American Tapestry Alliance

What American Tapestry Alliance does

American Tapestry Alliance (ATA), founded in 1982, is a US-based non-profit membership organization dedicated to supporting contemporary handwoven tapestry. It serves tapestry weavers of all skill levels through a tiered membership structure ranging from a $25/year Student tier up to a $250/year (or $450/two-year) Collector's Circle tier, with intermediate Individual ($45/yr), Studio Circle ($70/yr) and Curator's Circle ($135/yr) levels. Revenue is generated from membership dues, exhibition catalog sales ($5-$35), advertising placements ($30-$285), online auction proceeds via the Goodie Store, workshop fees, and donations through a PayPal-linked fundraiser; the organization is privately held with no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed institutional funding.

The organization operates a portfolio of recurring programs including juried exhibitions (American Tapestry Biennial, Thinking Through Tapestry, Beyond: Tapestry Expanded, Tiny But Mighty), the TEx@ATA online exhibition series running since 2005, the biennial Postcard Exchange launched in 2019, and education offerings spanning in-person and virtual workshops, a Mentoring Program, Speaker's Series, Ambassador Program, and Tapestry Week. Publications include the monthly eKudos, monthly eNews, and the tri-annual Tapestry Topics newsletter. Six named awards, scholarships and grants (Award of Excellence, International Student Award, Emerge Award, Painter/Brown Scholarship, Teitelbaum Awards, Weaving the Future Grant) round out the programmatic surface. ATA does not develop proprietary technology; its digital footprint consists of standard website, e-commerce, newsletter, and social media assets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).

ATA partners with the Handweavers Guild of America to align programming with the biennial Convergence conference, and hosts physical exhibitions with regional arts venues such as Evanston Arts Center (IL) and Envision Arts Gallery (Wichita, KS). Distribution is primarily self-serve via website-based membership signup, online catalog and auction stores with US and international shipping, supplemented by in-person exhibitions at mid-sized partner venues. The go-to-market motion is community-led: members drive engagement through local study groups, exhibitions, workshops, and the Convergence conference, with virtual meet-ups extending reach globally. The organization is governed by a volunteer board led by Board President David van Buskirk, with 11-50 staff supporting operations.

Name

American Tapestry Alliance

Legal name

American Tapestry Alliance

Website

https://americantapestryalliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

American Tapestry Alliance is a US non-profit founded in 1982 that supports contemporary handwoven tapestry weavers of all skill levels through tiered memberships, juried exhibitions, publications, awards, and global community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Membership and Fiber Arts Organization

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

Keywords

• Tapestry exhibitions
• Fiber arts education
• Weaving workshops
• Art membership organization
• Contemporary craft awards

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ATA generates primary revenue through tiered membership dues ranging from $25/year (student) to $450/2 years (Collector's Circle). Higher tiers include additional donations supporting ATA's programming.
2. Catalog Sales: Sale of exhibition catalogs documenting ATA's exhibitions. Prices range from $5 for older catalogs to $30-35 for recent exhibitions. Includes shipping fees.
3. Advertising: ATA sells advertising space in the Membership Directory, Tapestry Topics newsletter, and eNews/social media. Rates vary from $30-285 depending on ad size and member status.
4. Online Auction/Goodie Store: 100% of proceeds from the online auction benefit ATA. Items include donated tapestries, books, catalogs, and weaving tools donated by members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

American Tapestry Alliance is a non-profit membership organization that supports contemporary handwoven tapestry through tiered membership subscriptions, juried and unjuried exhibitions, in-person and virtual educational workshops, awards and scholarships, publications (newsletters and exhibition catalogs), and community-building programs such as the Postcard Exchange and Members' Meet-Ups. Its revenue is generated primarily from membership dues, donations, catalog sales, advertising placements, online auction proceeds, and workshop registration fees.

Product overview

American Tapestry Alliance is a membership-based nonprofit organization supporting contemporary handwoven tapestry. The organization offers a tiered membership structure (Individual, Studio Circle, Curator's Circle, Collector's Circle, and Student) providing access to educational programs, exhibitions, publications, and community resources. Core programs include juried exhibitions (American Tapestry Biennial, Thinking Through Tapestry, Beyond: Tapestry Expanded, Tiny But Mighty), online exhibitions (TEx@ATA), the Postcard Exchange program, and awards (Award of Excellence, International Student Award, Emerge Award, Painter/Brown Scholarship, Teitelbaum Awards, Weaving the Future Grant). Educational offerings encompass workshops (in-person and virtual), the Mentoring Program, Speaker's Series, Convergence retreat, Members' Meet-Ups, Ambassador Program, and Tapestry Week. Publications include eKudos (monthly), eNews (monthly), Tapestry Topics (quarterly), and exhibition catalogs. The Goodie Store provides an online auction for member-donated items. Studio Circle members receive dedicated Artist Pages on the ATA website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Membership Base annual or two-year membership tier ($45/year, $85/two years) for tapestry weavers of all experience levels, providing access to ATA newsletters, the Membership Directory, reduced exhibition and workshop fees, and discounts on catalogs and advertising.
• Student Membership Discounted annual or two-year membership ($25/year, $45/two years) for student tapestry weavers, providing all Individual membership benefits at a reduced rate.
• TEx@ATA Online Exhibitions Online exhibition program featuring curated exhibits of contemporary tapestry artists from around the world, each accompanied by a curatorial essay, with an archive dating to 2005.
• American Tapestry Biennial Major juried exhibition held biennially showcasing contemporary tapestry art from around the world.
• Thinking Through Tapestry Juried exhibition celebrating and exploring specialized tapestry techniques such as wedge weave, pulled tapestry, hachures, and the H.V./Theo Moorman technique.
• Beyond: Tapestry Expanded Exhibition exploring tapestry that pushes traditional boundaries through experimental techniques and materials.
• Tiny But Mighty Unjuried small-format tapestry exhibition held biennially in conjunction with the Handweavers Guild of America's Convergence conference; open to all submitted work.
• Postcard Exchange Biennial program matching ATA members internationally to exchange handwoven tapestry postcards, connecting weavers globally around themes such as 'Here and There' and 'Food'.
• ATA Workshops In-person weaving workshops led by experienced instructors, with reduced registration fees for ATA members.
• ATA Virtual Online Workshops Online weaving workshop offerings that enable remote participation from members worldwide, with reduced fees for ATA members.
• Mentoring Program Free mentoring program for Studio Circle members connecting them with experienced tapestry weavers for skill development.
• Speaker's Series Educational program featuring talks by tapestry artists and experts.
• Convergence and Member's Retreat Conference held in conjunction with the Handweavers Guild of America, featuring workshops, exhibitions, and networking.
• Members' Meet-Up Virtual gatherings held every other month where members share work, studio processes, and technical skills, with recorded talks available in the Members Only area.
• Tapestry Week Annual week-long celebration of tapestry weaving with special programs and events.
• Ambassador Program Program training members to represent and promote ATA and contemporary tapestry weaving.
• Award of Excellence Prestigious award recognizing outstanding achievement in contemporary tapestry weaving.
• International Student Award Award supporting international student tapestry artists.
• Emerge Award Award recognizing emerging talent in contemporary tapestry weaving.
• Painter/Brown Scholarship Scholarship supporting tapestry artists in their education and development.
• Teitelbaum Awards Named awards program for excellence in tapestry weaving, including the Teitelbaum Award tied to the Thinking Through Tapestry exhibition.
• Weaving the Future Grant Grant program supporting the future of contemporary tapestry weaving.
• Exhibition Catalogs Full-color catalogs documenting each ATA exhibition, including images of works, artist statements, and essays, priced from $5 (older) to $30-35 (recent), with US and international shipping.
• The Goodie Store (Online Auction) Online auction marketplace featuring donated items from ATA members including tapestries, books, catalogs, and weaving tools, with 100% of proceeds benefitting ATA programming.
• Advertising with ATA Advertisement placements in ATA's Membership Directory, Tapestry Topics newsletter, and eNews/social media, with three ad sizes (1/4 page, 1/2 page, full page) and member discounts, priced from $30 to $285.

Quantifiable outcome

• ATA organizes major exhibitions including the American Tapestry Biennial (every two years), Thinking Through Tapestry, Beyond: Tapestry Expanded, and Tiny But Mighty.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Laffer Curatorial ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005The Laffer Curatorial Program provided initial funds to launch the TEX@ATA online exhibition program in 2005. This foundational partnership established ATA's digital exhibition presence.
• Envision Arts GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATA partnered with Envision Arts Gallery in Wichita, KS to host the 2024 Tiny But Mighty exhibition. This gallery is the nation's first permanent art gallery made by and for artists who are blind or visually impaired or disabled.
• Evanston Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Evanston Arts Center (1717 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201) hosts the Thinking Through Tapestry exhibition from May 31-June 28, 2026.
• Handweavers Guild of America (HGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATA holds the Tiny But Mighty exhibition every two years in conjunction with HGA's Convergence conference, the international fiber art conference.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Basketry Organization: Membership nonprofit supporting heritage basketry through exhibitions, workshops, and a quarterly publication. Comparable small-staff nonprofit model serving a niche heritage craft community, with similar membership tiers and programming cadence.
• Surface Design Association: Membership-based nonprofit supporting contemporary textile and surface design through exhibitions, publications, and education. Comparable niche arts-membership model with tiered memberships, juried exhibitions, and a community newsletter analogous to ATA's structure.
• Friends of Fiber Arts International: Membership-based nonprofit gathering collectors, artists, and enthusiasts of historic and contemporary fiber art. Comparable community-led model with exhibitions, publications, and member events in the fiber/textile arts space.
• Textile Society of America: Interdisciplinary nonprofit convening textile scholars, artists, and curators through symposia and publications. Comparable membership model and mission of advancing textile knowledge across historic and contemporary practice.
• Handweavers Guild of America: US-based nonprofit membership organization for handweavers and fiber artists. Most direct comparable: ATA partners with HGA for the biennial Convergence conference, indicating overlapping membership community, programming, and editorial coverage of fiber arts.
• American Quilter's Society: Membership-driven nonprofit serving quilters with exhibitions, publications, and educational events. Similar subscription-revenue model, juried exhibitions, and catalog/merchandise revenue streams within the textile arts space.

Broad incumbents

• American Craft Council: Larger nonprofit advancing all craft disciplines across the United States. Broad incumbent that overlaps with ATA on craft education, exhibitions, and awards, but at a much wider (non-tapestry-specific) scope.
• Craft Yarn Council: Industry-supported nonprofit promoting yarn crafts through standards (e.g., yarn weight labeling), education, and events. Comparable nonprofit governance and craft-education mission, though more industry-facing than ATA's artist focus.

Others

• Penland School of Craft: Nonprofit craft education institution offering workshops in weaving and textile arts. Comparable craft-education mission (workshops, residencies), but operates a residential school model rather than a dispersed membership community.

Emerging players

• Textile Arts Center: Nonprofit textile arts education and exhibition space offering workshops, residencies, and exhibitions. Emerging player in the contemporary textile space, partial overlap with ATA's workshop and exhibition programming in a more centralized, location-based format.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ATATapestry
• Facebookfacebook.com/AmericanTapestryAlliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/americantapestryalliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-tapestry-alliance

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 American Tapestry Alliance