Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange (CACHE)

What Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange (CACHE) does

Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange (CACHE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit intermediary arts organization founded in 2019 and headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, operating in the Northwest Arkansas region with selected programmatic extension into Tulsa, Oklahoma. The organization functions as a connector and ecosystem builder rather than a direct service provider, working with individual artists, arts nonprofits, municipal governments, and foundations through three pillars: Research (data storytelling on the creative ecosystem), Develop (professional development for artists and organizations), and Convene (curated networking and community-building events).

CACHE's product surface centers on The Medium, a dedicated arts venue at 214 South Main Street in Springdale providing affordable studio, rehearsal, performance, and exhibition space, complemented by grant programs (Artists Creative Fund at $10,000 per Tulsa-based artist; Creative Exchange Fund at The Medium; Take Action grants at $1,000; CACHE grants at $5,000), professional development series (YOLO, Table Talks, Social Hour), and digital infrastructure (NWA Creative Calendar, Organization Directory of 115+ entities, Arts & Culture Job Board, Research & Data Hub, Resource Library). The organization does not develop or disclose proprietary technology; its capabilities are built on community relationships, programmatic expertise, and physical/digital convening infrastructure.

The business model is grant-funded nonprofit operations. Revenue derives primarily from foundation grants (George Kaiser Family Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, Walmart Foundation, Tyson Family Foundation), corporate partnerships, and individual donations processed via Stripe, supplemented by subsidized venue rental at The Medium. CACHE has invested $4,402,828.48 in the Northwest Arkansas creative community since 2019, distributed approximately $495,189.58 to local artists and organizations in 2025 alone, and reports 24,992 cumulative venue attendance in 2025. The team of approximately 14 staff and consultants is led by Executive Director Kelsey Howard and Director of Artist Creative Fund Lisa Marie Evans.

Name

Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange (CACHE)

Legal name

Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange

Website

https://cachecreate.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CACHE is a Springdale, Arkansas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit intermediary that supports individual artists, arts nonprofits, and municipalities in Northwest Arkansas (with select Tulsa programs) through grantmaking, an arts venue (The Medium), professional development, and ecosystem convening.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts & Culture Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Arts nonprofit services
• Artist grant funding
• Creative venue space
• Professional development arts
• Community arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Springdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding & Philanthropy: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, CACHE operates primarily through grant funding from foundations including George Kaiser Family Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, Walmart Foundation, and Tyson Family Foundation. Individual donations are accepted via Stripe.
2. Venue Rental & Programming: The Medium provides affordable and accessible space for performances, rehearsals, meetings, and exhibitions at subsidized rates for local and regional artists and nonprofits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CACHE is a 501(c)(3) intermediary arts organization that supports individual creatives and arts organizations through direct grant funding (Artists Creative Fund $10,000 awards, Creative Exchange Fund programming), affordable venue space at The Medium in Springdale, professional development (YOLO series), and curated community convenings (Table Talks, Social Hour). Programs serve the full creative lifecycle across Northwest Arkansas and Tulsa, with foundation-backed funding and an ecosystem of digital resources including a creative calendar, organization directory, job board, and research hub.

Product overview

CACHE operates as an intermediary arts organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and resources. The core offerings include The Medium, a dedicated arts venue providing affordable space for performances, rehearsals, and exhibitions; grant programs including the Artists Creative Fund (ACF) and Creative Exchange Fund (CXF); professional development series (YOLO, Table Talks, Social Hour); and digital resources including the NWA Creative Calendar, Organization Directory, Job Board, and Research Hub. These offerings work together to support the complete lifecycle of creative work from funding to space to professional development to community visibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Medium: A space for expression, experimentation, and creative risk-taking in downtown Springdale, providing affordable and accessible space for performances, rehearsals, meetings, exhibitions, and more.
• Artists Creative Fund (ACF)
• Creative Exchange Fund (CXF)
• YOLO (Year of Learning and Outreach)
• Social Hour
• Table Talks

Products and services

• Social Hour Happy hour-style networking events convening arts professionals from across the region for conversation and community development.
• Table Talks Monthly gatherings pairing Northwest Arkansas creatives around discussion topics, with invited regional creatives sharing presentations about their creative process and journey.
• The Medium A dedicated arts venue at 214 South Main Street, Springdale, Arkansas providing affordable and accessible studio, rehearsal, performance, and exhibition space for local and regional artists, creative collectives, and nonprofits. Operates as one of the longest-standing independent arts venues in Northwest Arkansas.
• Artists Creative Fund (ACF) An 8-month development program providing $10,000 project-specific awards to Tulsa-based artists for funding, visibility, and professional development to test ideas, explore collaborations, and build skills.
• Creative Exchange Fund (CXF) A programming initiative at The Medium promoting performing artists, artist residencies, curatorial opportunities, and music development, hosting multiple cohorts of CXF artists annually and providing subsidized space valued at approximately $9,829.40 to CXF artists.
• YOLO (Year of Learning and Outreach) A free professional development series providing ongoing education and skill-building for creatives and arts organizations across the region.
• Northwest Arkansas Creative Calendar A regional arts and culture events calendar supporting the full diversity of arts and cultural activity in Northwest Arkansas, featuring events across multiple categories and geographies.
• Organization Directory A searchable database of 115+ arts and cultural organizations across Northwest Arkansas, filterable by location and organization type.
• Arts & Culture Job Board A job board for the creative sector in Northwest Arkansas operated in partnership with the Northwest Arkansas Council, connecting job seekers with opportunities in the regional creative economy.
• InnerSpace A program at The Medium providing space and support for creative projects, with inaugural cohort of recipients announced at the venue.

Quantifiable outcome

• $4,402,828.48 invested in Northwest Arkansas creative community since 2019
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Municipalities (Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Springdale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating municipalities in the Municipal Arts Alliance, addressing how cities can foster inclusive creative ecosystems and invest in character of place.
• The MomentarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on OzCast (developed during COVID-19 pandemic exploring creativity and resilience) and Collisions (collaborative performance bringing eight artists together for unique performances).
• Downtown Springdale AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Famous Hardware art installations making art accessible to Springdale community, and Plains Exchange artist residency program.
• Fayetteville Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting partner for CommsCon 2024, a two-day communications skill development conference for creatives and arts nonprofits.
• University of Arkansas (Office of Career Connections, Fulbright College, School of Art)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partners for CommsCon 2024 communications skills conference.
• KUAFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partner for CommsCon 2024.
• Walton Arts CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for CommsCon 2024.
• Northwest Arkansas CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Arts & Culture Job Board, connecting job seekers with opportunities in the creative sector.
• Tulsa Artist FellowshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost for Plains Exchange artist residency, facilitating one-to-one artist exchange between Tulsa and Northwest Arkansas.
• NWA Coda Coalition (House of Songs, City Sessions, Black Fret, Music Education Initiative, NWA Jazz Society, Music Moves Arkansas, Teen Action and Support Center, Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of eight music nonprofits dedicated to strengthening core competencies for nonprofit organizations including DEIA, board development, financial sustainability, and communications.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tulsa Artist Fellowship: Tulsa-based artist fellowship program founded by George Kaiser Family Foundation that funds and develops artists — directly comparable to CACHE's Artists Creative Fund and a current CACHE partner via the Plains Exchange residency.
• United States Artists: National nonprofit providing direct grants to artists and advocating for artist support — closely comparable in mission of putting direct dollars into artists' hands and convening creative communities.
• Creative Capital: National nonprofit providing project grants and career development to artists — analogous to CACHE's grantmaking-plus-professional-development combination, with a similarly working-artist focus.
• Downtown Springdale Alliance: Local Main Street organization partnering with CACHE on the Famous Hardware art installations and Plains Exchange — comparable community development and creative placemaking function in the same city at smaller scale.
• Alternate ROOTS: Regional arts service organization supporting artists and community-based work in the South — comparable intermediary mission, grantmaking, and convening function across a larger multi-state footprint.
• National Performance Network: National network supporting performing artists and presenters through grants and convening — directly comparable to CACHE's role at The Medium in presenting performing artists and supporting presenters.

Broad incumbents

• Mid-America Arts Alliance: Regional nonprofit arts organization serving six states with grantmaking, training, and convening — a larger-scale analogue to CACHE's intermediary mission across a much broader geography.
• Arts Midwest: Regional arts organization supporting creative placemaking, grantmaking, and convening across the Midwest — directly comparable intermediary mission at materially larger scale and footprint.
• The Momentary: Crystal Bridges satellite venue for contemporary art and music in Bentonville, partnering with CACHE on OzCast and Collisions — adjacent institutional arts presence in the same region with materially larger resources.

Regional players

• Walton Arts Center: Major performing arts center in NWA presenting touring artists and a current CACHE partner on CommsCon — comparable in arts programming but operates a far larger venue and serves a different institutional role.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cachecreate
• Facebookfacebook.com/cachecreate
• Instagraminstagram.com/cachecreate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange (CACHE)