Art Deco Society of Los Angeles

What Art Deco Society of Los Angeles does

Art Deco Society of Los Angeles (ADSLA) is a nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1983 and headquartered (by mailing address) in Hollywood, California, that operates as the primary regional body dedicated to the protection, preservation, and celebration of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne architecture and culture in Southern California. The organization delivers a portfolio of in-person and virtual programming including walking tours of Hollywood, Miracle Mile, and Hollywood Forever Cemetery; the signature annual Avalon Ball at the Catalina Island Casino Ballroom (running since 2002, now in its 24th year, attracting 800+ attendees); film screenings, fashion shows, and cocktail events at historic venues; plus Zoom-based lectures and a members-only Art Deco Era Makers Group for vintage-inspired garment creation. ADSLA maintains an active historic preservation advocacy practice that has successfully secured multiple Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument designations, including the Redwine Building (HCM #1114, 2016), Silberberg Building (HCM #1276, 2023), Hoffman Candy Company (HCM #1275, 2023), and Mountain States Life Building (2024).

The organization is entirely volunteer-run with no paid staff and operates four primary revenue streams: recurring membership dues (student, senior, household, and general tiers), one-time ticketed event revenue, donations, and corporate event sponsorships. Ticketed events are sold through Agile Ticketing on artdecola.org (a Squarespace site), with member discounts typically $5-$10 below general admission. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on email (Constant Contact), organic social (Facebook, Instagram), earned media (LA Weekly), and member referrals. ADSLA is an active member of Art Deco International (ICADS), coordinating with allied societies in California, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Miami, Melbourne, Napier NZ, Boston, Montreal, and Brazil. Core partners include Hollywood Heritage, Catalina Island Museum, Save Beverly Fairfax, the LAPD Museum, Catalina Express, and Catalina Island Company.

Name

Art Deco Society of Los Angeles

Legal name

Art Deco Society of Los Angeles

Website

https://artdecola.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Art Deco Society of Los Angeles is a volunteer-run nonprofit founded in 1983 that preserves Art Deco architecture and culture in Southern California through walking tours, the annual Avalon Ball, film screenings, and advocacy that has secured multiple Historic Cultural Monument designations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Preservation Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAAAE

Art, Street Art & Creative Scene Tours

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Guided Tours (City, Cultural & Historical)

Keywords

• Art deco preservation
• Cultural heritage advocacy
• Historic walking tours
• Vintage dance events
• Membership nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hollywood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees with levels for students, seniors, households, and general members. Members receive discounts on events and access to exclusive programming.
2. Event Tickets: Revenue from ticketed events including the Avalon Ball, walking tours, lectures, fashion shows, and virtual presentations. Tickets sold through Agile Ticketing platform with member pricing.
3. Donations: The organization solicits donations to support preservation advocacy work and general expenses including website, email platform, Zoom account. Donation page available on website.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events such as the Avalon Ball (e.g., Johnny Holiday as sponsor for 2027 Avalon Ball).
5. Gift Certificates: Sale of gift certificates for events and membership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Art Deco Society of Los Angeles is an all-volunteer nonprofit cultural organization that sells walking tours of Art Deco architecture (Hollywood, Miracle Mile, Hollywood Forever Cemetery), ticketed signature events such as the annual Avalon Ball at the Catalina Island Casino Ballroom, virtual lectures and presentations, fashion and maker education programs, and Historic Cultural Monument advocacy campaigns. Programming is delivered to members and the public across Southern California, with international affiliation through ICADS.

Product overview

The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles is a non-profit preservation organization offering a portfolio of cultural events, educational programs, and advocacy services focused on Art Deco and Streamline Moderne architecture and culture in Southern California. The core offerings include walking tours (Hollywood Walking Tour, Miracle Mile Tour, Hollywood Forever Cemetery Tour), signature events (The Avalon Ball at Catalina Island, Cocktails in Historic Places, film screenings), virtual educational presentations, and historic preservation advocacy campaigns. The organization also runs community programs including the Art Deco Era Makers Group for vintage-inspired creation and Fashion Committee programming. These offerings are coordinated through membership programs and supported by ticketing platforms for event registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Avalon Ball: The signature annual event of ADSLA, held at the Catalina Island Avalon Casino Ballroom since 2002. A vintage dance event attracting 800+ enthusiasts from around the world.

Products and services

• Art Deco Hollywood Walking Tour A guided walking tour exploring Art Deco and Streamline Moderne architecture along Hollywood Boulevard, visiting landmarks such as the Pantages Theatre, Kress Building, Max Factor Building, and Mountain States Life Building/Yucca Tower. Priced at $21 for members and $26 for general admission, the tour is approximately 1.5 miles long and intended for adults and architecture enthusiasts visiting Los Angeles.
• Hollywood Forever Cemetery Tour An annual three-hour walking tour of Hollywood Forever Cemetery visiting gravesites of early Hollywood stars, movie moguls, and pioneers, featuring historians and living history interludes. Priced at $20 for members and $27 for general admission. Targets Hollywood history enthusiasts and Art Deco cultural tourists.
• Miracle Mile Tour A walking tour of the mid-Wilshire/Miracle Mile area featuring Art Deco gems including the Desmond Building and the El Rey Theatre. Intended for architecture enthusiasts and visitors to Los Angeles interested in 1920s-1930s commercial architecture.
• The Avalon Ball The organization's signature annual event held at the Catalina Island Avalon Casino Ballroom, celebrating 1920s-30s big band era with dancing to period music performed by the Avalon Ball Orchestra. Tickets $100 at the door for the 2024 event, attracting 800+ vintage dance enthusiasts from around the world to dance on the 10,000 square foot original cork dance floor. Target customers are vintage dance and music enthusiasts and history-minded travelers.
• Virtual Events and Presentations Online Zoom presentations covering Art Deco topics including fashion history (Erté presentation), Parisian Jazz Age culture, architectural lectures, and maker group socials. Events feature guest historians and scholars. Member price $10–$15; general admission $14–$20 per event. Targets members and the public unable to attend in-person programs.
• Historic Preservation Advocacy Campaigns to designate Art Deco buildings as Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monuments, including the Hoffman Candy Company, Silberberg Building, Mountain States Life Building, Sontag Building, and Redwine Building. The organization nominates buildings and mobilizes public support through letter-writing campaigns and public hearings. Beneficiaries are the Los Angeles preservation community and the public.
• Cocktails in Historic Places Social events held at historic venues including the American Legion Hollywood Post 43, featuring cocktails and vintage atmosphere. Provides networking and social experiences for ADSLA members and vintage-culture enthusiasts.
• Fashion Committee Programming Educational programming focused on fashion aesthetics of the Art Deco/Streamline Moderne era (1920s-1940s), including fashion shows at historic venues like Bullocks Wilshire, online articles, talks, and guidance for dressing in vintage or retro styles. Targets vintage fashion enthusiasts and members.
• Art Deco Era Makers Group Monthly online socials for members to share vintage-inspired garment and accessory projects, offering peer support and collaboration. Topics include period-correct construction techniques and historical costuming. Free for members.
• Film Screenings Special film presentation events featuring Art Deco-era films in appropriate historic venues, such as the Letty Lynton (1932) matinee screening at American Legion Hollywood Post 43 co-presented with Hollywood Heritage. Priced at $20 for ADSLA and Hollywood Heritage members, $25 general admission. Targets vintage film and architecture enthusiasts.
• Jazz Age Dance Programming Educational programming about social dancing in Paris during the Jazz Age era, including illustrated presentations on dance styles like the Foxtrot, Tango, Charleston, and Valse Musette, often featuring historian Walter Nelson. Targets members and the public interested in vintage dance history.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 24 years of annual Avalon Ball events
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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 core and minor.

• Catalina Island MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2027Co-hosts silent film programs during Avalon Ball weekend. The museum presents films in the historic 1929 Art Deco Avalon Casino Theatre. Ticket booking is through the theatre website separately.
• Catalina ExpressminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 May 2027Provides chartered 11:00 PM ferry service for Avalon Ball attendees returning to mainland after the event. Only port servicing the late-night ferry is Long Beach.
• Catalina Island CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 May 2027Recommended lodging partner for Avalon Ball weekend. Website suggested for booking cottages and hotel rooms on Catalina Island. ADSLA recommends reserving lodging by February due to quick sellouts.
• Hollywood HeritagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2026Co-presenting organization for Letty Lynton Matinee film event at American Legion Hollywood Post 43. Hollywood Heritage is a nonprofit preservation organization focused on Hollywood architectural heritage. ADSLA and Hollywood Heritage jointly promote vintage film and architecture preservation.
• Los Angeles Police MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2026ADSLA hosts exclusive tours at the LAPD Museum featuring the Gangster Squad exhibit. Museum housed in decommissioned 1925 Renaissance Revival Police Station. Tour includes vintage police vehicles, holding cells, and historic displays.
• Save Beverly FairfaxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2022Joint nomination partnership for Silberberg Building Historic Cultural Monument designation. Both organizations collaborated on the HCM nomination process and advocacy campaign.
• Johnny HolidayminorOthers · 14 May 2022Sponsor for the Avalon Ball 2022 and subsequent years. Provided financial sponsorship for the signature annual event.
• Art Deco International (ICADS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021International umbrella organization for Art Deco societies worldwide. ADSLA participates in World Art Deco Month and global Art Deco advocacy initiatives coordinated through ICADS.
• Allied Art Deco OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Network of allied organizations including Art Deco Society of California, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Melbourne, Napier NZ, Boston, Montreal, Brazil and others. Resources and best practices shared.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Catalina Island Museum: A museum on Catalina Island co-hosting silent film programs during Avalon Ball weekend. Comparable in that it curates cultural programming in Art Deco-era venues and serves overlapping audiences visiting Catalina Island.

Direct peers

• Art Deco Society of Chicago: A regional Art Deco society dedicated to preserving Chicago's Art Deco architecture through events, tours, and advocacy. Comparable in mission, programming format (tours, lectures, galas), and membership structure to ADSLA.
• Save Beverly Fairfax: A Los Angeles grassroots preservation organization that partnered with ADSLA on the Silberberg Building HCM nomination. Comparable as a local preservation advocacy group running campaigns for endangered historic buildings in LA.
• Art Deco Society of New York: A sister Art Deco preservation society focused on New York's Art Deco architectural heritage. Directly comparable as a peer nonprofit running walking tours, events, lectures, and preservation advocacy under the same ICADS umbrella.
• Art Deco Society of California: A statewide California Art Deco society engaged in preservation and education. Direct peer sharing the ICADS network with ADSLA and pursuing overlapping architectural preservation goals in California.
• Hollywood Heritage: A nonprofit preservation organization focused on Hollywood architectural heritage. Direct peer and active co-presenter with ADSLA (e.g., Letty Lynton Matinee at American Legion Post 43) operating in overlapping Los Angeles preservation space.
• Art Deco Society of Miami: A Miami-based Art Deco society famous for Art Deco Weekend and preservation in the Miami Beach Architectural District. Direct peer in event programming, walking tours, and historic preservation advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust for Historic Preservation: A large national historic preservation organization with a much broader scope than ADSLA. Comparable in that it runs tours, advocacy campaigns, and member events, but operates at a national rather than regional level.
• Los Angeles Conservancy: A larger Los Angeles historic preservation nonprofit operating citywide across architectural styles and eras. Comparable as a preservation advocacy organization with broader scope, member tours, and HCM campaign experience in the same LA market.

Others

• Art Deco International (ICADS): The international umbrella coordinating Art Deco societies globally, of which ADSLA is a member. Comparable as the coordinating body for World Art Deco Month and a network for shared resources, though it does not directly compete.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfb.me/e/2bA3eiRBu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Art Deco Society of Los Angeles