The Bascom

What The Bascom does

The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 and headquartered on a six-acre former horse farm at 323 Franklin Road, Highlands, North Carolina. It operates free public exhibitions across three galleries (Thompson, Bunzl, and Joel), hands-on arts education in ceramics, painting, printmaking, mixed media, drawing, woodworking, photography, and writing, youth programs, artist residencies and professional development, the annual Dazzling Dahlia Festival, a curated retail shop, and wedding and event venue rentals. The organization reports approximately 25,000 annual on-campus visitors, 4,500+ individuals reached through off-campus community outreach, and support for 300+ working artists per year, staffed by 16 employees.

The product surface is entirely physical and place-based; there is no technology platform, mobile app, API, or proprietary software, and online presence is limited to a website used for program information and class registration. The core asset is the campus itself, comprising an 87-foot covered bridge entrance, a 27,500-square-foot Main Building, the 2,500-square-foot Dave Drake Barn rebuilt as a ceramics studio, a children's studio, an adult studio, a library, the Joel Gallery, and the Horst Winkler Nature and Sculpture Trail with native flora and a cascading waterfall.

The business model combines five revenue streams: class and workshop fees priced from $50 to $700 depending on duration and materials, charitable donations and memberships, venue rental income, retail shop and pop-up sales, and corporate/organizational sponsorships. Funders include the National Endowment for the Arts (via South Arts), the North Carolina Arts Council, and Visit Highlands; corporate sponsors include Bryson Grading & Paving and Highlands Sotheby's International Realty. Need-based scholarship support is delivered through Cullasaja Women's Outreach. The organization serves Western North Carolina exclusively, has no disclosed revenue, and is governed as an independent nonprofit with no parent entity.

Name

The Bascom

Legal name

The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts

Website

https://thebascom.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Bascom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit visual arts center founded in 1985 in Highlands, NC, operating from a six-acre campus and serving approximately 25,000 annual visitors through free exhibitions, paid arts education, youth programs, artist residencies, venue rentals, and retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Visual Arts Education and Cultural Center

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Museums (71211)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Visual arts education
• Art exhibitions
• Ceramics workshops
• Artist residencies
• Venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Highlands

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Class and Workshop Fees: Revenue generated from registration fees for art classes, workshops, and multi-day programs across various mediums including ceramics, painting, mixed media, printmaking, and more. Fees range from $50 to $700 depending on program length and materials included.
2. Donations and Membership Support: Charitable contributions from individuals, families, and organizations supporting the arts center's mission. The organization actively solicits donations through its 'Ways to Give' program and volunteers.
3. Venue Rentals and Special Events: Rental income from hosting weddings, private events, club meetings, and other gatherings at the campus facilities. The venue accommodates various group sizes and occasions.
4. Retail Shop Sales: Revenue from the curated retail space featuring artwork by local, regional, and national artists, as well as pop-up shop sales.
5. Sponsorships: Financial support from corporate and organizational sponsors for exhibitions, programs, and the annual Dazzling Dahlia Festival. Sponsors include Bryson Grading & Paving, Visit Highlands, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Bascom is a nonprofit visual arts center that operates exhibition galleries, hands-on arts education classes and workshops, youth programs, artist residencies, special events, a curated retail shop, and event venue rentals from its 6-acre campus in Highlands, NC. Programming spans ceramics, painting, printmaking, mixed media, drawing, woodworking, photography, and writing for adults, youth, and working artists. Free public exhibitions and fee-based programs are delivered on-campus and through off-campus community outreach across Western North Carolina.

Product overview

The Bascom is a visual arts center offering a unified portfolio of cultural and educational services centered around its six-acre campus in Highlands, NC. The core offerings include free public exhibition galleries (Thompson, Bunzl, and Joel Galleries), comprehensive arts education through classes and workshops across multiple mediums (ceramics, painting, printmaking, mixed media, drawing, woodworking, photography), youth programming, artist residencies, special events including the annual Dazzling Dahlia Festival, a retail shop featuring curated artwork, and venue rental services. The organization serves as a cultural resource for Western North Carolina, hosting approximately 25,000 annual visitors across its three galleries and campus facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Exhibition Galleries

Quantifiable outcome

• 25,000+ annual visitors attend free exhibitions and programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Highlands Sotheby's International RealtyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2026Collaboration on artist reception events, such as the Brad Allyn Jay reception on August 7, 2026. Sotheby's hosts meet-and-greet events with featured artists while The Bascom facilitates exhibition programming.
• North Carolina Arts CouncilcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerState arts council providing project support as a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Supports The Bascom's exhibitions and programming initiatives.
• South ArtscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional arts organization providing grant funding in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. Supports The Bascom's programming and operations.
• National Endowment for the ArtscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal arts agency providing funding through South Arts grants to support The Bascom's arts programming.
• Visit HighlandsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal tourism organization providing grant funding to support The Bascom's events and programming as part of regional tourism promotion.
• Black Mountain College Museum + Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership bringing exhibitions to The Bascom, including the Jo Sandman/TRACES exhibition. The partnership provides access to significant art historical collections and scholarly programming.
• Vision CashiersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization collaborating on the Biennial Outdoor Sculpture Program, extending The Bascom's sculpture exhibition reach to Cashiers, NC.
• Cullasaja Women's OutreachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides scholarship funding for need-based financial assistance, enabling access to arts education for students who cannot afford class fees.
• Bryson Grading & PavingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for the annual Dazzling Dahlia Festival, contributing to the funding of this signature event.
• John C. Campbell Folk SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative exhibition celebrating the Folk School's 100th anniversary, highlighting shared Appalachian craft traditions and educational missions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• High Museum of Art: A major regional art museum in Atlanta, GA offering exhibitions, classes, and community programming. Comparable in the visual arts exhibition + education model, though operating at a much larger scale and in an urban setting.
• Weatherspoon Art Museum: A university-affiliated art museum in Greensboro, NC with permanent collections and rotating exhibitions. Comparable in NC visual arts exhibition and educational mission, though anchored to UNCG and operating at larger institutional scale.
• Asheville Art Museum: A larger nonprofit art museum in western NC operating permanent collections and rotating exhibitions with educational programming. Comparable in regional visual arts mission and educational offerings, but broader in scope with a larger staff and permanent collection.
• Mint Museum: A large nonprofit art museum in Charlotte, NC with permanent collections, exhibitions, and educational programming. Comparable in North Carolina visual arts focus and educational mission, but operates at significantly larger scale with broader programming.

Direct peers

• Center for Craft: A national nonprofit in Asheville, NC dedicated to advancing craft through grants, exhibitions, residencies, and public programs. Comparable in craft-focused visual arts mission, residency and exhibition programming, and reliance on public and private arts funding.
• John C. Campbell Folk School: A nonprofit folk arts and crafts education center in Brasstown, NC offering residential classes, workshops, and community programming. Highly comparable to The Bascom in its hands-on arts education model, nonprofit funding structure, and Appalachian regional focus — the two organizations have already collaborated on a centennial exhibition.
• Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center: A nonprofit arts center in Asheville, NC dedicated to exhibitions, education, and programming inspired by the legacy of Black Mountain College. Directly comparable in exhibition programming, educational mission, and nonprofit arts-center model — already a current programming partner of The Bascom.
• Turchin Center for the Visual Arts: A visual arts center at Western Carolina University offering exhibitions, classes, and community programming in the same western NC region. Closely comparable multi-medium visual arts programming, education mix, and regional community focus.
• Penland School of Craft: A nonprofit craft education and residency center in western North Carolina offering workshops in ceramics, painting, woodworking, and more. Closely comparable to The Bascom in mission, programming mix (classes, residencies, exhibitions), and geographic catchment.

Emerging players

• Elsewhere: A nonprofit artist residency and contemporary arts organization in Greensboro, NC. Comparable in nonprofit arts-center mission, artist residency programming, and Southeast U.S. focus, though more focused on contemporary/experimental practice and operating at a smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbahLJM6UMYQTdEZ3-LL9oQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/The.Bascom.Highlands.NC
• Instagraminstagram.com/thebascom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-bascom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Bascom