What Fort Collins Symphony does

The Fort Collins Symphony is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional symphony orchestra based in Fort Collins, Colorado, and the oldest performing arts organization in Larimer County, with roots dating to 1923. It presents a roughly 12-event annual season across Signature Concerts (five per season), Pops Concerts (two), the FCS Up Close Chamber Music Series (four), and Family Concerts (one), performing at the Lincoln Center for signature and pops events and at Plymouth Congregational Church for chamber programming. Beyond the concert platform, the organization operates an education and community-engagement portfolio including the Youth Education Series (YES!) reaching 4,000+ fourth and fifth graders annually, Musicians in the Schools, the B Sharp dementia-friendly arts engagement program founded in 2015 in collaboration with Dementia Together and Colorado State University, and the Beyond the Notes multi-sensory program for underserved youth. The ensemble comprises 100+ professional musicians supported by 38 endowed chairs (held at the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado and valued at $577,000) and an eight-person administrative team led by Executive Director Wendy Fanning (appointed May 2025) and Music Director Wes Kenney (since 2003, holder of the Wilfred Schwartz Conductor's Endowed Chair).

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: ticket sales (single tickets priced $10-$87, subscriptions $155-$489, livestream access $29 per concert, and Pick-3 bundles $99-$249), tiered corporate sponsorships ($5K-$25K), individual donations, legacy giving through the Encore Society, endowed-chair and 88 Notes piano-key naming contributions, gift certificates, and merchandise sold through a square.site storefront. Distribution runs through the Lincoln Center Box Office (in-person and phone), the lctix.com online ticketing platform, direct sales via fcsymphony.org, and livestream access. Marketing spans the website, Facebook (185.9K followers), Instagram (25.2K), Constant Contact email, the Open Notes podcast, Composer Talks, and open rehearsals. The 2024-2025 season served 12,000+ patrons with six sold-out concerts, distributed 800+ complimentary tickets to underserved community members, and invested $1.2 million into the Northern Colorado economy; the 2026-2027 season expands into opera, dance, and live-film formats.

Technology is deliberately minimal and operationally appropriate to the mission: live orchestral performance as the core product, supplemented by livestream distribution, digital marketing infrastructure (podcast, social, email), and standard ecommerce. No proprietary software, patents, AI capabilities, or external API/surface area are disclosed. The principal institutional assets are intangible — century-old brand recognition, embedded community partnerships with CSU and healthcare systems, endowed talent infrastructure, and a diversified civic donor and sponsorship base concentrated in a single regional market.

Name

Fort Collins Symphony

Legal name

Fort Collins Symphony Association

Website

https://fcsymphony.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Fort Collins Symphony is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional orchestra founded in 1923, serving Northern Colorado with five Signature Concerts, two Pops Concerts, chamber and family programming, and community programs (B Sharp dementia engagement, youth education reaching 4,000+ students) via ticketing, donations, sponsorships, and an endowment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Orchestral Performing Arts

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Virtual Concerts & Music Festivals (Livestreamed Performances) (MPAGAOAD)

Keywords

• Orchestral concerts
• Symphonic music
• Live music performances
• Music education programs
• Performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single tickets, season subscriptions, bundles, and livestream access to concerts at various price points from $10-$87
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible gifts supporting performances, education, and community programs through online donation, mail, or phone
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Business partnerships at various levels (Main Stage $25,000, Center Stage $15,000, Mix-It-Up $10,000, Single Concert $5,000) providing brand exposure and community engagement
4. Legacy Giving (Encore Society): Planned giving through bequests, charitable gift annuities, IRA rollovers, life insurance beneficiary designations, and endowment naming opportunities
5. Endowment (88 Notes): Piano key naming opportunities at the Fort Collins Symphony Endowment Fund, with goal of $100,000 for Wes Kenney Middle C Campaign by 2027-2028
6. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates redeemable at Lincoln Center Box Office for concerts or livestream performances
7. Merchandise: Merchandise sales through square.site storefront

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Fort Collins Symphony is a nonprofit professional orchestra that produces and performs live symphonic music for the Northern Colorado community. Its offerings include Signature Concerts, Pops Concerts, the FCS Up Close Chamber Music Series, Family Concerts, and the Youth Education Series (YES), complemented by community engagement programs such as B Sharp Arts Engagement, Musicians in the Schools, Composer Talks, Open Rehearsals, livestreamed performances, and the Fertilizer podcast.

Product overview

The Fort Collins Symphony offers a portfolio of live orchestral music products centered around its professional symphony orchestra. The core offerings include Signature Concerts (main orchestral performances featuring classical and contemporary works), Pops Concerts (themed popular music programs), and FCS Up Close Chamber Music Series (intimate small-ensemble performances). Supporting products include Family Concerts (interactive programs for children), Youth Education Series (concerts for grade school students), B Sharp (dementia-friendly arts engagement program), Composer Talks, Open Rehearsals, and Livestream services for remote viewing. The Symphony's 2026-2027 season comprises 5 Signature Concerts, 2 Pops Concerts, 4 Chamber Series concerts, and 1 Family Concert.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Signature Concerts The Fort Collins Symphony's flagship classical concert series featuring full orchestral performances of symphonic repertoire for adult concert-goers and subscribers in Northern Colorado.
• Pops Concerts Live orchestral pops performances featuring lighter, popular, and often themed programs designed to appeal to a broader audience beyond traditional classical subscribers.
• FCS Up Close Chamber Music Series Intimate chamber music performances presented by Fort Collins Symphony musicians in smaller-ensemble format, offering audiences a closer, more informal concert experience.
• Family Concerts Family-oriented orchestral concerts designed to introduce children and families to live symphonic music through accessible, engaging programming.
• Youth Education Series (YES) Concerts School-linked orchestral concerts designed to provide K-12 students with live, curriculum-aligned symphonic music experiences as part of the symphony's education mission.
• B Sharp Arts Engagement Program A community engagement program of the Fort Collins Symphony designed to provide meaningful live-music experiences for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers, in partnership with healthcare and community organizations.
• Livestream Concerts Live broadcasts of Fort Collins Symphony performances delivered online, allowing remote audiences in Northern Colorado and beyond to attend concerts virtually.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,000+ patrons served annually with six sold-out concerts
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dementia TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founded B Sharp arts engagement program in 2015 providing 30 couples with dementia season tickets, Memory Cafes, and pre-concert receptions. Research partnership with Colorado State University to study cognitive and social benefits of concert attendance for dementia patients and caregivers.
• Colorado State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Partnership for B Sharp research program studying impact of music on dementia patients. Music Director Wes Kenney served as Director of Orchestras at CSU for 20 years until 2023. Ongoing collaboration with CSU Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance.
• Friends of the SymphonycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner501c3 nonprofit volunteer organization supporting the symphony financially, socially, and educationally. Raised over $20,000 in 2024 for community outreach and education programs. Provides $25,000+ annually from endowment to support operations and musician paychecks. Funded $5,000 seed money for FCS Up Close chamber music series.
• Lincoln Center (Fort Collins)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary performance venue for signature and pops concerts. Box office handles ticket sales and distribution for all symphony events.
• Plymouth Congregational Church UCCminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for FCS Up Close chamber music series concerts.
• Banner HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of B Sharp dementia program.
• Kaiser PermanenteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of B Sharp dementia program.
• Alzheimer's Association Colorado ChapterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of B Sharp dementia program.
• Fort Collins Museum of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of B Sharp dementia program.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Colorado Symphony: The largest professional orchestra in Colorado, based in Denver. Comparable in core function (live orchestral performance, education programs, pops and family concerts) but operates at significantly larger scale with broader regional draw.
• Virginia Symphony Orchestra: A larger professional regional symphony where Wes Kenney previously served as Associate Conductor. Comparable in programming structure and education/community engagement focus, but at a meaningfully larger operational scale.
• Utah Symphony: A larger regional professional symphony operating a full season with pops, family, and education programming. Comparable in the full-service symphony model and revenue diversification through subscriptions, sponsorships, and education.

Emerging players

• Opera Fort Collins: A local performing arts organization previously led by Wes Kenney (Fort Collins Symphony's Music Director). Shares the Fort Collins audience and musician ecosystem, representing partial overlap in classical performance programming.
• Denver Young Artist Orchestra: A youth orchestral training organization previously conducted by Wes Kenney for ten seasons. Comparable in orchestral education mission and youth pipeline development, though focused on training rather than professional concert delivery.

Direct peers

• Colorado Music Festival: A Boulder-based summer orchestral festival featuring professional musicians and a classical season format. Comparable in concert programming and professional musician engagement, though delivered as a seasonal event rather than a year-round series.
• Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra: A Colorado-based regional professional orchestra offering classical, pops, family, and educational concerts. Closely comparable in programming mix, community engagement, and nonprofit operating model.
• Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra: A regional professional orchestra in Northern Colorado, similar in scale and mission to Fort Collins Symphony. Highly comparable on geographic market overlap, mixed ticket-subscription model, and educational programming.

Regional players

• National Repertory Orchestra: A Colorado-based training orchestra operating in the same regional market. Shares the professional orchestral talent pool and education-focused mission but operates primarily as a fellowship/training program.

Others

• Lincoln Center (Fort Collins): The primary performance venue and box office partner for the Fort Collins Symphony. Directly comparable as an ecosystem enabler providing ticketing infrastructure, venue access, and co-marketing capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FortCollinsSymphony
• Instagraminstagram.com/fortcollinssymphony
• Xx.com/ftcollinssympho
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fort-collins-symphony

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Fort Collins Symphony