Conch Shell Productions

What Conch Shell Productions does

Conch Shell Productions Inc is a New York City–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 2018 by Haitian-American producer Magaly Colimon-Christopher. It develops, presents, and produces new theatre and film works by Caribbean-heritage artists, positioning itself as the home for Caribbean heritage theatre and film in NYC. Its programmatic portfolio includes the annual Conch Shell International Film Fest (CSIFF), the CSP New Works Fest, the Bluelight Reading Series, the CSP Artist Collective (a new works development incubator), the monthly CSP Artist Chat talk show, the Hear Her Call Caribbean-American Women's Theater Festival, the Reset Series coalition productions (with Braata Productions and Kumu Kahua Theatre), and the multi-year The Messy Coming-of-Age Project. Distribution combines in-person productions at NYC venues (HB Studio, York College, Queens Public Library, Black Spectrum Theatre, King Manor Museum, Regal UA Midway) with online streaming via YouTube and Filmocracy, reaching a diaspora spanning the U.S., Canada, Africa, Great Britain, and the Caribbean.

The organization reports having championed 120+ Caribbean heritage film and theatre artists and reached 15,000+ audience members (in person and online) since 2018. Revenue is composed of government and foundation grants (NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYSCA, Queens Council on the Arts, Howard Gilman Foundation, Leon Levy Foundation, Stavros Niarchos Foundation), individual donations, corporate sponsorships (JetBlue, New York Jets, New York Giants, Raising Cane's), modest earned revenue from script feedback services ($75 per one-act, $150 per full-length) and Conch Shell Press publication sales ($9.99 paperback, $3.99 ebook). Eligibility for the NYC Small Theatres Fund and Leon Levy Foundation COVID Relief Fund indicates an annual operating budget below $250,000.

There is no proprietary technology platform underpinning the business; the underlying infrastructure consists of standard collaboration tools (Frame.io, Zoom), YouTube-based content distribution, and venue-based live event production. The GTM motion is community-led and event-driven, with audience and artist acquisition concentrated around annual festival programming, dramaturgical and script feedback services, and earned media in Caribbean-diaspora and theatre-trade outlets (BroadwayWorld, Caribbean Life, CaribNews).

Name

Conch Shell Productions

Legal name

Conch Shell Productions Inc

Website

https://conchshellproductions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Conch Shell Productions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that develops, presents, and produces new theatre and film works by Caribbean-heritage artists through annual festivals, artist development programs, and online streaming for diaspora audiences across the U.S. and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Entertainment Programming & Curation (Lineups, Run-of-Show, Scheduling) (HSACAHAO)

Keywords

• Caribbean-American theater
• Independent film festival
• New play development
• Nonprofit performing arts
• Artist collective programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Newyork

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Foundation Funding: Primary revenue source from government grants (NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYSCA, Queens Council on the Arts) and foundation support (Howard Gilman Foundation, Leon Levy Foundation, Stavros Niarchos Foundation).
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters supporting the nonprofit mission.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors including JetBlue, New York Jets, New York Giants, Raising Cane's, and others.
4. Script Feedback Services: One-act script feedback (up to 40 pages) for $75; Full-length script feedback (up to 130 pages) for $150. Revenue from script evaluation and dramaturgical feedback services.
5. Publication Sales: Sale of 'We're Not Neutral: Collected Short Plays from Reset Series' - paperback $9.99, e-book $3.99. Published through Conch Shell Press.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Conch Shell Productions is a NYC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that develops, presents, and produces new theatre and film works by Caribbean-heritage artists. It operates a portfolio of annual programs including the Conch Shell International Film Fest (CSIFF), the CSP New Works Fest, the Bluelight Reading Series, the CSP Artist Collective, the Hear Her Call Caribbean-American Women's Theater Festival, and Reset Series coalition productions. The organization also offers paid script feedback services, publishes play collections through Conch Shell Press, and runs the monthly multilingual CSP Artist Chat talk show on YouTube.

Product overview

Conch Shell Productions is a nonprofit arts organization offering a portfolio of theater and film programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include: the Conch Shell International Film Fest (CSIFF), an annual film festival for Caribbean filmmakers; the CSP New Works Fest for developing Caribbean playwrights' plays; the Bluelight Reading Series for developmental play readings; the CSP Artist Collective incubator for artist development; CSP Artist Chat monthly talk show; Hear Her Call Women's Theater Festival; Reset Series coalition productions addressing social justice; Aftershocks smartphone film project; and Conch Shell Press publications. These programs work together to develop, present, and produce new theater and film works by Caribbean-heritage artists, amplifying underrepresented voices and inspiring social change through storytelling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conch Shell International Film Fest (CSIFF) Annual film festival celebrating independent and student Caribbean and Caribbean-diaspora filmmakers, featuring screenings, industry panels, community events, and a Youth Filmmaker Showcase for ages 12-18.
• CSP New Works Fest Annual celebration of new plays by playwrights of Caribbean heritage, presented in partnership with HB Studio NYC. Playwrights receive professional directors, actors, and dramaturgical support while audiences engage with works at early stages of creation.
• Bluelight Reading Series Developmental platform showcasing new full-length plays and screenplays by Caribbean heritage writers. Provides live audience feedback, dramaturgical support, and a low-pressure space to test new work, fostering dialogue and early-stage creative growth.
• CSP Artist Collective New works development incubator supporting Caribbean heritage artists through workshops, development opportunities, and collaborative gatherings to nurture emerging voices in theater and film.
• Hear Her Call Caribbean-American Women's Theater Festival Annual festival celebrating the diverse voices of Caribbean-American women using innovative theater methods to inspire social change, featuring 10-minute plays, panel discussions, and curated short film series.
• Reset Series Collaborative theater initiative co-founded with Braata Productions (Caribbean) and Kumu Kahua Theatre (Hawaii), presenting new works by artists of African, Caribbean, Native American, Latin American, Asian, and other underrepresented backgrounds to inspire social change and dialogue about racial justice.
• CSP Artist Chat Monthly talk show featuring conversations with filmmakers, playwrights, actors, scholars, and cultural leaders whose work reflects Caribbean storytelling. Available on YouTube with multilingual content in English, Spanish, and French.
• Aftershocks: A Tetralogy of Our Times Mosaic of short narratives, animation, and montage art exploring love, humanity, and socially distant connections in Caribbean American communities in NYC during the coronavirus pandemic. Shot remotely using Frame.io, Zoom, and smartphones.
• Script Feedback Services Paid dramaturgical script feedback service for Caribbean heritage and other writers. One-act script feedback (up to 40 pages) priced at $75 and full-length feedback (up to 130 pages) at $150. Turnaround includes a 48-hour initial response and 5-7 days for feedback notes.
• Conch Shell Press - We're Not Neutral: Reset Series 2020 Published collection of 17 short plays from the Reset Series 2020, representing voices of BIPOC writers. Available as paperback ($9.99) and e-book ($3.99) through Amazon and in libraries including the NYPL Schomburg Center Research Collection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 120+ Caribbean heritage artists championed since founding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• HB StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHB Studio is a New York acting studio and co-producer of Bluelight Series and CSP New Works Fest. Producing Artistic Director Magaly Colimon-Christopher is a member of the HB Studio faculty. The partnership involves virtual learning collaboration and live stream theatre productions.
• Braata ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaribbean performing arts and education organization that co-founded the Reset Theater Coalition with Conch Shell Productions. Dedicated to showcasing Caribbean culture, history, and traditions through folk music, arts and theatre.
• Kumu Kahua TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHawaii-based nonprofit theater that partnered with Conch Shell Productions in the Reset Theater Coalition. Mission to create, support and showcase original works related to Hawaii and represented cultures.
• Queens Council on the ArtsmajorOthersProvides grants to Queens-based artists and organizations including Art Access Grants and Arts Fund grants supporting Conch Shell Productions programming.
• Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented Conch Shell Productions New Works Reading Series 2022 as part of JCAL's Building Equity for BIIPOC Artists initiative, sponsored by NY Community Trust.
• York College / Milton G. Bassin Performing Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Hear Her Call Caribbean-American Women's Theater Festival. Co-produced annual festival presentations at York College in Jamaica, Queens.
• Queens Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Bluelight Reading Series 2025 and CSIFF 2025 community screenings at Forest Hills branch.
• Black Spectrum TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for CSIFF 2025 community screenings. Co-moderated Q&A sessions with founder Carl Clay.
• King Manor MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for CSIFF 2025 community screenings including tour of Jamaica|Jamaica Exhibit and film presentations.
• Flushing Town HallmajorOthersAwarded Individual Artist grant to Magaly Colimon-Christopher through Queens Artist Grant. Administers Statewide Community Regrant program for Conch Shell Productions programming.
• Karukerament PodcastcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench & English podcast featuring Caribbean cinema representation. Co-hosts CSP Artist Chat episodes exploring Caribbean cinema, identity, history, and representation.
• Haiti International Film FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaiti-based film festival collaborating with Conch Shell Productions on Caribbean cinema programming and artist exchange.
• CaFA (Caribbean Film Academy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization dedicated to promotion and support of Caribbean filmmaking. Introduced curated short film series at Hear Her Call festival.
• ART/NYmajorOthersAlliance of Resident Theatres/New York provides grants including NYC Small Theatres Fund made possible with Howard Gilman Foundation support.
• Theater Communications Group (TCG)minorOthersNational theatre organization providing membership benefits and support to Hear Her Call festival playwrights including year memberships.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPOL6MxJxq8j5PPwsp9e7ow
• Facebookfacebook.com/Conchshellprod
• Xx.com/conchshellprod3
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/conch-shell-productions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Conch Shell Productions