The Center for Black Excellence and Culture

What The Center for Black Excellence and Culture does

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution headquartered at 671 W. Badger Rd. in Madison, Wisconsin, on the city's South Side along the Beltline. Founded by Rev. Dr. Alex Gee with co-founder Lilada Gee, the Center operates nine specialized spaces — Club Afrique, Community Rooms, Event Spaces, Innovation Center, Maker Spaces, Meeting Rooms, Performance Spaces, Senior Center, and Women's Center — and positions itself as the only authentically Black-inspired space in the state of Wisconsin. It serves as a Pan-African community hub for gathering, leadership development, intergenerational connection, cultural celebration, and wellness, designed by Black architects with Black culture informing every facet of the facility.

The Center generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) space rentals of meeting rooms (Board Room up to 29 guests, Meeting Rooms up to 48 and 46), event spaces, performance theaters, maker spaces, Club Afrique lounge, and a recording studio for corporate functions, weddings, cultural events, and community gatherings, with quote-based pricing; (2) charitable contributions including the Center Circle monthly membership program at $75+/month with member recognition and event invitations; and (3) workshops and events focused on youth leadership, financial empowerment, business development, and cultural education. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on newsletter/email (Mailchimp), social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), volunteer recruitment, and word-of-mouth referrals. Distribution is direct at its single Madison location, with no app, API, or digital product surface.

The organization was capitalized through a 2021 capital campaign that raised over $15M from institutional donors, with the State of Wisconsin ($5M), American Family Insurance ($2.5M), Summit Credit Union ($2M), CUNA Mutual Foundation ($1M), and a $1M federal earmark secured through Rep. Mark Pocan and Sen. Tammy Baldwin as the largest contributors, alongside Dane County ($810K), the City of Madison ($250K), and multiple private foundations. Development was delivered by a consortium including JLA Architects (design), Findorff (construction), Lord Cultural Resources (cultural planning), Baker Tilly (New Market Tax Credit advisory), and Hiebing (branding/PR). The Center operates with a small staff of approximately five employees, a board chaired by Raymond Allen (Vice Chair: Frances Huntley-Cooper; Treasurer: Brian K. Russell), and a leadership team including COO Janine Stephens Hale and CSO Jason Fields.

Name

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture

Legal name

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture, Inc.

Website

https://theblackcenter.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture is a Madison, Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating nine specialized cultural, event, performance, and community spaces to serve Black youth, seniors, women, professionals, artists, and families through rentals, programs, and donor funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Community Center

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Multi-Purpose Event Halls & Community Centers (THAHAAAI), Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE)

Keywords

• Cultural community center
• Event space rentals
• Nonprofit cultural programming
• Pan-African community services
• Black arts and leadership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Space Rentals: The Center offers various spaces for rent including meeting rooms, event spaces, performance venues, maker spaces, Club Afrique lounge, and recording studios. These rentals serve corporate functions, celebrations, cultural events, artistic performances, and community gatherings.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations form a major revenue stream. The Center Circle monthly giving program offers memberships starting at $75/month with special recognition and event invitations.
3. Programs and Events: Revenue from workshops, programs, and events focused on youth and young adult leadership development, Black culture celebration, and community empowerment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture operates a Pan-African community facility in Madison, Wisconsin, providing nine specialized physical spaces (event venues, meeting rooms, maker spaces, performance theaters, innovation center, senior center, women's center, and Club Afrique lounge) for rent to the public. It also offers Black-focused cultural programming, leadership development workshops, and an artist database aimed at celebrating and cultivating Black excellence for the Madison Black community and broader diaspora.

Product overview

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture is a Pan-African community space offering physical space rentals and programs. The organization operates a unified portfolio of rental spaces and dedicated centers: Event Spaces (Club Afrique lounge, multipurpose rooms, garden atrium), Maker Spaces (studios and recording studio), Meeting Rooms (board room and flexible meeting spaces), Performance Spaces (theaters), and specialized centers (Innovation Center for professionals, Senior Center, Women's Center, Community Rooms). Additional offerings include an Artist Database and youth/family programming. All spaces are designed to honor African heritage and serve as a home for Black community gathering, growth, leadership development, and cultural celebration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Club Afrique: The State's only premier, Black-designed lounge created for special events, concerts and intimate celebrations.
• Innovation Center
• Maker Spaces

Products and services

• Club Afrique The State's only premier, Black-designed lounge created for special events, concerts and intimate celebrations. Available for rent to community members and external clients hosting cultural events.
• Community Rooms Multipurpose rooms available for rent for youth activities, school visits, community events, meetings, and more, including a Multi-Media & Youth Room, Meeting & Youth Room, and Reading Room with Black literature.
• Event Spaces Multipurpose spaces designed to host weddings, corporate gatherings, meetings, community events, and more, including Large Multipurpose Room, Small Multipurpose Room, and Garden Atrium.
• Innovation Center A collaborative space created to cultivate Black professionals, innovators and creators, offering workshops and resources focused on financial empowerment, business development, and leadership.
• Maker Spaces Spaces dedicated to fostering creative expression and excellence in every medium, including Large Maker Space, Small Maker Space, and Recording Studio for podcasts and music production.
• Meeting Rooms Versatile, tech-ready rooms built to accommodate groups of all sizes for meetings, workshops, presentations and more, including Board Room (up to 29 guests), Meeting Room #234 (up to 48 guests), and Meeting Room #236 (up to 46 guests).
• Performance Spaces Multipurpose spaces designed for screenings, art showcases, weddings, live performances, and community events, including Large Theater (state-of-the-art performance space for film festivals, concerts, shows) and Small Theater (flexible performance space with pullout seating).
• Senior Center A dedicated space honoring elders with intergenerational connection, celebration and learning opportunities.
• Women's Center A sanctuary solely for Black women to relax, replenish, and refill their cup in a joyful, uplifting environment.
• Center Circle Monthly Membership Monthly recurring donor membership at $75+/month providing special recognition, event invitations, and member benefits to support the Center's mission.

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Baker TillyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Market Tax Credit Advisors providing financial structuring support for the project.
• JLA ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm responsible for designing the Center, ensuring Black culture informed every facet of its creation.
• FindorffcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction management firm that built the Center.
• Lord Cultural ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural planning services to ensure the Center's programming and spaces reflect authentic Black cultural values.
• Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for cultural strategy and administrative support, sharing alignment in urban leadership development.
• HiebingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBranding, marketing, and public relations firm that helped shape the Center's brand identity.
• ZEBRADOGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperiential design and interactive media firm contributing to the Center's visitor experience.
• Amanda White ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFundraising consulting support for the capital campaign.
• Bower Group, LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment and project management consulting for the Center's development.
• Carlson Black O'Callaghan & Battenberg LLPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal services provider for the project.
• Firecracker Consulting, LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic communications consulting.
• Huffman Facilities ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign and construction oversight, serving as owner's representative during development.
• Neil LernerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness plan development consulting for the Center's operational strategy.
• Scholz Nonprofit LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit legal counsel supporting organizational structuring.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Studio Museum in Harlem: The Studio Museum in Harlem is a leading Black arts institution focused on artists of African descent, operating as a nonprofit cultural space with exhibitions, residencies, and community programming. It is comparable as a Black-led cultural institution with a programmatic emphasis on Black artists and creators.
• Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD): MoAD in San Francisco is a nonprofit contemporary art museum focused on the African diaspora, combining exhibitions, public programs, and cultural events. It is comparable as a Pan-African-focused cultural institution serving a diaspora community with curated programming and educational outreach.
• Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History: The Wright Museum in Detroit is a major African American history museum with permanent and traveling exhibits, educational programming, and event venue rentals. It is highly comparable as a Black-focused cultural institution combining heritage interpretation with community programming.
• The African American Museum in Philadelphia: AAMP is the first institution built by a major U.S. city to preserve, interpret, and exhibit the heritage and experiences of African Americans. Comparable as a city-anchored Black cultural institution combining museum exhibits, community programming, and event venue operations.
• DuSable Museum of African American History: The DuSable Museum in Chicago is a leading African American cultural and historical institution operating as a nonprofit with exhibits, programs, and event spaces. It is a comparable Black-led cultural institution with a similar mission of preserving and celebrating Black excellence and providing community gathering space.
• Northwest African American Museum: NAAM in Seattle operates as a Black-led cultural institution preserving and presenting the history, art, and culture of African Americans in the Pacific Northwest. Comparable to The Center as a regional Black cultural institution with exhibits, programs, and community events.
• National Civil Rights Museum: The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis is a major African American heritage institution with exhibits, educational programs, and event rentals. Comparable as a Black-led cultural and educational institution with strong community programming and venue operations.
• Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a cultural and educational institution interpreting the civil rights movement, with exhibits, programming, and event facilities. Comparable as a Black-focused cultural institution operating as a community education and event venue in a mid-size U.S. market.
• Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture: The Lewis Museum in Baltimore is a regional African American history and culture museum with permanent exhibits, educational programming, and event venue operations. Comparable as a Black-focused cultural institution combining heritage interpretation with rentable event spaces.

Broad incumbents

• National Museum of African American History and Culture (Smithsonian): The Smithsonian's NMAAHC is the nation's flagship African American museum with national reach, massive endowment, and broad programmatic scope. It serves as a broader incumbent reference point for African American cultural institution scale and impact, though it operates at far greater scale than The Center.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/theblackcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-black-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_black_center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 The Center for Black Excellence and Culture