Sun Gallery

What Sun Gallery does

Sun Gallery (legally Hayward Area Forum of the Arts, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community arts organization founded in 1965 and operating for 61 years in Hayward, California. It runs a primary gallery at 1015 E Street (below Bret Harte Middle School) and an encore exhibit space at the John O'Lague Galleria inside Hayward City Hall. The organization's core offerings include rotating visual art exhibitions (including the long-running 12th annual Climate Change exhibit and 35th Annual Children's Book Illustrators Exhibit), a Summer Art Camp for children ages 5–13, a community Makerspace equipped with a 100W CO2 laser cutter/engraver, Prusa and Anycubic 3D printers, Cricut Maker 3 cutting machines, and electronics/soldering stations, plus fee-based educational programs (school field trips at $225, in-school visits at $250), private art parties ($200 for 10 people), and art social workshops ($25/person). Admission to the gallery is free.

Revenue is generated through six primary streams: monthly sustaining memberships at $10–$40 (with annual tiers from $20 to $480 and senior/student discounts), a 30% commission on exhibited artwork sales (artists retain 70%), summer art camp tuition at $350/week, fee-for-service educational programs, art party bookings, and grants/donations including Gold ($1,000) and Platinum ($2,500+) donor tiers. Following major cuts in annual grant funding and the City of Hayward's elimination of all community grants for FY 2026–27, Sun Gallery has transitioned to a fully volunteer-run model with no paid staff. Customer segments span local artists exhibiting and selling work, K-8 schools booking field trips and in-class programs, families accessing free programming, makers and DIY enthusiasts subscribing to the makerspace, and children enrolled in summer camps. The organization is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors (newly constituted in November 2024 under President Dorsi Diaz) and depends on community grants, individual donations, and program fees to cover approximately $1,000 in monthly operating expenses.

Name

Sun Gallery

Legal name

Hayward Area Forum of the Arts, Inc.

Website

https://sungallery.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sun Gallery is a 61-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit community arts organization in Hayward, California, operating a free-admission gallery, a community Makerspace with laser cutting and 3D printing, a Summer Art Camp for ages 5–13, and STEAM-aligned school field-trip and art-party programs serving local families, artists, schools, and makers in the East Bay.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Art Gallery Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking) (EDAMALAH)

Keywords

• Community art exhibitions
• Art education programs
• Summer art camps
• Community makerspace
• Art gallery membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Hayward

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Monthly sustaining memberships at $10-40/month or annual memberships at $20-60/year. Members receive access to makerspace, voting rights, and free first piece submissions in exhibits.
2. Art Sales Commission: Gallery takes 30% commission on sales of artwork exhibited at the gallery. Artists retain 70% of sale proceeds.
3. Summer Art Camp: Week-long summer art camps for kids ages 5-13 running Monday-Friday 9am-3pm with themed weekly activities
4. Educational Services: Field trips for schools ($225 for 2 hours) and school visits ($250 for 1.5 hours) including art lessons and gallery tours
5. Art Parties and Socials: Art party experiences at $200 for group of 10, additional people at $25 each. Art social workshops at $25 per person.
6. Grants and Donations: Funding from City of Hayward, HARD, ACAC ARTSFUND Grant, Hayward People's Budget ($31K), individual donations, and spotfund fundraising campaigns

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Sun Gallery is a nonprofit community arts organization that operates a rotating visual art exhibition program (Children's Book Illustrators, Climate Change, and themed member shows) combined with a technology-enabled Makerspace, a seven-week Summer Art Camp for children ages 5-13, and STEAM-aligned educational field trips and in-school art programs. All gallery visits are free, and the organization sells memberships, takes a 30% commission on exhibited artwork sales, and charges fees for camps, art parties, art socials, and school programs.

Product overview

Sun Gallery is a nonprofit community arts organization operating as a single unified venue with multiple integrated programs. The core offerings include: the Main Gallery featuring rotating visual art exhibitions (Children's Book Illustrator Exhibition, Climate Change Exhibit, Art Meets Tech, and themed member shows); the Summer Art Camp providing week-long themed art programs for children; the Makerspace offering technology-enabled creative tools (laser cutter, 3D printers, vinyl cutter, electronics); Field Trips and School Visits delivering educational art programs; Art Parties and Art Socials for private and group experiences; and a Sustaining Membership Program providing tiered access to gallery and makerspace facilities. All programs are designed to fulfill the organization's mission of 'Building Community Through Creativity' with free admission to ensure accessibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sun Gallery Makerspace: A creative hub where art and technology converge, offering traditional and high-tech tools including 3D printing, laser cutting, vinyl cutting, and electronics for creating LED art.

Products and services

• Sun Gallery Exhibitions Rotating visual art exhibitions featuring local and regional artists, including the 35th Annual Children's Book Illustrator Exhibition, the 12th Annual Climate Change Exhibit, themed member shows, and juried shows. Exhibitions are open to the public with free admission on Fridays and Saturdays at the main gallery in Hayward.
• Summer Art Camp Week-long summer art camp for children ages 5-13, with seven themed weekly sessions in 2026. Pricing is $350/week including materials and snacks, with a Buy 2 weeks get 3rd week FREE promotion. Sessions run Monday-Friday 9am-3pm and utilize the Makerspace, stage, and courtyard for hands-on creative learning.
• Sun Gallery Makerspace A community Makerspace that fuses art and technology with high-tech tools including a 100W CO2 laser cutter/engraver, Prusa and Anycubic 3D printers, Cricut Maker 3 vinyl cutter, Cricut EasyPress, soldering stations, and traditional art supplies. Access is by appointment via [email protected] and requires sustaining membership ($10-40/month).
• School Field Trips Educational school tours combining gallery exhibition visits with hands-on art projects for Kindergarten through 8th grade. Sessions are $225 for 2 hours (9am-11am or 11:30am-1:30pm) and include a personalized tour and teacher-led art lesson aligned with current exhibitions. Price increases to $250 in Fall 2026.
• School Visits In-classroom art education programs where Sun Gallery teachers bring art lessons, books, and materials to schools. Sessions are $250 for 1.5 hours (9am-10:30am or 10:45am-12:15pm) with materials supplied. Price increases to $300 in Fall 2026.
• Art Parties Private guided art party experiences for groups of all ages, led by diverse art educators and featuring lessons across various art mediums. Pricing is $200 for a group of 10 (includes canvas and supplies) with additional people at $25 each. Available Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Art Socials Two- to three-hour workshops designed for fellow artists to broaden artistic horizons and develop new skills. Includes canvas (16x20) and supplies at $25 per person.
• Sustaining Membership Program Tiered membership program providing gallery membership, Makerspace access, and courtyard use. Monthly tiers include Low-income/Student ($10), Individual ($20), and Family/Supporter ($40). Annual prepaid tiers include Student ($20), Senior ($25), Individual ($200), and Family ($400). Donor levels include Gold ($1,000) and Platinum ($2,500+) one-time or recurring.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free admission ensures universal accessibility to arts programming
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hayward Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner in Many Hands, One Masterpiece initiative to bring HUSD second graders to the 35th Annual Children's Book Illustrators Exhibit. President Valerie Caveglia helped spearhead the exhibit.
• Hayward Rotary ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaborator on Many Hands, One Masterpiece initiative to expand equitable access to arts for underserved HUSD students through field trips to Children's Book Illustrators exhibit.
• B Street Writers CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Writers collective that performs readings at Sun Gallery during Hayward Lit Hop literary festival. Collective of writers who share their love of writing for mutual support, inspiration, readings, publishing, and community outreach.
• Hayward Arts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-curates exhibitions at John O'Lague Galleria with Sun Gallery. Manages the gallery space at City Hall. Thanked for support of climate change education and art programs.
• Hayward Area Parks and Recreation District (HARD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in community events including Summer Concert Series and community clean-up projects. Assisted with front garden improvements at the gallery.
• Eden Garden ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on new front garden at Sun Gallery. Provided plants and gardening assistance for beautification project.
• Hayward Techies & Makers ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Sun Gallery to build community and create the Makerspace. Provided technical expertise for the proposal and implementation of makerspace equipment and programming.
• Greener SourceminorOthersFurniture donations received to support the makerspace operations and layout.
• Hayward Odd FellowsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that hosted free concert in Memorial Park to benefit Sun Gallery as part of 2025 Summer Concert Series.
• HayCoCoaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization that partnered with Sun Gallery to host 'Make Art to Support Renters' event in the Makerspace.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Crucible: Oakland-based nonprofit industrial arts education center offering classes in welding, woodworking, 3D printing, and maker technologies. Directly comparable makerspace/arts education model with shared industrial art + tech focus, Bay Area location, and class/workshop revenue model.
• Kala Art Institute: Berkeley-based nonprofit art studio and gallery supporting artists through residencies, exhibitions, and printmaking/tech-enabled programs. Comparable Bay Area nonprofit arts center with hybrid gallery + studio/maker technology model.
• SOMArts Cultural Center: San Francisco nonprofit art space hosting rotating exhibitions, cultural events, and community-driven programming. Comparable community art gallery/event venue model with a curated exhibition focus and diverse programming.
• Berkeley Art Center: Nonprofit community art gallery in Berkeley, CA offering rotating exhibitions, educational programming, and free/low-cost access. Closely comparable East Bay community gallery model with similar exhibition-driven programming and arts education mission.
• NIAD Art Center: Richmond, CA nonprofit art center supporting artists with disabilities through studio programs, exhibitions, and community partnerships. Comparable Bay Area community arts nonprofit with exhibitions, education, and partnership-driven model.
• Pro Arts Gallery & Theater: East Bay nonprofit art organization (Oakland) supporting local artists through exhibitions, open calls, and community programming. Directly comparable as an East Bay community arts nonprofit serving working artists and the broader public.
• Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts: San Francisco community arts center offering exhibitions, classes, performances, and cultural programming. Comparable nonprofit community arts center with exhibitions, education, and event-driven community engagement.
• Creativity Explored: San Francisco nonprofit visual arts center supporting artists with developmental disabilities through studio programs, exhibitions, and art sales. Comparable nonprofit gallery model with artist exhibition and revenue-share commission structure.
• Pacific Art League: Palo Alto nonprofit community art center offering exhibitions, classes, and workshops. Comparable Bay Area nonprofit community gallery with similar mission-driven exhibitions and art education programming for all ages.

Broad incumbents

• Oakland Museum of California: Major East Bay museum presenting California art, history, and natural science through exhibitions and public programs. Comparable as a larger Bay Area nonprofit cultural institution, though it operates at a much broader scale than Sun Gallery's community gallery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/61572148006192
• Instagraminstagram.com/sungalleryandmakerspace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sun-gallery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Sun Gallery