Bergamot Station Arts Center

What Bergamot Station Arts Center does

Bergamot Station Arts Center is a nonprofit creative arts collective operating a nearly 5-acre campus at 2525 Michigan Avenue in Santa Monica, California. Established on September 17, 1994 by developer Wayne Blank in partnership with the City of Santa Monica, the complex converted a former 1875 railroad depot into a destination housing approximately 20+ fine art galleries, two performance venues (The Crow comedy club and City Garage Theatre), an auction house (Santa Monica Auctions), restaurants, and nonprofit arts organizations. The property is partially owned by the City of Santa Monica, with property management handled by Rising Realty Partners since 2024 (succeeding Worthe Real Estate Group).

The business operates a platform model: gallery and venue spaces of approximately 3,000-3,500 square feet each are leased to independent operators including Craig Krull Gallery, Leslie Sacks Gallery, Peter Fetterman Gallery, Robert Berman Gallery, ROSEGALLERY, Von Lintel Gallery, William Turner Gallery, NÜART Gallery, Copro Gallery, Marshall Gallery, Richard Heller Gallery, bG Gallery, The Audio Salon, The Green Bus Artspace, Sparc, and Montalba Architects. Revenue streams include recurring gallery space rentals, transaction-based ticketing at The Crow and City Garage Theatre, buyer's premiums and transaction fees from Santa Monica Auctions, and event space rental. Admission to galleries and parking are free; live show ticket prices vary by event. Go-to-market is event-driven, relying on annual open houses, seasonal exhibitions, artist talks, the Bergamot Comedy Fest, and collaborative initiatives such as the 2024 DNA Festival Santa Monica (17 venues, 24 events) and the Getty Foundation's PST ART program.

The customer base spans four primary segments: art collectors and enthusiasts, performing arts audiences, the general public and tourists (drawn by free admission), and artists/curators seeking exhibition space. The complex benefits from strong transit accessibility via the adjacent Metro Expo E Line 26th Street/Bergamot stop (opened May 20, 2016) and free on-site parking. Distribution is entirely physical (Santa Monica), with no digital product surface, mobile app, or disclosed API. The entity has 11-50 employees, no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and no subsidiaries.

Name

Bergamot Station Arts Center

Legal name

Bergamot Station Arts Center

Website

https://bergamotstation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bergamot Station Arts Center is a nonprofit, 30-year-old arts complex in Santa Monica, California that leases gallery and venue space to approximately 20+ independent fine art galleries, performance venues, an auction house, and creative businesses on a free-admission, 5-acre campus adjacent to the Metro Expo Line.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts & Cultural Venues

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Collectibles & Hobby Shows (MPAGAFAN)

Keywords

• Art gallery complex
• Creative arts center
• Live performance venues
• Artist residencies
• Art auction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Gallery Space Rentals: The arts center generates revenue by leasing gallery and venue spaces to individual art galleries and creative businesses. Spaces range from approximately 3,000-3,500 square feet. The complex houses over 20 galleries and creative businesses.
2. Live Performance Revenue: Venues like The Crow comedy club and City Garage Theatre generate revenue through ticket sales for live comedy shows, theater performances, and special events.
3. Art Auctions: Santa Monica Auctions operates from Suite A5, conducting annual public auctions of modern and contemporary art, generating revenue through buyer's premiums and transaction fees.
4. Event Space Rental: The complex is available for private events, community programs, and special activations, generating rental income during property-wide events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bergamot Station Arts Center is a nearly 5-acre physical arts complex in Santa Monica, California that leases gallery and venue spaces to over 20 independent art galleries, performance venues (including The Crow comedy club and City Garage Theatre), and creative businesses. It also generates revenue through ticketed live performances, art auctions conducted by Santa Monica Auctions, private event rentals, and free community open house programming. The complex offers artist and curatorial residencies, educational programs, and serves as a centralized cultural destination accessible via Metro Expo Line.

Product overview

Bergamot Station Arts Center is a multi-venue arts complex in Santa Monica, California, offering a diverse portfolio of fine art galleries, performing arts venues, and community arts programs. The arts center operates as a platform model, housing approximately 20 independent galleries (including Craig Krull Gallery, Leslie Sacks Gallery, Robert Berman Gallery/Santa Monica Auctions, The Crow comedy club, City Garage Theatre, and others) alongside artist residencies, educational programs, and community events. The venue also provides dining through Le Great Outdoor and hosts cultural activations including the annual Open House events. The collective focuses on providing free exhibitions, inclusive performances, and community-driven public programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Crow: A comedy club and educational space located within Bergamot Station, founded by Nicole Blaine, offering live comedy shows, LGBTQ-themed programming, and community events
• City Garage Theatre

Products and services

• The Crow Comedy Club Progressive 65-seat comedy theater and club offering stand-up, storytelling, and live performances with a focus on underrepresented voices and LGBTQ+ programming, founded by Nicole Blaine. Sells tickets directly through its own venue platform.
• City Garage Theatre Live theater performance venue at Suite T1 presenting contemporary plays and theatrical productions, including Chekhov's works. Operated as an independent venue within the Bergamot Station complex.
• Santa Monica Auctions Annual public auction of modern and contemporary art operated from Suite A5 by Robert Berman Gallery, generating revenue through buyer's premiums and transaction fees via online and in-person bidding.
• Gallery Space Rentals Leased gallery and venue spaces ranging from approximately 3,000-3,500 square feet to over 20 independent art galleries and creative businesses, generating recurring rental revenue.
• Artist and Curatorial Residencies Residency programs offering artists and curators opportunities to develop their work within the Bergamot Station community, supporting artist development and exhibition creation.
• Educational Programs Community-focused educational initiatives providing diverse learning opportunities in the arts, including artist talks, curator walkthroughs, and the Storyectomy comedic storytelling classes in partnership with the American Cancer Society.
• Open House Events Annual free community events featuring exhibitions, curator walkthroughs, artist talks, and special events across the entire Bergamot Station Arts Center complex, held seasonally in spring and fall.
• Private Event Space Rental Event space rental services for private events, community programs, and special activations across the nearly 5-acre campus, generating rental income during property-wide events.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• City of Santa MonicacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The City of Santa Monica owns a portion of the Bergamot Station property and has provided ongoing municipal support including rent moratorium and rent reductions during COVID. The city's Cultural Affairs Division partners on initiatives like PST ART and DNA Festival.
• Santa Monica CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Santa Monica College is a key collaborator in the DNA Festival Santa Monica, a new digital art festival celebrating art's impact on global culture across 24 events at 17 venues.
• 18th Street Arts CentermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborative partner in DNA Festival Santa Monica, contributing to the largest digital arts showcase in the Western Americas.
• Getty Foundation (PST ART)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Bergamot Station galleries participate in PST ART: 'Art & Science Collide,' a Getty initiative featuring 60+ exhibitions across Southern California exploring intersections of art and science.
• LA ACM SIGGRAPHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in DNA Festival Santa Monica, presenting digital art exhibitions including 'DNA: 4th of 4' retrospective at Santa Monica College.
• EZTV Online MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in DNA Festival Santa Monica, presenting digital art exhibitions as part of the inaugural festival.
• American Cancer SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The Crow comedy club partnered with American Cancer Society for Storyectomy program, providing comedic storytelling classes culminating in cancer fundraiser showcases.
• Rising Realty PartnerscoreOthersProperty management company that took over management of Bergamot Station Arts Center in 2024, managing lease opportunities and property operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• The Compound (Atlanta): Adaptive-reuse arts and creative complex in Atlanta's West End housing galleries and creative businesses. Comparable as a multi-tenant arts complex in an adaptive-reuse industrial structure.

Direct peers

• The Brewery Arts Complex: Adaptive-reuse arts complex in Los Angeles housing galleries, artist studios, performance venues, and creative businesses. Operates the same multi-tenant arts collective model as Bergamot Station.
• 18th Street Arts Center: Nonprofit arts complex in Santa Monica offering artist residencies, exhibitions, and community programming. Highly comparable as a peer nonprofit arts hub in the same city, and an existing Bergamot Station programming partner.
• Artscape Wychwood Barns: Adaptive-reuse arts and community complex in Toronto housing galleries, artist studios, and cultural programming. Directly comparable as a multi-tenant nonprofit arts hub in a historic structure.

Broad incumbents

• The Shed: Multi-disciplinary arts center in New York combining galleries, performance venues, and public space. Comparable as a hybrid visual + performing arts cultural hub, though at a much larger institutional scale.
• Hauser & Wirth: Global gallery brand operating multi-functional arts complexes combining galleries, restaurants, and event spaces. Comparable in the gallery-cluster-with-amenities model, though larger and more commercial.

Regional players

• Pier 24 Photography: San Francisco photography exhibition space operated by the Pilara Foundation. Comparable as an adaptive-reuse arts venue focused on exhibitions in a West Coast market with free admission model.
• The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA: Contemporary art exhibition space in downtown Los Angeles operated by the Museum of Contemporary Art. Comparable as a regional contemporary art venue serving the same LA market with overlapping programming.
• Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (ICA LA): Contemporary art museum in Los Angeles presenting exhibitions and public programming. Comparable as a contemporary art institution in the same regional market with free admission model.
• Downtown Art District (LA): Concentrated arts district in downtown Los Angeles housing galleries, studios, and arts organizations. Comparable as a multi-tenant gallery district in the LA market with similar event-driven programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bergamotstation
• Facebookfacebook.com/bergamotsm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bergamot-station

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Bergamot Station Arts Center