Phame

What Phame does

PHAME is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit fine and performing arts academy founded in 1984 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The organization delivers structured arts instruction through 30+ classes per term across music, theatre, dance, visual art, and digital art, organized into four tiers — Exploratory, Technique, Labs & Ensembles, and Workshops — taught by professional Teaching Artists who combine active artistic practice with training in differentiated instruction and disability education.

PHAME operates four interconnected program lines: an Education Program running three ten-week terms (fall, winter, spring) plus a shorter summer session; a Performance Program comprising five auditioned ensembles (Almost PHAMEous, Chameleonica, Rock n' Roses, PHAME Dance Company, and PHAME Fatales + Phantoms) that perform at regional venues; a Summer Projects line producing ambitious large-scale theatrical works every few years, including 'Stop Making Sense' (2023, Revolution Hall), 'The Poet's Shadow' (2019, Portland Opera collaboration), and 'in a single breath' (2017, Artists Repertory Theatre); and an Outreach Program that delivers workshops on partner sites and at its accessible SE Portland campus. Beginning Fall Term 2025, in-person classes meet at 'The Robin,' a fully accessible one-story building in Ladd's Addition, supplementing ongoing online delivery via Zoom.

The revenue model combines tuition ($205-$235 per ten-week term; $40 one-day workshops), bookings of auditioned ensembles for outside events, merchandise sales, and — most heavily — charitable donations and grants from 20+ institutional funders including Autzen, Miller, Kuni, Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Arts Commission, the Reser Family Foundation, and the City of Portland. Approximately half of all students receive Tuition Assistance offsetting up to 80% of class costs, and payment plans of up to three installments are offered, indicating a mission-driven pricing posture that prioritizes access over revenue maximization.

Name

Phame

Legal name

PHAME Academy

Website

https://phamepdx.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PHAME is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit fine and performing arts academy serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through 30+ classes per term, auditioned performance ensembles, large-scale theatrical productions, and community outreach workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Schools & Life Skills Programs (EDAKAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater) (EDAAAGAE), Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA), Music Production & Composition (Songwriting, Recording, DJing) (EDAMAAAF)

Keywords

• Adult arts education
• Performing arts instruction
• Disability arts programs
• Arts workshops
• Performing arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Class Fees: PHAME charges tuition for its arts-based classes. Most classes are priced at $205-235 for a ten-week term, with one-day workshops at $40. This is the primary revenue stream for educational programming.
2. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, PHAME relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals and grants from foundations. The organization receives support from numerous grant supporters including Autzen Foundation, Miller Foundation, Kuni Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation, and many others.
3. Bookings and Performance Fees: PHAME's auditioned ensembles (Almost PHAMEous, Chameleonica, Rock n' Roses, PHAME Dance Company) can be hired for outside events, generating fees for performances.
4. Merchandise Sales: PHAME operates a merchandise store selling branded items to supporters and the community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PHAME is a fine and performing arts academy that delivers multi-disciplinary arts education and performance programming for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The academy runs three ten-week terms of arts-based classes annually in music, theatre, dance, visual art, and digital art, supported by auditioned performance ensembles, periodic major theatrical productions, and outreach workshops for community organizations. Instruction is delivered by professional Teaching Artists who combine artistic expertise with differentiated instruction and disability education best practices.

Product overview

PHAME is a fine and performing arts academy serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, offering a unified program of arts education and performance opportunities. The organization operates through four interconnected core offerings: the Education Program (structured classes across multiple artistic disciplines), the Performance Program (auditioned ensembles for professional performance experience), Summer Projects (ambitious large-scale theatrical productions every few years), and the Outreach Program (workshops for community organizations). The Education and Performance Programs are deeply integrated—students take classes to develop skills and may join ensembles that perform publicly. Annual events showcase student work and serve as performance opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education Program Three ten-week terms of arts-based classes each fall, winter, and spring, plus summer sessions. Offers 30+ classes per term in music, theatre, dance, visual art, digital art, and more. Classes are taught by professional Teaching Artists and structured into four categories: Exploratory Classes (fundamentals), Technique Classes (intermediate skills), Labs & Ensembles (advanced performance), and Workshops (one-time sessions). Tuition is $205-235 for a ten-week term; one-day workshops are $40. About half of students receive Tuition Assistance offsetting up to 80% of the class price.
• Performance Program Places adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in professional performance experiences. Includes auditioned ensembles: Almost PHAMEous (comedy troupe), Chameleonica (jam band mixing electronic music, live vocals and percussion), Rock n' Roses (15-20 member choir specializing in pop and rock), PHAME Dance Company (contemporary dance troupe), and PHAME Fatales + Phantoms (small choral groups). Ensembles perform at regional venues and events.
• Summer Projects Major theatrical or concert experiences mounted every few years. Recent productions include 'Stop Making Sense' (2023), 'The Poet's Shadow' (2019), and 'in a single breath' (2018). These ambitious projects bring PHAME artists together to create large-scale productions that reach wide audiences, often with professional guest musicians and partner organizations like Portland Opera.
• Outreach Program Campus walkthroughs and outreach workshops for organizations serving individuals with disabilities. Music, theatre, visual arts, and movement & dance workshops adaptable for groups of various sizes and support needs. PHAME Teaching Artists can also lead workshops at partner locations.
• Annual Events Three major annual events: Winter Concert (December), PHAMEtastic Gala (March), and Disability Pride Celebration (summer). Additional events include Get PHAMEous Open House (June) showcasing students across various classes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tuition Assistance reaching 50% of students, offsetting up to 80% of class costs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Revolution HallcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2023Revolution Hall served as the venue for PHAME's Stop Making Sense production in August 2023, a multimedia rock concert experience featuring PHAME artists and guest musicians.
• Artists Repertory TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2019Artists Repertory Theatre hosted PHAME's in a single breath production in August 2018.
• Portland OperacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 August 2019PHAME collaborated with Portland Opera on The Poet's Shadow, an original rock opera created and performed by PHAME artists. Portland Opera supported the production through opera-focused classes, workshops, one-on-one vocal coaching, and hosted performances at the Hampton Opera Center. The partnership also included summer video projects with Portland Opera's Manager of Education teaching Poetic Storytelling classes.
• Wobbly DancesecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 August 2019Wobbly Dance, Portland's acclaimed dance company, choreographed the movement chorus for The Poet's Shadow production.
• Metropolitan Youth SymphonysecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 August 2019Metropolitan Youth Symphony student musicians joined PHAME's iPad Ensemble to form the opera's one-of-a-kind orchestra for The Poet's Shadow.
• TEDx PortlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHAME performers have appeared at TEDx Portland, showcasing the talents of artists with developmental disabilities to wide audiences.
• Portland Center StagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHAME has performed at Portland Center Stage as part of their regional performance program.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Open Space Music Studio: An inclusive music studio in Portland, Oregon offering adaptive music lessons and adaptive band programs for students with disabilities. Comparable to PHAME as a Portland-area provider of disability-inclusive arts instruction with a similarly differentiated, accessible teaching model.

Direct peers

• NIAD Art Center: Richmond, CA-based nonprofit providing studio art access and exhibition opportunities for adult artists with developmental disabilities. Closely comparable to PHAME in serving the I/DD adult population through professional arts programming and exhibiting/selling student work.
• Creativity Explored: San Francisco-based nonprofit working with artists with developmental disabilities to create, exhibit, and sell art. Directly comparable to PHAME in mission, target population (adults with developmental disabilities), and nonprofit arts education model.
• Creative Growth: Oakland-based nonprofit art studio and gallery serving adults with developmental, intellectual, and physical disabilities. Comparable to PHAME in serving adults with I/DD through structured arts programming, with a similar nonprofit funding model and emphasis on professional artistic outcomes.
• Pure Vision Arts: New York City-based art studio and exhibition program for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable in mission, target population, and nonprofit operating model to PHAME's visual and performing arts programming.

Broad incumbents

• VSA (Kennedy Center): The national organization on arts, disability, and education, now a program of the John F. Kennedy Center. Provides grantmaking, research, and programming infrastructure that supports arts organizations serving people with disabilities, operating as a broader umbrella over organizations like PHAME.

Others

• Portland School of Ballet: Portland-based nonprofit dance school offering instruction across ages and levels, including adaptive programming. Comparable to PHAME as a regional performing arts education organization with a nonprofit structure and community classes.

Regional players

• Community Music Center: San Francisco-based community arts school offering music, dance, and art instruction across all ages and abilities, with explicit inclusion programming for students with disabilities. Comparable to PHAME as a regional nonprofit arts school offering sliding-scale tuition and community-based programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Phame