Center for the Arts, Inc.

What Center for the Arts, Inc. does

Center for the Arts, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) performing arts organization founded in 1995 and headquartered in a historic 1909 building at 110 W College St in downtown Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The organization operates a community theater presenting 10 main stage productions per season — including Broadway-licensed titles such as Next to Normal, Frozen, Hairspray, Legally Blonde, and Beauty and the Beast — alongside 8 rotating art gallery exhibits and a new 4-show Community Enrichment Series introduced in 2024. It serves the Murfreesboro and Rutherford County market with a horizontal segmentation spanning families with youth, adult learners, community theater patrons, and local/regional visual artists.

The organization runs a portfolio of educational programs under the Center Stage Academy (CSA) umbrella, including preschool through high school classes, homeschool programming, summer camps ($200-$425), CFTA Vocal Academy private lessons ($30-$60), CFTA Teen Company elite performance troupe, and adult classes in dance, acting, and photography. Technology infrastructure is entirely third-party SaaS: PurplePass for online ticketing and Flex Pass subscriptions, Bloomerang for donor CRM, and Cognito Forms for class registration. There is no proprietary technology, API, or AI/ML capability in evidence.

Revenue is generated through six streams: ticket sales (transaction-fee, ~$25 per show), education program fees (subscription/unit pricing), individual donations at tiered giving levels ($100-$5,000+), corporate sponsorships ($1,000-$5,000), facility and costume rentals, and grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, and Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. The annual Backstage Bash fundraising gala anchors major-donor cultivation, drawing approximately 300 attendees. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer through the boroarts.org website, PurplePass, phone/walk-in box office, and email/social channels. The organization employs 33 staff and is led by Executive Director Regina Ward with a Board of Directors including President Lori Jobe Williams, Vice President Dr. Gloria Bonner, Secretary Dr. Leah Tolbert Lyons, and Treasurer Jackie Morgan.

Name

Center for the Arts, Inc.

Legal name

Center for the Arts, Inc.

Website

https://boroarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Center for the Arts, Inc. is a nonprofit community theater and arts education organization in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, presenting 10 main stage productions annually, operating the Center Stage Academy for youth and adult learners, hosting art gallery exhibits, and running the annual Backstage Bash fundraising gala from its historic 1909 downtown building.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Performing arts productions
• Arts education programs
• Community theater tickets
• Summer arts camps
• Visual art gallery

Headquarters

HQ city

Murfreesboro, TN

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from sale of tickets to theatrical productions including main stage shows, season subscriptions, and Flex Passes for the 2026 season and other performances.
2. Education Program Fees: Registration and tuition fees for Center Stage Academy classes, summer camps, vocal lessons, and other educational programming for youth and adults.
3. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters at various giving levels, including President's Club ($5,000+), Producers ($1,000-$4,999), Director ($500-$999), Actor ($250-$499), and Crew ($100-$249).
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for main stage productions, youth arts education, art gallery exhibits, community enrichment series, and special events like Backstage Bash. Sponsorship tiers range from $1,000 to $5,000.
5. Facility Rentals: Revenue from renting facilities and costumes to external groups for events and productions.
6. Grant Funding: Support from government and foundation grants including Tennessee Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, and Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Center for the Arts is a nonprofit community performing arts organization that produces ticketed theatrical productions on its main stage, operates a year-round arts education academy (Center Stage Academy) for youth and adults, runs a vocal academy, hosts rotating art gallery exhibits showcasing local artists, and supports an elite teen performance troupe. Programming includes summer camps, adult classes, season subscriptions and Flex Passes, and the annual Backstage Bash fundraising gala, all delivered from a historic 1909 building in downtown Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Product overview

Center for the Arts is a nonprofit performing arts organization offering a portfolio of interconnected arts programs at its historic 1909 downtown venue. The core offerings include Main Stage Productions (ticketed theatrical performances), Center Stage Academy (CSA) with youth and adult educational programming, CFTA Vocal Academy (private vocal instruction), Art Gallery Exhibits (rotating visual art displays), and the CFTA Teen Company (elite youth performance troupe). Additional offerings include Summer Camps, Adult Classes, the annual Backstage Bash fundraising gala, Season Subscriptions/Flex Passes, and Facility Rentals. The organization serves the Murfreesboro and Rutherford County community through ticketing, classes, workshops, and performances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Stage Productions Ticketed theatrical performances featuring classic and contemporary plays and musicals presented at the Center's historic 1909 venue, including titles such as Next to Normal, We Will Rock You, Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Bonnie & Clyde, and Frozen. Targeted at community theater patrons and families.
• Center Stage Academy (CSA) Year-round arts education program offering after-school classes, homeschool programs, workshops, camps, and theatrical productions for students of all ages covering acting, musical theatre, visual arts, photography, dance, and vocal instruction.
• CFTA Vocal Academy Specialized vocal training program providing one-on-one lessons for individuals ages 10 and up, focusing on vocal technique, health, stamina, strength, and confidence building. Priced at $30 for 30-minute lessons and $60 for 60-minute lessons.
• Art Gallery Exhibits Rotating art gallery featuring local and regional artists, housed in a 45.5ft x 32ft versatile space that also serves as a reception hall, practice space, and concession area. Eight exhibits are planned per year.
• CFTA Teen Company Elite group of young performers selected through auditions to be featured in two mainstage productions annually, working alongside adult performers to prepare for collegiate and professional careers.
• Season Subscriptions and Flex Passes Subscription packages allowing ticket holders to attend multiple performances during the season, with Flex Passes offering 5, 10, 15, or 20 tickets usable across any combination of shows in the current season.
• Backstage Bash Annual fundraising gala and celebration event marking milestone seasons, featuring cocktail hour, seated dinner on stage, entertainment, and a dueling pianos after-party. Main event tickets priced at $500 and Curtain Call tickets at $125, expected to bring 300 community members.
• Adult Classes Arts education programming for adults 18+ including music theatre dance, acting basics, photography, and specialized workshops in small group settings. Examples include Music Theatre Dance Basics (5-6-7-8) priced at $220 and various Photography Basics offerings.
• Summer Camps Summer arts camps for grades K-12 offering performance classes, production programming, visual arts, and theatrical training culminating in showcases and full productions. Pricing examples: Performance Camps K-2 at $200; Elementary One (3rd-6th) at $275; Production Camps (3rd-12th) at $425; Visual Arts K-5 at $325.
• Facility Rentals Rental of the historic 114-year-old building spaces and costume inventory to external groups for events, rehearsals, and productions.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Music Theatre International (MTI)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner providing authorized performance materials for productions including Next to Normal, Seussical, Disney's High School Musical Jr., 101 Dalmatians Kids, and other Broadway shows.
• Theatrical Rights WorldwidecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner providing authorized performance materials for productions including How I Became a Pirate and The Addams Family Young@Part.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cumberland County Playhouse: Tennessee-based professional regional theater producing Broadway musicals and plays with associated education programming — comparable in ticketed production model, education programs, and Tennessee community-arts nonprofit structure.
• Nashville Children's Theatre: Nashville-based professional theater company producing shows specifically for young audiences, with strong educational programming — directly comparable to CFTA's youth-focused CSA and Teen Company offerings in the same Tennessee market.
• Roxy Regional Theatre: Clarksville, TN-based professional theater producing a mainstage season and educational programs — comparable Tennessee community theater operating model with ticketed productions and youth classes.
• Chattanooga Theatre Centre: One of the oldest community theaters in the Southeast, producing mainstage seasons plus year-round youth and adult education — directly comparable mix of production, education, and community engagement programming.
• Nashville Repertory Theatre: Nashville's professional community theater producing a mainstage season of plays and musicals — closely aligned with CFTA's 10-production main stage model and subscription/Flex Pass ticketing approach.
• Arts Center of Cannon County: Small Tennessee community arts center offering theater, visual arts, and education programming in a similar rural/suburban Tennessee market. Closely comparable in mission, scale, and nonprofit structure to Center for the Arts, Inc.

Regional players

• Playhouse on the Square: Memphis-based professional theater company producing a mainstage season plus education programs — operates in a different Tennessee region than CFTA but offers a directly comparable producing-theater-plus-education model.

Broad incumbents

• Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC): Larger Nashville-based performing arts presenter and venue hosting Broadway tours and resident companies — a broader incumbent in the same Tennessee performing arts ecosystem, with overlapping but much larger-scale programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Boro_Arts
• Facebookfacebook.com/BoroArtsInfo
• Instagraminstagram.com/boroarts
• TikToktiktok.com/@boroarts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-the-arts-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Center for the Arts, Inc.