The Compound Gallery & Studios

What The Compound Gallery & Studios does

The Compound Gallery & Studios is an independent contemporary art gallery and 18,000 sq ft interdisciplinary art-making facility in Emeryville, California, established in 2008 by co-founders Matt Reynoso and Eric Sanchez. The business operates two integrated locations on 61st Street and Hollis Street: a public-facing gallery that hosts rotating contemporary art exhibitions, an Art Shop, the Admiral Dot Miniature Gallery, and an Artcade, alongside a membership-access studio facility that provides 24/7 access to specialized labs covering ceramics, woodworking, letterpress, screen printing, etching, Riso printing, sewing, 3D printing/laser cutting, and digital media/photography, plus shared amenities such as the Art Research Library and Record Lounge. The technology stack is fundamentally physical and capital-intensive — Skutt digital kilns, Vandercook and Chandler & Price letterpresses, Sawstop woodworking equipment, GR-series Riso machines, Griffin etching presses, and a 90-watt CO2 laser cutter — supported by digital channels including a WordPress site, online storefront (shopcompound.com), Instagram with 18k+ followers, and a telepresence robot for virtual visitors.

The business model blends recurring subscription revenue with transactional art sales. Studio memberships are priced at $250/month for a Locker, $375/month for a Bench, and variable pricing for private/semi-private studios, all including 24/7 facility access. Transactional revenue is generated through gallery exhibitions, the cash-and-carry Art Shop (which accepts artist submissions and offers an art vending machine), the online shop, and paid letterpress workshops. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on the Bay Area art community, rotating exhibitions, artist talks, member events, and recurring gatherings such as the annual Printing in the Park at Doyle Hollis Park, all amplified through Instagram, Facebook, X, and email newsletters. The company is privately held, founder-owned, and bootstrapped with no external investment, board, or institutional backing, operating with a small team of approximately five employees.

The customer base comprises three overlapping segments: working artists requiring affordable access to professional equipment and studio space (primary), the broader Bay Area art community attending exhibitions and events (primary), and local art collectors and shoppers purchasing from the Art Shop and online store (secondary). The business has worked with more than 200 artists over its 18-year history and earned regional recognition including East Bay Express 'Best Art Hang Out' (2012) and 'Best Art Complex' (2015). Geographic reach is regional — confined to the Bay Area and East Bay markets — though the online shop and telepresence robot extend transactional reach globally for catalog sales.

Name

The Compound Gallery & Studios

Legal name

The Compound Gallery and Art Studios

Website

https://thecompoundgallery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Compound Gallery & Studios operates an 18,000 sq ft contemporary art gallery and interdisciplinary studio facility in Emeryville, California, serving Bay Area working artists and the local art community through rotating exhibitions, an Art Shop, and 24/7 membership access to professional printmaking, ceramics, woodworking, and digital fabrication equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Art Gallery and Studio Facility

NAICS

Art Dealers (459920)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA)

Keywords

• Contemporary art gallery
• Art studio memberships
• Printmaking facilities
• Ceramics workshop
• Interdisciplinary art space

Headquarters

HQ city

Emeryville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Studio Memberships: Monthly recurring revenue from studio memberships including lockers ($250/mo), benches ($375/mo), and private/semi-private studios. Includes 24/7 access to all facilities.
2. Art Sales: Sales of artwork through gallery exhibitions, the Art Shop (cash and carry), and online shop (shopcompound.com). Includes flat files for prints, wall displays for paintings, pedestals for sculpture, and an art vending machine.
3. Art Shop: Cash and carry art shop adjacent to gallery selling works from various artists including 2D, 3D, sculptures, prints, jewelry, and functional pottery. Also accepts submissions from artists.
4. Artist Submissions: Artists submit work for display in the brick and mortar and online Art Shoppe. Gallery curates and sells work on behalf of artists.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Compound Gallery & Studios operates an independent contemporary art gallery featuring rotating exhibitions alongside an 18,000 sq ft interdisciplinary art studio facility offering tiered memberships with 24/7 access to specialized labs (woodworking, ceramics, letterpress, screen printing, 3D printing, laser cutting, sewing, photography, Riso printing). It also runs an Art Shop for cash-and-carry artwork sales, the Admiral Dot Miniature Gallery, an Artcade, and educational workshops.

Product overview

The Compound Gallery & Studios is an independent contemporary art gallery and 18,000 sq ft interdisciplinary art facility in Emeryville, CA, established in 2008. The organization operates three integrated offerings: The Gallery (rotating contemporary art exhibitions with receptions and artist talks), the Art Shop (cash-and-carry retail), and the Interdisciplinary Art Studios (membership-based access to specialized labs including Wood Lab, Ceramic Lab, Letterpress Print Shop, Sew Lab, Art Lab for 3D printing/laser cutting, Digital Media/Photography, Etching, Screen Printing, Riso Lab, and shared amenities like the Art Research Library and Record Lounge). Additional features include the Admiral Dot Miniature Gallery and Artcade. The facility offers tiered studio memberships (Locker $250/mo, Bench $375/mo, and private/semi-private Studios at varying prices) with 24/7 access. Special services include telepresence robot access for virtual visitors and letterpress workshops for members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Compound Art Shoppe: A cash and carry store adjacent to the main gallery selling works including 2D, 3D, sculptures, prints, jewelry, functional pottery, etc.
• The Admiral Dot Miniature Gallery
• Artcade

Products and services

• The Gallery Contemporary art gallery located in Emeryville, CA featuring rotating exhibitions of diverse contemporary art with opening receptions and artist talks. For local artists, collectors, and community members.
• Art Shop Cash-and-carry retail shop adjacent to the main gallery selling prints, sculptures, paintings, jewelry, functional pottery, and other art pieces through flat file drawers, in-store displays, and an art vending machine. Accepts artist submissions.
• Interdisciplinary Art Studios (18,000 sq ft) Round-the-clock member access to comprehensive art-making facilities including multiple specialized labs for ceramics, woodworking, printmaking, digital media, sewing, 3D printing, laser cutting, Riso, letterpress, photography, and screen printing.
• Studio Membership Tiers (Locker, Bench, Studio) Tiered monthly subscription memberships providing workspace and storage with 24/7 access to facilities. Locker membership ($250/mo) includes a shelf and flat file drawer; Bench membership ($375/mo) includes dedicated workspace with storage; Private/Semi-Private Studios available at varying prices, many with skylights and windows into common areas.
• Admiral Dot Miniature Gallery A miniature gallery featuring small-scale works by rotating artists, named after Admiral Dot, a 19th century San Francisco native and sideshow performer.
• Artcade Coin-operated arcade featuring art-themed games that dispense prizes, including the Fortune Pencil machine, tiny artist dispenser, ye olde art machine, and Compound Owl Claw.
• Telepresence Robot Remotely-controlled robot allowing virtual visitors to navigate the gallery space, view art, and interact with staff via keyboard-controlled movement and cameras; software link provided via email after registration.
• Letterpress Workshops Educational classes teaching letterpress poster printing using the studio's collection of wood and metal type for hands-on printmaking instruction; participants design and print their own posters to take away.
• Online Art Shop (shopcompound.com) E-commerce extension of the Art Shop, enabling online purchases of artwork from represented and submitted artists for customers outside the Bay Area.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Doyle Hollis ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Printing in the Park event held at Doyle Hollis Park in Emeryville, CA. The gallery hosts free community letterpress printing events in the park.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Art Enables: Washington DC-based gallery and studio program with a similar gallery-plus-artist-studio combination. Comparable operating model outside the Bay Area, useful as a benchmark for a potential second location or partnership model.
• Artscape: Toronto-based nonprofit operating artist studios, galleries, and creative space. Comparable community-driven model combining studios, exhibitions, and workshops, though at larger scale and multi-site.

Direct peers

• Root Division: San Francisco nonprofit combining artist studios, exhibition space, and arts education classes. Closest comparable model to The Compound's gallery-plus-studio-plus-workshop hybrid, though nonprofit-structured and smaller in scale.
• The Crucible: Oakland-based industrial arts education center offering studios, classes, and workshops in metalworking, glass, ceramics, and more. Comparable equipment-intensive maker/studio model in the same East Bay market, with a stronger education/classes focus.
• Chandra Cerrito Contemporary: Oakland-based contemporary art gallery with rotating exhibitions and artist representation. Comparable as a small independent East Bay gallery with a similar curatorial, community-oriented approach.
• Vessel Gallery: Oakland contemporary art gallery representing a roster of established and emerging artists. Directly comparable Bay Area gallery operations and artist representation, though without the large studio facility component.
• Kala Art Institute: Berkeley-based arts organization offering artist studio access, printmaking and media arts facilities, exhibitions, and education programs. Directly comparable Bay Area mix of studios, equipment, gallery, and workshops.
• Pro Arts Gallery & Open Studios: Oakland-based nonprofit visual arts organization supporting contemporary art through exhibitions, open studios, and community programs. Overlaps with The Compound's exhibition and community-engagement programming in the East Bay.

Regional players

• Creativity Explored: San Francisco-based nonprofit art studio and gallery for artists with developmental disabilities. Comparable studio-plus-gallery model with a distinct mission, serving as a regional peer in the Bay Area artist-studio space category.

Broad incumbents

• SFMOMA Museum Store: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, whose retail and exhibition operations serve as a broader incumbent in the Bay Area contemporary art market. Not a direct competitor on studios, but competes for the same collectors, visibility, and art-buying audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thecompoundgallery
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecompoundgallery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-compound-gallery-&-studios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Compound Gallery & Studios