What ARTSmemphis does

ARTSmemphis is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1963 that functions as the Mid-South's primary arts-funder and re-grantor. It acquires contributed capital from individuals (~50% of funding), corporations (~51% — including First Horizon Foundation since 2012, AutoZone since 2013, and FedEx since 2023), private foundations (Plough, Hyde Family), and government sources routed through the Tennessee Arts Commission (~20% of budget), then distributes that capital through six branded grant programs: Operating Support (unrestricted, largest by dollars), Enhancement Grants (Plough-endowed since 2005), ArtsFirst (First Horizon), ArtsZone (AutoZone), Arts Build Communities (Tennessee Arts Commission channel covering 32 West Tennessee nonprofits), ARTSassist ($5K individual-artist grants), and the Artist Emergency Fund (co-administered with Music Export Memphis). In FY2025 the organization distributed approximately $3.5M across 90 grantees and 187–279 grants, crossing $100M cumulatively distributed since founding.

Beyond grantmaking, ARTSmemphis operates a digital ecosystem layer: a citywide embeddable Events Calendar (iFrame-distributable), brand-asset/style-guide resources for sub-brands and grantees, and an AEP6 Shelby County economic-impact calculator built on the 2022 Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study. It also runs ecosystem-buildout initiatives such as Dance Memphis (launched September 2025), which convenes nine dance and performing-arts institutions around a shared calendar and strategy, and the Recognize citywide advocacy campaign (launched June 2025). Supporting services include financial guidance, marketing support, networking, and professional development workshops for grantees. Leadership comprises CEO Elizabeth Rouse, COO Tracy Lauritzen Wright (also Title VI/accessibility lead), and CFO Julie Wiklund (2024 Nonprofit/Government CFO of the Year), with a Board of Directors anchored by senior figures from First Horizon, Pinnacle Financial Partners, and Merrill Lynch.

The business model is structurally non-commercial: revenue is fully contributed and flow-through to a defined grantee base. Distribution is geographically concentrated in Shelby County with extension into West Tennessee via the ABC program. Sector context per AEP6: the supported arts ecosystem drove $192.9M in annual economic impact, 3,775 jobs, and $38M in tax revenue in 2022. There are no proprietary technology systems, AI/ML capabilities, or patents, and the organization is privately held as a charitable entity with no parent company and a 1–10 person staff.

Name

ARTSmemphis

Legal name

ARTSmemphis

Website

https://artsmemphis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ARTSmemphis is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1963 that serves as the Mid-South's primary arts funder, channeling contributed capital from individuals, corporations, and foundations into grants and support services for ~90 Shelby County arts organizations and individual artists annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Grantmaking and Nonprofit Arts Funding

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL), Grant Funding & Public/Nonprofit Financing (MPADAAAO)

Keywords

• Arts grantmaking
• Nonprofit arts funding
• Community arts support
• Artist emergency grants
• Corporate arts philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to ARTSmemphis, representing approximately 50% of funding. Support ranges from monthly contributions of $5-10 to major donor levels.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate giving programs including First Horizon (since 2012), AutoZone (since 2013), and FedEx (since 2023). Approximately 51% of funding comes from corporations.
3. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including Plough Foundation (Enhancement Grants endowment), Hyde Family Foundation, and others. About 93% of revenue comes from private funding.
4. Government Funding: Receives support from Tennessee Arts Commission, which receives approximately 20% of its funding from federal sources like the National Endowment for the Arts. Government funding represents approximately 20% of budget.
5. Endowment Income: ARTSmemphis maintains an endowment that funds annual grants to 85 organizations, with contributions from Plough Foundation and other donors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ARTSmemphis is a nonprofit grantmaking organization that raises funds from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government sources, then distributes grants to local nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists in the Memphis and Shelby County region. Its grant portfolio includes Operating Support Grants, ArtsBuild Communities Grants, Enhancement Grants, ArtsFirst Grants, ARTSassist (for individual artists), and the Artist Emergency Fund, supplemented by an Events Calendar, brand assets, and an economic impact calculator.

Product overview

ARTSmemphis is a nonprofit grant-making organization that serves as the Mid-South's primary arts funder, not a traditional technology product company. Its 'products' are grant programs and services: Operating Support Grants provide unrestricted funding to arts organizations; ArtsBuild Communities (ABC) Grants support West Tennessee arts projects; Enhancement Grants fund organizational innovation and growth; ArtsFirst Grants are corporate-partnership programs; ARTSassist provides individual artist grants; and the Artist Emergency Fund supports artists during crises. Supporting services include a citywide Events Calendar available for website embedding, Brand Assets and Style Guides for grantees, and the AEP6 Shelby County Calculator for measuring economic impact. The organization connects donors, corporations, and foundations to local artists and arts organizations while providing financial guidance, organizational advice, and marketing support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ArtsFirst: A grant program for arts organizations supported by First Horizon Foundation
• ArtsZone
• Arts Build Communities (ABC)
• ARTSassist
• Artist Emergency Fund
• Enhancement Grant
• Dance Memphis

Products and services

• Operating Support Grants Unrestricted operating support grants for Shelby County nonprofit arts organizations, providing funds for staff, operations, and programming. This is ARTSmemphis's largest grant program.
• ArtsBuild Communities (ABC) Grant Program Grant program in partnership with the Tennessee Arts Commission that supports arts projects broadening access to arts experiences and enhancing sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises in West Tennessee.
• Enhancement Grants Biannual grants for organizational innovation and strategic projects that propel mission achievement and position arts organizations for sustainable growth. Established through a Plough Foundation endowment gift in 2005.
• ArtsFirst Grants Corporate partnership grant program administered through ARTSmemphis with funding from First Horizon Foundation (and corporate sponsors like AutoZone and FedEx), providing grants to Memphis arts organizations.
• ARTSassist Unrestricted $5,000 grant program supporting individual artists in Shelby County. The only unrestricted grant program serving individual artists in the county, with expanded disciplinary reach including dance, visual arts, music, and film.
• Artist Emergency Fund Emergency grant fund created with Music Export Memphis that supports artists facing unexpected catastrophic emergencies (medical, fire, theft of equipment) that upend their ability to practice and earn income.
• Events Calendar Citywide arts event calendar showcasing exhibits, events, festivals, workshops, and programs across Shelby County, available for embedding on external websites via iFrame JavaScript code in exchange for a tax-deductible donation.
• Brand Assets & Style Guide Brand assets including logos, colors, and style guides for ARTSmemphis and its sponsors, available for grantees to use in advertising and public relations materials.
• AEP6 Shelby County Calculator Customized economic impact calculator tool that enables nonprofit arts and culture organizations to calculate their economic impact in Shelby County, based on the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study.

Quantifiable outcome

• $192.9 million annual economic impact of arts and culture sector in Shelby County
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers32 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.

• Music Export MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Artist Emergency Fund; Music Export Memphis administers applications from musicians while ARTSmemphis handles non-musician applications; previously partnered during COVID-19 to distribute nearly $900,000 to 800 artists; partnership supports the Ambassador Access program.
• Americans for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to facilitate Arts & Economic Prosperity Study 6 (AEP6) in 2022 with 86 local nonprofit arts organizations; study conducted by Americans for the Arts with support from Ruth Lilly Endowment Fund; 297 study partners nationally contributed time and financial support.
• DCA MemphiscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner agency assisting with brand assets, style guides, logo packages, event graphics, and communications support; account manager Katie Elizabeth Carpenter handles ARTSmemphis marketing; assists with media relations and content creation.
• Indie MemphissupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support a filmmaker through Indie Memphis' Black Creators Forum as part of ARTSassist program expansion.
• Dance Memphis PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerARTSmemphis convened initiative including Ballet Memphis, Collage Dance, New Ballet Ensemble & School, Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC), Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Orpheum Theatre Group, Buckman Performing Arts Center at St. Mary's School, and University of Memphis Theatre and Dance Department to strengthen Memphis dance community through collaboration.

Scale indicators24 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nashville Arts: Tennessee-based municipal arts funding body serving Nashville arts organizations through grants and capacity support. Highly comparable as a same-state, same-mission regional arts council.
• Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance: Regional nonprofit that advocates for and supports Baltimore-area arts and cultural organizations through funding, training, and network-building. Comparable in structure and scope.
• Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council: Regional arts council providing grants, capacity-building, and advocacy for arts organizations in the Pittsburgh area. Comparable in scope, mission, and grantmaking function to ARTSmemphis.
• ArtsWave: Cincinnati-based community arts fundraiser using a similar model of pooling corporate, individual, and foundation donations to redistribute as grants to regional arts organizations. Directly comparable in function and structure to ARTSmemphis.
• Arts Cleveland: Cleveland-based arts service organization providing grants, advocacy, and capacity-building support to northeast Ohio arts organizations. Directly comparable scope and function.
• ArtsBoston: Boston-area arts service and advocacy organization providing grants, research, and convening for the regional arts community. Comparable as a regional arts council performing similar grantmaking and capacity-building functions.
• Houston Arts Alliance: Local arts council administering city and private funds for Houston-area arts organizations through grants, capacity building, and cultural programs. Directly comparable grantmaking and convening function.
• New England Foundation for the Arts: Regional arts grantmaker and capacity-builder serving New England, providing project grants and sector research. Comparable as a regional foundation distributing arts grants and supporting organizations.
• Greater Hartford Arts Council: Regional arts council serving the Greater Hartford area through workplace giving campaigns, grants, and arts advocacy. Comparable community-driven arts funding model.

Broad incumbents

• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit that conducted the AEP6 economic impact study with ARTSmemphis and supports local arts agencies nationwide. A broader incumbent that ARTSmemphis partners with but does not directly compete with.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/artsmemphis
• Facebookfacebook.com/artsmemphis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 ARTSmemphis