Arts Council of Lake Oswego

What Arts Council of Lake Oswego does

The Arts Council of Lake Oswego (ACLO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization headquartered at 380 A Avenue, Suite A, Lake Oswego, Oregon, operating with a 7-person staff. Its functional mission is to deliver and manage visual arts programming for the City of Lake Oswego and surrounding community, including the operation of a 1,000 sq ft Artspace Gallery, a rotating outdoor Gallery Without Walls program, and stewardship of a public art collection of 80+ outdoor works (55+ permanent, 30 rotating) and 170+ indoor works that collectively draw 8,000+ annual visitors.

ACLO's core products span gallery exhibitions (juried open call shows, rotating artist exhibits, themed exhibitions such as "Art X Hand"), public art management services for the City of Lake Oswego, docent-led tours, art-and-community conversation programming, a volunteer program, and K-12 education outreach through the Lake Oswego School District. Underlying technology is limited to standard nonprofit operational tooling (notably the Kindful donor CRM); the differentiated asset is the curated inventory and civic placement of physical artworks, not a software platform.

The business model combines donation-driven fundraising (individual donations, structured art sponsorships, planned giving), earned income (docent-led tour fees, gallery commissions on art sales, typically 30%), and in-kind civic support via the City of Lake Oswego. Customer segments are distributed across individual community donors, local business sponsors, K-12 students and teachers, and gallery/program visitors. Leadership is a volunteer board (Larry Kitchen, President; Nan Robertson, VP; Jim Frank, Secretary; Briana Cullen, Treasurer) supported by Executive Director Nicole Nathan and Communications & Development Manager Eric Evans.

Name

Arts Council of Lake Oswego

Legal name

Arts Council of Lake Oswego

Website

https://artscouncillo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Arts Council of Lake Oswego is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a community art gallery, manages the city's public art collection of 80+ outdoor and 170+ indoor works, and delivers exhibitions, docent tours, and K-12 programming for Lake Oswego residents and visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Public art programs
• Visual arts gallery
• Community arts education
• Sculpture exhibitions
• Nonprofit arts council

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Oswego

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting arts programming in Lake Oswego. Includes one-time gifts and sustaining monthly gifts suggested at $15/month. All funds stay in Lake Oswego to support free programming.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate and individual sponsorships for Gallery Without Walls sculptures, exhibitions, workshops, and gallery shows. Sponsors receive recognition on website, social media, and promotional materials.
3. Planned Giving: Bequests through wills, trusts, or retirement plans as a significant way to support the organization's long-term mission and ensure art continues in Lake Oswego.
4. Docent Tour Fees: Nominal donation-based docent-led tours of Gallery Without Walls: $35 for groups up to 10, $50 for groups of 11 and up.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Arts Council of Lake Oswego is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates Artspace Gallery (a free visual arts gallery with rotating exhibitions), the Gallery Without Walls outdoor sculpture program (80+ permanent and rotating works displayed throughout Lake Oswego), and stewardship of the City of Lake Oswego's 170+ piece public art collection. It supports these core programs with docent-led tours, the Art + Community in Conversation education series, volunteer engagement, and arts sponsorship opportunities for the Lake Oswego community.

Product overview

The Arts Council of Lake Oswego is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of interconnected arts programs and services. The core offerings include Artspace Gallery (a 1,000 sq. ft. visual arts gallery with rotating exhibitions), the Gallery Without Walls outdoor sculpture program (featuring rotating and permanent public art installations), and comprehensive public art management for the City of Lake Oswego. Supporting services include docent-led tours, the Art + Community in Conversation education series, volunteer programs, art sponsorships, and planned giving options. The organization serves over 8,000 annual gallery visitors and maintains an extensive public art collection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artspace Gallery A nonprofit visual arts gallery in Lake Oswego offering free public programming with 1,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space and new curated shows every two months, hosting over 8,000 annual visitors.
• Gallery Without Walls An outdoor rotating sculpture exhibition featuring nearly 30 works on loan from artists for two years, along with over 55 permanent pieces, displayed throughout the streets and buildings of Lake Oswego.
• Public Art Collection Stewardship Oversight and management of the City of Lake Oswego's extensive public art collection, including 170+ two- and three-dimensional works, percent for art projects, and conservation of indoor and outdoor works.
• Exhibitions Program Rotating exhibition program at Artspace Gallery featuring diverse artists including open call shows, themed exhibitions, and community showcases such as the LOSD Student Art Show.
• Art + Community in Conversation A free public arts education program featuring curated discussions with regional artists, curators, and scholars, promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural understanding.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 8,000 annual visitors to Artspace Gallery
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• City of Lake OswegocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992The Arts Council of Lake Oswego operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that oversees the City's extensive art collection, percent for art projects, the Public Art Committee, and care and conservation of indoor and outdoor works. The Lake Oswego Arts Commission was established in 1992.
• KindfulsupportingTechnology or IntegrationACLO partners with Kindful for their fundraising and donation processing platform. The organization uses embedded Kindful donation forms on their website for secure online giving.
• Gallery Without Walls ArtistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNearly 30 artists contribute works on loan for two years to the rotating Gallery Without Walls exhibition. The 2026 cohort includes artists such as Jenny Ellsworth, Paul Reimer, Mike Suri, Justin Parker, Ochen Kaylan, Josh Daily, Seth Pauley, Kirk Seese, and Katarína Galović Gáspár.
• Josie Mendoza and Hugh MackworthsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous supporters who make the Art + Community in Conversation series possible through their funding.
• Lakewood Festival of the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured together on the Business LO podcast discussing how public art benefits local businesses and the economy. Natalie Wood of Lakewood Festival of the Arts appeared alongside ACLO's Eric Evans.
• Coach to Brilliance (Heather Graves Ramsey)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost of Business LO podcast featuring ACLO's Eric Evans discussing public art's economic impact on local businesses.
• Lake Oswego School District (LOSD)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the LOSD Student Art Show exhibition, providing student artists with gallery exhibition opportunities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Hallie Ford Museum of Art: Regional art museum at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, offering rotating exhibitions, permanent collections, and educational programming. Comparable as a mid-sized Oregon art institution with gallery exhibitions and educational outreach similar to Artspace Gallery.
• Regional Arts & Culture Council: Portland tri-county regional arts funding organization providing grants, public art management, and cultural programs. Operates a similar public art oversight and grantmaking function to ACLO but at a larger regional scale across Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties.
• Oregon Cultural Trust: Statewide cultural funding organization supporting arts, heritage, and humanities nonprofits across Oregon through a tax credit-driven donation model. Comparable as an arts funding and grantmaking entity, though statewide in scope rather than city-focused.
• Multnomah County Cultural Coalition: County-level cultural funding coalition under the Oregon Cultural Trust, distributing grants to arts and culture nonprofits in Multnomah County. Comparable as a community cultural funding body with grantmaking and arts support functions, though operating at county rather than city level.
• Lakewood Center for the Arts: Community arts center serving the Lake Oswego area with classes, exhibitions, and cultural events. Featured alongside ACLO on the Business LO podcast discussing public art's economic impact. Directly comparable in mission and community-focused arts programming within the same geography.

Others

• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit service organization supporting arts organizations through advocacy, research, and capacity-building resources. Functions as an industry association and resource provider for ACLO's sector rather than a direct operational peer.
• National Arts Strategies: Nonprofit focused on leadership development and capacity building for arts and culture organizations. Functions as an enabling organization providing programs and resources for arts councils like ACLO rather than a direct operational peer.

Broad incumbents

• Portland Art Museum: Major Pacific Northwest art museum offering extensive permanent collections, traveling exhibitions, and educational programming in Portland. Functions as a larger incumbent in the regional arts ecosystem with broader scope, significantly more resources, and a museum-scale operation.
• Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art: University of Oregon art museum in Eugene offering extensive collections, special exhibitions, and academic arts programming. Broader incumbent operating at larger scale with university backing, but with overlapping gallery curation and education functions.

Emerging players

• Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA): Portland-based contemporary arts organization focused on experimental programming, residencies, and time-based art. Operates in the same Pacific Northwest arts ecosystem with overlapping community engagement and exhibition functions but with a more experimental, contemporary focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=EqPi7xT6vzg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/art's-council-of-lake-oswego

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Arts Council of Lake Oswego