What SPACE Gallery does

SPACE is a nonprofit contemporary arts organization founded in 2002 and based in a single owned building at 534-538 Congress Street in Portland, Maine. It operates a multi-disciplinary platform combining a visual art gallery (534 Congress), a performance venue (538 Congress), and below-market artist studio space, with programming spanning exhibitions, live music, film screenings, theater, lectures, and community events. Tickets are sold through Eventbrite and an in-person box office, with event pricing typically ranging from $5 to $60 and $2–$5 membership discounts available.

The organization's revenue is diversified across five streams: ticket sales (transaction-based, $5–$60), donations and memberships (recurring), foundation grants (American Rescue Plan $250K in 2021, Warhol Foundation, Onion Foundation, NEFA), merchandise and editioned works sold through the SPACE Shop on Big Cartel, and below-market studio rentals under the SPACE Studios sub-brand. Its technology stack is intentionally lightweight — no proprietary platforms, mobile app, or API surface — relying instead on Eventbrite for ticketing, Big Cartel for retail, and standard email/social channels for marketing.

SPACE extends beyond a single venue through three grantmaking and residency programs: the Kindling Fund (statewide regranting for artist-led initiatives), the Sonic Visions Fund (now in its 5th year, five $3,000 grants plus production/marketing/touring support for Maine musicians, funded by the Onion Foundation), and a national Artist Residency Program. Sub-brands include SPACE Reader (editorial publication) and SPACE Shop (artist editions). Strategic partnerships span local community organizations (Portland Tenants Union, Out There Theater Company, Print: A Bookstore, Pickwick Independent Press), regional and national funders (Onion Foundation, NEFA), and national record labels (Sub Pop). SPACE's primary customer segments are general arts audiences in southern Maine, working artists (local and national), and Maine musicians seeking funding.

Name

SPACE Gallery

Legal name

SPACE

Website

https://space538.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SPACE is a nonprofit contemporary arts organization in Portland, Maine (founded 2002) operating a gallery, performance venue, artist studios, and statewide grantmaking programs (Kindling Fund, Sonic Visions Fund) to support working artists, touring performers, and Maine musicians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Arts and Culture Venue

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Live music venue
• Film screenings
• Artist residency programs
• Nonprofit arts organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: SPACE generates revenue through ticket sales for concerts, film screenings, theater performances, and other events. Advance and day-of-show pricing with member discounts available.
2. Donations and Memberships: The nonprofit accepts donations and offers membership programs that provide benefits like ticket discounts. Donate page available on website for supporting programming.
3. Merchandise Sales: The SPACE Shop sells merchandise and editioned works by Studio Artists and Residents through Big Cartel e-commerce platform.
4. Foundation Grants: SPACE receives grant funding from organizations including Warhol Foundation and through federal programs like the American Rescue Plan. The Onion Foundation supports the Sonic Visions Fund.
5. Studio Rentals: SPACE rents below-market studios to artists with active practices from their building at 534-538 Congress Street.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SPACE Gallery is a nonprofit contemporary arts organization that operates a multidisciplinary venue in Portland, Maine presenting visual art exhibitions, live music concerts, film screenings, theatrical performances, lectures, and community discussions. The organization also runs supporting programs including below-market artist studio rentals (SPACE Studios), a national Artist Residency Program, statewide regranting initiatives (Kindling Fund and Sonic Visions Fund), and an editorial publication (SPACE Reader). Ticket-based events and philanthropic funding together sustain the programming.

Product overview

SPACE Gallery is a multidisciplinary nonprofit arts organization based in Portland, Maine, operating from its home at 534-538 Congress Street. The organization functions as a platform offering visual art exhibitions, live music events, film screenings, theatrical performances, lectures, and community programming. SPACE operates several interconnected programs including SPACE Studios (below-market artist studios), an Artist Residency Program, the statewide Kindling Fund regranting program, and the Sonic Visions Fund grant for Maine musicians. The organization publishes editorial content through SPACE Reader, maintains a retail shop for artist merchandise, and hosts an annual New England Art Book Fair. SPACE serves as both a presenting venue and a community resource hub supporting contemporary artists and adventurous ideas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kindling Fund: Statewide regranting program for artist-led initiatives and projects in Maine.
• Sonic Visions Fund
• SPACE Studios
• SPACE Reader

Products and services

• Visual Art Exhibitions Gallery exhibitions featuring contemporary artists displayed at 534 Congress St. gallery space, including window gallery exhibitions available 24/7. Open to the general public during gallery hours (Thurs & Fri 12-6pm, Sat 12-4pm).
• Live Music Events Concerts and performances featuring touring and local musicians across various genres including indie, folk, rock, jazz, electronic, and experimental music. Held at 538 Congress St. with tickets ranging from $10 advance to $60 day-of-show for premium performances.
• Film Screenings Film presentations including documentaries, narrative features, and experimental cinema, often with filmmaker Q&As and panel discussions. Tickets typically priced $10 general / $7 SPACE members.
• Theater and Performance Theatrical productions, experimental performance works, and stage presentations including plays and immersive theater experiences. Often co-produced with partner organizations such as Out There Theater Company.
• Lectures and Discussions Artist talks, author readings, panel discussions, and community forums on arts, culture, and social justice topics. Co-presented with organizations such as Print: A Bookstore.
• SPACE Studios Below-market rental studios for artists with active practices, located above the main gallery space at 534-538 Congress St. Tenants include operations such as Pickwick Independent Press.
• Artist Residency Program Program inviting national artists to stay in Portland, providing space and resources for artistic development and cultural exchange.
• Kindling Fund

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Out There Theater CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) nonprofit theater company based in Portland, Maine committed to producing newer works. Co-producing 'The Last Class: A Jazzercize Play' with SPACE in August 2026 for a two-week, six-show run.
• Pickwick Independent PresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFine art printmaking shop serves as featured artist tenant in SPACE Studios building. Co-presents Portland Print Crawl event with open studios at SPACE. Provides printmaking resources and community for artists.
• Print: A BookstoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Portland bookstore co-presents author events at SPACE including book launches and discussions.
• Portland Tenants UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization that used SPACE as a venue to unveil their Tenants Agenda and present results of their city-wide rent control audit.
• Contemn LightminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenter of heavy music events at SPACE including Come to Grief with Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean, Qualms, and From Angels Gate.
• Sub PopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor independent record label whose artists (The Bug Club) perform at SPACE. SPACE serves as venue for Sub Pop artist touring.
• Deep Groove RecordsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMaine-based record store sponsors the Daniel Villarreal Trio performance at SPACE.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design (ICA at MECA&D): A small, non-profit contemporary art institution also based in Portland, Maine. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and geographic market - both present contemporary exhibitions in the same city.
• The Kitchen (NYC): A nonprofit multi-disciplinary arts venue in New York presenting visual art, performance, music, and film. Closely mirrors SPACE's category-defying curatorial approach and presenter/venue business model.
• Headlands Center for the Arts: A Marin County, CA nonprofit combining artist residencies, exhibitions, and public programs. Highly comparable to SPACE's residency-plus-exhibition-plus-grantmaking nonprofit model, though with a different geographic focus.
• Hyde Park Art Center: A community-based nonprofit contemporary art center in Chicago offering exhibitions, classes, and residencies. Comparable in its role as a multi-disciplinary, community-rooted nonprofit arts space with a similar scale and programming breadth.
• Socrates Sculpture Park: A NYC nonprofit outdoor sculpture park and arts venue offering exhibitions, performances, and community programs. Comparable as a community-rooted nonprofit arts space blending visual art and performance programming.
• Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture: A Maine-based residency and arts organization, though focused on a nine-week summer residency program. Shares SPACE's commitment to supporting working artists and a Maine artistic community base.

Broad incumbents

• MASS MoCA: A large contemporary art museum in North Adams, MA that also presents performing arts, film, and music. Significantly larger scale but operates a similar gallery-plus-venue model in a small New England city.
• Portland Museum of Art: The largest art museum in Maine, also based in Portland. Serves as a broader incumbent with traditional museum programming, larger staff, and permanent collection, overlapping with SPACE's exhibition function but at a much larger scale.
• Wexner Center for the Arts: Ohio State University's multi-disciplinary contemporary arts center presenting exhibitions, performing arts, and film. Comparable in its multi-disciplinary, experimental programming model, though university-affiliated and at larger scale.

Peers

• Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts: An Omaha-based nonprofit combining artist residencies, exhibitions, and public programs. Highly comparable model to SPACE, with a similar focus on supporting working artists and presenting experimental programming across multiple disciplines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SPACE538
• Instagraminstagram.com/space538
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/space538portland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 SPACE Gallery