event Venue Rental: The Big Room (4,650 sq ft), Small Room, and Atrium spaces are rented for weddings, corporate events, fundraisers, and meetings. Revenue from venue bookings.
- Donations and Grants: 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by donations, capital campaign contributions, and grants from organizations like Bravo Greater Des Moines, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, and others.
- Capital Campaign: $15 million capital campaign funded building purchase, renovation costs, and operational costs during the campaign period.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Big Room - Main event space with 4,650 sq ft |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Small Room - Conference/workshop space 450 sq ft |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Mainframe Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mainframe Studios provides permanent, affordable artist studio rentals across 180 workspaces in a 160,000 square foot downtown Des Moines building, currently serving over 220 artists in 30+ creative disciplines. The organization also operates event venue rental spaces (The Big Room, The Small Room, and The Atrium) for weddings, corporate events, and fundraisers, and runs monthly First Friday community open studio events, a 12-week Work of Art professional development program, public gallery exhibitions, and guided building tours.
Product overview
Mainframe Studios is a nonprofit arts workspace organization operating the nation's largest nonprofit building for creative workspaces. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected services: permanent affordable artist studios across 180 workspaces serving 220+ artists in 30+ disciplines (core offering), event venue rental through The Big Room, The Small Room, and The Atrium spaces, monthly First Friday open studio events featuring exhibitions and live programming, the Work of Art professional development program for artists, and public art exhibition spaces including galleries and outdoor installations. The organization functions as a creative community ecosystem rather than a software product company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Affordable Artist Workspaces Permanent, affordable studio rentals across 180 workspaces serving 220+ artists in 30+ disciplines including glass blowing, painting, fashion design, game development, sculpture, photography, ceramics, music production, fabric design, jewelry, and more. Studios are priced to be financially self-sustaining while keeping space permanently affordable.
- Event Venue Rental Rental of three event spaces: The Big Room (4,650 sq ft, capacity 200 seated/400 reception-style), The Small Room (450 sq ft conference/workshop space, 4-hour $250 / 8-hour $500), and The Atrium, available for weddings, corporate events, fundraisers, and conferences. Catering provided by in-house caterer Tangerine Food Company.
- First Friday Open Studio Events Monthly themed open studio events held on the first Friday of each month (5-8 PM), featuring open studios across all five floors, special exhibitions, live music, food vendors, and artist demonstrations, free and open to the general public.
- Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists Program A 12-week professional development program for emerging and mid-career artists in the Des Moines metro area, providing entrepreneurial skills, career empowerment, and business training through in-person sessions, based on the Springboard for the Arts model.
- Public Art Exhibition Spaces Four public gallery spaces across three gallery floors plus outdoor public art installations including the Critical Mass mural, Inhale Exhale rooftop installation, and the ART lobby installation, showcasing works by resident and visiting artists including K-12 student exhibitions and curatorial partner exhibitions.
- Guided Tours and Artist Workshops Bookable guided building tours and artist-led workshops available for schools, groups, and individuals interested in exploring the facility, meeting resident artists, and participating in creative activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 220 artists served with permanent affordable workspace
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Mainframe Studios
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mainframe Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Mainframe Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Colectivo LuchartcoreStatewide art collective co-founded by Miriam Alarcón Avila and Seso Marentes. Partnered with Mainframe Studios to curate 'Bienvenidos A Iowa' exhibition featuring 37 Latino, Chicano, and immigrant artists, celebrating Latino Heritage Month.
- Greater Des Moines PartnershipmajorRegional economic development organization that partnered on the Lighting Capital Project and collaborated on community mural projects like the Spring Skywalk Paint-by-Numbers Mural.
- Des Moines Public SchoolscorePartnership for annual K-12 Visual Art Exhibit during First Friday events, featuring work from hundreds of students representing 60 schools displayed across three gallery floors.
- Iowa Architectural FoundationmajorAwarded Mainframe Studios the 2025 Community Enhancement through Historic Vitalization Award and runs the Architecture by Children Art Contest featuring Mainframe Studios.
- Arts MidwestminorRegional arts organization serving Midwest states featured Mainframe Studios on social media, highlighting it as 'the largest nonprofit arts workspace in America.'
- Grinnell Area Arts CouncilminorCollaborated with Mainframe Studios to feature 16 Grinnell artists in a special third floor gallery exhibition during First Friday events.
- Tangerine Food CompanycoreIn-house caterer providing both catering and bar service for private events at Mainframe Studios. Holds the liquor license for the space.
- Party On! Des MoinesminorLocal venue management and event production company partner that assists with event coordination at Mainframe Studios.
- Springboard for the ArtsmajorArts organization whose 'Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists' program model is used by Mainframe Studios to provide professional development for emerging and mid-career artists.
- Syverson Consulting and Schabel SolutionsminorConsulting firms that collaborated with Mainframe Studios to gather stakeholder feedback and develop the 2026-2028 strategic plan.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mainframe Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Torpedo Factory Art Center: One of the largest artist studio buildings in the United States, located on the Alexandria, VA waterfront. Operates a similar model of providing permanent working studios to artists, with public-facing open studio events and gallery exhibitions, and is a frequent reference point for 'large artist studio complex' comparisons.
- Banana Factory Arts Center: Artist studio and community arts center in Bethlehem, PA, housed in a converted banana warehouse. Provides affordable artist studios, galleries, workshops, and community events under one roof — a close functional analog to Mainframe's combined studio + venue + community programming model.
- The Compound Atlanta: Adaptive-reuse artist studio complex and event venue in Atlanta, providing working studios to artists alongside a popular event rental business. Mirrors Mainframe's dual studio-rental plus venue-rental revenue model in a different regional market.
- Western Avenue Studios & Lofts: Large artist studio community in Lowell, Massachusetts, co-founded by Justin Mandelbaum — the same founder as Mainframe Studios. Operates the same nonprofit-creative-workspace model and is referenced internally as the East Coast analog, making it the most directly comparable peer.
Broad incumbents
- Artspace: National nonprofit organization focused on creating affordable, sustainable spaces for artists and creative communities across the U.S. Operates at a much larger scale and broader geographic footprint than Mainframe, but shares the same core mission of preserving affordable artist workspace.
- MASS MoCA: One of the largest contemporary art museums in the U.S., located in a converted factory complex in North Adams, MA. Combines large-scale exhibition, performance, and artist residency/studio programs in a single repurposed industrial building — a comparable adaptive-reuse creative hub model, though with a much larger curatorial mission.
Emerging players
- Santa Fe Art Institute: Artist residency, studio, and programming organization in Santa Fe, NM, housed in a historic building. Comparable in combining permanent studio space with curated artist programming and public exhibitions, though smaller in scale and more residency-focused.
- Hyde Park Art Center: Community-based contemporary art center on Chicago's South Side offering artist residencies, exhibitions, and education programs. Comparable in its nonprofit operating model and combination of artist support services with public programming, though smaller in scale than Mainframe.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mainframe Studios social profiles
Digital presenceMainframe Studios compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Mainframe Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mainframe Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Mainframe Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mainframe Studios 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 Mainframe Studios
What does Mainframe Studios do?
Mainframe Studios provides permanent, affordable artist studio rentals across 180 workspaces in a 160,000 square foot downtown Des Moines building, currently serving over 220 artists in 30+ creative disciplines. The organization also operates event venue rental spaces (The Big Room, The Small Room, and The Atrium) for weddings, corporate events, and fundraisers, and runs monthly First Friday community open studio events, a 12-week Work of Art professional development program, public gallery exhibitions, and guided building tours.
Is Mainframe Studios a public or private company?
Mainframe Studios is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Mainframe Studios founded?
Mainframe Studios was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Mainframe Studios based?
Mainframe Studios is headquartered in Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mainframe Studios make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Studio Rental Income is the primary driver. The others are event Venue Rental, donations and Grants and capital Campaign.
Who are Mainframe Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Torpedo Factory Art Center, Banana Factory Arts Center, The Compound Atlanta and Western Avenue Studios & Lofts. Broad incumbents are Artspace and MASS MoCA. Emerging players are Santa Fe Art Institute and Hyde Park Art Center.
Does Mainframe Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mainframe Studios.
What industry is Mainframe Studios in?
Mainframe Studios's product category is Arts Workspace and Creative Studios. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAIAC, Studio Campus / Production Facility Operators, with a secondary code of MPADAIAH, Studio Operations, Scheduling & Stage Management. Its NAICS code is 7121 and its SIC code is 7350.