Mann Center for the Performing Arts

What Mann Center for the Performing Arts does

Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts is a non-profit (501(c)(3)) open-air performing arts venue located on a campus in historic Fairmount Park, Philadelphia (5201 Parkside Avenue). Its campus includes the TD Pavilion, the Skyline Stage, and a central plaza, hosting touring musical acts, outdoor film screenings (Movies @ Highmark Mann), and Downstage performances. The organization serves four primary constituencies: concert-goers and performing arts enthusiasts; youth and students (via a free arts-education program reaching over 30,000 young people annually); corporate clients and social-event hosts who rent its spaces for weddings, galas, and meetings; and community organizations. It is led by President & CEO Catherine M. Cahill and employs an estimated 101–250 staff (likely seasonal-weighted given the summer-driven event calendar).

The revenue model is diversified across earned and contributed income. Earned revenue comes from event ticket sales (transaction-based), an annual membership subscription (offering early ticket access, VIP parking, and member-only entry), facility rentals to corporate and social clients, and merchandise including the commemorative book "A Century of Music Under the Stars." Contributed revenue comes from individual philanthropy, planned giving, and corporate sponsorship — most notably a naming-rights arrangement with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield that rebranded the venue as "Highmark Mann." Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and event-driven, executed through the manncenter.org/highmarkmann.org storefront, an on-site box office, direct sales for memberships and rentals, and digital channels (email newsletter, organic social on Facebook/X/Instagram/YouTube, and content marketing).

The organization operates regionally, serving the Philadelphia metro and the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast U.S. It reports no proprietary technology, no API, no mobile app, and no AI capabilities; its delivery model is physical-venue and live-event based. Founded in 1976 (the 2026 50th Anniversary anchors this date, notwithstanding a conflicting 1930 figure in one firmographic field), it is independently governed by a board of directors with no parent company, subsidiaries, or private-equity ownership.

Name

Mann Center for the Performing Arts

Legal name

Mann Center for the Performing Arts

Website

https://manncenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

A Philadelphia-based non-profit open-air performing arts venue in Fairmount Park hosting touring concerts, films, and private events, while running a free arts-education program serving over 30,000 youth annually. Funded by tickets, memberships, rentals, and philanthropy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue / Live Entertainment

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live concert events
• Outdoor amphitheater
• Arts education programs
• Facility rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to concerts, performances, and events including Movies @ Highmark Mann and Downstage performances.
2. Memberships: Annual membership program offering early access to tickets, VIP parking, member-only entry, and other exclusive benefits.
3. Facility Rentals: Rental revenue from private events including weddings, corporate meetings, galas, and large-scale events at outdoor venue spaces.
4. Donations and Philanthropic Support: Non-profit performing arts center dependent on generosity of donors. Currently running $70 million capital campaign for 50th Anniversary improvements.
5. Corporate Support: Corporate sponsorship and support programs for businesses to partner with the Mann Center.
6. Merchandise and Books: Sales of merchandise and commemorative book 'A Century of Music Under the Stars' celebrating the Mann's legacy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mann Center for the Performing Arts is a non-profit outdoor performing arts center in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park that hosts live concerts, movie screenings, theatrical performances, and community events. The venue also offers facility rentals for weddings, corporate events, and large-scale gatherings, and runs free arts education programs serving over 30,000 young people annually. Ticket sales, memberships, donations, and corporate sponsorships fund operations and a $70 million 50th Anniversary capital campaign.

Product overview

Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts is a non-profit performing arts venue in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. Its product portfolio consists of live performance events and ticketing (including 2026 season concerts, Movies @ Highmark Mann, and Downstage performances), facility rentals for corporate events, weddings, and large-scale gatherings, and a robust education program serving over 30,000 young people annually through Out-of-School Time, Workforce Development, and Cultural Convening initiatives. The organization also offers a membership program with exclusive benefits and is currently conducting a $70 million 50th Anniversary capital campaign for campus improvements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Events & Ticketing (2026 Concert Season)
• Movies @ Highmark Mann
• Downstage @ Highmark Mann
• Facility Rentals (Weddings, Corporate & Large-Scale Events)
• Education Programs (OST, WFD, CC)
• Membership Program
• A Century of Music Under the Stars (Commemorative Book)

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights1 record

Broad incumbents

• AEG Presents: Major live music promoter and venue operator with a portfolio of amphitheaters and theaters across the U.S. Relevant as a broad incumbent influencing tour routing, guarantees, and competitive dynamics for independent venues like the Mann.
• Live Nation Entertainment: Largest live entertainment company globally, operating an extensive portfolio of owned/operated amphitheaters and presenting tours. Relevant as a broad incumbent that competes for artist routing and shapes industry economics affecting the Mann.

Direct peers

• Tanglewood (Boston Symphony Orchestra): Summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra — a non-profit outdoor performing arts campus hosting classical and contemporary touring artists, supported by memberships and donations. Highly comparable operating model to the Mann.
• Ravinia Festival: Non-profit outdoor music festival and venue in Highland Park, IL, presenting summer concert series including headline tours and classical programming. Closely matches the Mann's blend of presenting, membership, donations, and education programming in an outdoor amphitheater setting.
• Merriweather Post Pavilion: Iconic non-profit outdoor amphitheater in Columbia, MD presenting summer concert series, directly comparable in scale, programming mix, and regional Mid-Atlantic orientation.
• Saratoga Performing Arts Center: Non-profit summer performing arts center in Saratoga Springs, NY with an outdoor amphitheater hosting touring pop, rock, classical, and dance acts. Directly comparable as an independent, donation-supported outdoor venue with a similar education/outreach mission.
• Blossom Music Center: Non-profit summer outdoor concert venue in Cuyahoga Falls, OH operated by the Cleveland Orchestra. Comparable as a non-profit outdoor amphitheater presenting headline tours and classical programming with membership and donor support.
• Forest Hills Stadium: Historic outdoor concert venue in Queens, NY hosting summer headline tours and festivals. Comparable as an outdoor presenting venue with similar seasonal economics, though operated on a more commercial basis.
• Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts: Non-profit performing arts venue operating the Filene Center, an outdoor amphitheater near Washington, D.C. with comparable presenting, membership, donor, and education programs serving the Mid-Atlantic region.

Regional players

• The Kimmel Center (Philadelphia): Non-profit performing arts campus in Philadelphia presenting resident companies, Broadway tours, and concerts. A regional peer offering overlapping programming but focused on indoor, Broadway-anchored content versus the Mann's outdoor concert focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat1 record

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/manncenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@HighmarkMann
• Facebookfacebook.com/themanncenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/highmarkmann

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 Mann Center for the Performing Arts