Ross Creek Centre For The Arts

What Ross Creek Centre For The Arts does

Ross Creek Centre for the Arts is a non-profit multidisciplinary arts education and cultural institution operating under the umbrella of CoastArts Association, a registered charity in Canning, Nova Scotia, Canada. Founded in 1992 as Two Planks and a Passion Theatre (a touring company) by co-founders Chris O'Neill and Ken Schwartz, the organization evolved into a full arts centre that opened on a 178-acre former cattle farm overlooking the Bay of Fundy in 2006. The centre serves five primary customer segments: youth and families (ages 4–18) through summer day camps, overnight camps, March Break camps, Teen Academies, and Dance Summer Dance; adult learners through weekend retreats and workshops; professional artists through residencies (2 weeks to 4 months) priced at $770/week; educational institutions through school field trips; and theatre audiences through Two Planks and a Passion's outdoor productions. The organization also operates The Ross Creek Annex (a community venue in Canning village opened in 2023), a professional gallery and community gallery, venue rentals, and an online merchandise store.

The centre's "technology" is primarily physical infrastructure: climate-controlled professional gallery spaces, a sprung-floor RJ Owen Studio, an acoustically tuned dance studio, a licensed commercial kitchen, farmhouse accommodations, bunkhouses, an outdoor amphitheatre spanning the 178-acre property, and organic gardens. The organization uses commodity SaaS tools for distribution — FareHarbor for theatre ticket booking, Sunergo for camp registration, and an integration e-commerce store. The portfolio of programs operates independently but shares the campus and the CoastArts non-profit infrastructure.

Revenue is diversified across six streams: program fees (camp registrations, workshops, retreats, residencies, school programs), theatre ticket sales, artist residency fees, facility rentals, merchandise sales, and donations/grants from government bodies (Canada Council for the Arts, Arts Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Gaming) and private foundations (The Craig Foundation). Pricing is unit-based with early-bird discounts (5–15%) and bursaries for families in need. Marketing is conducted through digital channels (website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, email newsletters) and community events. The organization is volunteer-Board governed and led by its two co-founders, with 1–10 permanent staff augmented by seasonal camp staff. In 2025 it celebrated its 35th anniversary and observed a 20% decline in donations versus the prior year.

Name

Ross Creek Centre For The Arts

Legal name

CoastArts Association

Website

https://artscentre.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ross Creek Centre for the Arts is a non-profit multidisciplinary arts centre in Canning, Nova Scotia operating on 178 acres, serving youth, adults, professional artists, schools, and theatre audiences through camps, residencies, workshops, school programs, galleries, and the resident Two Planks outdoor theatre company.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Canning

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue from arts camp registrations (SummerArts, March Break, Teen Academies, Dance Summer Dance), adult workshops and retreats, artist residencies, and school programs. Fees vary by program type and duration.
2. Theatre Ticket Sales: Two Planks and a Passion Theatre generates revenue through ticket sales for outdoor performances, including mainstage shows and fireside theatre experiences. Picnic add-ons and special events provide additional revenue.
3. Artist Residency Fees: Professional artists pay for residency programs ranging from 2 weeks to 4 months, including accommodation and meals. Pricing at $770/week plus HST.
4. Facility Rentals: Venues available for weddings, corporate events, meetings, and celebrations. Pricing varies by complexity and catering requirements.
5. Merchandise Sales: Online store sells merchandise including apparel, books, artwork prints, and commemorative items.
6. Donations and Grants: As a registered charity (CoastArts Association), the organization receives donations, monthly gifts, corporate sponsorships, and government grants from Canada Council for the Arts, Arts Nova Scotia, and Nova Scotia Gaming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ross Creek Centre for the Arts is a multidisciplinary arts centre on 178 acres in Canning, Nova Scotia, offering youth summer/day camps (SummerArts, March Break, Teen Academies, Dance Summer Dance), adult arts retreats and workshops, K-12 school programs, self-directed artist residencies (2 weeks to 4 months), a professional outdoor theatre company in residence (Two Planks and a Passion), professional and community gallery exhibitions, and venue rentals for weddings, conferences, and events. The centre operates under the registered charity CoastArts Association.

Product overview

Ross Creek Centre For The Arts is a multidisciplinary arts education and cultural institution operating under the CoastArts Association, offering a portfolio of programs rather than a single software product. The core offerings include youth camps (SummerArts, March Break, Teen Academies, Dance Summer Dance), youth leadership training, adult arts retreats and workshops, school programs, artist residencies, professional and community gallery exhibitions, the resident Two Planks and a Passion outdoor theatre company, venue rentals for events and weddings, and a community annex venue in Canning. The organization also maintains an online store for branded merchandise. These programs operate independently but share the 178-acre Ross Creek campus and the broader CoastArts non-profit infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Two Planks and a Passion: Award-winning professional outdoor theatre company in residence at Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, known for spectacular outdoor productions and fireside theatre experiences.
• SummerArts Camps
• Dance Summer Dance
• Teen Academies

Products and services

• SummerArts Camps Overnight and day camps for kids ages 5-16 run on the North Mountain in Nova Scotia during summer, combining focused art workshop time with active camp recreation, culminating in a weekly showcase. Day camp priced at $350/week including materials, snacks, and lunch; overnight camp at $550 including meals and accommodation.
• March Break Camps Day camps for children and teens aged 4-16 during March Break, offering programs in dance, theatre, music, and art taught by professional artists, with optional transportation via the Art Bus. Priced at $85/day including lunch and materials.
• Dance Summer Dance (DSD) Atlantic Canada's most advanced summer dance training program for ages 11-18, offering two weeks of intensive instruction in ballet and modern dance with live musical accompaniment, set within a sleepaway camp experience. Priced at $1,500 + HST for two weeks including meals and accommodation.
• Youth Leadership Program A free four-stage program for youth ages 14-18 (Volunteer, Counsellor in Training, Junior Counsellor, Leading Junior Counsellor) offering experiential leadership learning, with participants eligible for free enrollment in Teen Academies or Dance Summer Dance.
• Teen Academies A two-week interdisciplinary arts intensive program for ages 14-18 combining arts education and mentorship from professional artists with the sleepaway camp experience.
• Adult Arts Retreats and Workshops Single-day workshops and weekend immersive retreats at Ross Creek with acclaimed faculty, offering overnight accommodation in farmhouse rooms or off-grid cabins, for adults seeking to develop artistic skills. Priced $275-$375 + HST depending on accommodation tier.
• School Programs Field trips and educational experiences for schools throughout Nova Scotia, bringing students to Ross Creek for immersive arts and cultural programming.
• Artist Residencies Self-directed and thematic residencies for professional artists in disciplines including visual art, writing, theatre, dance, film, music, and photography, ranging from 2 weeks to 4 months between September and June on the 178-acre campus. Priced at $770/week + HST including 24-hour studio access, private room, all meals, and access to grounds and organic garden.
• Ross Creek Professional Gallery and Community Gallery Two gallery spaces — a secure 18x30 ft Professional Gallery for contemporary visual art exhibitions by regional, national, and international artists, and an 18x25 ft Community Gallery for community-generated and residency-created work.
• The Ross Creek Annex A community venue in Canning, Nova Scotia featuring a kitchen and garden program, rentable multipurpose spaces including a recording studio and maker equipment, and regular programming through Music in Communities partnerships.
• Two Planks and a Passion Theatre An award-winning professional outdoor theatre company in residence at Ross Creek, producing large-scale outdoor productions on 178 acres of farmland with site-specific staging and fireside performances. Tickets sold through FareHarbor online booking and on-site box office.
• Weddings and Venue Rentals Rental of Ross Creek facilities including studios, celebration tents, farmhouse accommodations, and bunkhouses for events ranging from weddings and conferences to birthday parties and retreats. Meeting room rental priced at $125 half day / $250 full day.
• Online Store E-commerce storefront selling Ross Creek and Two Planks branded merchandise including apparel, books, art prints, mugs, and limited-edition items.

Quantifiable outcome

• 127 Merritt Award nominations and 35 wins including 4 Outstanding Production awards for Two Planks and a Passion Theatre
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Farmhouse InnminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal accommodation partner in Canning village offering preferred rates for Ross Creek visitors.
• Benjamin Bridge WineryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal wine partner serving Benjamin Bridge wine at theatre picnics and events.
• Tangled GardenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal food producer providing artisanal jellies and treats for theatre picnics.
• The Noodle GuyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal restaurant partner doing pop-up events at Ross Creek before shows.
• Music in CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization running concerts, workshops, jams, and open mics at The Ross Creek Annex. Handles their own ticketing and programming.
• Dalhousie School of ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered in 2010 to host master's students who created the Lamella outdoor dining hall as a thesis project.
• Eastern Front TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTheatre partnership for Halifax bus transportation to Ross Creek performances.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Neptune Theatre: Neptune Theatre is Halifax's largest professional regional theatre, producing mainstage and theatre school programming. It shares the Nova Scotia/Atlantic Canadian theatre ecosystem with Ross Creek's Two Planks company and is a regional peer on the professional live-theatre axis.
• Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD): NSCAD is Atlantic Canada's premier post-secondary fine arts institution offering degree programs in visual arts, design, and media. It is a regional peer on the arts-education axis and a likely source of faculty and programming collaboration for Ross Creek.
• Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia: Mermaid Theatre is a Nova Scotia-based professional touring theatre specializing in children's and family programming. It overlaps Ross Creek's youth-arts-education and family programming focus within the same regional arts funding landscape.

Direct peers

• Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity: Banff Centre is a Canadian multidisciplinary arts and creativity institution offering residencies, training programs, and performances across visual arts, theatre, dance, and music. It is the closest large-scale Canadian peer to Ross Creek's combined model of arts education, residencies, and resident performing company on a dedicated campus.
• Interlochen Center for the Arts: Interlochen is a US-based multidisciplinary arts education organization operating summer camps, academies, and year-round programs in music, theatre, visual arts, and dance. It mirrors Ross Creek's overnight-arts-camp model combined with faculty-led instruction for youth.
• Atlantic Center for the Arts: Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida is a community arts organization offering artist residencies, community programs, and cultural programming. It is a direct peer on the artist-residency-plus-community-programming model that anchors Ross Creek's offerings.

Broad incumbents

• National Arts Centre (Canada): The National Arts Centre is Canada's largest performing arts institution, presenting theatre, music, and dance nationally. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Ross Creek on arts programming and federal grant access, though it operates at much greater scale.
• Stratford Festival: Stratford Festival is one of North America's largest classical theatre companies with a major training and outreach program in Ontario. Ken Schwartz's Stratford-linked background (Michael Langham Workshop, Elliot Hayes Award) makes it a relevant broad incumbent for artistic mentorship comparability.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/rosscreektv
• Facebookfacebook.com/artscentre.ca
• Instagraminstagram.com/rosscreek
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ross-creek-centre-for-the-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Ross Creek Centre For The Arts