Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center

What Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center does

The Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center is a university-affiliated performing arts venue operated as part of California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). Established in 1994 and named after the Carpenters duo, both CSULB alumni, the center presents a curated season of music, dance, comedy, speakers, and family entertainment through its 1,054-seat main stage theater (modeled after the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center) and an intimate cabaret stage with seating within 40 feet of performers. Core offerings include six subscription series (Wit & Wisdom, Dance, WOW!, Sunday Afternoon Concert, Cabaret, and Build Your Own) plus single-ticket performances, a permanent Carpenters memorabilia exhibit, educational facility tours, and venue rental services.

The center's product portfolio extends beyond ticketed performances into community education through the Arts for Life initiative, comprising Classroom Connections (free arts instruction for 3,000+ Long Beach Unified School District K-12 students annually), Campus Connections (workshops and curriculum enrichment for CSULB students and faculty), and Community Connections (low-cost community programming including the Voices for Justice: Equity & Arts Series and Virtual Shakespeare & Friends Aloud readings via Zoom). Ancillary revenue is generated through facility rentals for conferences, graduations, and special events.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: ticket sales and season subscriptions (with subscription pricing ranging from $117 to $180 per series and single tickets starting at $38.75), tax-deductible donations and philanthropic contributions from foundations such as the Carpenter Family Foundation, California Arts Council, Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation, and Arts Council for Long Beach, and facility rental income. Less than 18% of the operating budget comes from CSULB institutional support, making the center substantially reliant on earned and contributed revenue. The center is led by Executive Director Megan Kline with approximately 13 core staff and operates with a volunteer usher program.

Name

Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center

Legal name

The Richard and Karen Carpenter Center (Carpenter Center)

Website

https://carpenterarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center is a CSULB-affiliated performing arts venue in Long Beach, California, operating a 1,054-seat theater and cabaret stage that presents subscription and single-ticket performances across music, dance, comedy, and speakers, while delivering arts education programs to 3,000+ K-12 students annually through the Arts for Life initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live entertainment
• Subscription series
• Arts education
• Facility rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single tickets and subscription series for performances across music, dance, comedy, speakers, and family events
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Tax-deductible donations supporting Arts for Life educational programs, capital improvements, and general operations. Less than 18% of budget comes from CSULB institutional support
3. Facility Rentals: Theater leasing for conferences, graduations, award ceremonies, and special events to external organizations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center operates a 1,054-seat main stage theater and an intimate Cabaret Stage on the California State University, Long Beach campus, presenting a season-based lineup of live performing arts including music, dance, comedy, speakers, and family entertainment. The center sells subscriptions and single tickets across multiple curated series (Wit & Wisdom, Dance, WOW!, Sunday Afternoon Concert, Cabaret, and Build Your Own) and runs the Arts for Life initiative delivering free or low-cost arts education to K-12 students, CSULB affiliates, and the broader community. It also generates revenue by renting the theater to external organizations for conferences, graduations, and special events.

Product overview

The Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center is a performing arts venue offering a unified portfolio of live entertainment experiences. The core offering centers on the 1,054-seat main stage theater and intimate Cabaret Stage, presenting diverse programming through multiple subscription series (Wit & Wisdom, Dance, WOW!, Sunday Afternoon Concert, Cabaret, and Build Your Own). Beyond ticketed performances, the Center operates the Arts for Life initiative comprising Community Connections, Campus Connections, and Classroom Connections programs. Supporting offerings include venue rental services, educational facilities tours, the Richard & Karen Carpenter Exhibit, and special programming like the Voices for Justice series and Virtual Shakespeare & Friends Aloud.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arts for Life: The Carpenter Center's educational initiative providing arts experiences for the community, students, and children through three programs: Community Connections, Campus Connections, and Classroom Connections.
• Classroom Connections
• Campus Connections
• Community Connections
• Voices for Justice: Equity & Arts Series

Products and services

• Main Stage Theater A 1,054-seat theater on the CSULB campus hosting large and small productions, concerts, and special events for the general public and arts audiences.
• Cabaret Stage An intimate performance stage with table seating less than 40 feet from the artist, offering cabaret performances and the most intimate performance experience at the Carpenter Center.
• Wit & Wisdom Series A subscription series of three speaker events featuring authors, comedians, and thought leaders sharing stories, insights, and discussions. Priced at $171 for three events.
• Dance Series A subscription series of three dance performances from internationally recognized companies and Southern California's leading dance presenters. Priced at $123 for three events.
• WOW! Series A subscription series of three thrilling family-friendly performances including dance, circus, and spectacular entertainment such as The Peking Acrobats and Cirque Kalabante. Priced at $117 for three events.
• Sunday Afternoon Concert Series

Quantifiable outcome

• Arts for Life serves 3,000+ LBUSD students annually at no cost
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Carpenter Center is located on the CSULB campus. CSULB provides institutional support (less than 18% of budget). The center serves as a gateway between the university and greater community, engaging students and faculty through Campus Connections program.
• KCRWminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as donor/partner, suggesting radio media partnership for audience outreach and promotion.
• Musical Theatre WestminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorResident theater company producing musical theatre performances at the Carpenter Center venue.
• Long Beach Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school district for Classroom Connections program serving 3,000+ students annually with free arts education.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bovard Auditorium (USC): USC campus-based performance and rental venue serving as a comparable university-affiliated facility offering music, dance, and event programming in the LA region.
• Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts: Closest geographic peer, located in Cerritos, CA, with a comparable multi-series presenter model presenting music, dance, comedy, and family programming in a similar 1,500+ seat regional venue.
• Musco Center for the Arts: Chapman University-affiliated performing arts venue in Orange County presenting touring music, dance, and theater with a university partnership structure closely parallel to CSULB/Carpenter Center.
• The Soraya (Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts): CSUN-based regional presenter of music, dance, and world culture programming with a similar university-affiliated operating model and comparable subscription series structure.
• Soka Performing Arts Center: Soka University venue in Aliso Viejo presenting chamber, jazz, world music, and dance with a university-affiliated, presenter-style subscription model very similar to the Carpenter Center.
• Segerstrom Center for the Arts: Major Orange County performing arts presenter with multiple venues, comparable Broadway, music, and dance programming and a similar subscription-based model targeting Southern California audiences.
• Royce Hall (UCLA): UCLA-based presenter venue for music, dance, and spoken-word series with a comparable university-affiliated presenting model in the broader LA market.

Broad incumbents

• Hollywood Bowl: Iconic LA outdoor venue presenting summer concert series at massive scale; competes for the same Southern California ticket-buying audience during peak seasons.
• LA Music Center (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson, Mark Taper): Dominant downtown LA performing arts complex with overlapping Broadway, music, and dance programming and substantially larger budgets and donor base.

Emerging players

• Musical Theatre West: Resident theater company at the Carpenter Center that produces full Broadway-style musicals there, representing a tenant/partner with overlapping audience and overlapping performing arts category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carpentercenter
• YouTubeinstagram.com/carpentercenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/CarpenterArts.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/carpentercenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/richard-and-karen-carpenter-performing-arts-center

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center