What Jalopy Theatre does

Jalopy Theatre and School of Music is a Brooklyn-based non-profit arts organization operating since 2008 out of a single venue at 315 Columbia Street. It functions as a multi-faceted folk and traditional music space hosting live performances several nights per week, weekly open mics, and three annual festivals (Brooklyn Folk Festival, Brooklyn World Wide, and Midwinter Jug Band Rendezvous), alongside the long-running Roots n' Ruckus variety show. The organization monetizes a mix of ticketed concerts, group music classes for adults, Jalopy Jr. children's programs for ages 6-14, private music lessons, instrument rentals at $50 per course, private event space rental, and Jalopy Records releases, with financial aid and scholarships available across educational offerings.

The School of Music delivers group and private instruction across instruments and folk traditions, while Jalopy Jr. runs the Making Music, Jalopy Jr. Folk Ensemble, and Jalopy Jr. Folk Chorus tracks plus family entertainment. The Community Through Music (CTM) program, launched in 2016 with co-designer Suzi Shelton, delivers in-school folk music enrichment to Pre-K through 2nd-grade children across four NYC public schools serving over 1,000 students, with planned expansion to a special needs school in Bed Stuy. Media extensions include The Jalopy Corn Dog Hour podcast on Spotify and content distribution via Mubi.

The business is a non-profit reliant on ticket and class revenue, space rentals, record sales, individual donations, and grants from public agencies (NEA, NYSCA, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC DOT, NYC Council) and foundations (Howard Gilman, Puffin, Epstein, Mid-Atlantic Arts, FMS NY). Operational leadership comprises an Executive Director, Curatorial Director, Program Director, Communications Director, Development & Business Director, and a governing board plus advisory board of musicians and cultural figures. There is no disclosed revenue, no app, no API surface, and no AI capability; the technical footprint is a Squarespace website plus Netlify-hosted scheduling pages and standard streaming distribution.

Name

Jalopy Theatre

Legal name

Jalopy Theatre and School of Music

Website

https://jalopytheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Jalopy Theatre and School of Music is a Brooklyn non-profit arts space that presents folk and traditional music performances, festivals, children's and adult music education, in-school enrichment for NYC public schools, a record label, and a podcast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Folk Music & Music Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Other Sound Recording Industries (51229)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Music Lessons (Instrumental) (EDAMANAA), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Live folk music performances
• Music education classes
• Community arts venue
• Folk music festivals
• School music programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Live Performance Revenue: Ticketed concerts and performances featuring local and international folk and traditional musicians. Includes weekly performances, festival events, and special concerts.
2. Music Classes and Workshops: Group classes for adults and children, private lessons, and workshops in folk music instruments and traditions. Student instrument rentals available at $50/course.
3. Jalopy Jr Programs: Children's folk music education including Making Music, Jalopy Jr Folk Ensemble, and Jalopy Jr Folk Chorus for ages 6-14, plus family entertainment events and birthday parties.
4. Space Rental: Private event rental for weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, film shoots, kids parties, team building retreats, and daytime dance events. Venue fully equipped with kitchen, bar, sound setup, and backline.
5. Donations and Grants: Non-profit organization relying on donor generosity. Receives funding from foundations including NEA, Howard Gilman Foundation, and others.
6. Jalopy Records: Record label of Jalopy Theatre producing and distributing folk and traditional music recordings.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jalopy Theatre and School of Music is a Brooklyn-based non-profit arts space that hosts ticketed live folk and traditional music performances multiple nights per week, delivers music education through group classes, private lessons, workshops, and the Jalopy Jr children's program, and runs annual festivals including the Brooklyn Folk Festival and Brooklyn World Wide. It complements venue programming with a record label (Jalopy Records), a podcast (The Jalopy Corn Dog Hour), and a school-based music enrichment program (Community Through Music) serving NYC public schools, while also renting out its fully equipped space for private events.

Product overview

Jalopy Theatre and School of Music is a non-profit multi-faceted arts space and educational institution in Brooklyn, NY. The organization operates as a unified venue-plus-program platform comprising live performance programming (theatrical concerts, open mics, festivals), music education (School of Music with group classes and private lessons, Jalopy Jr. for children), community enrichment (Community Through Music in public schools, podcast production), and venue services (backline rental, space rental for private events). Key products include the School of Music, Jalopy Jr. children's programs, Community Through Music outreach, The Jalopy Corn Dog Hour podcast, and annual festivals (Brooklyn Folk Festival, Brooklyn World Wide, Midwinter Jug Band Rendezvous, Roots n' Ruckus Fest). Jalopy Records serves as the organization's record label. Financial aid and scholarships are available across all educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jalopy Records: The record label of the Jalopy Theatre & School of Music, featuring roots and traditional music from the Jalopy Records catalog.
• The Jalopy Corn Dog Hour
• Community Through Music (CTM)

Products and services

• Live Performance Series Ticketed weekly concerts at Jalopy Theatre's Brooklyn venue showcasing local and international folk and traditional musicians; open to individual adult consumers seeking authentic live folk music experiences.
• School of Music - Adult Group Classes Group music classes for adults of all musical backgrounds and proficiencies learning folk instruments and traditions; subscription-style annual billing with instrument rentals at $50 per course and financial aid options.
• Private Lessons One-on-one music instruction for various instruments and skill levels, offered by local performer instructors; available to individual adult learners and children.
• Workshops Adult-focused music workshops providing hands-on instruction in various folk music traditions and instruments.
• Jalopy Jr. Children's Programming Children's folk music education for ages 6-14 through Making Music, Jalopy Jr Folk Ensemble, and Jalopy Jr Folk Chorus, plus family entertainment and birthday parties; open to families with children in the program age range.
• Community Through Music (CTM) In-school music enrichment program delivering folk music, songs, and movement curriculum to Pre-K-2nd Grade children in NYC public elementary schools; served over 1,000 children across 4 schools as of 2024.
• Backline Equipment Rental Equipment rental and provision service for performers at Jalopy Theatre, including amplifiers, DI boxes, microphones, instruments (baby grand piano, drum kit, upright bass), and sound equipment; for performing musicians and event producers.
• Space Rental Private event venue rental for parties, weddings, film shoots, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, dance parties, and team building retreats; venue fully equipped with kitchen, bar, sound setup, and instrument backline.
• Open Mic Weekly open mic event held every Wednesday at Jalopy Theatre; performers sign up at 6pm with names drawn at 6:30pm, each allotted one song or four minutes.
• Jalopy Records Record label of Jalopy Theatre producing and distributing folk and traditional music recordings; available via digital streaming platforms.
• Roots n' Ruckus Fest Annual free folk festival celebrating the Roots n' Ruckus tradition; free admission with audience tips going directly to musicians.
• Brooklyn Folk Festival Annual Brooklyn Folk Festival produced by Jalopy Theatre celebrating folk and traditional music.
• Brooklyn World Wide (BWW) Festival Three-day festival celebrating music and culture from diverse immigrant communities of New York City, featuring workshops and performances of traditions including son Jarocho, klezmer, flamenco, Arabic maqams, and more.
• Midwinter Jug Band Rendezvous Annual February festival celebrating contemporary bands playing music from and inspired by early 20th century jug and string band music.
• The Jalopy Corn Dog Hour Podcast Podcast production celebrating the Jalopy community, featuring interviews, music from the Jalopy Records catalog, and live performances recorded at Jalopy Theatre; distributed via Spotify and hosted by Natalie Jordan and Geoff Wood.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 children reached through Community Through Music program since 2016

Named customers1 record

Segments5 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 and minor.

• Association for Cultural EquitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for the Accordion Showcase at Brooklyn World Wide festival. Association for Cultural Equity is a cultural preservation organization. Ticketed indoor concerts presented in partnership with the Association.
• NYC Department of Transportation (DOT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Open Streets Program partnership for free outdoor concerts at Brooklyn World Wide festival. Enables outdoor concert programming on Columbia Street in front of Jalopy Theatre.
• 3rd Avenue BID (Business Improvement District)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with 3rd Avenue BID for offsite programming at Roberto Clemente Plaza in South Bronx. Free concert by Willie Martinez & La Familia Sextet during Brooklyn World Wide festival.
• Falconworks Theater CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Cultural organization partner for Brooklyn World Wide festival programming.
• Von Trapp BreweryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Brewery partner for Brooklyn World Wide festival, providing beverage offerings at festival events.
• MubiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Streaming platform partnership for content distribution. Jalopy content featured on Mubi platform.
• Suzi SheltoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic educator and program co-designer of Community Through Music program. Leads weekly classes with finger plays, call and response songs, dances and partnering games. Special guest musicians join weekly.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Ark: Ann Arbor, MI non-profit folk/roots music venue hosting live performances and supporting emerging folk musicians. Comparable niche-genre focus and community-oriented mission, with a smaller education footprint than Jalopy.
• Swallow Hill Music: Denver-based non-profit folk and traditional music school and concert venue offering group classes, private lessons, and live performances. Directly comparable in scope of education plus venue operations.
• Old Town School of Folk Music: Chicago-based non-profit combining a folk music school (group classes, private lessons, children's programs) with a major concert venue. Closest functional analog to Jalopy's venue-plus-school model in a different geography.
• Freight & Salvage: Berkeley, CA non-profit folk and roots music venue with education programs and community events. Comparable in mission, programming genre, and non-profit venue-plus-school structure to Jalopy.
• Club Passim: Cambridge, MA non-profit folk venue operating a school of music alongside live performances, community programming, and artist development. Mirrors Jalopy's integrated education and concert model in the folk genre.

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): Major NYC multi-discipline performing arts presenter with education and community programs. Comparable as a Brooklyn-based performing arts non-profit, but operates at significantly larger scale and across many genres beyond folk.
• Carnegie Hall: Iconic NYC concert venue with extensive music education programs for children and adults. Comparable in combining world-class live performance with education, but at vastly larger scale and across all classical and popular genres.
• City Winery: Multi-city music venue and restaurant chain offering ticketed concerts, private events, and educational programming. Comparable as a live-music-anchored venue with private-event and class revenue, though for-profit and broader in genre.
• Lincoln Center: NYC performing arts complex running concurrent live programming, festivals, and large-scale education initiatives. Comparable NYC footprint and integration of performance with education, though at much larger scale and broader genres.

Regional players

• Music Hall of Williamsburg: Brooklyn live music venue operated by Bowery Presents hosting touring artists across genres. Comparable Brooklyn venue for live performances, though for-profit, larger capacity, and without the folk/education mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

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 Jalopy Theatre