Barnsdall Art Park Foundation

What Barnsdall Art Park Foundation does

The Barnsdall Art Park Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2003 (Federal Tax ID 54-2069148) that raises private funds to support the cultural programming, landscape, and infrastructure of Barnsdall Art Park, an 11.5-acre City of Los Angeles-owned park at 4800 Hollywood Boulevard in East Hollywood. The Foundation does not operate the park directly — facilities are run by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and maintained by the Department of Recreation and Parks — but functions as the fundraising, advocacy, and program-supplementation layer for four core assets: Hollyhock House (a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019 and National Historic Landmark), the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG, programming emerging and underrepresented artists since 1954), the 299-seat Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, and the Barnsdall Art Center & Junior Arts Center.

The business model is multi-streamed, blending tax-deductible individual donations (channeled through the barnsdall.org website on the Qgiv platform, including employer matching gifts), institutional grants and corporate sponsorships (Kaiser Permanente as 2024-2025 Lead Supporter, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher underwriting Garden Party 2022 and supporting in 2020/2022/2024, East West Bank 2024, Disney Matching Gifts, Rothschild Family Foundation, The Pfizer Foundation), event revenue (Summer Wine Nights on Olive Hill from May through September, benefit screenings such as the Rocketeer 35th Anniversary at $59 per ticket), modest art-class fees across ~75 annual courses in photography, drawing, painting, ceramics, design, jewelry, sculpture, and music, and theatre venue rentals (~150 events and 21,000 audience members per year). Customer segments span general-public visitors (43,000+ to Hollyhock House annually, 18,000+ to LAMAG in 2018-2019, 2,000+ workshop attendees), adult and youth art students (500-700 per class session), performing-arts producers, and emerging artists.

The Foundation is governed by a 16-member volunteer Board of Directors (President: Daniel Gerwin; Foundation Administrator: Joanna Gang) and depends on a substantial volunteer base of nearly 100 docents plus the Barnsdall Art Center Student Advisory Committee (BACSAC), which funds roughly 60% of essential art-center expenses and nearly 100% of art supplies. Strategic outreach extends across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook (@barnsdallfoundation, @barnsdallpark), an email newsletter, and earned-media coverage in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Financial Times, ArtNews, Architectural Digest, and Hyperallergic, among others. Pricing is transactional on events and classes and gift/donation-based for preservation and education programming.

Name

Barnsdall Art Park Foundation

Legal name

Barnsdall Art Park Foundation

Website

https://barnsdall.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Barnsdall Art Park Foundation is a Los Angeles 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises private funds to support the cultural programming and landscape of the 11.5-acre Barnsdall Art Park, including Frank Lloyd Wright's UNESCO-listed Hollyhock House, a public art gallery, a 299-seat theatre, and an art education center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Arts & Arts Education Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Art Museums (THAJADAA)

Keywords

• Arts education
• Cultural programming
• Historic preservation
• Art exhibitions
• Public art park

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the Foundation's mission to sustain and expand Barnsdall Art Park's cultural resources. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with Federal Tax ID: 54-2069148.
2. Event Revenue: Ticket sales for Summer Wine Nights (annual summer fundraising series) and special events like the Rocketeer 35th Anniversary Screening ($59 donation per ticket). 100% of Wine Nights proceeds support programming within Barnsdall Art Park.
3. Institutional Grants and Corporate Support: Foundation and corporate sponsors including Kaiser Permanente (2024-2025 Lead Supporter), Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, East West Bank, Disney Employee Matching Gifts, and various foundation sponsors including Rothschild Family Foundation, The Pfizer Foundation, and others.
4. Art Center Class Fees: Approximately 75 modestly priced classes offered annually in photography, drawing, painting, ceramics, design, jewelry, sculpture, and music for approximately 500-700 students per session. Supported by BACSAC (Barnsdall Art Center Student Advisory Committee).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Barnsdall Art Park Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises and deploys funds to support cultural programming, arts education, historic house tours, art exhibitions, and performing arts at the City of Los Angeles-owned Barnsdall Art Park in East Hollywood. It operates and supplements facilities including Hollyhock House (a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, the 299-seat Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, and the Barnsdall Art Center & Junior Arts Center. Revenue comes from individual donations, corporate sponsorships, institutional grants, ticketed fundraising events, theatre rentals, and modestly priced art class fees.

Product overview

Barnsdall Art Park Foundation operates a unified campus of cultural facilities and public programs at an 11.5-acre public park in Los Angeles. The core portfolio includes Hollyhock House (a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed UNESCO World Heritage Site), Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG), Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, and Barnsdall Art Center & Junior Arts Center. The Foundation supplements these with fundraising events (Summer Wine Nights), community programs (Community Green Days), and conservation initiatives (Olive Grove Initiative). The products function as an integrated cultural destination offering architecture, visual arts, performing arts, and arts education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Barnsdall Art Park An 11.5-acre public park at 4800 Hollywood Boulevard in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, featuring Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House, art galleries, a theater, and art education facilities; operated by City of Los Angeles and supported by the Foundation.
• Hollyhock House A UNESCO World Heritage Site designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (1919-1921), the first modern architecture designation in the United States and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Los Angeles; offers guided tours to cultural tourists and architecture enthusiasts.
• Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG) A public art gallery highlighting pioneering creative expressions through curated exhibitions focused on emerging and underrepresented artists since 1954; presented exhibitions of artists including Eleanor Antin, John Baldessari, Mark Bradford, Vija Celmins, and Ed Ruscha.
• Barnsdall Gallery Theatre A 299-seat proscenium stage available for rent for live theatre, dance, music, spoken word, film screenings, and lectures, with basic lighting and sound package, HD digital projector, fair rental rates, and crew/technical support; hosted an average of 150 events and 21,000 audience members each year.
• Barnsdall Art Center & Junior Arts Center Art education facility offering approximately 75 modestly priced classes annually in photography, drawing, painting, ceramics, design, jewelry, sculpture, and music for approximately 500-700 students per session across 4 sessions per year; supported by BACSAC.
• Summer Wine Nights Annual summer fundraising event series held every Friday (May 29 - September 11, 2026) on Olive Hill and the West Lawn of Hollyhock House, featuring fine wine from Silverlake Wine, rotating local food trucks, DJ sets, and gallery exhibitions (21+ event, designated driver tickets available). 100% of proceeds support Barnsdall Art Park programming.
• Community Green Days Monthly volunteer community cleanup events held on the first Sunday morning from October through May, providing tools, coffee, and donuts for volunteers to help maintain the park.
• Olive Grove Initiative Landscape restoration initiative revitalizing the historic olive grove (46 original trees from the 1890s; 463 olive trees on site), in partnership with Los Angeles Parks Foundation and Mariposa Landscapes, Inc.; includes horticultural survey, irrigation improvements, tree pruning, stump removal, and planting strategy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 43,000+ annual visitors to Hollyhock House
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Galerie LulasupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Partnership with Galerie Lula in the Arts District of DTLA for the 'For the Love of Clay' ceramics exhibition supporting programming at Barnsdall Art Center's Ceramics Studio. Curated by Zoe Zhang Bing of ZZART Concept.
• Luis De Jesus Los AngelessupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2021Contemporary art gallery hosted the Barnsdall Olive Wood Workshop exhibition from November 13 through December 4, 2021. Featured unique objects created from pruned olive wood by Los Angeles artists, architects, and designers.
• Los Angeles Parks FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2021Partnership with Los Angeles Parks Foundation's Adopt-a-Park program for the Olive Grove Initiative. In 2021, the Foundation contributed $25,000 to fund horticultural survey, irrigation improvements, pruning of 400 olive trees, stump removal, and planting strategy. The partnership supports L.A.'s goal to plant 90,000 new trees as part of the Green New Deal.
• Mariposa Landscapes, Inc.supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021Hired to carefully prune 400 olive trees at Barnsdall Art Park in June 2021 as part of the Olive Grove Pruning Project funded by the Foundation's $25,000 grant.
• City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department operates all Barnsdall Art Park facilities including Hollyhock House, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, and Barnsdall Art Center. Formed in 1925, DCA promotes arts and culture to strengthen quality of life in Los Angeles.
• City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and ParkscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe Department maintains Barnsdall Art Park along with the Department of General Services. Steward to over 16,000 acres of parkland across 444 park sites in Los Angeles.
• Barnsdall Art Center Student Advisory Committee (BACSAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBACSAC is a 501(c)(3) all-volunteer organization providing affordable, quality arts education. Offers up to 75 classes per session, funds approximately 60% of essential expenses and nearly 100% of art supplies for creative courses.
• MastercardsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPriceless Experiences partnership offering exclusive Hollyhock House tours for Mastercard cardholders, featuring live jazz piano music and sunset viewing on Olive Hill. Quantities limited.
• Silverlake WinesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWine partner for Summer Wine Nights annual fundraising series, providing fine wine offerings at Friday evening events overlooking Hollyhock House.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Autry Museum of the American West: Griffith Park-adjacent LA museum focused on American West history with a 501(c)(3) fundraising arm, educational programs, and rotating exhibitions. A larger, more established cultural nonprofit in the same LA regional market serving overlapping school and tourist audiences.
• The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens: San Marino-based multi-vertical cultural institution combining library, art collections, and botanical gardens with broad public programming. Substantially larger and broader in scope, but operates the same heritage + arts education + garden experience formula that Barnsdall emulates at smaller scale.
• The Getty Trust: LA's preeminent arts/heritage nonprofit combining museum, conservation, and grantmaking. Operates the Getty Center and Getty Villa with extensive docent and educational programming — represents the scaled-up template for what a 501(c)(3) arts campus in LA can become.
• The Broad: Downtown LA contemporary art museum with a 501(c)(3) operating model, large visitor volumes, and educational programming. Substantially larger, but a useful reference for how a single-vertical LA arts museum with a dedicated foundation can scale visitation and corporate support.
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA): LA's largest art museum, with a museum-wide volunteer/docent program, educational classes, and corporate/foundation fundraising. Operates one tier above Barnsdall's LAMAG and Barnsdall Art Center combined, but shares the same fundraising and volunteer model.

Direct peers

• Fallingwater (Western Pennsylvania Conservancy): Frank Lloyd Wright house museum in Mill Run, PA stewarded by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, part of the same UNESCO "20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright" inscription as Hollyhock House. Operates the most directly comparable business model: tour-driven revenue, docent volunteers, single-vertical heritage focus, and a 501(c)(3) conservation mission.
• Skirball Cultural Center: LA-based Jewish cultural center combining a museum, performing arts programming, and adult/family education on a single campus. Closely mirrors the multi-vertical Barnsdall model (heritage, performing arts, education) in the same regional market.
• The Gamble House: Pasadena-based preservation organization stewarding a Greene & Greene masterwork with museum tours, docent-led experiences, and a 501(c)(3) fundraising arm. Operates a single historic house museum with a small staff and a docent volunteer program — closely comparable in scale, model, and visitor-experience design to the Hollyhock House component.
• Frank Lloyd Wright's Home and Studio (Oak Park): Operated by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, this Oak Park, IL site preserves Wright's own home and studio with public tours, educational programming, and a docent-driven model. Among the same set of eight UNESCO-recognized Wright buildings, making it the most directly comparable heritage site in the network.

Regional players

• Watts Towers Arts Center: LA-based arts center with a single iconic heritage site (the Watts Towers), a small gallery, and community arts programming. Closely comparable in scale, programming mix, and LA regional focus, but serves a different LA neighborhood and demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/barnsdall
• Facebookfacebook.com/BarnsdallFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/barnsdallfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Barnsdall Art Park Foundation