Encore Creativity

What Encore Creativity does

Encore Creativity for Older Adults is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the nation's largest choral arts platform purpose-built for adults aged 55 and older. Founded in 2007 by Jeanne Kelly on the back of the landmark NEA/NIH Creativity and Aging Study, the organization operates a portfolio of no-audition ensemble programs including Encore Chorales (traditional four-part harmony), Encore ROCKS (rock 'n' roll repertoire), Encore Broadway (musical theater), and a therapeutic Arts for Life division (Sentimental Journey Singers and Melody Makers) serving individuals with cognitive change alongside their care partners. Underlying distribution is a hybrid venue-plus-online model: 65+ ensembles meet at partner venues such as senior living communities, arts centers, and churches across 12 states, while Zoom-based live rehearsals and the AARP-sponsored Encore University extend national reach through recorded and live educational content.

The revenue model blends program tuition, charitable donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, premium travel and camp experiences, and merchandise sales. Pricing architecture spans modest per-semester participant fees with scholarships covering up to 100% of tuition, pay-what-you-will digital education, and $25,000+ corporate sponsorship tiers. Go-to-market is community-led: conductors are recruited in new geographies to launch 6-week pilots that convert into full 15-week semester ensembles, reinforced by partnerships with AARP, county aging agencies, state arts councils, and memory-care operators. Core technology is utilitarian — Zoom, recorded rehearsal video, and an interactive ensemble map — rather than a differentiated platform.

The current leadership team is led by Joshua Vickery, appointed as the organization's first-ever CEO in October 2021 to drive national expansion following founder Jeanne Kelly's 2022 retirement. The team includes a Chief of Staff (joined June 2026), Finance and Business Director, three Artistic Directors spanning Programming, Production, and Lifelong Learning & Research, plus functional leads for Member Services, Marketing, Development, and Grants, supported by a contracted national roster of ensemble conductors.

Name

Encore Creativity

Legal name

Encore Creativity for Older Adults

Website

https://encorecreativity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Encore Creativity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the nation's largest choral arts platform for adults 55+, delivering no-audition ensembles, therapeutic Arts for Life programs, online education, and experiential travel across 12 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Choral Arts Education

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Therapy (Educational/Developmental Programs) (EDAMANAK), Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ), Virtual Concerts & Music Festivals (Livestreamed Performances) (MPAGAOAD)

Keywords

• Senior choral programs
• Older adult music education
• Creative aging programs
• Therapeutic choir services
• Community choral ensembles

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Tuition: Fees charged to participants for choir enrollment, ranging by program and location. Need-based financial assistance and scholarships available.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations to support operations, expansion, scholarships, and special initiatives including the Annual Fund, Jeanne Kelly Fund, Scholarship Fund, and ROCKS Fund.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at various levels ($25,000+ for Presenting Sponsor) with benefits including logo placement, article features, and concert program advertising.
4. Encore University Tuition: Online educational courses offered on a 'pay what you will' model starting at $0, supported by AARP sponsorship.
5. Travel Experiences and Camps: Fees for travel programs including Danube River Cruises, Nashville ROCKS trips, Chautauqua Music Camp, and England Tour experiences.
6. Merchandise Sales: Encore Shop selling shirts, merchandise, and chorus materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Encore Creativity delivers no-audition choral arts programs for adults 55 and over, including traditional four-part harmony chorales, rock and roll ensembles, Broadway performances, and therapeutic programs for individuals with cognitive change. The organization also offers an online educational platform (Encore University), summer camps, and travel experiences, operating across 65+ ensembles in 12 states with over 2,400 singers nationwide.

Product overview

Encore Creativity for Older Adults operates as a unified choral arts platform for adults 55 and over, offering multiple ensemble types that function as interconnected programs under one organizational umbrella. The core offerings include Encore Chorales (traditional four-part harmony choirs), Encore ROCKS (rock 'n' roll ensembles), and Encore Broadway (musical theater performances), all featuring no-audition, accessible participation. The Arts for Life division provides specialized programs—Sentimental Journey Singers and Melody Makers—designed for individuals with cognitive change alongside their care partners. Supporting the core programs are Encore University (online educational platform with masterclasses and semester courses), Pilots (6-week introductory programs), music camps and travel experiences, a podcast, and a scholarship program. The organization spans over 65 ensembles across 12 states with over 2,400 members nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Encore Chorales Traditional no-audition choirs for adults 55+ singing classical masterworks, folk songs, spirituals, opera, the American Songbook, Broadway favorites, and holiday music in four-part harmony. No prior musical experience or ability to read music is required.
• Encore ROCKS High-energy ensemble performing rock 'n' roll classics from the 1940s through today for adults 55+. Available both in-person and online, with no auditions required.
• Encore Broadway Ensemble performances of numbers from Broadway musicals bringing drama, romance, and theatrical magic to life through choral performance for adults 55+.
• Sentimental Journey Singers Community-based choir designed for individuals with early to mid-stage cognitive change, their care partners, and other community members. Participants learn vocal techniques and three-part harmony while singing familiar songs in a social group setting.
• Melody Makers Interactive singing-based program combining singing with movement activities, designed for individuals experiencing mid-to-moderate stage cognitive change, their care partners, and other community members. Sessions run 45-60 minutes over 10 weeks, culminating in an informance.
• Encore University Online educational platform offering artistic masterclasses, arts and health research classes, and 10-week semester sessions in subjects including movement, drawing, writing, and creative aging research. Classes are live on Zoom with video versions made available weekly. Sponsored by AARP with pay-what-you-will tuition starting at $0.
• Pilots Program 6-week sampler programs introducing new singers to Encore Creativity. Participants learn new songs in a supportive environment with no performance pressure, designed for adults 55+ regardless of prior singing experience.
• Scholarship Program Financial assistance program covering up to 100% of tuition costs for singers needing financial aid, ensuring accessibility regardless of financial status.

Quantifiable outcome

• Older adults who sang in choir for 90 minutes per week had fewer falls, lower number of prescription medications, and visited the doctor less frequently
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• AARPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor national partner supporting Encore University through sponsorship. AARP featured Encore Creativity on their platforms including The Roost podcast and provides volunteer support through state-level AARP organizations.
• Anne Arundel County Department of Aging & DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner supporting senior programming and services in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
• Goodwin LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior living community operator hosting multiple Encore Chorale and Arts for Life programs at Goodwin House locations in Virginia.
• Insight Memory Care CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemory care nonprofit partner hosting Arts for Life programs and collaborating on brain health initiatives.
• Levine MusicmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington DC-area music school partner hosting Encore ROCKS and collaborative programming.
• Maryland HallmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts venue in Annapolis hosting Encore performances and programs.
• Lower Cape Fear LifeCaremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospice and palliative care organization in North Carolina supporting senior programming.
• New Hanover County Senior Resource CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty agency supporting senior services in Wilmington, NC area.
• Dementia AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit focused on dementia support featuring Encore's Arts for Life programs.
• Anne Arundel Senior Provider GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of senior service providers in Anne Arundel County.
• Arts and Health Research Committee MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-institutional research collaboration including George Washington University Center for Aging, University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, Penn State Medical, Insight Memory Care Center, and academic researchers focused on music and aging research.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• American Choral Directors Association: National professional membership organization for choral directors. Not a direct competitor but the industry body whose membership includes many of the conductors who lead Encore ensembles and whose conferences shape choral-programming standards.

Direct peers

• Arts for the Aging (AFTA): Maryland/DC-area nonprofit providing multidisciplinary arts programming for older adults, including individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Overlapping therapeutic-creative-aging mission and shared Mid-Atlantic geography; Encore's Arts for Life programs are a direct vertical extension of this category.
• New Horizons International Music Association: National nonprofit providing ensemble-based music learning programs specifically for adults 55+. Closest comparable in target demographic, no-audition model, and ensemble-driven delivery. Operates through affiliated local bands and orchestras across the U.S.
• Capital Harmonia: DC-area choral group co-founded by Dr. Mary Ann East, who now leads Encore's Lifelong Learning and Research efforts. Closely comparable choral-ensemble-for-older-adults model in overlapping geography with overlapping artistic leadership lineage.
• Music for Seniors: Michigan-based nonprofit delivering interactive music programs to older adults in senior communities, day centers, and care facilities. Directly comparable mission (music engagement for older adults), with therapeutic rather than purely choral format.

Broad incumbents

• Lifetime Arts: NYC-based national service organization providing training, tools, and programming guidance for creative aging in libraries, senior centers, and community organizations. Overlapping audience and mission; functions more as a capacity-builder than a direct program operator.
• National Center for Creative Aging: National nonprofit advancing the field of creative aging through research, training, and advocacy. Functions as an umbrella body serving the same broader mission that Encore delivers at the program level, with national thought-leadership positioning.

Regional players

• Levine Music: Washington DC-area community music school that hosts Encore ROCKS programming and partners with Encore on collaborative offerings. Comparable music-education model but serves all ages and operates as a tuition-based music school rather than a choral-arts nonprofit.

Emerging players

• Sweet Adelines International: Worldwide women's barbershop harmony singing organization whose membership skews heavily 55+. Operates through regional choruses with competition structure; comparable choral ensemble model but stylistically narrower and audition-based.
• Sing for Hope: NYC-based nonprofit placing professional musicians in community programs including with older adults and in healthcare settings. Adjacent mission of using music for community benefit; less choral-specific and broader in beneficiary populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Encore_Chorale
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EncoreCreativity
• Facebookfacebook.com/encorecreativity
• Instagraminstagram.com/encore_creativity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Encore Creativity