SISKIYOU ARTS MUSEUM

What SISKIYOU ARTS MUSEUM does

Siskiyou Arts Museum (SAM) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization founded in 2013 and headquartered at 5824 Dunsmuir Avenue in downtown Dunsmuir, California. It operates a light-filled gallery and museum space hosting monthly themed art exhibitions (Second Saturday openings February through December), a Gift Shop selling original art and crafts by local makers, and a basement Maker Space offering drop-in art sessions and workshops. SAM has hosted over 100 exhibition openings since inception and currently accepts show proposals through its 2027 season. The organization serves local and regional artists, Siskiyou County residents, and I-5 corridor tourists, with educational outreach to Mount Shasta High School and Dunsmuir Elementary School.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure combining recurring annual memberships ($15 student to $125 business), transaction-based art commissions from gallery and gift shop sales, foundation grants (Ford Family Foundation, McConnell Foundation, Tom & Nancy Driscoll Foundation), and donations. Operations are volunteer-driven, with SAM logging more than 1,649 volunteer hours per year and operating with a Board of Directors rather than disclosed paid staff. Distribution is anchored in a single physical location supplemented by a Squarespace website, email newsletter, and Square online storefront for donations and memberships.

In 2025 SAM completed a building purchase campaign that surpassed a $250,000 fundraising goal, transitioning the museum from tenant to owner of its primary facility. Strategic positioning is community-led and partnership-driven: SAM underwrites its programming through local business sponsorships ($400 per show), reciprocal marketing with Dunsmuir businesses (Cobra Lily Bar & Bottle, Dunsmuir Pizza Factory, Mechanics Bank), and curatorial leadership from Head Curator Lindsay Hanley. There are no AI, software-platform, or technology-product components to the business; the offering is fundamentally a physical cultural venue and retail experience.

Name

SISKIYOU ARTS MUSEUM

Legal name

Siskiyou Arts Museum

Website

https://siskiyouartsmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Siskiyou Arts Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization in downtown Dunsmuir, California, operating a gallery, gift shop, and Maker Space that host monthly exhibitions and community programs for local and regional artists, Siskiyou County residents, and I-5 corridor visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Museum & Cultural Institution

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG), Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA)

Keywords

• Community arts museum
• Art exhibitions gallery
• Maker space classes
• Local artist support
• Nonprofit cultural programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dunsmuir

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees ranging from $15 (student) to $125 (business), providing recurring revenue and member benefits including 10% off gift shop purchases
2. Art Sales Commission: Sales in gallery support local and regional artists with SAM taking commission on artwork sold through the museum gallery
3. Donated Artwork Sales: 100% of sales from donated works go toward building purchase fund; artwork donated by artists to support SAM operations
4. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including The Ford Family Foundation, The McConnell Foundation, and Tom & Nancy Driscoll Foundation
5. Donations and Fundraising: Building campaign and general donations from members, donors, and community supporters

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Siskiyou Arts Museum (SAM) is a member-driven 501(c)3 nonprofit that presents rotating themed art exhibitions in its downtown Dunsmuir gallery, sells original art and craft items through its on-site Gift Shop, and operates a community Maker Space offering art classes, workshops, and drop-in studio sessions. Supporting offerings include monthly Second Saturday opening receptions, a tiered annual Membership Program, art show sponsorships, and artist show proposal submissions.

Product overview

Siskiyou Arts Museum (SAM) is a member-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a unified portfolio of arts and community programs centered around its core Gallery & Museum Space. The museum provides a light-filled exhibition venue featuring rotating themed shows of local and regional artists throughout the year. Supporting the gallery is a Gift Shop selling original art, crafts, jewelry, books, and gifts by local makers, and a Maker Space offering community art classes, workshops, and open studio time. Additional offerings include 2nd Saturday Art Openings (monthly receptions with live music and hospitality), Membership Programs (with multiple tiers providing Gift Shop discounts), Volunteer Programs, Art Show Sponsorships, and an Art Show Proposal Submissions process for artists. The museum also maintains a Show Archive documenting past exhibitions and operates a Building Fund Campaign for facility ownership. The organization enriches Siskiyou County through exhibition, sale, and interpretation of visual, literary, and performing arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gallery & Museum Space A light-filled gallery and museum space in downtown Dunsmuir that hosts themed art exhibitions throughout the year featuring local and regional artists. Sales from the gallery support artists and underwrite museum exhibitions and community programs. Open Wednesday-Sunday 12-4pm and on Second Saturdays 12-7pm.
• Gift Shop Features high-quality, reasonably-priced art and craft items created by local and regional artists, including greeting cards, paintings, prints, ceramics, glass art, jewelry, books by local authors, and art supplies. Members receive a 10% discount.
• Maker Space

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 openings hosted since 2013
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Cobra Lily Bar & BottleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Dunsmuir business sponsor for 2025; supports arts in Siskiyou County
• Dunsmuir Pizza FactoryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business that hosted fundraising event for Dunsmuir Elementary School Art Show in May 2019; 2025 business sponsor
• Mechanics BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner2024 business sponsor; sponsored 'Awake in Color' exhibition; regional bank based in Mt Shasta, CA
• Joan AdamsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMultiple-time art show sponsor including 'From the Edge of Nowhere', 'Barns of Siskiyou County', 'Suspending Time', 'Fire & Ice'
• Weston's Quilting and Fiber ArtsminorGTM or Marketing Partner2024 sponsor of 'Quilting Around the Mountain' exhibition
• Dunsmuir Elementary SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school whose students participated in Watershed Art Program; first art show to benefit from SAM's sponsorship program in May 2019

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ink People Center for the Arts: Nonprofit community arts hub in Eureka, California providing gallery space, artist incubation, and educational programs; comparable as a member-driven rural Northern California arts nonprofit.
• Petaluma Arts Center: Community-based nonprofit arts center in a small Northern California city offering exhibitions, classes, and a gift shop; directly comparable to SAM's gallery-plus-Maker Space combination.
• Healdsburg Center for the Arts: A small Northern California nonprofit art gallery hosting rotating exhibitions of regional artists and operating a gift shop; comparable in scale, nonprofit model, and rural/small-town location to SAM.
• Sebastopol Center for the Arts: Nonprofit community arts organization in small-town Sonoma County offering exhibitions, classes, and cultural programming; similar scope, volunteer base, and rural Northern California footprint to SAM.
• Marin Museum of Contemporary Art: Nonprofit community art museum in Novato, California hosting rotating exhibitions of regional artists with gift shop and educational programming; comparable size and operational model.
• Arts Obispo: Nonprofit community arts organization on California's Central Coast supporting local artists through exhibitions and events; similar rural California nonprofit gallery model.

Emerging players

• College of the Siskiyous Art Gallery: Community college gallery in Weed, California featuring regional artists; comparable as a small Northern California exhibition venue with overlapping artist network (board member Chris Clother is a professor there).

Broad incumbents

• Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History: Larger regional art and history museum in a small California city offering exhibitions, community programming, and a museum store; comparable function but with greater scale and staff.

Regional players

• Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens: A nonprofit cultural attraction in Dunsmuir, California led by SAM's Board President Ernie Wasson; comparable as a community-driven visitor attraction in the same small town.
• Museum of the Siskiyou Trail: Small community museum in Siskiyou County focused on regional history; directly comparable as a nonprofit museum in the same geographic market serving Siskiyou County audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/siskiyou-arts-museum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 SISKIYOU ARTS MUSEUM