MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana

What MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana does

MACLA (Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit contemporary arts organization founded in 1989 in San José, California, grounded in the Chicano/Latino experience. It operates a hybrid urban arts space in the SoFA (South First Area) district at 510 South 1st Street that combines a free-admission gallery, the Castellano Playhouse performance venue, the Teen Tech Center youth digital media lab, and administrative offices under one ADA-accessible roof. The organization delivers approximately 50 programs annually across four core tracts — visual arts exhibitions, performing and literary arts, youth arts education, and community development — serving over 30,000 children, youth, young adults, families, and community residents per year. Its audience composition is approximately 70% Latino and 30% non-Latino, reflecting an intentional cross-cultural programming model that positions MACLA as both a culturally specific and bridge-building institution.

The underlying programmatic infrastructure spans gallery curation (including the Latinx Art Now! auction series and Chicana/o Biennial exhibitions), live performance programming (theater, dance, music, spoken word), youth digital media education (filmmaking, photography, stop-motion animation, digital art through the Teen Tech Center and the co-funded Peapod Adobe Youth Voices Academy), and recurring community events (South First Fridays art walk, WEPA Fest in partnership with San Jose Jazz, Levitt San Jose outdoor concerts). Distribution occurs through the physical venue (gallery open Wed-Sun 12-5PM, free admission), Eventbrite ticketing for performances, partnerships with regional cultural organizations (San Jose Jazz, Montalvo Arts Center, National Performance Network, Levitt San Jose), and digital channels including Instagram (70K+ followers), Facebook, YouTube (@SJarte), Vimeo, and email newsletters.

MACLA's revenue model is a diversified nonprofit mix: earned income from ticket sales (~$15 advance / $20 door / $10 student) and facility rentals, supplemented by individual donations (donors receive complimentary artist receptions, exhibition previews, and performance invitations) and grants from foundations including ArtPlace America ($750,000 capital grant in 2013), Gerbode Foundation, Adobe Foundation, and Black Eyed Peas Peapod Foundation. Executive Director Anjee Helstrup-Alvarez has led the organization since 2008, and the organization has been independently recognized by Philanthropedia (2010), Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley (2003), and the Silicon Valley Business Journal (40 Under 40 in 2009, Power 100 in 2024). The 2013 ArtPlace America grant enabled building purchase, securing permanent facility ownership.

Name

MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana

Legal name

MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana

Website

https://maclaarte.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MACLA is a nonprofit contemporary arts organization founded in 1989 in San José, California, serving over 30,000 Latino and non-Latino participants annually through visual arts exhibitions, performing arts, youth digital media education (Teen Tech Center), and community development programs from its downtown SoFA-district facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Arts Services

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Visual Arts & Media Arts Programs (Art Club, Photography, Film) (EDAJAJAF)

Keywords

• Contemporary Latino arts
• Performing arts venue
• Visual arts exhibitions
• Youth digital media
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

San José, CA

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales and Event Admissions: Revenue from performances, workshops, and special events. Gallery admission is free.
2. Facility Rentals: Rental of gallery and performance space (Castellano Playhouse) for private events
3. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable contributions from individuals, with donors receiving complimentary invitations to artist cocktail receptions, exhibition previews and performances
4. Grants and Foundation Support: Funding from foundations including ArtPlace America ($750,000 grant), Gerbode Foundation, and other arts/culture funders

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MACLA is a nonprofit contemporary arts organization that presents gallery-based visual art exhibitions featuring Latino and Latinx artists, performing arts events (theater, dance, music, spoken word) in its Castellano Playhouse, and youth digital media arts education through its Teen Tech Center. The organization produces approximately 50 programs annually across visual arts, performing and literary arts, youth education, and community development, reaching over 30,000 participants each year.

Product overview

MACLA is a nonprofit contemporary arts organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs: gallery-based Visual Arts/Exhibitions showcasing Latino artists; Performing Arts including theater, dance, and music in the Castellano Playhouse; the Teen Tech Center providing youth digital media education; seasonal festivals like WEPA Fest; community events like South First Fridays; and facility rentals. The organization also runs the Peapod Adobe Youth Voices Academy for youth media production. Founded in 1989 and grounded in the Chicano/Latino experience, MACLA serves over 30,000 participants annually through approximately 50 programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Teen Tech Center (TTC): Youth digital media and technology education program
• South First Fridays
• Castellano Playhouse
• Peapod Adobe Youth Voices Academy

Products and services

• Visual Arts Exhibitions
• Performing Arts
• Teen Tech Center
• WEPA Fest
• South First Fridays Art Walk
• Facility Rentals
• Peapod Adobe Youth Voices Academy
• Stories from La Sala

Named customers3 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Montalvo Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Joint presentation of 'From Their Hands to Ours' exhibition and programming, expanding reach of both organizations' arts offerings.
• San Jose JazzcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Annual partnership for WEPA Fest, a free family-friendly celebration of Puerto Rican and Caribbean music, culture, and food. Previously collaborated on Día de San Juan Salsa Fest celebrating Puerto Rican culture.
• National Performance NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNPN is a national network supporting contemporary dance, theater, and multidisciplinary work. MACLA participates as a member presenting NPN co-commissioned performances including 'First Woman on the Moon' and 'Riding the Currents of the Wilding Wind'.
• Levitt San JosecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for outdoor summer music events including performances at St. James Park featuring Caribbean music, salsa dance instruction, and family programming.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Intersection for the Arts: San Francisco-based contemporary arts and community cultural development organization supporting experimental performance, visual art, and artist residencies. Comparable to MACLA as a Bay Area nonprofit blending contemporary arts presentation with community/cultural development.
• Self Help Graphics & Art: Iconic Chicano arts center in Los Angeles founded in 1970, providing visual arts programming, printmaking, and emerging-artist incubation. Comparable to MACLA as a Latino-rooted contemporary arts center with gallery and artist-development programming.
• The Mexican Museum: San Francisco museum dedicated to Mexican and Mexican-American art and culture, operating exhibitions and educational programming. Comparable to MACLA as a Bay Area institution focused on Latino/Mexican-American artistic and cultural presentation.
• Eastside Arts Alliance: Oakland-based community arts and cultural development organization serving Black, Latino, and API communities through arts, media, and organizing. Comparable to MACLA as a Bay Area community-centered arts organization combining cultural production with social-justice programming.
• SOMArts Cultural Center: San Francisco contemporary arts center hosting gallery exhibitions, performances, and community-driven programming. Comparable to MACLA as a Bay Area multi-disciplinary arts space with exhibitions, performing arts, and community development programs.
• Galeria de la Raza: Chicano/Latino contemporary arts space in San Francisco's Mission District operating a gallery, exhibitions, and community arts programming. Directly comparable to MACLA as a Bay Area Latino-focused contemporary arts organization with a community-engagement mission.

Broad incumbents

• Yerba Buena Center for the Arts: San Francisco contemporary arts center with gallery exhibitions, performing arts, and film programming attached to a major downtown cultural campus. Comparable to MACLA as a Bay Area contemporary arts venue with multi-disciplinary programming, but at a much larger institutional scale.
• National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC): National nonprofit supporting Latino arts organizations across the U.S. through grants, leadership programs, and advocacy. Comparable as a sector-wide support entity aligned with MACLA's mission, but operating at a portfolio level rather than a single venue.

Regional players

• Montalvo Arts Center: Saratoga, CA (Silicon Valley) arts center with residencies, exhibitions, and performing arts programming, and an active MACLA programming partner. Comparable as a Silicon Valley contemporary arts venue with multi-disciplinary programming and residency focus.

Others

• Levitt Pavilion San Jose: San Jose outdoor free-concert series presenting multicultural music programming at St. James Park, and an active MACLA programming partner. Comparable as a community-facing cultural programming entity in MACLA's geography, but focused on outdoor live music rather than a permanent gallery/performance venue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SJarte
• Facebookfacebook.com/maclaarte
• Instagraminstagram.com/macla_sanjose
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/macla

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana