ArtsinStark

What ArtsinStark does

ArtsinStark is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts council founded in 1970 and headquartered in Canton, Ohio, where it operates from the Cultural Center for the Arts at 1001 Market Ave. N. The organization serves as the designated United Arts Fund for Stark County and functions as the central coordinating body for arts and cultural programming across the region, connecting artists, nonprofit arts organizations, K-12 schools, businesses, and government stakeholders. Its core programs include the ArtsImpact project-based grants ($2,500-$7,500), ArtsBuild unrestricted operating grants distributed on a five-year cycle, Cultural Tourism grants (up to $20,000) funded through a bed tax reinvestment partnership with Visit Canton, and the SmArts arts education residency program operating in all 17 public school districts and Catholic schools in Stark County since 2009.

The organization's business model is donation- and grant-driven rather than commercial. Revenue is generated through the annual Campaign for the Arts (with a $1.45M goal for 2026 spanning gift tiers from $10 to $5,000+), corporate and planned giving vehicles including bequests and charitable gift annuities, foundation grants (Deuble, Hoover, Stark Community, Timken, Huntington Bank, KeyBank Foundation), federal support from the National Endowment for the Arts and Ohio Arts Council, and bed tax reinvestment through the Visit Canton partnership. ArtsinStark directly operates the Cultural Center for the Arts, which draws 80,000+ annual visitors and houses three resident companies (Canton Museum of Art, Canton Ballet, Sing Stark). Capital projects include The ELEVEN, a $2.2 million public art initiative completed in partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The organization employs approximately 12 full-time staff and is led by President & CEO Maureen Ater.

Name

ArtsinStark

Legal name

ArtsinStark

Website

https://artsinstark.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ArtsinStark is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts council founded in 1970, serving as Stark County, Ohio's designated United Arts Fund. It operates the Cultural Center for the Arts, administers ArtsBuild, ArtsImpact, and Cultural Tourism grants, runs the SmArts education program across all 17 school districts, and executes public art initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Cultural Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH), Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

Keywords

• Nonprofit arts council
• Arts grantmaking
• Cultural programming
• Arts education
• Community arts funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Canton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Campaign for the Arts: Annual fundraising campaign collecting individual and corporate donations at various tiers (Artist Circle $750, Arts Advocate $750, Pegasus $1,500, Artemis Society $2,500+) to support arts organizations and programs.
2. Grant Programs: ArtsinStark distributes grant funding (ArtsImpact $2,500-$7,500, Cultural Tourism up to $20,000, ArtsBuild operational support) to arts organizations, supported by partner Visit Canton and bed tax reinvestment.
3. Corporate and Planned Giving: Corporate donations, workplace giving campaigns, employee engagement programs, and legacy/planned giving vehicles including bequests, endowments, and charitable gift annuities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ArtsinStark is Stark County's designated arts council and one of the nation's few remaining United Arts Funds. It provides grant funding to arts organizations, operates the Cultural Center for the Arts in downtown Canton, runs the SmArts K-12 arts education residency program, executes public art projects like The ELEVEN, and convenes the regional arts ecosystem through events, fundraising, and partnerships. The organization is funded by donations, corporate giving, foundation grants, and bed tax reinvestment.

Product overview

ArtsinStark is Stark County's Arts Council, operating as a nonprofit organization that uses the arts to advance community goals around economic development, tourism, well-being, and education. The organization functions as a platform providing grant programs (ArtsImpact, ArtsBuild, and Cultural Tourism grants), the SmArts arts education program, public art initiatives including The ELEVEN, and operates the Cultural Center for the Arts. Supporting services include an Arts & Culture Directory, ARTPass newsletter, Events Calendar, Rockin' Rooftop Concert Series, and Self Portrait interview series. As one of the nation's few remaining United Arts Funds, ArtsinStark serves as the primary local funder and coordinator for arts and cultural programming in Stark County, Ohio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ArtsImpact Grants: Project-based funding grants for collaborations aligning with strategic focus areas: Arts & Education, Arts & Well-Being, and Arts & Vitality.
• ArtsBuild Grants
• Cultural Tourism Grants
• SmArts Program
• The ELEVEN
• Rockin' Rooftop Concert Series

Products and services

• ArtsImpact Grants
• ArtsBuild Grants
• Cultural Tourism Grants
• SmArts Program
• The ELEVEN
• Cultural Center for the Arts
• ARTPass
• Arts & Culture Directory
• Rockin' Rooftop Concert Series
• ARTful Newsletter
• Campaign for the Arts

Quantifiable outcome

• $20M+ annual economic impact in Stark County from arts and culture
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Visit CantoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtsinStark partners with Visit Canton to reinvest bed tax dollars into arts and cultural tourism. Together they offer Cultural Tourism Grants of up to $20,000 and manage the America 250 grant program ($250,000). This partnership generated $57 million in arts and tourism impact.
• Pro Football Hall of FamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtsinStark and the Pro Football Hall of Fame collaborated on The ELEVEN, a $2.2 million public art project celebrating the 11 greatest moments in professional football history. This tourism attraction creates a walkable series of 11 world-class art pieces in downtown Canton.
• Ohio Arts CouncilmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOhio Arts Council is a key supporter of ArtsinStark's programming, providing funding and recognition for arts initiatives across Stark County.
• National Endowment for the ArtsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Endowment for the Arts provides federal support for ArtsinStark's arts and culture programs, enabling expanded programming and grants.
• Americans for the ArtsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational advocacy organization supporting ArtsinStark's mission and connecting the organization to broader arts funding and policy initiatives.
• Stark County CommissionerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStark County Commissioners partner with ArtsinStark and Visit Canton on bed tax reinvestment initiatives that fund arts and cultural tourism, generating significant economic impact for the region.
• Huntington BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHuntington Bank is a presenting sponsor of the SmArts program, supporting arts education residencies in Stark County schools.
• KeyBank FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeyBank Foundation sponsors the SmArts program, enabling expanded arts education programming in Stark County schools.
• Downtown Canton PartnershipmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDowntown Canton Partnership supports the Rockin' Rooftop Concert Series and collaborates on public art initiatives, including the Downtown Canton Mural Fest.
• Cultural Center Resident CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtsinStark operates the Cultural Center for the Arts, home to three resident companies: Canton Museum of Art, Canton Ballet, and Sing Stark. These organizations receive ArtsBuild operational funding and collaborate on programming.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Ohio Arts Council: State-level arts funding agency in Ohio that ArtsinStark explicitly partners with. Functions as a funder-of-funders providing grants to local arts councils and organizations — overlapping with ArtsinStark's role but at a different jurisdictional level.

Direct peers

• ArtsWave (Cincinnati): Community-based arts council and United Arts Fund serving the Greater Cincinnati region. Operates a similar model of community fundraising campaigns, competitive grantmaking to arts organizations, workplace giving, and arts advocacy — directly comparable to ArtsinStark's Campaign for the Arts and ArtsBuild programs.
• Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council: Regional arts council providing grants, advocacy, and capacity-building services to arts organizations in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Directly comparable as a community-based arts council with grantmaking, professional development, and public art programs.
• United Arts Council of Greensboro: Mid-size community United Arts Fund with a similar operating model — annual fundraising campaign, competitive grant cycles, arts education programs, and public art initiatives. A direct comparable in size and program structure to ArtsinStark.
• Americans for the Arts: National arts service organization that ArtsinStark explicitly partners with. While national in scope, it serves as a peer-and-counterpart in the United Arts Fund ecosystem, providing policy advocacy, research, and capacity building for local arts councils like ArtsinStark.
• Mass Cultural Council: Statewide cultural council that distributes grants to arts, humanities, and science organizations. While a state agency, its grantmaking categories, advocacy focus, and community arts programming mirror ArtsinStark's ArtsImpact/ArtsBuild/Cultural Tourism grants.
• Greater Columbus Arts Council: Mid-size Ohio community arts council that provides grants, manages public art programs, and convenes arts organizations. Operates in a comparable mid-size city market and uses similar programmatic categories (project grants, operating support, community programs).
• Cuyahoga Arts & Culture: Cleveland-Cuyahoga County's designated arts funder using a dedicated cigarette tax and now preparing for renewed funding. Comparable to ArtsinStark as a county-level arts council that distributes grants, supports cultural infrastructure, and acts as a community convener for arts funding.

Others

• Asset Funders Network: Peer learning network for foundations funding arts, culture, and community development. Comparable thematically as an ecosystem organization supporting local arts funders, though it serves funders rather than directly supporting arts organizations like ArtsinStark does.

Broad incumbents

• Local Arts Agencies (national membership): Network of 4,500+ local arts agencies nationwide that mirrors ArtsinStark's role at community scale. Acts as a convening body for community arts councils, providing research, advocacy, and best-practice sharing — comparable to ArtsinStark's service/support function for Stark County arts organizations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/artsinstark
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArtsinStark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/artsinstark
• Instagraminstagram.com/artsinstark
• Xx.com/artsinstark

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries4 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 ArtsinStark