Artichoke Community Music

What Artichoke Community Music does

Artichoke Community Music is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1973 and headquartered at 2007 SE Powell Blvd in Southeast Portland, Oregon. The organization operates an integrated community music center comprising three core functions: a live music venue with approximately 50 seats and standing capacity, professional PA, stage lighting, and video streaming capabilities; the Artichoke School of Music, which offers group classes and workshops across instruments (guitar, banjo, ukulele, fiddle, harp, harmonica, piano, bass, drums, dobro) and disciplines such as songwriting and voice for beginner through advanced students; and a folk-instrument retail store (Thursday–Sunday, 12pm–9pm) stocking guitars, mandolins, banjos, hammered and mountain dulcimers, autoharps, harps, world instruments, percussion, strings, accessories, and books. The store also runs a consignment program that returns 80% of sale proceeds to consignors.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack rather than a single pricing model. Revenue is generated through ticket sales for live performances and open mics (sold via Eventbrite), venue rental to local musicians and bands, music class and workshop tuition, retail hardware sales, instrument consignment commissions, and donations. Donations are accepted as one-time or recurring gifts (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) through PayPal and Patreon at preset tiers of $10–$40 plus custom amounts, and are amplified by an Oregon Cultural Trust partnership that provides state tax credits to matching donors. Institutional funding flows from the Oregon Arts Commission, Miller Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation, SBA, and the Holler Fund.

The organization is volunteer-governed: paid staff is limited to an Executive Director/Booker (Leah Mócsy), Store and Venue Coordinator (Eddie Michael), and Store Employee (Kyle Keilman), with an 8-member Board of Directors (President Bob Lyon, Secretary Hank Hazen, Treasurer Cynthia Langlykke, plus members Woody Moran, George Thompson, Chris McMurty, Tom Luba, and Emeritus Eric Maxen) and a distributed instructor base that includes award-winning performers. The technology stack is intentionally minimal—Eventbrite for ticketing/registration, Hive.co for email marketing, PayPal and Patreon for donations, and a Squarespace-hosted website. Marketing runs through community partnerships, social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), the email newsletter, and word-of-mouth within the Portland folk and acoustic music community. The stated mission is "Building community through music, one heart at a time."

Name

Artichoke Community Music

Legal name

Artichoke Community Music

Website

https://artichokemusic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Artichoke Community Music is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 in Southeast Portland that operates a live music venue, music school, and folk-instrument retail store serving local musicians, students, families, and the Portland folk/blues community through ticketed events, classes, instrument sales, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Music Center

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Performing Arts & Music Lessons (Dance, Drumming, Instrument Lessons, Theater) (THAJAKAC)

Keywords

• Community music center
• Music education
• Folk instrument retail
• Live music venue
• Nonprofit arts organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from live music events, concerts, and performances at the venue. Tickets sold through Eventbrite platform.
2. Venue Rental: Booking revenue from renting the venue space to musicians and bands for performances.
3. Retail Store Sales: Sales of folk instruments (guitars, ukuleles, mandolins, banjos, fiddles, autoharps, hammered dulcimers, mountain dulcimers, harps, world instruments, percussion), strings, accessories, and books. Store operates Thursday through Sunday, 12pm-9pm. Proceeds support nonprofit mission.
4. Music Classes and Workshops: Revenue from music lessons and workshops taught by instructors covering various instruments including guitar, voice, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, harp, songwriting, and more. Classes range from beginner to advanced levels.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Accepts one-time, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual donations via PayPal and Patreon. Oregon Cultural Trust partnership allows state tax credit for donors.
6. Consignment Sales: Accepts instruments on consignment, giving consignor 80% of sale price. Helps support nonprofit while providing sales channel for community musicians.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Artichoke Community Music is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community music center in Southeast Portland that has operated since 1973. It runs three integrated programs: a live music venue hosting performances, open mics, and community events; the Artichoke School of Music offering private and group lessons across a wide range of folk and acoustic instruments; and a retail instrument store specializing in folk instruments, strings, accessories, and books. All proceeds support the nonprofit mission of building community through music.

Product overview

Artichoke Community Music is a nonprofit community music center consisting of three core offerings: a live music venue hosting performances and events since 1973, the Artichoke School of Music providing classes and lessons for all skill levels, and an instrument retail store specializing in folk and acoustic instruments. These three components work together to fulfill the organization's mission of building community through music.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artichoke Music Venue A nonprofit live music venue in Southeast Portland hosting diverse performances, open mics, jams, and community events. Features a full PA system, stage lighting, video streaming capabilities, and accommodates 50+ attendees with standing configurations available by request. Venue booking is open to local musicians and bands.
• Artichoke School of Music
• Artichoke Music Store

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 years of continuous operation as community music center
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Oregon Cultural TrustcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOregon Cultural Trust provides state tax credits to Oregon residents who match donations to Artichoke Music with donations to the Trust, incentivizing charitable giving to support arts in Oregon.
• Oregon Arts CommissionmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerState arts agency providing support and recognition for arts organizations in Oregon.
• Cascade Blues AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional blues music association supporting blues music in the Pacific Northwest.
• River City FolksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity organization supporting folk music in the Portland region.
• Music PortlandsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization supporting Portland music scene and musicians.
• EventbritecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketing platform used to sell tickets and manage registrations for live music events, classes, and workshops.
• Hive.cosupportingTechnology or IntegrationNewsletter and marketing platform used for email communications and marketing automation.
• PayPalsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing platform used for accepting online donations.
• PatreonsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCrowdfunding platform for ongoing supporter contributions and membership-style support.
• IVC (International Volunteer Cooperation)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational volunteer cooperation organization supporting nonprofit arts sector.
• NIVA (National Independent Venue Association)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerNational association supporting independent performance venues.
• OMNIsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerArts support organization listed as community sponsor.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Ark: Ann Arbor, MI nonprofit folk music club and concert venue. Directly comparable as a long-running nonprofit listening-room venue focused on folk, roots, and acoustic traditions.
• Passim: Cambridge, MA nonprofit folk music club and school. Directly comparable as a nonprofit combining an intimate folk venue with music education programs in a single community.
• Old Town School of Folk Music: Chicago-based nonprofit folk music school, venue, and community center. Most directly comparable peer — same three-pillar model (classes, performances, retail) and nonprofit community mission focused on folk and traditional music.
• Elderly Instruments: Lansing, MI family-owned retailer specializing in folk and acoustic instruments, accessories, and books. Directly comparable on the retail pillar — long-running specialty folk instrument store with deep community roots.
• Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse: Berkeley, CA nonprofit folk and roots music venue offering concerts and music education. Comparable nonprofit venue + community music programming model serving the folk genre in a single regional market.

Broad incumbents

• School of Rock: National franchise music education provider. Broader incumbent operating at scale across multiple genres with a performance-based pedagogy that overlaps with Artichoke's school pillar but lacks the folk specialization and nonprofit model.
• Folk Alliance International: National nonprofit service organization for the folk music field. Broader incumbent operating across advocacy, conference, and network-building rather than as a single venue/school/store.
• Sweetwater Sound: Large national retailer of musical instruments and pro audio gear with strong customer education content. Comparable on the retail pillar but at vastly larger scale and broader genre focus.

Regional players

• Cascade Blues Association: Portland-area nonprofit supporting blues music in the Pacific Northwest. Regional partner and adjacent community organization supporting the same local roots-music ecosystem Artichoke serves.
• Music Portland: Portland-based nonprofit supporting the local music scene. Operates in the same geographic market with overlapping mission of supporting Portland musicians, though focused on broader advocacy rather than venue/school/retail operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ArtichokeMusic
• Facebookfacebook.com/artichoke.music
• Instagraminstagram.com/artichoke.music
• Xx.com/artichokemusic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/artichoke-community-music

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Artichoke Community Music