FOR-SITE
FOR-SITE Foundation is a San Francisco nonprofit founded in 2003 that commissions and presents site-specific contemporary art installations at Bay Area historic sites — Alcatraz, Fort Point, the Presidio, and Fort Mason — funded by donations, free to the public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What FOR-SITE does
FOR-SITE Foundation is a San Francisco-based nonprofit arts organization established in 2003 to create, understand, and present art about place. It commissions and presents site-specific installations by contemporary artists at culturally and historically significant Bay Area locations, including Alcatraz Island, Fort Point National Historic Site, the Presidio, and Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. The organization's core offerings are not technology products but curatorial programs: large-scale exhibitions and commissions, the recurring Guardhouse Program (launched 2023, three artists per year), artist residencies in Nevada City and the Bay Area, documentary films (including Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly), public education programs, and co-published exhibition catalogues. Its most recognized project, @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz (2014–2015), engaged over 900,000 visitors and triggered a documentary now distributed on major streaming platforms.
The business model is donation-driven rather than transactional. All exhibitions are free to the public; FOR-SITE does not charge admission. Revenue is generated primarily through individual and institutional donations, with the Visionaries program requiring a minimum three-year commitment of $20,000 or above to underwrite the annual operating budget. Secondary income comes from exhibition-catalog sales (e.g., $55 for the Black Gold catalogue, co-published with Radius Books) and documentary distribution/licensing. The operating team is small — 5–10 staff and consultants, led by Founder/Executive Director/Chief Curator Cheryl Haines — supported by a Board of Directors and a network of strategic partnerships with the National Park Service, Presidio Trust, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, and major Bay Area museums including SFMOMA, the de Young, the Asian Art Museum, the Cantor Arts Center, and BAMPFA.
Strategically, the organization is shifting from an episodic, project-based exhibition model toward a more programmatic structure, evidenced by the 2023 launch of The Guardhouse Program and the Future Fund incubator. Geographic reach remains concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area; distribution beyond that geography occurs only through documentaries and catalogues. FOR-SITE is governed as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (implied by EIN 84-1617222) with no parent company, subsidiaries, or institutional investors.
FOR-SITE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FOR-SITE
- Legal name
- FOR-SITE Foundation
- Website
- https://for-site.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- FOR-SITE Foundation is a San Francisco nonprofit founded in 2003 that commissions and presents site-specific contemporary art installations at Bay Area historic sites — Alcatraz, Fort Point, the Presidio, and Fort Mason — funded by donations, free to the public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FOR-SITE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Museum and Public Art Exhibitions
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Historical Sites (71212)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
Keywords
Where FOR-SITE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
FOR-SITE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Support: Individual and institutional donations provide the primary funding for FOR-SITE operations. The organization has a Visionaries program requiring $20,000/year minimum commitment for three years, underwriting the annual operating budget.
- Exhibition Catalogues: Sale of exhibition catalogues such as the Black Gold: Stories Untold catalogue published by Radius Books, priced at $55.00
- Admission (Free): All exhibitions are presented free to the public, supported by donor contributions rather than admission fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Exhibition catalogue |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
FOR-SITE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FOR-SITE Foundation is a nonprofit arts organization that commissions, curates, and presents site-specific contemporary art exhibitions and installations at culturally significant Bay Area locations including Alcatraz Island, Fort Point National Historic Site, the Presidio, and Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. The foundation complements these exhibitions with artist residencies at the Headlands Center for the Arts and Fort Mason Center, public education programs, documentary film productions, and published exhibition catalogues, all delivered as free public experiences supported by individual donations and institutional partnerships.
Product overview
FOR-SITE is an arts foundation dedicated to creating and presenting art about place through a portfolio of interconnected programs. The organization operates primarily through: (1) large-scale exhibitions and site-specific installations at iconic Bay Area locations such as Alcatraz, Fort Point, and the Presidio; (2) The Guardhouse Program featuring rotating installations at a historic guard station; (3) artist residencies supporting the development of new works; (4) documentary film productions including the award-winning 'Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly'; (5) education and public programming including talks, panel discussions, and community events; and (6) exhibition catalogues documenting major projects. The organization does not operate as a technology platform or SaaS product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Guardhouse Program: A program launched in 2023 that invites three artists annually to create temporary installations in a historic former military guard station at the entrance to Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture.
- The Future Fund
Products and services
- Site-Specific Exhibitions and Installations Commissioned, site-specific contemporary art exhibitions and installations created for culturally significant Bay Area venues, presented as free public experiences. The offering is targeted at the general public and cultural audiences, and draws on multi-decade partnerships with the National Park Service, Presidio Trust, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and major Bay Area museums.
- The Guardhouse Program Free, 24/7 window-viewing art installation program housed at the historic Guardhouse at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, providing ongoing public access to site-specific artworks outside of major exhibition cycles. Targeted at general public visitors in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Artist Residencies Residency opportunities for contemporary artists to develop new work in dialogue with the Bay Area's historic and natural sites, delivered in partnership with the Headlands Center for the Arts and Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. Targeted at practicing contemporary artists.
- Documentary Films Feature-length and short documentary films produced in connection with major FOR-SITE commissions and distributed online (notably via Vimeo), extending the reach of each project beyond the physical exhibition. Targeted at general public and arts audiences.
- Public Education Programs Free public education programs, talks, and learning materials delivered alongside major exhibitions and The Guardhouse Program, designed to engage broad public audiences with site-specific contemporary art.
- Exhibition Catalogues and Limited-Edition Prints Published exhibition catalogues and limited-edition prints produced in association with major FOR-SITE exhibitions, sold through the foundation's online store to the general public and collectors, and offered to donors in support of fundraising.
Quantifiable outcome
- 900,000+ visitors engaged through @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz exhibition
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use FOR-SITE
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
FOR-SITE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
FOR-SITE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- Fort Mason Center for Arts & CulturecorePrimary venue partner for exhibitions including The Guardhouse Program, located at 2 Marina Blvd in San Francisco. FOR-SITE's administrative office is also located at Fort Mason Center.
- Golden Gate National Parks ConservancycoreInstitutional partner for park-based exhibitions and education programs, working with FOR-SITE on exhibitions at Fort Point and other national park sites.
- National Park ServicecoreGovernment partner providing access to national historic sites including Fort Point National Historic Site and Alcatraz Island for exhibitions and programs.
- Presidio TrustcorePartner for Andy Goldsworthy installations in the Presidio including Spire, Wood Line, and Tree Fall, as well as the Art About Place exhibition series.
- Fort Mason ArtmajorCo-presenter of Andy Goldsworthy: Red Flags exhibition at Gateway Pavilion in July 2026, marking the West Coast debut of the installation.
- Haines GallerysupportingGallery partner providing exhibition support for Andy Goldsworthy exhibitions, representing the artist and supporting installation services.
- Asian Art Museum of San FranciscosupportingInstitutional partner listed among FOR-SITE's network of cultural organization collaborators.
- California College of the ArtssupportingEducational institution partner collaborating on artistic projects and exhibitions.
- Fine Arts Museums of San FranciscosupportingPartner institution including the de Young Museum, collaborating on artistic programming.
- San Francisco Museum of Modern ArtsupportingMajor Bay Area museum partner for exhibitions and artistic collaborations.
- Oakland Museum of CaliforniasupportingRegional museum partner, previously hosted The Marvelous Museum exhibition by Mark Dion.
- Cantor Arts Center at Stanford UniversitysupportingUniversity museum partner collaborating on artistic exhibitions and programs.
- Nevada Museum of ArtsupportingRegional partner that previously hosted Chris Drury: Mushrooms | Clouds exhibition in 2008.
- Yerba Buena Center for the ArtssupportingBay Area cultural institution partner that previously hosted Cornelia Parker's exhibition.
- San Francisco Art InstitutesupportingEducational institution partner in FOR-SITE's institutional partnership network.
- UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film ArchivesupportingUniversity museum partner collaborating on artistic programming.
- Radius BookssupportingPublisher partner co-publishing the Black Gold: Stories Untold exhibition catalogue with FOR-SITE.
- ACLU of Northern CaliforniasupportingCommunity partner for Black Gold: Stories Untold exhibition, providing the Gold Chains public education campaign that inspired the exhibition.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
FOR-SITE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dia Art Foundation: Foundation that commissions, presents, and preserves site-specific and large-scale contemporary art, including permanent installations; highly comparable as a curatorial foundation supporting place-based art.
- Public Art Fund: New York-based nonprofit that commissions and presents free contemporary public art in public spaces, directly comparable to FOR-SITE's model of free site-specific exhibitions at iconic locations.
- Creative Time: New York nonprofit producing site-specific public art projects in unconventional venues; directly comparable in mission, scale, and free-to-public commissioning model.
- Madison Square Park Conservancy: Public-private partnership managing Madison Square Park and commissioning rotating free contemporary art installations; comparable site-specific, free, public-park art model.
- Storm King Art Center: Large-scale outdoor sculpture park in New York's Hudson Valley featuring site-specific and permanent installations; comparable as a permanent outdoor contemporary art institution.
- Socrates Sculpture Park: Outdoor sculpture park and artist residency in Queens, NY that commissions free public art and residencies; closely comparable in commissioning and residency programs.
- The Trust for Governors Island: Nonprofit that operates Governors Island in NYC and commissions public art at historic sites; comparable partner-of-government model of activating historic places with contemporary art.
Others
- National Park Service Arts Programs: Federal agency that hosts FOR-SITE exhibitions at Alcatraz and Fort Point; comparable as an enabling site partner and venue infrastructure rather than a direct programming competitor.
Broad incumbents
- SFMOMA: Major San Francisco art museum and FOR-SITE institutional partner; broader incumbent offering gallery-based exhibitions across a much larger operating footprint.
- Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts: Large private arts foundation primarily grantmaking to artists and institutions; comparable as a peer private foundation supporting contemporary art, but operates at a much larger national scale.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FOR-SITE social profiles
Digital presenceFOR-SITE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FOR-SITE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
FOR-SITE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FOR-SITE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FOR-SITE
What does FOR-SITE do?
FOR-SITE Foundation is a nonprofit arts organization that commissions, curates, and presents site-specific contemporary art exhibitions and installations at culturally significant Bay Area locations including Alcatraz Island, Fort Point National Historic Site, the Presidio, and Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. The foundation complements these exhibitions with artist residencies at the Headlands Center for the Arts and Fort Mason Center, public education programs, documentary film productions, and published exhibition catalogues, all delivered as free public experiences supported by individual donations and institutional partnerships.
Is FOR-SITE a public or private company?
FOR-SITE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was FOR-SITE founded?
FOR-SITE was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is FOR-SITE based?
FOR-SITE is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does FOR-SITE make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Support is the primary driver. The others are exhibition Catalogues and admission (Free).
Who are FOR-SITE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dia Art Foundation, Public Art Fund, Creative Time, Madison Square Park Conservancy, Storm King Art Center, Socrates Sculpture Park and The Trust for Governors Island. National Park Service Arts Programs is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are SFMOMA and Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
Does FOR-SITE have an API?
No public API is recorded for FOR-SITE.
What industry is FOR-SITE in?
FOR-SITE's product category is Museum and Public Art Exhibitions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAA, Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty), with a secondary code of BPAGAHAH, Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs. Its NAICS code is 7121.