Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts

What Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts does

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization founded in 1979 in Houston and headquartered in Austin since 2013. TALA matches financially eligible Texas artists, independent inventors, and small nonprofit arts organizations with volunteer attorneys and certified public accountants who provide pro bono legal and accounting services in areas such as contracts, intellectual property, tax preparation, business formation, and nonprofit compliance. The organization supplements its matching service with free educational programming—including seminars, workshops, webinars, and the Nonprofit Essentials Learning Series—covering copyright, trademark, taxes, contracts, and business management. TALA also operates a Patent Pro Bono program in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) launched in December 2016, an Arts Legal Line hotline in partnership with the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas, and a YouTube-based TALA Library of on-demand educational content.

TALA's operational technology is minimal: the organization does not disclose proprietary software platforms and relies on a Squarespace-hosted website, a YouTube channel, social media, and a volunteer matching database to coordinate its services. Its core products are service programs rather than software products. The organization is led by a small team of 4 staff members, including Executive Director Alissa McCain, Legal Director Angela Lee, and Accounting Director Lisa Sretenovic, supported by a volunteer corps of over 500 professionals, approximately 300 of whom actively serve clients annually, generating an estimated $1.5 million in donated professional services each year.

TALA's revenue model is a nonprofit grants-and-donations model. Primary funding sources include grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, City of Austin Economic Development Department, and Mid-America Arts Alliance, supplemented by individual and corporate donations. Pro bono legal and accounting services are provided at no cost to qualifying clients. Educational programming is free and open to the public. The Patent Pro Bono program charges a $100 application fee to inventors accepted into the program, with additional USPTO filing fees ($400–$500) borne by the applicant. TALA serves approximately 400–500 artists per year through direct matching and has reached over 20,000 participants through professional development events over the course of its current leadership's tenure.

Name

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts

Legal name

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts

Website

https://talarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides pro bono legal, accounting, and patent assistance to financially eligible Texas artists, independent inventors, and small arts nonprofits, supported by a volunteer corps of over 500 professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pro Bono Legal and Accounting Services for the Arts

NAICS

All Other Legal Services (541199), Offices of Lawyers (54111), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Legal Services (Artist/Label/Publishing) (MPAIAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business Management & Accounting (Artists) (MPAIAGAD)

Keywords

• Pro bono legal services
• Arts nonprofit accounting
• Creative community support
• Patent pro bono program
• Nonprofit legal education

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: TALA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors to fund operations and programs. Federal tax ID: 74-2073687.
2. Government and Private Grants: TALA receives grant funding from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, City of Austin Economic Development Department, and Mid-America Arts Alliance to support educational programming and operations.
3. Patent Pro Bono Program Fees: Inventors accepted into the Patent Pro Bono program pay a $100 application fee. Additionally, inventors are responsible for USPTO filing fees (typically $400-$500) for patent applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides pro bono legal and accounting services to financially eligible Texas artists, independent inventors, and small arts nonprofit organizations. TALA matches qualified beneficiaries with volunteer attorneys and CPAs through a volunteer database, while also delivering free educational programming on copyright, trademark, taxes, contracts, and business topics via seminars, workshops, webinars, and the TALA Library YouTube channel. The organization operates the Patent Pro Bono Program in partnership with the USPTO and the Arts Legal Line telephone consultation hotline in partnership with the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas.

Product overview

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides pro bono legal and accounting services to the creative community. Rather than a traditional software product, TALA operates a portfolio of service programs: the core Pro Bono Matching Service connects artists with volunteer attorneys and CPAs; the Patent Pro Bono Program assists inventors with patent filings through USPTO partnership; the Educational Seminars program offers free workshops and webinars on topics including copyright, trademark, taxes, and business management; and the Arts Legal Line provides free telephone legal consultations. All services are designed to help creatives apply sound business practices to protect intellectual property, advance careers, and develop income.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pro Bono Legal and Accounting Matching Service TALA's signature matching service that connects financially qualified artists, inventors, and small nonprofit arts organizations with volunteer attorneys and CPAs for pro bono legal and accounting assistance covering contracts, intellectual property, business formation, dispute resolution, taxes, bookkeeping, and financial planning.
• Educational Seminars and Workshops Free educational programming covering copyright, trademark, contracts, taxes, business entities, budgeting, risk management, and other topics relevant to creative practices, delivered as in-person workshops, webinars, and online resources.
• Patent Pro Bono Program A program in partnership with the USPTO that assists financially under-resourced independent inventors in Texas with filing patent applications through volunteer patent attorneys, including USPTO navigation, prior art searches, and patent pro bono clinic consultations. Accepted inventors pay a $100 application fee plus USPTO filing fees (typically $400-$500).
• Nonprofit Essentials Learning Series A series of educational seminars designed for nonprofit administrators covering IRS Form 990s, bookkeeping, and nonprofit management, delivered as in-person and virtual webinars including panels with Houston-area nonprofit leaders.
• TALA Library (YouTube Channel) A YouTube channel containing full-length educational seminars and webinar replays freely available to the public, including recordings of the Art of Taxes program, Nonprofit Essentials series, and IP Roadshow events.
• Arts Legal Line A free telephone consultation service presented in partnership with the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas, where participants can call from anywhere in Texas between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. to get arts-related legal questions answered by TALA volunteer attorneys.
• Legal Clinics In-person and virtual clinics where artists can receive 30-minute consultations with volunteer attorneys via phone or on-site, delivered statewide across Texas including Austin, Houston, El Paso, and San Antonio.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.5 million in donated professional services annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville (ABC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Co-hosting the On the Road: Navigating Legal Issues in Concert Touring webinar with TALA and ESLABA. The event covers legal considerations for touring artists in Tennessee and Texas.
• ESLABA - Entertainment and Sports Law Section of the Austin Bar AssociationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Co-hosting the On the Road: Navigating Legal Issues in Concert Touring webinar covering venue contracts, liability concerns, and legal issues for touring artists.
• United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2016TALA launched a Patent Pro Bono program in December 2016 in partnership with the USPTO to assist financially under-resourced independent inventors in Texas with filing patent applications. The program provides volunteer patent attorneys to help inventors navigate the patent filing process.
• Lawyer Referral Service of Central TexascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented in partnership to offer Arts Legal Line - free consultation hotline where participants call from anywhere in Texas to get arts-related questions answered by TALA volunteer attorneys. Two-time winner of ABA's Cindy A. Raisch Award for excellence in public service.
• National Endowment for the ArtsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous funding for Nonprofit Essentials Series and various educational programs. Provides grant funding to support TALA's mission serving the Texas creative economy.
• Texas Commission on the ArtsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides grant funding for educational programming including Nonprofit Essentials Series and various TALA events and workshops.
• City of Austin Economic Development DepartmentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported by the City of Austin Economic Development Department for programs including Arts Legal Line and various educational workshops.
• Mid-America Arts AlliancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides funding for programs such as the Art of Taxes and Monetizing Your Music educational series.
• University of HoustonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Nonprofit Essentials Series. Fleurette Fernando, Associate Professor and Director of Arts Leadership at University of Houston serves as panelist.
• Fresh ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAngela Carranza, Executive Director of Fresh Arts serves as panelist for Houston nonprofit leaders event. Fresh Arts co-sponsored Law for Producers and DJs.
• Art League HoustonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJennie Ash, Executive Director of Art League Houston serves as panelist for Houston nonprofit leaders event.
• Copyright AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for World Intellectual Property Day events and Copyright Claims Board educational seminars. Collaborated on Women Trailblazers Creating Success Through Copyright event.
• Austin Music FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlissa McCain held positions at Austin Music Foundation before joining TALA. Partnership for Art of Taxes and other music-related educational programs.
• Capitol View ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlissa McCain was founding director of this Black arts organization. Partnership for copyright seminars, Art & Business series, and Creative Entrepreneur programming.
• State Bar of Texas IP SectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for IP Roadshow events across Texas including San Antonio and Corpus Christi locations. Kirby Drake serves as Patent Pro Bono liaison with State Bar IP Section.
• Dougherty Arts CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for in-person Art of Taxes seminars and Let's Talk Art + Business events at the Dougherty Arts Center in Austin.
• Houston Center for Contemporary CraftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting viewing parties for TALA's Art of Taxes livestream events at HCCC location in Houston.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Mid-America Arts Alliance: Regional arts organization and existing TALA funding partner that supports creative-sector programming across multiple states; relevant as a funding and ecosystem peer rather than a direct service competitor.
• Copyright Alliance: National nonprofit advocating for creators' rights and a current TALA partner for World IP Day and Copyright Claims Board education; adjacent ecosystem participant that complements TALA's IP education mission.

Direct peers

• Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville: Tennessee nonprofit supporting artists and creative entrepreneurs through education, consulting, and legal resources; named partner with TALA on the 'On the Road' concert touring webinar, addressing overlapping needs of the creative community in a different state.
• Lawyers for the Arts (Chicago): Chicago-based affiliate supporting arts-focused legal services, education, and dispute resolution; serves a similar artist client base with a comparable pro bono referral and education platform.
• Washington Lawyers for the Arts: Washington-state nonprofit providing legal services, clinics, and education to artists and arts organizations; directly comparable pro bono matching and education model, serving creatives in the Pacific Northwest.
• Georgia Lawyers for the Arts: Atlanta-based nonprofit delivering pro bono legal assistance, mediation, and educational programming to Georgia artists; operates the same referral-matching service delivery model as TALA in a different regional market.
• Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts: New York-based nonprofit providing pro bono legal services, education, and advocacy for artists and arts organizations; operates the same pro bono matching and educational programming model as TALA, making it the closest comparable organization nationally.
• California Lawyers for the Arts: California statewide nonprofit delivering pro bono legal services, mediation, and educational programming to artists and arts organizations; same target audience and service mix (legal aid + education) as TALA, with a much larger geographic footprint.

Broad incumbents

• SCORE: National nonprofit providing free mentorship and business education to small businesses and entrepreneurs (including creatives); comparable free, volunteer-driven service model, though broader in scope than TALA's legal/accounting specialization.
• Lawyers Alliance of New York: New York nonprofit providing pro bono legal services to nonprofits and social enterprises (including arts organizations); broader nonprofit focus than TALA, but uses a comparable volunteer-attorney matching model for mission-driven clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@talaoffice
• Instagraminstagram.com/talaoffice
• Xx.com/TALATexas
• Facebookfacebook.com/TALATexas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/texas-accountants-and-lawyers-for-the-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts