EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI
EMPAC is a 220,000-square-foot university-affiliated performing arts and research center at RPI that commissions, produces, and presents experimental works in music, dance, theater, and time-based visual art across a 1,200-seat concert hall, a 320-seat theater, and flexible studios, serving artists, the RPI community, peer arts institutions, event renters, and researchers through ticketing, venue rental, and institutional/grant funding.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersTroy, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI does
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI — is a 220,000-square-foot multi-venue performing arts and research facility operated by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on its Troy, New York campus. Opened in October 2008 and designed by Grimshaw Architects with acoustics by Kirkegaard Associates, the center houses a 1,200-seat concert hall, a 320-seat theater, and three flexible studios (Studio 1—Goodman, Studio 2, Studio Beta) supported by Evelyn's Café, a lobby, and a mezzanine. EMPAC commissions, produces, and presents ambitious works across music/sound, dance, theater, and time-based visual art through artist residencies and direct curatorial programming, and operates the annual TOPOS music festival.
EMPAC's core technology is an integrated performance and research infrastructure: a Wave Field Synthesis spatial audio system, a 39-channel ambisonic sound environment in Studio 1, advanced acoustic isolation (sections of the building sit on springs anchored by 215 cable ties to bedrock), and high-bandwidth audio/video/lighting/computer networks linked to RPI's CCNI supercomputer. Since 2015 the Cognitive and Immersive Systems Laboratory (CISL @ EMPAC), a joint initiative with IBM, has used these venues to research human-computer interfaces. The center also runs a research program driven by RPI students, faculty, and staff that treats EMPAC as a laboratory at the interface of digital technology and human sensory experience.
Commercially, EMPAC generates revenue from three streams: (1) ticket sales — general admission $20, $15 discounted, $10 films, $5 RPI student advance; (2) venue rental of all five venues and common spaces to external organizers for events, performances, research, and meetings; and (3) recurring institutional and grant funding, primarily through RPI and the New York State Council on the Arts (with Governor and State Legislature support), supplemented by grants such as those from the American Composers Forum/Jerome Foundation. Customer segments are hybrid: RPI students/faculty/staff (vertical, primary), professional artists and performers (vertical, primary), peer arts institutions and presenting organizations (co-commission partners), event organizers and private renters (horizontal), and researchers and academics. Audience development runs through the EMPAC website, a Mailchimp newsletter, Instagram, Vimeo video archive, and the "In Production" podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, supplemented by earned coverage in The New York Times, The Wire, Times Union, and Metroland.
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI
- Legal name
- The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center
- Website
- https://empac.rpi.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- EMPAC is a 220,000-square-foot university-affiliated performing arts and research center at RPI that commissions, produces, and presents experimental works in music, dance, theater, and time-based visual art across a 1,200-seat concert hall, a 320-seat theater, and flexible studios, serving artists, the RPI community, peer arts institutions, event renters, and researchers through ticketing, venue rental, and institutional/grant funding.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Center
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE)
Keywords
Where EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Troy
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: EMPAC generates revenue through ticket sales for performances, concerts, installations, and festival events. Pricing varies by event type with general admission typically $20, discounted rates for seniors, students, and RPI community members.
- Venue Rental: The center rents its venues (concert hall, theater, studios) to external parties for events, performances, research projects, and campus activities. The facility offers five advanced performance venues and common spaces including a café and terrace.
- Institutional Funding: As part of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, EMPAC receives institutional support and operational funding. Programs are made possible in part by New York State Council on the Arts with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | General Performance Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Discounted Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Films and Special Events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | RPI Student Advance Tickets |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Festival Pass (TOPOS) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Event Tickets (Festival) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Student Passes (TOPOS Festival) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EMPAC commissions, produces, and presents experimental performances and time-based artworks across music/sound, dance, theater, and moving image, supporting artists through residencies, commissions, and world premieres. The center operates multiple performance venues (1,200-seat concert hall, 320-seat theater, and three flexible studios) integrated with advanced audio, video, lighting, and computer networks, including proprietary Wave Field Synthesis spatial audio. It also offers venue rental, guided tours, an annual music festival (TOPOS), and serves as a research laboratory jointly with IBM.
Product overview
EMPAC is a multi-venue performing arts center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute featuring four main venues (Concert Hall with 1200 seats, Theater with 320 seats, Studio 1—Goodman, and Studio 2) plus support spaces including Evelyn's Café, Lobby, Mezzanine, and Studio Beta. The center offers a Curatorial Program that commissions, produces, and presents ambitious works across music, time-based visual art, theater, and dance through Artist Residencies and Commissions. Its Research Program enables digital technology and human experience research, while Campus/Student Programs engage students through employment, events, and the PULSE working group. EMPAC also hosts the annual TOPOS Music Festival and offers Venue Rental and EMPAC Tours as services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Evelyn's Café: A full-service café located on Level 5 beneath the hull of the concert hall, offering light fare, coffee, beverages, and beer/wine during events.
- TOPOS
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 20 years of artist residencies supporting hundreds of artists since 2003
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- IBM (Cognitive and Immersive Systems Laboratory)coreCISL @ EMPAC is a joint initiative with IBM founded in 2015, using EMPAC's venues and technologies to research new human-computer interfaces.
- The Warburg Institute (London)coreCommissioned Edward George's 'Black Atlas' exploring the 'Image of the Black' archive. The American premiere was presented in partnership with EMPAC and other organizations.
- Sanctuary for Independent MediacoreLocal Troy partner for Black Atlas screening and Be the Media workshop during TOPOS 2026 festival. Co-presents events extending EMPAC's reach into North Troy community.
- iEAR PresentscorePartnership with RPI's Department of Arts and School of Humanities, Arts and Social Science for co-presenting Black Atlas and other programs.
- Gwangju BiennaleflagshipEMPAC co-commissioned Marina Rosenfeld's project for the 15th Gwangju Biennale (September-December 2024), expanding EMPAC's international presence.
- Fondazione In Between Art FilmflagshipCommissioned and produced P. Staff's 'Terminal Lucidity'; co-produced with EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art with support from the Saastamoinen Foundation.
- Grimshaw ArchitectscoreLondon-based architecture firm founded by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw that designed the EMPAC building. Firm characterized by spatial clarity, flexibility, innovation, and rigorous approach to detail.
- Turner Construction CompanycoreConstruction manager for EMPAC building project.
- Kirkegaard AssociatescoreAcoustician responsible for the building's acoustic design, including the extraordinary baseline of quiet achieved through acoustic separation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Dia Art Foundation: Large-scale arts institution commissioning and presenting ambitious, often technology-enabled time-based works (including sound and moving image). Comparable commissioning of large-scale experimental productions though broader art-historical mission.
- MASS MoCA: Large-scale contemporary arts institution combining visual, performing, and time-based arts programming. Comparable in commissioning residency programs and ambitious technology-enabled productions, though it operates at much larger scale.
Direct peers
- Pioneer Works: Brooklyn nonprofit combining experimental music, visual art, and science programming with residencies. Comparable interdisciplinary arts/science mission and resident-artist support model.
- ISSUE Project Room: Brooklyn-based experimental music and sound art presenter producing commissioned works and residencies. Comparable in scope (experimental/contemporary music, residencies, commission-driven programming) though at smaller scale.
- REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater): CalArts-affiliated presenting venue for experimental performing arts in downtown Los Angeles. Closely comparable in mission (experimental/contemporary commissioning, residencies, interdisciplinary practice) and in being embedded in a research university with comparable audience scale.
- The Kitchen: NYC nonprofit presenting experimental music, dance, and video art through residencies and commissions. Comparable curatorial profile focused on experimental time-based and performance work.
- Roulette Intermedium: Brooklyn experimental music presenting organization offering residencies and premieres. Comparable curatorial emphasis on experimental/contemporary music and new commissions.
- Miller Theatre at Columbia University: University-affiliated performing arts venue focused on contemporary music and dance commissioning. Comparable as an academic-anchor presenter that programs new work and provides technical production support to artists.
- The Chocolate Factory Theater: Long Island City presenting/commissioning venue for experimental performance. Comparable focus on time-based and technology-enabled experimental work with artist production support.
Regional players
- Zuckerman Museum of Art / KSU Performing Arts: University-affiliated arts complex (Kennesaw State University) combining galleries and performing arts venues. Comparable as a university-embedded interdisciplinary arts venue, though with less emphasis on experimental technology-driven commissions than EMPAC.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI social profiles
Digital presenceEMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI
What does EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI do?
EMPAC commissions, produces, and presents experimental performances and time-based artworks across music/sound, dance, theater, and moving image, supporting artists through residencies, commissions, and world premieres. The center operates multiple performance venues (1,200-seat concert hall, 320-seat theater, and three flexible studios) integrated with advanced audio, video, lighting, and computer networks, including proprietary Wave Field Synthesis spatial audio. It also offers venue rental, guided tours, an annual music festival (TOPOS), and serves as a research laboratory jointly with IBM.
Is EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI a public or private company?
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI founded?
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI based?
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI is headquartered in Troy, United States, in the North America region.
How does EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are venue Rental and institutional Funding.
Who are EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Dia Art Foundation and MASS MoCA. Direct peers are Pioneer Works, ISSUE Project Room, REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater), The Kitchen, Roulette Intermedium, Miller Theatre at Columbia University and The Chocolate Factory Theater. Zuckerman Museum of Art / KSU Performing Arts is listed as a regional player.
Does EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI have an API?
No public API is recorded for EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI.
What industry is EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI in?
EMPAC — The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at RPI's product category is Performing Arts Center. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAM, Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking), with a secondary code of MPAGALAC, Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues). Its NAICS code is 7111.