Aurora Picture Show

What Aurora Picture Show does

Aurora Picture Show is a Houston-based nonprofit media arts organization founded in 1998 that presents experimental film, video art, and multidisciplinary programming through a portfolio of flagship events and year-round activities. Its core products include the annual Extremely Shorts Film Festival (29th edition in 2026, featuring 34 films from 10 countries), the BYOB outdoor projection event co-presented with The Menil Collection, the Night Light video-art installation series along Buffalo Bayou, Member Moviola gatherings, week-long Summer Youth Filmmaking Camps for ages 7–15, community workshops delivered through schools and hospitals, and The Idea Fund, a re-granting program administered in partnership with DiverseWorks and Project Row Houses under Andy Warhol Foundation funding ($60,000 per round). The organization also stewards the Andy Mann Video Archive — over 1,000 video tapes and reels from the late-1960s through 2001 — as a curatorial and programming asset.

The organization operates with a small core staff of 7 from its new East End venue at 5601A Navigation Blvd. (opened May 2025) and distributes programming through co-presentation partnerships with major Houston cultural institutions. Revenue is generated through a tiered annual membership program ($50 to $1,000+), individual tax-deductible donations, ticketed events ($10–$20), summer camp tuition ($350 members / $400 non-members), and corporate/grant sponsorship (Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Phoenicia Specialty Foods, Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts). The Andy Warhol Foundation funds the Idea Fund rather than Aurora directly. Distribution combines the Aurora venue with partner sites (MFAH Brown Auditorium, Menil front lawn, Buffalo Bayou waterfront) and an online streaming component for Extremely Shorts, reaching 1,500+ youth annually through community collaborations with Texas Children's Cancer Center, MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital, and schools throughout the Greater Houston area.

Name

Aurora Picture Show

Legal name

Aurora Picture Show

Website

https://aurorapictureshow.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aurora Picture Show is a Houston nonprofit founded in 1998 that presents experimental film, video art, and youth filmmaking programs through annual festivals, outdoor installations, workshops, and the Andy Mann Video Archive, serving Houston artists, members, and 1,500+ youth annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Arts Programming and Cultural Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAH

Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYEDAMALAH

Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

Keywords

• Experimental film programming
• Media arts festivals
• Youth filmmaking education
• Video art installations
• Artist re-granting programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Program: Annual membership fees ranging from $50 to $1000+ providing free admission to screenings and events, discounts, and exclusive access to members-only gatherings.
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission and programming.
3. Event Tickets and Sponsorships: Revenue from ticketed events ($10-$20) and corporate sponsorship from companies like Saint Arnold Brewing Company and Phoenicia Specialty Foods.
4. The Idea Fund Grants: Aurora partners with DiverseWorks and Project Row Houses to administer The Idea Fund, a re-granting program funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation ($60,000 awarded per round). Aurora serves as administrative partner rather than primary funder.
5. Summer Camp Tuition: Week-long filmmaking camps for youth ages 7-15 at $400 ($350 for members), with Joseph Orr Memorial Scholarships available for need-based recipients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aurora Picture Show is a nonprofit media arts organization that presents year-round programming including experimental film screenings, video art installations, live multidisciplinary performances, artist talks, and educational workshops. Its offerings span annual festivals (Extremely Shorts), outdoor projection events (BYOB, Night Light), youth filmmaking camps for ages 7-15, community collaboration workshops in schools and hospitals, an artist re-granting program (The Idea Fund), and preservation of the Andy Mann Video Archive. Programming serves Houston audiences, youth, and experimental artists through ticketed events, memberships, and free community programming.

Product overview

Aurora Picture Show operates as a unified media arts organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on film, video, and media art. The core offerings include the Extremely Shorts Film Festival (annual short film competition), BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer) community projection events, Night Light outdoor video installations, Member Moviola member gatherings, Summer Youth Filmmaking Camps, Community Projects workshops, The Idea Fund re-granting program, and the Andy Mann Video Archive. These programs collectively serve artists, filmmakers, and the Houston community through screenings, educational workshops, artist support, and archival preservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Extremely Shorts Film Festival: Annual open-call, juried competition of three-minutes-or-shorter films and videos of all kinds from around the world, presented since 1998.
• Night Light
• BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer)
• The Idea Fund
• Member Moviola

Products and services

• Extremely Shorts Film Festival Annual open-call juried competition showcasing short films (3 minutes or shorter) of all kinds from around the world, featuring guest jurors, in-person screenings, and online streaming. The 2026 edition featured 34 films from 10 countries.
• BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer) Annual evening of outdoor, community-sourced projections on The Menil Collection's facade, where participants bring their own projectors to project video, film, or slide imagery.
• Night Light Annual spring event featuring newly commissioned, large-scale video art installations at sites along Buffalo Bayou waterfront, attracting thousands of attendees annually.
• Member Moviola Members-only quarterly social and secret cinema gatherings featuring special presentations, archive screenings, and community networking.
• Summer Youth Filmmaking Camps Week-long hands-on filmmaking camps for youth ages 7-15 ($400 per week, $350 for Aurora members) teaching basics of traditional and experimental moviemaking from concept development through editing. Need-based scholarships available through the Joseph Orr Memorial Scholarship Fund.
• Community Projects Collaborative media arts workshops and residencies for schools, community centers, hospitals, and organizations serving kids throughout the Greater Houston area, including Arts in Medicine Programs at Texas Children's Cancer Center and MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital.
• The Idea Fund Re-granting program awarding $60,000 per funding round (grants up to $5,000 per recipient) to Houston artists and collectives for innovative experimental public-facing projects.
• Andy Mann Video Archive Archival collection of over 1000 video tapes and reels by pioneering video artist Andy Mann (1949-2001), including street tapes, cable access work, and documentation of Houston artists. Aurora produces DVD collections of selected works.
• Satellites (Spotlights) Special archival spotlight programs featuring rare footage and collections, including works by Willie Varela, Jesse Lott, and Andy Mann.
• Screening Programs and Artist Talks Year-round curated screenings, film festivals, installations, live performances, and artist talks featuring diverse media and multidisciplinary artists beyond traditional genres.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 1500+ youth annually through community collaborations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, minor and supporting.

• Lawndale Art CentermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 August 2026Co-presenter with Aurora of In Good Company episode preview featuring Tay Butler and Jeremy Samuel Johnson. Also partner in Navigating The Archives Within with Blaffer Art Museum.
• The Menil CollectioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2026Co-presenters of the annual BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer) event, where community members project videos on the museum's facade. Partnership has been ongoing for over a decade since 2013.
• Buffalo Bayou PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026Co-presenters of the annual NIGHT LIGHT outdoor video art event featuring large-scale installations along Buffalo Bayou waterfront. Partnership has attracted thousands of attendees annually since 2022.
• DiverseWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2026Administrative partner in The Idea Fund re-granting program, along with Project Row Houses, funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The program awards $60,000 per round to Houston artists.
• Project Row HousescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2026Administrative partner in The Idea Fund re-granting program alongside DiverseWorks and Aurora Picture Show, funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation.
• East End Cultural DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2025Partner for Media Arts Apprenticeship program serving young adults age 18-26 living or working in the East End. Participants learn audiovisual presentation and receive a stipend.
• Eldorado BallroomminorOthers · 11 February 2025Historic venue hosting The Idea Fund 2025 Award Presentations & Reception event.
• Museum of Fine Arts, HoustonmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-presenter of summer camp premiere screenings at MFAH Brown Auditorium. Generous sponsor of Aurora's Summer Youth Filmmaking Camps along with Phoenicia Specialty Foods.
• Saint Arnold Brewing CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Generous sponsor of Aurora's public programs including Extremely Shorts Film Festival and other events. Provides beverages for receptions.
• Phoenicia Specialty FoodssupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Generous sponsor of Aurora's Summer Youth Filmmaking Camps. Also provides catering for events including the Grand Opening Party.
• The Periwinkle FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Ongoing partnership producing year-long youth film projects as part of the Arts in Medicine Program at Texas Children's Cancer Center and Hematology Service. Projects include My Robot Friend, Animal Sanctuary, Inventions, Magic Powers, and I Dream.
• MD Anderson Children's Cancer HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for Arts in Medicine Program producing POSTCARDS FROM SPACE (shown on International Space Station) and STAR GUIDES projects.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BFI Southbank: London-based arm of the British Film Institute dedicated to screen culture, presenting repertory cinema, festivals, and year-round film/video art programming. Comparable to Aurora in its curatorial screening function and dedication to non-mainstream cinema, but at significantly larger institutional scale.
• Wexner Center for the Arts: Ohio State University-affiliated multidisciplinary contemporary arts center presenting experimental film, video art, performance, and visual art. Comparable to Aurora in its commitment to experimental moving-image work, but operates as a much larger, university-affiliated venue with broader programming scope.

Regional players

• Project Row Houses: Houston-based nonprofit that uses art and culture as tools for social change, presenting site-specific installations and residencies in Third Ward row houses. Comparable as a peer Houston arts nonprofit administering The Idea Fund alongside Aurora, with overlapping artist-development missions.
• DiverseWorks: Houston-based contemporary arts nonprofit presenting multidisciplinary performance, visual art, and media programming. Directly comparable as a sibling Houston presenter; both administer The Idea Fund together with Project Row Houses, and the two organizations frequently co-program experimental work for Houston audiences.

Direct peers

• Canyon Cinema: San Francisco-based nonprofit distributor and archive of experimental cinema since 1961, with a catalog of more than 3,800 films. Comparable to Aurora's Andy Mann Video Archive work and its commitment to presenting experimental/short-form work that mainstream venues ignore.
• Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI): NYC nonprofit founded in 1971 that distributes, preserves, and contextualizes video and media art, serving artists, curators, and presenters worldwide. Comparable to Aurora in its mission to support media arts beyond commercial cinema and its role as a curatorial intermediary between artists and audiences.
• UnionDocs: NYC-based nonprofit Collaborative Studio for documentary and nonfiction filmmaking, hosting year-round screenings, workshops, residencies, and artist fellowships. Comparable to Aurora in combining year-round curated screenings with intensive artist-development programming in a single venue.
• Anthology Film Archives: NYC-based nonprofit founded in 1970 dedicated to the exhibition, preservation, and dissemination of experimental, avant-garde, and independent cinema. Directly comparable to Aurora Picture Show as a year-round presenter of non-commercial film/video art, with curated screenings, festivals, and archival programming.
• Light Cone: French nonprofit distributor of experimental cinema and video art founded in 1982, offering screenings, an online catalog, and archival services. Comparable to Aurora in its dual role as presenter and distributor/preserver of avant-garde moving-image work outside the commercial mainstream.
• Video Data Bank: School of the Art Institute of Chicago's nonprofit distribution archive of video art and artist-made moving-image works. Closely comparable to Aurora's Andy Mann Video Archive stewardship and its curatorial role in making experimental video accessible to educators, curators, and audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aurora-picture-show

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Aurora Picture Show