The Florida Theatre

What The Florida Theatre does

The Florida Theatre is a historic nonprofit performing arts venue located in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, founded in 1927 and operating an approximately 2,800-seat auditorium. It presents a mixed-genre calendar of concerts, theatrical productions, and special events, complemented by Theatreworks, a professional touring children's theatre program that merged into the organization in 2019 and serves K-12 schools, home-school families, and summer camps across the First Coast region.

The core product portfolio comprises live event programming, ticketing services delivered through the Showare platform, venue rentals for private and corporate functions, a paid membership program with early ticket access and PNC Lounge privileges, and an E-Club email notification system. Supporting revenue and engagement programs include corporate partnerships (anchored by Community First Credit Union as primary season sponsor, alongside CITI and the Kirbo Charitable Trust for Free Summer Theatre), Adopt-A-Seat and brick-purchase donations, planned giving, and a Centennial Campaign tied to the venue's approaching 100-year anniversary.

The business model is a hybrid of earned and contributed income typical of mid-size American nonprofit performing arts organizations. Earned revenue comes from per-ticket pricing (with school group rates at $8.50 and individual/home-school rates at $12.50 for Theatreworks, plus variable pricing for mainstage events), venue rentals, and freemium free summer programming. Contributed revenue flows from corporate sponsorships, individual memberships, and targeted fundraising campaigns. The venue reaches customers primarily through direct-to-consumer channels: its website, box office, email marketing, and organic social media on Instagram and Facebook. The underlying technology stack is standard for the sector, with no disclosed proprietary AI, data, or platform assets; competitive advantage is built on heritage, location, and a diversified sponsorship ecosystem rather than technology differentiation.

Name

The Florida Theatre

Legal name

The Florida Theatre

Website

https://floridatheatre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Florida Theatre is a historic nonprofit performing arts venue in Jacksonville, Florida, founded in 1927, operating an approximately 2,800-seat auditorium for concerts, theatrical events, and the Theatreworks children's theatre program serving schools and families across the First Coast region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)

Keywords

• Live entertainment venue
• Performing arts theatre
• Concert ticketing services
• Children's theatre programming
• Event venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from selling tickets to concerts, theatrical performances, and special events at the venue.
2. Venue Rentals: Rental of the facility for private events and corporate functions.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorship revenue from corporate partners including Community First Credit Union, CITI, and various foundations.
4. Membership Program: Annual membership subscriptions offering benefits including early ticket access and exclusive lounge access.
5. Donations and Planned Giving: Charitable contributions and planned giving programs including Adopt-A-Seat and brick purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Florida Theatre is a historic 1927 performing arts venue in Jacksonville, Florida with approximately 2,800 seats, hosting concerts, theatrical productions, and special events. It sells tickets directly to consumers through its Showare-powered online platform and box office, while also operating the Theatreworks educational children's theatre program, venue rental services for private and corporate functions, and a membership program offering early ticket access and lounge privileges.

Product overview

The Florida Theatre is a historic performing arts venue in Jacksonville, Florida, offering a unified entertainment service centered around its approximately 2,800-seat theatre. The core product portfolio includes ticketing services for concerts, theatrical productions, and special events; Theatreworks, a professional children's theatre program providing educational performances for school groups and summer campers; venue rental for private and corporate events; and membership programs offering benefits such as early ticket access and exclusive lounge access. Additional services include an E-Club email notification system, corporate sponsorship opportunities, Adopt-A-Seat donation program, and on-site parking facilities with ParkMobile reservation capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Theatreworks: Children's theatre programming providing professional touring children's theatre to school-age children and summer campers of the First Coast region. Includes both at-venue performances and in-school touring shows.

Products and services

• Florida Theatre Venue Performances Live performing arts venue hosting concerts, theatrical productions, and special events with approximately 2,800 seats in downtown Jacksonville, Florida.
• Ticketing Services

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Community First Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary season sponsor for Florida Theatre programming, providing financial support for concerts and events throughout the year.
• CITIcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors the Free Summer Theatre program (Theatreworks), making children's theatre productions accessible at no cost to families.
• The Thomas M. Kirbo & Irene B. Kirbo Charitable TrustmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of Free Summer Theatre program alongside CITI, supporting educational theatre access.
• ParkMobileminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParking reservation service partner allowing visitors to pre-purchase parking spots at the Yates Building Garage.
• WJCTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal public broadcasting station that co-presents events such as the Pam Tillis concert at WJCT Soundstage.
• Cultural Council of Greater JacksonvilleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal arts organization sponsor supporting cultural programming at the theatre.
• City of Jacksonville, FloridaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipal sponsor providing support for arts and cultural programming.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts: Moran Theater at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts, a larger Jacksonville venue presenting Broadway tours and major concerts. Direct Jacksonville market competitor for touring acts and event rentals.
• Daily's Place Amphitheater: Modern Jacksonville amphitheater attached to EverBank Stadium. Relevant as a Jacksonville-based live-entertainment competitor drawing touring acts from The Florida Theatre's programming slate.

Broad incumbents

• Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts: Modern non-profit performing arts center in Orlando, FL with multiple venues hosting Broadway, concerts, and educational programs. Comparable as a Florida-based non-profit presenting organization with corporate partnerships and education programming.
• Straz Center for the Performing Arts: Larger multi-venue performing arts complex in Tampa presenting Broadway tours, opera, and concerts as a non-profit. Comparable as a Florida-based non-profit performing arts presenter with broader programming scope.
• NJPAC (New Jersey Performing Arts Center): Major non-profit performing arts center in Newark presenting concerts, dance, family programming, and education. Comparable as a non-profit presenting organization with membership, sponsorships, and strong educational programming arm.

Direct peers

• Carolina Theatre (Durham): Historic 1926 performing arts and cinema venue in Durham, NC, operating as a non-profit with concerts, films, and community programming. Directly comparable in vintage, mid-tier capacity, and non-profit membership-driven model.
• Tampa Theatre: Historic 1926 non-profit movie and live-performance palace in Tampa, Florida. Directly comparable as a similar-era, mid-sized Florida historic venue running mixed film, concerts, and special events on a non-profit membership model.
• Orpheum Theatre (Memphis): Historic 1928 performing arts venue in Memphis presenting touring Broadway, concerts, and education programs. Closely comparable in vintage, regional reach, and educational programming via its ORPHEUMPlus initiative.
• The Fox Theatre (Atlanta): Iconic 1929 historic performing arts venue in Atlanta presenting concerts, Broadway, and family shows under a non-profit operating model. Comparable as a larger-scale, same-era Southern historic theatre with memberships and sponsorships.
• Saenger Theatre (Pensacola): Historic 1925 performing arts venue in Pensacola, FL, operated as a non-profit presenting touring concerts, Broadway, and comedy. Closely comparable in vintage, capacity range, and non-profit programming model to The Florida Theatre.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FloridaTheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/floridatheatre
• Xx.com/FloridaTheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-florida-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 The Florida Theatre