SHAW CENTER FOR THE ARTS

What SHAW CENTER FOR THE ARTS does

Shaw Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit multi-venue arts complex located at 100 Lafayette Street in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, occupying an entire city block with direct Mississippi River views. The facility houses four primary showplaces: The Manship Theatre (performing arts), the LSU Museum of Art (visual arts exhibitions), the Glassell Gallery (LSU School of Art student/faculty exhibitions), and the River Terrace (private event venue). Four on-site dining tenants — Capital City Grill, PJ's Coffee, Stroube's, and Tsunami — provide ancillary food and beverage. The organization serves three primary customer segments: wedding and private event clients (the primary revenue driver via River Terrace rentals), arts enthusiasts and cultural visitors attending theatre/museum programming, and students/scholars engaging with the LSU-affiliated gallery and museum.

The business model rests on three revenue streams: (1) one-time venue rental fees for the River Terrace (with a $1,500 non-refundable deposit and balance due 60 days prior to event, accommodating up to 400 cocktail guests or 300 seated), (2) licensing income from on-site dining tenants, and (3) charitable donations and contributions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Marketing and customer acquisition are conducted through the organization's website (shawcenter.org), Instagram presence, and partner-driven digital booking platforms including HoneyBook (event applications), SimplyBook.me (tour scheduling), and Kuula (virtual tours). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based via online application.

Governance is provided by a Board of Directors including voting members spanning community, theatre, and museum director categories, voting ex-officio members (Mayor-President Sid Edwards, Commissioner of Administration Taylor Barras), and non-voting ex-officio members representing the Greater Baton Rouge Arts Council, Manship Theatre, LSU School of Art, and LSU Museum of Art. Day-to-day operations are led by Executive Director Priscilla Wagoner Simpson, supported by Director of Events & Operations Aimee Dazé and Director of Facilities & Maintenance George Voison. The organization does not have disclosed funding rounds, headcount, or financial figures.

Name

SHAW CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Legal name

Shaw Center for the Arts

Website

https://shawcenter.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shaw Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit multi-venue arts complex in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, housing the Manship Theatre, LSU Museum of Art, Glassell Gallery, and River Terrace event venue, serving wedding clients, arts patrons, and LSU students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Cultural Center

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Art museum exhibitions
• Private event venue
• Arts education center
• Cultural nonprofit organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental - River Terrace: Revenue generated from renting the River Terrace venue for weddings, fundraisers, and corporate events. Venue-only option or full-service experience with catering and bar options available. $1,500 nonrefundable deposit required to secure dates, with remaining balance due 60 days prior to event.
2. On-site Dining Tenants: Revenue from dining establishments located within the facility including Capital City Grill, PJ's Coffee, Stroube's, and Tsunami restaurant.
3. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Shaw Center for the Arts receives charitable donations and contributions from donors, members, and supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shaw Center for the Arts operates a multi-venue arts complex in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, housing The Manship Theatre for performing arts, the LSU Museum of Art, the Glassell Gallery for student exhibitions, and The River Terrace, an indoor and outdoor event venue available for weddings, fundraisers, and corporate events. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the center offers arts programming for education, entertainment, interpretation, and discovery, alongside licensed on-site dining tenants.

Product overview

Shaw Center for the Arts is a multi-venue arts complex serving as a 501(c)(3) non-profit gathering place for visual and performing arts. The facility houses four primary showplaces: The Manship Theatre (performing arts), LSU Museum of Art (art museum), Glassell Gallery (student art exhibitions), and The River Terrace (event venue). Additional amenities include on-site dining options. The organization offers these venues for education, entertainment, interpretation, and discovery purposes, with The River Terrace available for private event rentals including weddings and corporate functions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The River Terrace

Quantifiable outcome

• Capacity for up to 400 guests for cocktail events or 300 for seated dinners
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greater Baton Rouge Arts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJonathan Grimes serves as CEO of Greater Baton Rouge Arts Council as a non-voting ex-officio board member, representing the broader arts community partnership supporting the Shaw Center's mission.
• Manship TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJason Langlois serves as Executive Director of Manship Theatre as a non-voting ex-officio board member. Manship Theatre is a constituent organization housed within the Shaw Center building.
• LSU School of ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArne Flaten serves as Dean of LSU School of Art as a non-voting ex-officio board member. LSU School of Art students engage with the Glassell Gallery within the facility.
• LSU Museum of ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMark Tullos serves as Executive Director of LSU Museum of Art as a non-voting ex-officio board member. The LSU Museum of Art is a major constituent organization within the Shaw Center.
• LSU School of Art Glassell GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent art gallery operated by LSU School of Art, providing educational exhibition space for art students within the Shaw Center facility.
• Capital City GrillminorOthersRestaurant tenant located within the Shaw Center building, providing dining options for visitors and event guests.
• PJ's CoffeeminorOthersCoffee shop tenant located within the Shaw Center building, providing beverage service for visitors.
• Stroube'sminorOthersRestaurant tenant located within the Shaw Center building, providing dining options for visitors and event guests.
• TsunamiminorOthersSushi restaurant tenant located within the Shaw Center building, also offering Pennington Rooftop Terrace & Sculpture Garden as an additional private event venue option.
• Downtown Development DistrictminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership reference to Downtown Baton Rouge's parking guide for visitor parking information at the Shaw Center location.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Peace Center: Greenville, SC nonprofit performing arts and event venue complex offering multiple halls and event rental spaces; directly comparable multi-venue nonprofit model to Shaw Center.
• Strathmore: Bethesda, MD nonprofit arts complex combining a concert hall, education center, and gallery/mansion event spaces; mirrors Shaw Center's mix of performance, education, and event venues.
• Tobin Center for the Performing Arts: San Antonio nonprofit performing arts center hosting multiple resident companies and event rentals in a single complex; comparable to Shaw Center's mix of resident arts organizations plus venue rental.
• Overture Center for the Arts: Multi-venue nonprofit performing and visual arts center in Madison, WI, combining multiple performance halls, galleries, and event spaces under one roof — closely analogous to Shaw Center's four-showplace model.
• Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts: Nonprofit multi-venue performing arts center in Kansas City offering multiple performance halls and event programming; comparable to Shaw Center in operating multiple cultural venues as a single nonprofit entity.
• Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts: Miami-based nonprofit multi-venue performing arts center offering multiple halls and event programming; comparable in being a multi-venue cultural complex with event-hosting capability.
• Long Center for the Performing Arts: Austin, TX nonprofit multi-venue performing arts center combining concert halls and event spaces; comparable nonprofit operating model and multi-venue programming structure to Shaw Center.
• Aronoff Center for the Arts: Cincinnati nonprofit multi-venue performing arts complex with multiple theaters and event rental spaces; comparable in operating multiple showplaces plus event hosting under a single nonprofit entity.

Regional players

• Saenger Theatre: Historic performing arts venue in New Orleans, LA offering ticketed performances and event rentals; a regional Louisiana-market peer with overlapping event-hosting function and cultural tourism audience.

Emerging players

• Ogden Museum of Southern Art: New Orleans-based nonprofit art museum with rotating exhibitions, event rentals, and educational programming — a partial-overlap peer covering Shaw Center's museum/gallery and event-rental components in a regional Louisiana market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/shawcenterforthearts
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShawCenterfortheArts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shaw-center-for-the-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 SHAW CENTER FOR THE ARTS