Coconut Grove Arts Festival

What Coconut Grove Arts Festival does

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival (CGAF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, legally the Coconut Grove Arts and Historical Association Inc., that produces an annual juried outdoor fine arts festival in Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida. Founded in 1963 by theatre figure Charlie Cinnamon as a clothesline arts fair tied to a Coconut Grove Playhouse production, the festival has operated continuously for 62 years and is recognized by Executive Director Camille Marchese as one of the top 10 outdoor art festivals in the United States. The flagship event is held over Presidents' Day Weekend (February 14-16, 2026 for the 62nd edition) at 2700 S. Bayshore Drive and attracts tens of thousands of attendees.

The core product is the three-day festival featuring up to 285 juried artists selected through a blind review process from more than 1,000 annual applicants across 15 visual art categories (painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry, glass, fiber, digital art, etc.). The organization supplements the festival with year-round programming: an Emerging Artists two-year mentorship program, annual scholarships ($45,000 to 15 Miami-Dade high school seniors and $30,000 to 10 Florida International University students), Inner Artists / Young Collectors Club children's programming, and auxiliary festival activations including The Stacks mural pyramid, Arts & Drafts Beer Garden, and Kitchen Combat culinary competition. A small headcount of 1-10 employees executes operations, with EngageLive, LLC serving as contracted production partner.

Revenue is generated across five streams: ticket sales (online admission starting at $20 per person per day), artist booth fees ($875-$1,750 per slot), corporate sponsorships (presenting, official, in-kind, and media tiers led by presenting sponsor FHB), commemorative poster merchandise ($20-$50 per unit), and tax-deductible donations processed through the Zeffy platform. The customer base spans individual art collectors and families (attendees), professional and emerging artists (exhibitors), and a portfolio of South Florida corporate sponsors and media partners (NBC 6, Miami Herald). The festival is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Pam Mayer, with executive leadership provided by Executive Director Camille Marchese.

Name

Coconut Grove Arts Festival

Legal name

Coconut Grove Arts and Historical Association INC.

Website

https://cgaf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival (CGAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces an annual Presidents' Day Weekend juried outdoor art festival in Miami, featuring up to 285 artists across 15 categories, serving tens of thousands of attendees and funded through tickets, booth fees, sponsorships, merchandise, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Arts Festival

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN)

Keywords

• Outdoor arts festival
• Juried fine art exhibition
• Arts education programs
• Community arts events
• Artist mentorship initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Coconut Creek

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Festival admission tickets sold to attendees. Online tickets start at $20 per person per day.
2. Artist Booth Fees: Juried artists pay booth fees to participate: Standard Booth $875, Double Booth $1,750, Corner upgrades $275-$375, Sculpture Garden $1,700.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Presenting sponsors (FHB), official sponsors, in-kind sponsors, and media sponsors support the festival with branding and financial contributions.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of commemorative festival posters and vintage poster merchandise through the website store.
5. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through Zeffy platform to support year-round arts programs and scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival produces an annual three-day outdoor fine arts festival over Presidents' Day Weekend in Coconut Grove, Miami, showcasing up to 285 juried artists selected from more than 1,000 applicants across 15 visual art categories. The nonprofit organization sells admission tickets, rents artist booths, secures corporate sponsorships, distributes commemorative posters, and channels proceeds into year-round arts education programs, including an Emerging Artists mentorship program, $75,000 in annual scholarships, and community outreach initiatives.

Product overview

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization producing one of the nation's top 10 outdoor fine arts festivals, held annually over Presidents' Day Weekend. The festival features the core Annual Event showcasing 285+ juried artists across 15 visual categories, supported by educational programs including the Emerging Artists two-year mentorship program, Annual Scholarships ($75,000 total annually to high school and FIU students), Inner Artists family creative space with Young Collectors Club, and culinary/mural programming areas (Arts & Drafts, Kitchen Combat, The Stacks). The organization also sells commemorative posters and offers corporate sponsorship packages. Proceeds from all programs fund year-round arts education initiatives in South Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coconut Grove Arts Festival (Annual Event) The flagship three-day outdoor fine arts festival featuring up to 285 juried artists across 15 visual art categories (painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, glass, clay, digital art, fiber, metal, mixed media, printmaking, watercolor, wood, drawing & pastels). Tens of thousands of attendees visit each Presidents' Day Weekend to view, evaluate, and purchase original fine art directly from exhibiting artists.
• Emerging Artists Program A two-year mentorship program designed to help emerging artists build careers in art shows. Year one focuses on education and internship; year two offers booth space at the festival with personal application consultation. Targeted at emerging fine artists seeking professional development and exhibition access.
• Annual Scholarships Program Scholarship program awarding $45,000 to 15 Miami-Dade County high school seniors ($3,000 each) pursuing arts education, plus $30,000 to 10 Florida International University art students annually through 2026. Targeted at arts-track graduating high school seniors and FIU art undergraduates in South Florida.
• Young Collectors Club Program allowing children aged 6–12 to independently purchase original artwork donated by festival artists for $5 each, cultivating the next generation of art collectors and introducing young patrons to original art ownership.
• FIU Scholarship Program Partnership with Florida International University disbursing $30,000 annually to 10 art students through 2026, totaling $90,000 over the three-year program. Targeted at FIU undergraduate and graduate art students in South Florida.
• New World School of the Arts Partnership Partnership with South Florida's top arts magnet high school providing student booths at the festival since 1990. Artwork is sold for $100 per piece with profits split between student and school, raising nearly $100,000 to date.
• Visiting Artists Workshops Year-round program bringing festival artists into local schools to inspire K-12 students through hands-on workshops and demonstrations, extending the festival's arts education mission beyond the three-day event.
• Artist Application System (Zapp) Online artist application platform (Zapp) charging a $40 application fee, enabling artists to apply for jury consideration. Drives the blind jury selection process that picks up to 285 artists from over 1,000 annual applicants across 15 visual art categories.
• CGAF Commemorative Posters Annual commemorative festival posters created by selected festival artists, available in signed ($50) and unsigned ($20) editions, plus vintage poster merchandise from prior years. Sold through the online storefront to art collectors and festival patrons.
• Sponsorship Packages Custom sponsorship packages for corporate partners offering branding opportunities among affluent South Florida audiences. Tiers include Presenting Sponsor (FHB for the 62nd edition), Official Sponsors, In-Kind Sponsors, and Media Sponsors (NBC 6, Miami Herald).
• Donations / Arts Support Charitable giving platform enabling tax-deductible donations to support student scholarships, emerging artist mentorship, visiting artist programs, and community art supply donations. Processed via the Zeffy donation platform.
• The Stacks Multi-container pyramid structure serving as a live canvas for South Florida muralists to paint throughout the three-day festival, paired with rotating musical performances. Sited on the festival grounds at 2700 S. Bayshore Drive.
• Arts & Drafts Beer Garden On-site beer garden featuring La Rubia beer alongside live art demonstrations by Miami-based artists, combining craft beverage service with artistic expression during the three-day festival.
• Kitchen Combat Culinary competition and demonstration area featuring cooking competitions with South Florida chefs during the festival, complementing the festival's arts programming with food and culinary arts experiences for festival attendees.
• Inner Artists Family-friendly creative space featuring hands-on art projects, interactive installations, live entertainment, and the Young Collectors Club where children aged 6–12 can purchase original artwork for $5 each. Designed for families attending the festival with children.

Quantifiable outcome

• $75,000 awarded annually in scholarships to support arts education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

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

• Ryan Seacrest FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGAF partnered with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation to support Comic Kids' Spanish video series initiative, expanding arts education language access for Spanish-speaking children in South Florida pediatric hospitals.
• New World School of the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Florida's top arts magnet high school partnership since 1990, providing students booth space at the festival to showcase and sell work. Partnership has raised nearly $100,000 to date for students and the school.
• Florida International University (FIU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner$30,000 annual scholarship disbursement to 10 FIU art students per academic year through 2026, totaling $90,000 commitment. CGAF participated in 2023 program launch at FIU's Ceramic Studio.
• Comic KidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiami-based nonprofit founded in 2018 delivering free art instruction to children ages 5-12 in pediatric hospitals, foster care, homeless shelters, and underserved schools. CGAF awarded $10,000 grant to support Spanish video series expansion.
• EngageLive, LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFestival production company responsible for organizing and producing the annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival event.
• Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove MiamiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred hotel partner for festival attendees, located steps from the festival grounds in Coconut Grove.
• NBC 6 South FloridaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia sponsor providing promotional coverage and event visibility through local television broadcast.
• Miami HeraldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia sponsor providing promotional coverage and event visibility through print and digital media.
• FHB (Presenting Sponsor)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the 62nd Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Direct peers

• Cherry Creek Arts Festival: A top-ranked juried outdoor art festival in Denver, often cited alongside CGAF among the country's leading outdoor art shows. Directly comparable in scale, juried artist model, ticket/booth revenue mix, and national recognition.
• Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach: A historic California juried fine art festival (since 1932) featuring original artwork across many mediums. Comparable as a long-standing, prestigious outdoor juried art festival with similar artist-jury and patron-attendee economics.
• Art Basel Miami Beach: The premier Miami art fair held in December, overlapping with CGAF's South Florida audience, sponsor base, and artist community, though positioned at the high-end contemporary segment. Same geographic market and same February/Miami art-event ecosystem.
• Ann Arbor Art Fair: One of the largest and most established juried outdoor art fairs in the U.S., combining multiple fairs across mediums. Comparable in scale, juried artist process, multi-day format, and national draw.
• Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival: A long-running juried outdoor fine art festival in Winter Park, FL, widely considered a top U.S. art festival. Directly comparable as a Florida-based, juried, outdoor fine arts festival with similar artist selection, ticket, and sponsorship model. CGAF's current Executive Director previously led this festival.
• Affordable Art Fair: A multi-city art fair running in several U.S. markets with a juried artist/vendor model and consumer-friendly price points. Comparable as an organized, multi-category art fair targeting collectors and first-time buyers.

Broad incumbents

• Miami Design District / Miami Art Week events: The broader Miami art ecosystem during Art Week and year-round gallery programming. Adjacent to CGAF in audience, sponsors, and artists but competes for attention and corporate dollars, particularly during Miami's heavy arts calendar.
• Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM): A major Miami visual-arts institution serving overlapping patrons, sponsors, and artists. Comparable as a South Florida arts-and-culture venue with shared donor and sponsor relationships, though museum-based rather than festival-based.

Emerging players

• Saatchi Art: A large online art marketplace connecting artists with buyers across many mediums overlapping CGAF's 15 categories. Comparable as a sales channel for the same artist and collector base, but operates digitally rather than as a live juried event.
• Superfine Art Fair: An independent contemporary art fair held in multiple U.S. cities including Miami. Comparable as a curated, juried art fair competing for similar emerging collectors and corporate sponsors, though smaller and younger than CGAF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cgartsfestival
• Facebookfacebook.com/Coconutgroveartsfestival
• Instagraminstagram.com/coconutgroveartsfestival
• TikToktiktok.com/@coconutgroveartsfestival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coconut-grove-art-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coconut Grove Arts Festival