What Schweinfurth Art Center does

Schweinfurth Art Center (legally Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community art organization founded in 1981 in Auburn, New York, through the bequest of Boston architect Julius A. Schweinfurth. Operating from a single headquarters at 205 Genesee St. within the newly completed West End Arts Campus (a $4.7M shared facility with the Cayuga Museum of History & Art), the organization runs 12-14 contemporary art exhibitions annually across three galleries, with internationally recognized programming in fiber arts — most notably the Quilts=Art=Quilts juried exhibition (running since 1982, regarded as one of the top five in the U.S.) and the Made in NY annual juried show. It also operates the Quilting by the Lake (QBL) two-week international quilting conference at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY, which attracts 150+ participants per year.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack: tiered recurring memberships ($40 Student through $1,000+ Giving Circle), one-time admission fees ($10/person, free for members/youth/military), workshop and class fees ($170-$330 for Studio Schweinfurth workshops; $770-$1,520 for QBL classes plus $743-$1,780 housing/meal plans), special event tickets ($60 Sapphire Celebration), and a substantial donations/grants layer including NYSCA, Fred L. Emerson Foundation, Nelson B. Delavan Foundation, and City of Auburn ARPA funding. GTM is event- and community-driven: exhibitions, workshops, artist talks, QBL conference, First Friday events, monthly programs, and a 300+ video YouTube channel drive visitor and member acquisition.

The organization serves five primary segments: general public/art enthusiasts, fiber and visual artists (exhibitors and emerging talent), K-12 students across 25 schools in Cayuga and Onondaga counties, senior artists (65+, up 47% to 78 participants in 2025), and quilting enthusiasts. It employs 7 full-time professional staff (Executive Director Catherine Underhill, Program Director, Marketing Director, and four coordinators) and is governed by an 11-member Board of Trustees. Recent strategic moves include the 2025 leadership transition, the West End Arts Campus completion, and a slate of 2026 exhibitions expanding into indigenous programming (Sa:gwáyoˀ Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ / Cayuga People, We Returned) and language-based fiber art (T3%+!le$ - The Language of Fiber, with Surface Design Association).

Name

Schweinfurth Art Center

Legal name

Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center

Website

https://schweinfurthartcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schweinfurth Art Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Auburn, NY, founded in 1981, that operates contemporary art exhibitions, workshops, and the internationally recognized Quilts=Art=Quilts and Made in NY shows, plus the Quilting by the Lake conference serving artists, students, seniors, and community visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Art Center and Fiber Arts Museum

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Museums (THAJADAA), Textile & Fiber Arts Classes (Weaving, Knitting, Embroidery, Dyeing) (THAJAKAB), Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA)

Keywords

• Art exhibitions
• Fiber arts
• Art education classes
• Quilting conferences
• Community arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Auburn

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, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Memberships: Annual memberships at multiple tiers from Student ($40) to Individual ($55) to Household ($75) to advanced tiers like Friend ($125), Supporter ($250), Benefactor ($500), and Giving Circle ($1,000+). Members receive free admission, guest passes, discounts on classes and events, and advance notice.
2. Admission Fees: $10 per person for regular admission. Free for members, youth 16 and under, participating artists, and active military. Joint admission with Cayuga Museum is $15.
3. Quilting by the Lake Conference: A two-week internationally recognized quilting conference held at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY. Generates revenue through class fees ($770-$1,520 for 5-10 days), housing plans ($743-$1,780), and commuter meal plans.
4. Art Classes and Workshops: Revenue from adult art classes, youth classes, summer camps, and Studio Schweinfurth workshops. Workshop costs range from $170-$330.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Accepts charitable contributions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Multiple giving options including cash gifts, securities, bequests, charitable remainder trusts, life insurance gifts, and IRA transfers.
6. Special Events: Revenue from fundraising events like the Sapphire Celebration ($60/ticket) with tapas, drinks, silent auction, and entertainment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Schweinfurth Art Center operates a nonprofit art gallery and education facility that hosts 12–14 contemporary art exhibitions annually in three galleries, with a flagship annual juried quilt exhibition (Quilts=Art=Quilts) and the Made in NY statewide juried exhibition. It runs Studio Schweinfurth fiber arts workshops, adult and youth art classes, the internationally recognized two-week Quilting by the Lake conference in Geneva, NY, and a YouTube Artists' Talks video series, all supported by tiered memberships, donations, and grants.

Product overview

The Schweinfurth Art Center is a nonprofit art museum in Auburn, NY, internationally recognized for its focus on fiber arts. Founded in 1981 through a bequest from architect Julius Schweinfurth, the center provides creative opportunities and transformational experiences through the arts. The core offering consists of 12-14 contemporary art exhibitions annually in three galleries, highlighted by the signature Quilts=Art=Quilts exhibition (one of the top five quilt shows in the country) and the Made in NY annual juried exhibition. Supporting offerings include art education programs through Studio Schweinfurth (workshops and adult/youth classes), the internationally recognized Quilting by the Lake two-week conference in Geneva, NY, Artists' Talks video series, membership programs, a gift shop, and community engagement through poetry readings and family projects. The center operates in partnership with the Cayuga Museum of History & Art through the West End Arts Campus, which opened in 2025 following a $4.7 million renovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contemporary Art Exhibitions Program An ongoing annual program of 12–14 contemporary art exhibitions presented in three large galleries at the Schweinfurth Art Center, including fiber art, painting, sculpture, and mixed-media shows aimed at community visitors, artists, and cultural tourists.
• Quilts=Art=Quilts Annual international juried art quilt exhibition recognized as one of the top five in the United States. Receives nearly 300 applications and features artists from the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, Norway, and South Korea, with prizes including $1,000 Best of Show.
• Made in NY Exhibition Annual juried exhibition featuring artwork from artists across New York State, showcasing diverse media and emerging to established artists from the region. The 2025 edition featured 67 works by 66 NY State artists.
• Both Ends of the Rainbow Annual exhibition featuring artwork from kindergarten through 12th grade students and senior citizens age 65+, celebrating art from all generations and skill levels; served 78 senior artists in 2025, up 47% from 2024.
• Quilting by the Lake Conference Two-week internationally recognized quilting conference featuring world-class workshops in design, techniques, and surface design taught by renowned quilters. Held at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY. Class fees range from $770 (5 days) to $1,520 (10 days), with housing plans ranging $743–$1,780 and commuter meal plans available.
• Adult Art Classes Artist-taught classes in clay, painting, and fiber art skills for adults of all skill levels, offered on an ongoing basis at the Schweinfurth Art Center.
• Youth Art Classes and Summer Art Camps Art programs for children including Art After School and Summer Art Camps designed to keep young minds engaged with creative activities in clay, painting, and fiber arts.
• Studio Schweinfurth Workshops World-class fiber arts workshops offered throughout the year, taught by nationally recognized artists. Includes felting ($320–$330), encaustics ($240–$250), pastel painting ($170–$180), and Fall Fiber Retreat ($140–$150).
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership program with Associate levels (Student $40, Senior Individual $45, Individual $55, Senior Household $60, Household $75) and Advanced levels (Friend $125, Supporter $250, Business/Organization $250, Benefactor $500, Giving Circle $1,000+). Members receive free admission, guest passes, discounts on classes and events, and advance notice of programming.
• Gift Shop On-site retail shop at the gallery offering unique items including scarves, jewelry, and bags not available elsewhere.
• Guided Tours Docent-led tours welcoming school groups and other visitors to the galleries, with arrangements available for group tours upon request.
• Poetry & Quilts Project and Poetry Readings Poetry & Quilts Project and Poetry & Prose Readings in collaboration with the Central New York branch of the National League of American Pen Women, with poets writing poems responding to artworks in Quilts=Art=Quilts and Made in NY exhibitions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 participants annually at Quilting by the Lake from around the country
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

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

• Surface Design AssociationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2026Joint presentation of 'T3%+!le$ - The Language of Fiber' juried exhibition exploring language in all its expressive forms as it relates to textiles. Schweinfurth hosts the exhibition May 30-August 15, 2026.
• Stone Quarry Art ParkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2025Collaboration on three summer exhibits: 'Fossil Memory' by Ellery Bryan, 'After Flowers' by Patrick Costello, and 'Songs from the Sky' by Patrick McGuan. Both organizations share commitment to broadening public access to arts and increasing artist opportunities. Stone Quarry focuses on outdoor art and invited artists to extend work into gallery setting.
• Cayuga Museum of History & ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2025The Schweinfurth and Cayuga Museum collaborate on the West End Arts Campus, a $4.7 million project funded by NY State Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Includes new entrance, elevator, pathways, and plaza spaces connecting the two institutions. Joint exhibitions include Sa:gwáyoˀ Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ / Cayuga People, We Returned (May 30-September 19, 2026).
• National League of American Pen Women (CNY Branch)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Poetry & Quilts project where poets wrote poems responding to artworks in Quilts=Art=Quilts exhibitions. Also collaborated on poetry responding to Made in NY exhibition.
• Hobart and William Smith CollegescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for Quilting by the Lake conference. Provides campus facilities at de Cordova dormitory and academic buildings for two-week intensive quilting workshops in Geneva, NY.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Surface Design Association: National membership organization for textile and fiber artists that co-presents T3%+!le$ - The Language of Fiber with Schweinfurth in 2026. Related through fiber arts programming but does not operate physical gallery exhibitions.
• Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA): International nonprofit connecting fiber art quilters through exhibitions, publications, and juried shows. Comparable mission space around contemporary quilt art and connects to Schweinfurth's Quilts=Art=Quilts applicant pool.

Direct peers

• Textile Arts Center: Brooklyn-based nonprofit focused on textile and fiber arts education through classes, workshops, and exhibitions. Closest fiber-arts-specific peer to Schweinfurth's Studio Schweinfurth and Quilts=Art=Quilts programming.
• The Hyde Collection: Regional art museum in Glens Falls, NY operating historic house galleries alongside changing exhibitions and education programming. Comparable in size, regional footprint, and nonprofit museum/gallery hybrid model.
• Arnot Art Museum: Elmira, NY regional art museum with permanent collection and rotating exhibitions. Comparable upstate NY regional peer with similar educational mission and community programming.
• Cayuga Museum of History & Art: Auburn, NY neighbor and West End Arts Campus partner institution. Comparable in size and footprint; co-located on shared campus and sharing ticketing, exhibitions, and donor pools.
• Everson Museum of Art: Syracuse, NY art museum offering rotating contemporary exhibitions and community programming. Comparable as a regional NY art institution competing for similar NYSCA and foundation funding.
• Fenimore Art Museum: Cooperstown, NY art museum operating exhibitions of American and folk art with educational programming. Comparable in scale and rural-upstate NY community museum positioning.
• Burchfield Penney Art Center: Buffalo, NY-based nonprofit art center with rotating exhibitions, education programs, and artist residencies. Closest analog: similar mid-sized upstate NY nonprofit art center model with combined gallery/classroom/workshop offerings.
• Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute: Utica, NY arts institution with museum of art, performing arts programming, and education classes. Comparable upstate New York regional anchor for visual arts exhibitions and community education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SchweinfurthArtCenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/MyArtCenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/schweinfurthart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schweinfurth-art-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Schweinfurth Art Center