Waterloo Center for the Arts
Waterloo Arts is a Cleveland-based nonprofit arts organization that operates a community gallery, annual juried exhibitions, and the Waterloo Arts Fest. It serves artists, local residents, and regional vendors in the Collinwood neighborhood's Waterloo Arts & Entertainment District through exhibitions, festivals, workshops, and community art projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Waterloo Center for the Arts does
Waterloo Arts is a 501(c)-style nonprofit arts organization founded in 2004 (originally as Arts Collinwood, renamed in 2014) and headquartered at 15605 Waterloo Road in Cleveland, Ohio's Collinwood neighborhood. The organization operates a community gallery open Thursday–Saturday and an annual Waterloo Arts Fest that draws over 5,000 attendees across seven stages, supplemented by the monthly Walk All Over Waterloo First Friday district openings and a juried exhibition program that has historically reviewed 100–600+ submissions per cycle.
The organization's core product surface includes the Waterloo Arts Gallery, juried exhibitions with cash prizes (e.g., $500 Best of Show, plus category prizes from Praxis Fiber Workshop, Brick Ceramic + Design, Zygote Press, and The Sculpture Center), community projects such as the 20-mural Zoetic Walls public art program, the Trans* Art & Video Project, The Green Palette environmental arts initiative, the annual DayGlo Black Light Exhibition (presented with DayGlo Color Corporation), the Holiday Co-Op seasonal market, the Phone Gallery satellite space, the Creative Fusion Artist in Residence program, and workshops for children. Technology is lightweight: a WordPress-based website (waterlooarts.org) with an online virtual gallery platform, plus standard integrations with PayPal (entry fee payments via Entrythingy), Square POS (marketplace sales), and MailChimp (newsletter).
Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit stack: individual donations, a $10 annual membership, modest transaction fees ($20–$30 exhibition entry, $30–$60 Holiday Co-Op tables with a 30% gallery commission on sales), seasonal fundraisers such as Art of the Ornament, and institutional grants from six named funders (Gund Foundation, Cleveland Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, City of Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Community Shares). The organization serves three primary segments: artists and curators seeking exhibition opportunities, community members and art enthusiasts, and regional art vendors and small businesses. The arts district is anchored by a completed $5.5 million streetscape improvement that, alongside 20+ world-renowned street-art murals, visually defines the Waterloo Arts & Entertainment District.
Waterloo Center for the Arts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Waterloo Center for the Arts
- Legal name
- Waterloo Arts
- Website
- https://waterlooarts.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Waterloo Arts is a Cleveland-based nonprofit arts organization that operates a community gallery, annual juried exhibitions, and the Waterloo Arts Fest. It serves artists, local residents, and regional vendors in the Collinwood neighborhood's Waterloo Arts & Entertainment District through exhibitions, festivals, workshops, and community art projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Waterloo Center for the Arts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Arts Center
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ), Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)
Keywords
Where Waterloo Center for the Arts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Waterloo Center for the Arts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Annual fund donations from community members and supporters
- Membership Fees: Annual membership program supporting the organization with $10 membership fee mentioned for individual artists
- Holiday Co-op Vendor Fees: Table fees for vendors participating in annual holiday market; half table $30, full table $60, plus 30% gallery commission on sales
- Juried Exhibition Entry Fees: Entry fees for annual juried exhibitions: $30 for non-members, $20 for members for up to three pieces
- Foundation and Government Grants: Funding from Gund Foundation, Cleveland Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, City of Cleveland, and Greater Cleveland Community Shares
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Juried Exhibition Entry Fee - Non-Members |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Juried Exhibition Entry Fee - Members |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Holiday Co-op Full Table |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Holiday Co-op Half Table |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Waterloo Center for the Arts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Waterloo Arts operates a nonprofit gallery and arts center offering rotating exhibitions in its main gallery, the annual Waterloo Arts Fest (a seven-stage festival drawing thousands of attendees), monthly Walk All Over Waterloo opening receptions, juried exhibitions with cash prizes, public art mural programs, community projects, artist residencies, and children's arts workshops. Programs are delivered primarily through the main gallery at 15605 Waterloo Road in Cleveland's Collinwood neighborhood and supplemented by partner exhibition spaces and outdoor public art installations.
Product overview
Waterloo Arts is a nonprofit arts organization and creative hub in Cleveland, Ohio, offering a diverse portfolio of programs centered around its main gallery and the annual Waterloo Arts Fest. The core offerings include rotating gallery exhibitions featuring local, national, and international artists; the Waterloo Arts Fest, a major annual festival attracting thousands of visitors with seven stages of music, art vendors, food vendors, and performance artists; and juried exhibitions that provide artists with professional exposure and awards. Community initiatives include the Zoetic Walls public mural program, the Trans* Art & Video Project supporting transgender artists, and The Green Palette environmental arts initiative. The organization also operates the DayGlo annual fluorescent art exhibitions, the Holiday Co-Op seasonal marketplace, and the Phone Gallery (Cleveland's smallest gallery in a repurposed phone booth). Educational programs include workshops for children and the Creative Fusion Artist in Residence program.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Waterloo Arts Gallery A gallery space presenting thought-provoking art and design through rotating exhibitions featuring local, national, and international artists. The gallery hosts current, upcoming, and past exhibitions with viewing hours Thursday-Saturday 12-4pm at 15605 Waterloo Road.
Quantifiable outcome
- Transformed dilapidated Waterloo Road area into thriving arts district with $5.5M streetscape investment
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Waterloo Center for the Arts
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Waterloo Center for the Arts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Waterloo Center for the Arts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Greater Cleveland Community SharescoreWaterloo Arts is a member of Greater Cleveland Community Shares, which supports local nonprofit organizations working for sustainable solutions to build a stronger Cleveland. The organization participates in workplace giving programs through Community Shares.
- Praxis Fiber WorkshopcoreCo-hosts juried exhibitions with Waterloo Arts, providing additional exhibition space and serving as prize sponsor for Outstanding Work in Fiber. Located in Waterloo District.
- Brick Ceramic + Design StudiocoreCo-hosts juried exhibitions with Waterloo Arts, providing exhibition space and Brick Ceramic + Design Prize for Outstanding Work in Ceramics.
- CAN JournalminorProvides NEOH Artist Prize for juried exhibitions - Cash Prize $250 and artist feature article in CAN Journal for outstanding Northeast Ohio artist.
- Zygote PressminorPrize sponsor for Outstanding Work in Printmaking at juried exhibitions, providing $150 prize.
- The Sculpture CenterminorPrize sponsor for Outstanding Work in Sculpture at juried exhibitions, providing $150 prize.
- TAP by Todd PownellminorPartnership organization supporting juried exhibitions and arts programming.
- DayGlo Color CorporationcoreAnnual presenting partner for Cleveland's Annual Black Light Exhibition, donating fluorescent paint to artists for DayGlo shows. Multi-year partnership supporting unique fluorescent media exhibitions.
- Sistah SinemaminorPresented trans short films at Waterloo Arts in connection with Trans* Art and Video Project, including films 'KUMU HINA' and 'STEALTH' originally screened at Cleveland International Film Festival.
- Cleveland International Film FestivalminorProvided screening rights for Trans* short films featured at Waterloo Arts, enabling film programming at Trans* Art Exhibit.
- LGBT Community Center of Greater ClevelandminorProvided Trans* Ally Training at Waterloo Arts, with presenter Ryan Zymler delivering detailed presentation on gender identity, expression, orientation and biological sex.
- Akron Art MuseumminorAssociate Curator Theresa Bembnister served as juror for 2015 and 2017 Waterloo Arts Juried Exhibitions, bringing professional museum perspective to exhibition selection.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Waterloo Center for the Arts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Zygote Press: Cleveland nonprofit printmaking studio and gallery. Existing Waterloo Arts prize partner with comparable exhibition programming and nonprofit arts model.
- SPACES: Nonprofit alternative art gallery in Cleveland exhibiting local, national, and international artists. Closest direct peer in mission and gallery model to Waterloo Arts' core program.
- The Sculpture Center: Cleveland nonprofit presenting sculpture exhibitions and arts programming. Existing Waterloo Arts prize partner and comparable in scale and mission.
- Heights Arts: Cleveland-area nonprofit arts organization offering gallery exhibitions, community programming, and arts education. Comparable operating model and mission.
- Transformer Station: Nonprofit contemporary art space in Cleveland exhibiting regional and national artists. Comparable gallery programming and nonprofit arts mission.
Regional players
- Akron Art Museum: Nonprofit art museum in NE Ohio that has served as juror for Waterloo Arts exhibitions. Comparable mission, regional audience, and foundation funding model.
- Little Italy Art Walk organizers / Battery Park promoters: NE Ohio arts festival organizers running free outdoor walks and community events. Comparable festival/community model to Waterloo Arts Fest.
- MOCA Cleveland: Nonprofit contemporary art museum in Cleveland hosting rotating exhibitions and educational programs. Comparable as a Cleveland-based nonprofit art institution relying on similar foundation funding.
Broad incumbents
- Cleveland Museum of Art: Major regional art museum in Cleveland with rotating exhibitions, juried programming, and strong foundation support. Comparable art-presentation mission at a much larger scale.
Others
- CAN Journal: Nonprofit Cleveland arts publication featuring regional artists. Existing Waterloo Arts prize partner and ecosystem participant serving the same NE Ohio artist community.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Waterloo Center for the Arts social profiles
Digital presenceWaterloo Center for the Arts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Waterloo Center for the Arts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Waterloo Center for the Arts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Waterloo Center for the Arts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Waterloo Center for the Arts
What does Waterloo Center for the Arts do?
Waterloo Arts operates a nonprofit gallery and arts center offering rotating exhibitions in its main gallery, the annual Waterloo Arts Fest (a seven-stage festival drawing thousands of attendees), monthly Walk All Over Waterloo opening receptions, juried exhibitions with cash prizes, public art mural programs, community projects, artist residencies, and children's arts workshops. Programs are delivered primarily through the main gallery at 15605 Waterloo Road in Cleveland's Collinwood neighborhood and supplemented by partner exhibition spaces and outdoor public art installations.
Is Waterloo Center for the Arts a public or private company?
Waterloo Center for the Arts is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Waterloo Center for the Arts founded?
Waterloo Center for the Arts was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Waterloo Center for the Arts based?
Waterloo Center for the Arts is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Waterloo Center for the Arts make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are membership Fees, holiday Co-op Vendor Fees, juried Exhibition Entry Fees and foundation and Government Grants.
Who are Waterloo Center for the Arts's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Zygote Press, SPACES, The Sculpture Center, Heights Arts and Transformer Station. Regional players are Akron Art Museum, Little Italy Art Walk organizers / Battery Park promoters and MOCA Cleveland. Cleveland Museum of Art is listed as a broad incumbent. CAN Journal is listed as an others.
Does Waterloo Center for the Arts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Waterloo Center for the Arts.
What industry is Waterloo Center for the Arts in?
Waterloo Center for the Arts's product category is Community Arts Center. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit), with a secondary code of THAJADAJ, Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions. Its NAICS code is 712 and its SIC code is 7990.