Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art

What Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art does

Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art (phICA) is a private, non-collecting 501(c)(3) educational non-profit based at 408 E. Roosevelt Street in Phoenix, Arizona, where it operates unconventional exhibition spaces inside repurposed shipping containers on the Roosevelt Row arts corridor. Founded to provide innovative platforms for interactions between community and artists, phICA runs a portfolio of complementary programs including exhibition projects, immersive artist residencies, a cultural incubator, the Emerging Curators Initiative, Critical Art Writing, Artist Catalog Publication, the Artist Advocacy Project (PAAP), the Trajectory Print Portfolio Project, and a social-media reposting project called _onRadar. It is led by Director/Curator Ted G. Decker, who also drives a Phoenix–Rio de Janeiro international exchange, and President Eddie Shea.

The organization's core digital platform is the Virtual Exhibitions Initiative, launched in January 2021 on the third-party ArtSteps virtual-exhibition SaaS, which extended reach beyond the Phoenix metro. Physical programming is anchored by the shipping-container galleries on Roosevelt Row and a partnership with Modified Arts for larger shows, while print distribution flows through regional museum partners including ASU Art Museum, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson Museum of Art, and Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, with a non-traditional placement at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Museum Terminal 4. Production work for the Trajectory Print Portfolio is delivered by Master Printer Brent Bond of Santo Press, and juried by Rio-based curator Marisa Flórido Cesar.

phICA earns revenue through a hybrid non-profit model: tax-deductible individual donations, government arts grants (Arizona Commission on the Arts, Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, and pass-through National Endowment for the Arts funding), private foundation support (The Carmody Foundation, Ted Decker Catalyst Fund), and modest earned income from an in-house e-commerce store selling Trajectory prints ($125 each), the complete 12-print portfolio set ($1,500), artist catalogs ($10–$30), and M.A.R.S. legacy prints ($95–$375). Its primary constituents are emerging and established visual artists in the Phoenix/Maricopa County area, with secondary relationships to regional museums, government arts agencies, and individual art collectors and donors.

Name

Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art

Legal name

Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art

Website

https://phica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art (phICA) is a Phoenix-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that runs contemporary art exhibitions, artist residencies, and curator development programs in repurposed shipping containers and on the ArtSteps virtual platform, serving Maricopa County visual artists and regional museum partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Art Institution & Cultural Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110), Art Dealers (459920)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAH

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

Keywords

• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Artist residency programs
• Cultural incubation projects
• Virtual exhibition platform
• Art education initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: phICA operates as a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization. Monetary gifts are acknowledged with contribution receipt letters for tax preparation purposes. The organization receives donations from individuals and supporters.
2. Government Arts Grants: phICA receives general operating support and project grants from Arizona Commission on the Arts, Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, and National Endowment for the Arts. Recent grants have been described as 'record high' for fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
3. Art Sales and Publications: The organization operates an online store selling art prints ($125 each), artist catalogs ($10-$20), books, and legacy prints. Revenue supports artist advancement and organizational programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art (phICA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides platforms for interactions between community and artists through exhibition projects, immersive artist residencies, cultural incubation projects, virtual exhibitions, critical art writing, an emerging curator initiative, an artist catalog publication program, and a print portfolio project. It operates unconventional gallery spaces in repurposed shipping containers on Roosevelt Row in Phoenix and distributes art prints and catalogs through an online store and partner museums.

Product overview

Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art (phICA) is a non-collecting, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering a portfolio of art programs and initiatives rather than a unified technology product. Its core offerings include Virtual Exhibitions (launched January 2021), the Immersive Artist Residency, Cultural Incubator, Emerging Curators Initiative (13 projects completed), Critical Art Writing, Artist Catalog Publication, Artist Advocacy Project (PAAP), Trajectory Print Portfolio Project, _onRadar social media project, and an Online Art Store. The organization differentiates through collaboration and community partnerships, providing new portals for enjoying, understanding, and interpreting contemporary art. Programs are offered free of charge to artists and audience members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Virtual Exhibitions Online virtual exhibition program showcasing artists from Maricopa County/Phoenix Metropolitan Area, the USA, and beyond, delivered via the ArtSteps platform with curated exhibitions, artist profiles, artwork displays, and curator statements, accessible globally via web and mobile apps.
• Exhibitions Physical exhibition projects featuring contemporary artists, including solo and group shows held in repurposed shipping containers on Roosevelt Row and partner venues such as Modified Arts, timed to Phoenix's First Friday and Third Friday art walks.
• Immersive Artist Residency Artist residency program providing opportunities for artists to develop their practice, including support for international residencies and professional development grants.
• Cultural Incubator Initiative supporting cultural innovation and community engagement through partnerships and new portals for understanding contemporary art.
• Emerging Curators Initiative Program allowing young people interested in art curation to gain first-hand experience curating exhibitions from beginning to end; has supported 13 emerging curator projects.
• Critical Art Writing Initiative supporting critical writing about contemporary art and artists.
• Artist Catalog Publication Publication program producing catalogs documenting artist work and exhibitions; catalogs available for purchase at $10-$30.
• Artist Advocacy Project (PAAP) Information take-away cards serving as advocacy for artists, with sponsorship support covering printing costs and cards distributed in Phoenix, Brazil, and other locations.
• Trajectory Print Portfolio Project Print portfolio project showcasing diversity of art in Maricopa County, producing 12 prints by selected artists working with master printer Brent Bond of Santo Press, includes limited-edition numbered prints and paired virtual exhibition.
• Online Art Store E-commerce platform selling art prints ($125 each), artist catalogs ($10-$30), and legacy prints ($95-$375) with editions of 50 numbered prints per artist and a complete 12-print portfolio set priced at $1,500.
• _onRadar Social media reposting project highlighting artists and art content.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 artists enhanced skills through printmaking workshops
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arizona Commission on the ArtscoreOthers · 1 January 2024State cultural agency providing general operating support grants and project funding. Receives funding from National Endowment for the Arts and State of Arizona. Major supporter of Virtual Exhibitions Initiative and Trajectory Print Project.
• Phoenix Office of Arts and CulturecoreOthers · 1 January 2024City of Phoenix arts agency providing grants and support for phICA programming including Virtual Exhibitions and Trajectory Print Project. Awarded record high grants for 2023-2024.
• Modified ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Downtown Phoenix gallery partnership for exhibition debut of Trajectory Print Portfolio (November-December 2021). Collaborator on various exhibitions and cultural programming.
• Brent Bond / Santo PresscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Master Printer for Trajectory Print Portfolio Project. MFA from Arizona State University, previously master printer at Segura Publishing Company. Provides printmaking workshops and produces fine art prints with phICA artists.
• Marisa Flórido CesarcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Rio de Janeiro-based curator, art critic, author, and university professor who juried Trajectory Print Project from 45 submissions. Doctorate and master's in Visual Arts from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Brings international perspective to Phoenix artist selection.
• Shemer Art CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional collaborator in Phoenix, hosting events and exhibitions. Venue for Sunset at Shemer events featuring Phoenix and Brazilian artists.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Contemporary Austin: Nonprofit contemporary art institution combining exhibitions, artist residencies, and educational programming. Highly comparable in its nonprofit exhibition-and-residency structure and reliance on public arts funding plus private donations.
• Wexner Center for the Arts: University-affiliated contemporary arts center presenting exhibitions, residencies, film, and performance with multidisciplinary programming. Comparable as a contemporary arts presenter combining exhibitions and emerging curator/artist development programs similar to phICA's Emerging Curators Initiative.
• Hyde Park Art Center: Chicago-based nonprofit contemporary art center running exhibition, residency, and education programs. Closely comparable in its artist-centered nonprofit model, small staff, and reliance on regional arts funders, mirroring phICA's structure and risk profile.
• MASS MoCA: Large-scale contemporary arts center and non-collecting exhibition venue operating residencies, commissioning, and programming on a model closely aligned with phICA's gallery-plus-incubator approach.Comparable as the closest scaled analog of an exhibition-focused contemporary arts nonprofit.
• Modified Arts: Downtown Phoenix contemporary art gallery hosting exhibitions and cultural programming. Directly comparable as a peer venue and active programming partner (Trajectory Print Portfolio debuted at Modified Arts in 2021), competing for the same Roosevelt Row artist and audience pool.
• Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum: Municipal contemporary art museum in the East Valley of Phoenix metro. Comparable contemporary art programming, regional grant funding sources (Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture), and a confirmed phICA print distribution partner, placing it in direct overlap on audience and artist base.
• Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA): Contemporary art museum serving the Phoenix metro region with exhibitions, education programs, and artist support. Directly comparable as a regional contemporary arts institution distributing phICA's Trajectory Print Portfolio into permanent collection and competing for overlapping Phoenix-area grant and donor dollars.

Broad incumbents

• Phoenix Art Museum: Largest art museum in the southwestern United States, with a permanent collection spanning centuries. Functions as the dominant incumbent in the Phoenix arts funding and audience market, competing with phICA for grants, donor attention, and visitors despite differing scale.
• Heard Museum: Major Phoenix cultural institution focused on Native American art and culture. Comparable as a regional nonprofit museum using grant funding, donor development, and exhibitions, but operating at a materially larger scale and on a different subject focus than phICA's contemporary art scope.

Regional players

• Tucson Museum of Art: Regional contemporary art museum in Arizona that received Trajectory Print Portfolio prints for its permanent collection. Comparable contemporary art programming within Arizona though serving a different metro and not directly overlapping phICA's Phoenix audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/phica_tweets
• Facebookfacebook.com/phICAPHX
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phoenix-institute-of-contemporary-art

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 Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art