What BroadStage does

BroadStage is a nonprofit contemporary performing arts presenter operating from The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 2008 as a flagship institution of Santa Monica College (and operating under its governance structure), the organization presents a season-long program of ticketed performances spanning Theatre, Classical Music, Dance, Jazz & Blues, Concert Music, Celebrity Opera, family-friendly BroadStage Sundays, the blackbox blues/Americana series, and the Nat Geo Live speaker series, as well as a Sunday Morning Music program. Notable recent additions include the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival launched in May 2026 (with the City of Santa Monica and Travel and Tourism) and a Stanley Clarke three-year Artist-in-Residence program running 2023-2026 that pairs performances with mentorship for Santa Monica College and Santa Monica High School students.

The organization's product surface is content/presentation-driven rather than technology-driven. The proprietary "product" is essentially the curated season programming and the venue operations themselves, with no in-house production noted on the technology stack side; distribution runs through a 24/7 online ticketing system, a physical and phone box office, a Salesforce-backed member portal, and co-productions (e.g., 'Kaiju' with The Road Theatre Company, the LA Master Chorale visiting production). No proprietary technology platforms, AI/ML systems, patents, or APIs are described in the source material. The blackbox series combines an indoor-outdoor plaza experience curated by The Reverend Shawn Amos.

BroadStage's business model blends earned and contributed revenue streams. Earned revenue comes from individual show tickets, bundled season ticket packages with 'buy-more-save-more' discounting, and student rush tickets ($10 for Santa Monica College Associated Students, $20 for other full-time college students). Recurring/contributed revenue comes from an annual membership program offering priority access and exclusive benefits, individual and planned-giving donations, corporate gifts, and a Neighborhood Business Member program. Marketing channels are primarily direct: website, email newsletter, seasonal pre-show plaza activations, and event-driven season campaigns targeting both local arts patrons and out-of-town visitors for major LA events including the upcoming 2028 Olympics.

Name

BroadStage

Legal name

BroadStage

Website

https://broadstage.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BroadStage is a Santa Monica-based nonprofit contemporary performing arts presenter presenting theatre, classical music, dance, jazz, opera, and family programming across multiple genres, plus the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival and an Artist-in-Residence program, serving local arts patrons, students, and LA tourism audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live performance presenting
• Contemporary performing arts
• Arts education programs
• Concert and theater series

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual show tickets and season ticket packages for performances across multiple genres including theatre, dance, classical music, jazz, and opera.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership program offering benefits in exchange for recurring fees, including priority access and exclusive offerings.
3. Donations and Planned Giving: Donor contributions and planned giving programs supporting the performing arts institution. Includes corporate gifts and neighborhood business member program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BroadStage presents and curates a multi-genre performing arts season at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage, including theatre, dance, classical music, jazz & blues, concert music, celebrity opera, family programming, and a National Geographic Live speaker series. It sells individual and season tickets, runs an annual membership program, hosts a Student Rush program, and operates an Artist-in-Residence initiative with associated educational learning guides.

Product overview

BroadStage is a contemporary performing arts presenter operating at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center. Established in 2008, it offers a diverse portfolio of performance series including Theatre, Classical Music, Dance, Jazz & Blues, Concert Music, Celebrity Opera, BroadStage Sundays, and blackbox, as well as the Nat Geo Live series featuring National Geographic speakers. The organization also runs the annual Santa Monica International Jazz Festival and operates an Artist In Residence Program that provides mentorship and performance opportunities. Educational offerings include Learning Guides for students and educators, while ticketing options encompass Season Ticket Packages, Membership programs, and Student Rush discounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Theatre Series A recurring theatre performance series presenting dramatic productions, Broadway-style recitals, comedy shows, and co-productions for general audiences in Santa Monica.
• Classical Music Series A classical music series featuring chamber ensembles and orchestras such as Takács Quartet, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and Delirium Musicum.
• Dance Series A dance series presenting contemporary and traditional companies including Ragamala Dance Company, Versa-Style Street Dance Company, and Gravity & Other Myths.
• Jazz & Blues Series A jazz performance series featuring artists such as Hiromi: The Trio Project, The Hot Sardines, Keyon Harrold, and LUCíA.
• blackbox Series A curated blues, Americana, and local-talent performance series hosted by The Reverend Shawn Amos, featuring an indoor-outdoor experience on the plaza.
• Concert Music Series A world music and concert performance series featuring artists such as Camila Fernandez, Perla Batalla, Nella, and Aga Khan Master Musicians.
• Celebrity Opera Series An opera performance series featuring distinguished vocalists including Huw Montague Rendall and Lise Davidsen.
• BroadStage Sundays Series A family-friendly programming series on Sundays including events such as The Rev's Family Dance Party and Nate's World.
• Nat Geo Live Series A National Geographic speaker series featuring nature photography and exploration presentations such as Diving the Great Barrier Reef, Discovering the Galapagos, Saving Nature's Symphony, and Weird World of Frogs.
• Santa Monica International Jazz Festival An annual international jazz festival launched in partnership with the City of Santa Monica and Travel and Tourism, featuring performances across multiple venues in Santa Monica.
• Artist In Residence Program A multi-year residency program providing mentorship and performance opportunities for emerging and professional musicians, with Stanley Clarke as the inaugural artist (2023–2026).
• Los Angeles Master Chorale: Lagrime di San Pietro A touring choral production by the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Master Chorale, directed by Peter Sellars, featuring 21 singers performing Renaissance madrigals.
• Season Ticket Packages Subscription packages offering discounts and priority access to multiple performances across the season.
• Membership Program Annual membership program providing benefits, donor recognition, and exclusive access to BroadStage events and programming.
• Student Rush Tickets Discounted rush ticket program for college students ($10 SMC Associated Students, $20 general full-time students with valid ID) available one hour before showtime.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Santa MonicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the City of Santa Monica and Travel and Tourism to host the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival in May 2026, expanding reach to travelers and positioning for LA 2028 Olympics.
• Santa Monica CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship institution of Santa Monica College. Hosts Stanley Clarke's 3-year Artist Residency (2023-2026) providing mentorship for SMC and Santa Monica High School students on the cusp of professional careers.
• The Road Theatre CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for 'Kaiju' theatre production running September 22-November 1, 2026 at BroadStage.
• Crewest StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Crewest Studio for Ric'key Pageot's 'Classic Black' show celebrating Black excellence in classical music.
• Stanley ClarkecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour-time Grammy Award-winning artist began 3-year Artist Residency in August 2023. Includes performances, curation, and mentorship for Santa Monica College and Santa Monica High School students.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• LA Opera: Major LA opera presenter operating at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Competes directly for opera audiences (overlapping BroadStage's Celebrity Opera Series featuring Lise Davidsen and Huw Montague Rendall), with substantially larger scale and budget.
• Hollywood Bowl: Legendary LA outdoor venue presenting summer classical, jazz, pop, and world music programming. Operates at much larger scale with massive annual attendance and a deep donor/sponsor base; competes for the same warm-weather LA audience for outdoor and summer programming.
• Walt Disney Concert Hall / LA Philharmonic: Iconic LA classical music presenter at a far larger scale. Competes for classical, jazz, and contemporary music audiences across LA and is the dominant institutional classical music presenter in the region, with substantially larger programming budget and donor base than BroadStage.

Direct peers

• The Soraya (CSUN Valley Performing Arts Center): Mid-sized LA-area presenter at California State University Northridge presenting music, dance, and world music programming. Closely comparable as a university-anchored multi-genre presenter serving a Southern California audience with overlapping programming categories (jazz, world music, classical, dance).
• Cal Performances (UC Berkeley): University-presenting organization at UC Berkeley presenting world-class music, dance, and theatre. Directly comparable presenter model, multi-genre programming, university affiliation, educational integration, and reliance on donations/subscriptions — but serving the Bay Area rather than LA.
• The Music Center (Los Angeles): LA's largest performing arts center operating four venues (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson, Mark Taper, Walt Disney Concert Hall). Directly comparable as a multi-venue presenting organization serving overlapping LA audiences across theatre, dance, opera, and music.
• Geffen Playhouse: Westwood-based nonprofit theatre presenter producing and presenting plays, musicals, and new works. Directly comparable in scale and nonprofit model, competing for LA theatre patrons with subscription and membership programs similar to BroadStage's.
• Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Kirk Douglas Theatre): LA-based nonprofit theater presenter with multiple venues producing and presenting theatre, musicals, and new works. Directly comparable as a Los Angeles performing arts presenter competing for the same theatre-patron audience and donor base as BroadStage's Theatre Series.

Regional players

• Segerstrom Center for the Arts: Major Orange County performing arts presenter in Costa Mesa, CA, presenting Broadway, dance, jazz, classical, and family programming. Closely comparable in scale and presenter model, serving a Southern California audience that partially overlaps with BroadStage's market.
• Mondavi Center (UC Davis): University-affiliated performing arts presenter in Davis, CA, presenting classical, jazz, world music, dance, and family programming. Comparable multi-genre presenter model with university affiliation, educational programming, and similar donor/membership structure, but serving Northern California.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/broadstagesm
• Facebookfacebook.com/broadstagesm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/broadstage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 BroadStage