AVALON FOUNDATION

What AVALON FOUNDATION does

Avalon Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1994 by John General and Ellen Vatne, operating the historic Avalon Theatre in Easton, Maryland. The Foundation is the largest non-profit arts organization on Maryland's Eastern Shore and achieved full ownership of the Avalon Theatre building in 2022 after a multi-decade consolidation process. Its core operations center on two venues: the 400-seat historic Avalon Theatre (built in 1922, renovated in 2019 with restored Art Deco features) and the 60-seat Stoltz Listening Room (launched in 2009 through a Keith Stoltz gift). The Foundation produces a diversified portfolio of programming including live music, comedy, theatre, opera screenings via the Met Opera Live in HD partnership (19th season), children's arts education serving 3,000+ students in Talbot County Public Schools, summer camps, the annual Plein Air Easton festival (the largest outdoor art competition in the nation with 58 juried artists), the Easton Farmers Market (40+ years), the Multicultural Festival, and the Avalon Jazz Experience.

The Foundation's technology stack is built on the Spektrix ticketing platform integrated with Apple Wallet and Google Wallet for contactless entry, with PCI-DSS compliant tokenized payment processing. It operates customer accounts that integrate ticket purchasing, donations, and membership management with automatic renewals. Distribution channels include direct online sales via avalonfoundation.org, a physical box office, and partnerships with Bandsintown for event discovery and Maryland Public Television/Talbot Spy for media coverage.

The business model is diversified across multiple revenue streams typical of regional arts nonprofits: transactional revenue (ticket sales with prices ranging $15-$100, concessions/bar service, venue rentals, farmers market vendor fees), recurring revenue (Producers Guild membership tiers from $1,500 to $10,000+ annually, Monthly Giving Program from $10/month), donations (Annual Appeal, Sara B. Ryan Endowment Fund, Mortgage Lifter campaign, seat sponsorship $250-$750 per seat), and unit-priced programs (summer camps at $200-$300). Customer segments include general public/patrons, children and families, donors and supporters, corporate clients, and local vendors. The Foundation employs a professional leadership team including President and CEO Al Bond, CFO/COO Jessica Bellis, and department managers overseeing donor relations, food and beverage, and rental operations.

Name

AVALON FOUNDATION

Legal name

Avalon Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://avalonfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Avalon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the historic 400-seat Avalon Theatre and 60-seat Stoltz Listening Room in Easton, Maryland, providing performing arts programming, children's arts education, summer camps, the annual Plein Air Easton festival, and the year-round Easton Farmers Market to Maryland's Eastern Shore community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue Operations

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Nightclub & Small Live Venue Operations (Clubs, Bars with Stages) (MPAGALAF)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live entertainment programming
• Historic theater operations
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Community film screenings

Headquarters

HQ city

Easton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from live performance tickets sold for Avalon Theatre and Stoltz Listening Room events including concerts, comedy, theatre, opera screenings, and community events
2. Venue Rentals: Corporate events, private movie screenings, speaker events, and staff parties hosted at the Avalon Theatre
3. Concessions and Bar Service: Beverage and food service during performances including craft beers, wines, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options
4. Membership Programs: Producers Guild membership with priority seating, advance notice, exclusive events, and concierge box office service at multiple tiers from $1,500 to $10,000+ annually
5. Donations and Fundraising: Annual Appeal, Monthly Giving Program, Sara B. Ryan Endowment Fund, Mortgage Lifter campaign, and general donor support
6. Seat Sponsorship: Lifetime naming opportunities for theatre seats ranging from $250 to $750 per seat
7. Summer Camps: Theatre and art camps for children including Curtain Call, Curtain Call Jr, Passport Around the World, Mini Monets, Plein Air Art Camp, and Short Week Big Show with tuition ranging from $200-$300
8. Farmers Market: Producer-only market operating year-round with vendor participation fees and associated community programming

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Avalon Foundation operates a restored historic movie palace — the Avalon Theatre — as a year-round performing arts venue on Maryland's Eastern Shore, presenting live music, film, and community programming. It also runs the smaller Stoltz Listening Room, an annual summer arts camp, educational programs, an Eastern Shore farmers market, and hosts private and corporate venue rentals. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, memberships, concessions, donations, sponsorships, camp tuition, and venue rental fees.

Product overview

Avalon Foundation operates as a non-profit arts organization managing a portfolio of venues and programs on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The core offering centers on the historic Avalon Theatre (400-seat Art Deco venue) and the Stoltz Listening Room (60-seat intimate cabaret), complemented by outdoor concert series, the Met Opera Live in HD screening partnership, and the annual Plein Air Easton festival. Children's programming includes summer camps (Curtain Call, Plein Air Art Camp, Early Childhood Arts Exploration) and school performances supported by the Sara B. Ryan Endowment Fund. Additional offerings encompass venue rentals, gift vouchers, Producers Guild membership, and concession services. The organization also manages the year-round Easton Farmers Market and annual Multicultural Festival as community programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Avalon Theatre: The historic 400-seat performing arts venue operated by the Foundation, located at 40 E Dover St, Easton, MD.
• Stoltz Listening Room
• Plein Air Easton
• Easton Farmers Market

Products and services

• Live performance programming at the Avalon Theatre Year-round live music, performing arts, and cultural performances presented at the 400-seat restored Avalon Theatre for local residents and visitors on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
• Film screenings at the Avalon Theatre Community film screenings held in the historic Avalon Theatre, continuing the venue's original movie palace legacy, for general audiences and film enthusiasts.
• Stoltz Listening Room performances Intimate live music and acoustic performances in the foundation's 60-seat Stoltz Listening Room for audiences seeking a smaller, more experiential format.
• Private and corporate venue rentals Rental of the Avalon Theatre and Stoltz Listening Room for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and nonprofit gatherings, offered to event planners and corporate clients.
• Summer arts camp Performing arts summer camp programming for school-aged children, with tuition-based enrollment open to families on the Eastern Shore.
• Eastern Shore farmers market On-site farmers market hosted by the foundation, offering vendor booth space to local farmers and food artisans and selling regional produce and goods to local shoppers.
• Annual membership program Paid annual membership offering benefits such as priority ticketing, discounts, and member-only events to supporters of the Avalon Foundation.
• Concession services Onsite food and beverage concessions sold to patrons attending performances and events at the Avalon Theatre.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ students impacted annually through children's programming
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Metropolitan Opera (Live in HD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinuing partnership for 19th season bringing live Met Opera performances to the big screen at Avalon Theatre via The Met: Live in HD series. Performances are transmitted live from the Met stage to cinemas worldwide while shown locally at Avalon.
• For All SeasonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health partnership providing educational programming, crisis support, and wellness resources during Plein Air Easton and other Avalon events. Partnership includes Open Access walk-in crisis appointments and mental health messaging for artists, staff, volunteers, and visitors.
• Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center (ChesMRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Hispanic Heritage Month programming featuring Marimba Linda Xelaju Guatemalan family band and Ballet Folklorico La Esperanza dance performances.
• Talbot SpyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership for community event coverage and cross-promotion of programming including Craig Fuller hosting events and MPT film screenings.
• Maryland Public TelevisionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerScreening partnership for documentary content including 'Maryland by Air' narrated by Cal Ripkin, Jr., presented at Avalon Theatre.
• Easton Middle SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRain venue host for Multicultural Festival when inclement weather requires indoor relocation.
• Plein Air Easton Festival Alumni ArtistsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with past festival artists to create instructional videos and content for the Plein Air Easton website.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Spektrix: Ticketing and CRM platform purpose-built for arts and cultural organizations, used by Avalon Foundation. Comparable as a technology ecosystem peer reflecting the operational class of mid-sized nonprofit performing arts venues.
• Plein Air Magazine / PleinAir Magazine: Industry media and event organizer covering plein air painting competitions and festivals nationally. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player serving the same artist-and-festival audience that Avalon's Plein Air Easton competition cultivates.

Direct peers

• Strathmore: Maryland-based nonprofit performing arts center operating a 1,976-seat music center and a more intimate venue, presenting concerts, education programs, and community events. Highly comparable as a regional nonprofit arts presenter with mixed venue sizes and a strong educational programming mandate.
• Luther Burbank Center for the Arts: Nonprofit performing arts center in Sonoma County, CA presenting music, dance, comedy, and family programming with a comparable mid-size main hall and emphasis on community education — a strong scale and business-model peer.
• Kentucky Performing Arts: Nonprofit operator of historic Louisville performing arts venues (Kentucky Center, Brown Theatre) presenting touring concerts, Broadway, and educational programs — comparable as a multi-venue nonprofit arts presenter with education as a core mission.
• Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center (The Villages): Mid-size regional performing arts venue operated by a nonprofit/community organization with year-round ticketed programming, concerts, and educational outreach — structurally analogous to Avalon's 400-seat main house plus intimate secondary venue model.

Regional players

• Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival: Nonprofit presenting summer and seasonal concert programming in a coastal/rural market with strong educational outreach — analogous to Avalon in mission (community-rooted classical/jazz presentation) though smaller in venue scale.
• The Morris Theatre Guild / Morris Museum: New Jersey community-based cultural nonprofit offering performances, exhibits, and educational programs in a mid-size suburban/rural market — comparable in scale and mission to Avalon's community arts role on the Eastern Shore.

Broad incumbents

• Fox Cities Performing Arts Center: Larger nonprofit regional performing arts center in Wisconsin presenting Broadway tours, concerts, and family programming with a substantial education arm — comparable business model but at meaningfully greater scale than Avalon.
• Arsht Center (Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts): Major nonprofit performing arts campus in Miami presenting large-scale touring productions and community programming — useful as a scale-up reference point for what Avalon could aspire to as an institutional arts center.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avalon-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 AVALON FOUNDATION