Perkins Center for the Arts

What Perkins Center for the Arts does

Perkins Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 1977 in Moorestown, New Jersey, operating two physical locations — the historic Strawbridge Mansion on a five-acre arboretum in Moorestown and a Collingswood facility featuring Main and Loft galleries — to deliver arts education, exhibitions, and community cultural programming across South Jersey's eight counties. The organization's core programming includes visual arts classes, music lessons through the Conservatory of Music, exhibitions across three galleries, the NJ Folklife Center (one of five official New Jersey State Folklife Centers, operating since 2009), the Artists Reaching The Schools in-school residency program, Summer Arts Camp, and targeted outreach such as Arts in Healing with Samaritan Hospice, Folk and Traditional Arts at Home for homebound individuals, and free memberships for veterans. Annual scale metrics include 42,000+ individuals served, 350+ visual arts classes and workshops, 700+ music lessons and recitals, 18+ exhibitions, 30+ free concerts, and 40+ scholarships awarded.

The organization generates revenue through four primary streams: class and lesson fees, annual memberships (mandatory for exhibiting artists), individual donations and foundation grants (Holman Foundation, Horizon Health, New Jersey State Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, PNC ARTS ALIVE, NJ Historic Trust), and facility rentals. Digital infrastructure is minimal and commodity-based: a Canvas LMS-derived registration platform at canvas.perkinsarts.org for classes, memberships, events, and donations; Constant Contact for email marketing; PayPal for payment processing; and standard social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). The organization maintains a network of 400+ visual, performing, and folk artists and serves seven distinct customer segments including youth and families, adult learners, working artists, veterans, cultural communities, people with disabilities, and older adults.

Name

Perkins Center for the Arts

Legal name

Perkins Center for the Arts

Website

https://perkinsarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Perkins Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1977 operating two South Jersey locations in Moorestown and Collingswood to deliver visual arts classes, music instruction, exhibitions, and community cultural programming to 42,000+ residents annually, including one of five official NJ State Folklife Centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts Education & Cultural Programs

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts-Integrated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), Personal Enrichment & Creative Arts Programs (EDAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Community arts education
• Visual arts classes
• Music conservatory instruction
• Folklife programming services
• Arts exhibition programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Moorestown

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Class and Lesson Fees: Revenue from visual arts classes, music lessons, and workshops offered at both locations. Classes are available for youth, teens, and adults across various disciplines including ceramics, glass, painting, and music instruction.
2. Memberships: Annual membership program offering benefits to supporters, including priority registration for classes, exhibition opportunities, and other perks. All exhibiting artists are required to become members.
3. Individual Donations and Grants: Perkins relies heavily on public generosity including individual contributions, corporate partnerships, and foundation support. Notable supporters include Holman Foundation, Horizon Health, New Jersey State Arts Council, and others.
4. Facility Rentals and Event Hosting: The historic Strawbridge Mansion in Moorestown and spaces in Collingswood may be available for private events, generating additional revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Perkins Center for the Arts is a non-profit community arts organization that delivers hands-on visual arts, music, writing, movement, and cultural-tradition classes; runs three gallery exhibition spaces; operates a Conservatory of Music for private and group instruction; and mounts community and folklife programming including concerts, festivals, in-school residencies, summer camps, and arts-in-healing partnerships. Programming is offered at two South Jersey campuses in Moorestown and Collingswood, supported by memberships, tuition, donations, and grants from foundations and government arts agencies.

Product overview

Perkins Center for the Arts is a multi-location nonprofit arts organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of arts education and cultural programming. The organization operates as a unified platform with interconnected offerings: Classes & Lessons (visual arts, music, writing, movement, cultural traditions) form the educational core; the Conservatory of Music provides specialized music instruction; Exhibitions showcase artists in three galleries; Events drive community engagement through concerts and programs; Summer Arts Camp serves youth; NJ Folklife preserves regional folk traditions through World Stage concerts, Artscapes fieldwork, and StoryPad storytelling; and Community Programs including Arts in Healing extend reach to underserved populations. Artist Resources and membership programs support the creative community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NJ Folklife at Perkins: One of five official New Jersey State Folklife Centers that supports tradition bearers, culture keepers, and community artists through documentation projects, exhibitions, and public programs. Launched in 2009 in partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
• Conservatory of Music

Products and services

• Classes & Lessons Visual arts, music, writing, movement, and cultural-tradition classes and workshops for youth, teens, and adults taught by professional teaching artists and instructors across the Moorestown and Collingswood campuses.
• Exhibitions Gallery exhibitions featuring local, regional, national, and international artists across three gallery spaces (Strawbridge Mansion galleries plus Main and Loft galleries in Collingswood), including juried shows, solo exhibitions, and community-based exhibits.
• Conservatory of Music Music education program offering personalized individual lessons, group instruction, and early childhood Mini Musicians programming with expert faculty across diverse genres including classical, jazz, and world music.
• Summer Arts Camp Annual multi-week summer arts camp program providing youth with immersive visual arts and cultural arts education experiences.
• Arts in Healing Partnership with Samaritan Hospice Center bringing rotating themed art exhibitions from Perkins' regional artist roster into hospice facilities for patients, families, and staff.
• NJ Folklife One of five official New Jersey State Folklife Centers documenting and presenting South Jersey folklife traditions through fieldwork, oral histories, exhibitions, concerts (World Stage), digital mapping (Artscapes), mobile storytelling (StoryPad), and home-visits (Folk and Traditional Arts at Home).
• World Stage Outdoor music and dance concert series under NJ Folklife celebrating cultural traditions of South Jersey communities, featuring Bollywood, African dance, Balkan music, and additional world traditions.
• Artists Reaching The Schools (ARTS) In-school residency program bringing professional teaching artists and cultural artisans into South Jersey K-12 schools across multiple counties to deliver arts instruction.
• Folk and Traditional Arts at Home Outreach program bringing folk artists to homebound individuals for performances, demonstrations, and one-on-one instruction in cultural traditions.
• Events Public events including concerts, artist receptions, open mic nights, exhibition openings, and community gatherings hosted at the Moorestown and Collingswood locations.
• Artists Resources Support services for working artists including teaching opportunities, performance bookings, exhibition calls, artist meetups, and resource compilations accessible via the Artists Resources page on the Perkins website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving 42,000+ community members annually
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 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 core and minor.

• Samaritan Hospice CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Perkins has partnered with Samaritan Hospice Center in Voorhees, NJ for the Arts In Healing initiative, bringing themed art exhibitions to the hospice facility. The collaboration provides comfort to families and staff in end-of-life care through rotating exhibitions featuring regional artists. Currently in its second year with exhibitions from March to September annually.
• New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009NJ Folklife at Perkins was launched in 2009 in partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Perkins is one of five official NJ State Folklife Centers. The NJSCA provides funding and guidance for folklife documentation, programming, and support for tradition bearers throughout New Jersey.
• South Jersey Cultural Alliance (SJCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cultural organization partnering with Perkins for the Artscapes project, a digital mapping initiative of outsider art sites in South Jersey. SJCA provides resources, grants, workshops, and networking opportunities for artists and cultural organizations in the region.
• The Tender, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdult daycare facility in Mount Laurel partnering with Perkins for the Folk and Traditional Arts at Home program, offering yoga, Chinese brush painting, origami, and other programming to homebound individuals.
• Moorestown Friends SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent school where Perkins glass instructor David Gamber teaches ceramics, representing educational partnership for arts instruction.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA): State arts funder that supports Perkins through grants and the Folklife Center designation. Not a competitor but a key funder and ecosystem partner shaping Perkins' funding and programming strategy.
• South Jersey Cultural Alliance: Regional cultural advocacy and support organization partnering with Perkins on the Artscapes digital mapping project. Functions as a peer network and capacity-building partner rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• The Michener Art Museum: Regional art museum in Doylestown, PA offering exhibitions, classes, and community programming with a larger footprint than Perkins. Comparable as a Bucks County/regional nonprofit combining museum-style exhibitions with arts education, though more institutionally focused.

Direct peers

• Torpedo Factory Art Center: Alexandria, VA-based arts center housing dozens of artist studios, galleries, and art classes in a historic building. Comparable as a multi-studio, multi-gallery nonprofit arts center combining exhibitions, education, and artist workspace.
• Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center: South Jersey arts and cultural center in Millville, NJ with a museum, glass studio, folk/traditional arts programming, classes, and community events. Closely comparable as a multi-location NJ nonprofit combining fine arts instruction, folklife, and exhibitions.
• Grounds For Sculpture: New Jersey-based sculpture park and arts center in Hamilton, NJ offering exhibitions, classes, and community programming. Comparable as a regional NJ nonprofit arts institution combining visual arts education with public-facing exhibitions and events.
• Center for the Arts of Greater Manassas / Prince William County: Virginia community arts center offering classes, exhibitions, concerts, and cultural programming to a regional population. Comparable in scale and program mix to Perkins as a multi-disciplinary community arts nonprofit.
• The Clay Studio: Philadelphia ceramic arts center offering classes, exhibitions, residencies, and community programming focused on ceramics education. Comparable as a discipline-specific nonprofit arts education center with classes, exhibitions, and artist support services.
• Fleisher Art Memorial: Philadelphia nonprofit community art school offering low-cost visual arts classes, workshops, and exhibitions with a long history of community arts education. Directly comparable as a community-focused nonprofit arts education center serving a regional population.

Regional players

• Bucks County Community College's Center for the Arts: Adjacent regional performing and visual arts venue in Newtown, PA offering community classes and exhibitions. Comparable community arts programming but anchored to a higher-education institution rather than operating as an independent nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PerkinsCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/perkins-center-for-the-arts
• Instagraminstagram.com/perkinscenterarts
• Xx.com/perkinscenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Perkins Center for the Arts