The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville

What The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville does

The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) performing arts venue located at 215 East Main Street on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, Virginia. The theater was originally opened in 1931 as a movie palace designed by Chicago architectural firm Rapp & Rapp, closed in 1974, and was purchased by the nonprofit Paramount Theater, Inc. in 1992. After a $17.6 million restoration completed in December 2004, the venue reopened with an octagonal auditorium, Greek Revival-influenced facade, restored Art Deco/Neoclassical interiors, and modern accessibility features including elevator access and infrared audio enhancement. The theater is led by CEO & Executive Director Julie Montross with a board of directors chaired by Mary Dalton.

The venue operates a diversified programming model spanning live performances (music, dance, opera, theater), classic and contemporary film screenings through its Paramount On Screen sub-brand, live broadcasts (opera, sports), and educational programming. The Arts Education Program subsidizes tickets at $8.50 per student/teacher, reaching 12,731 students and teachers from 48 public schools, 25 private schools, and 56 homeschool groups across 12 Virginia districts in the 2025-26 season. The free Paramount Kids Club serves children 12 and under with complimentary tickets and popcorn to family-friendly films. A tiered membership program offers 11 annual giving levels from $100 (Associate) to $50,000+ (President's Circle).

Revenue is generated through ticket sales (covering 60% of operations), donations and grants (40%), memberships, sponsorships, venue rentals for weddings and corporate events, Playbill advertising (12,000 copies annually across 4 issues), concessions, and an annual Grand Marquee Gala. The theater serves roughly 105,000 patrons per year across 280 events, with a cumulative 1.1 million+ patrons and 2,800+ events since reopening. Distribution is multi-channel: in-person box office, phone, web, and a dedicated mobile app. Major institutional supporters include the Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, Apex Clean Energy, the Manning Family Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and VCU Commission for the Arts. The theater received the League of Historic American Theatres' Outstanding Historic Theatre Award in 2017.

Name

The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville

Legal name

The Paramount Theater Foundation

Website

https://theparamount.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) historic performing arts venue (opened 1931, restored 2004) that hosts live performances, film screenings, and an Arts Education program for Central Virginia schools, funded by ticket sales, memberships, sponsorships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), VIP Hospitality & Client Entertainment (Boxes, Suites, Hosted Experiences) (MPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Live performing arts
• Arts education programs
• Historic theater venue
• Venue rental services
• Community cultural events

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from tickets to live performances, film screenings, live broadcasts, and special events. Includes student rush discounts, youth/child tickets, senior tickets, and group discounts.
2. Memberships: Annual membership program with multiple tiers ($100-$50,000+) offering benefits including pre-sale access, popcorn vouchers, beverage vouchers, Founders Lounge access, concierge services, reserved parking, seat plaque recognition, and complimentary rentals.
3. Sponsorships: Event sponsorships, season sponsorships, gala sponsorships, and general corporate partnerships at various giving levels providing exposure and activation opportunities.
4. Venue Rental: Rental of theater spaces including auditorium stage for weddings, ballroom for events, lounges for meetings, and Third Street space for private events.
5. Playbill Advertising: Print and video screen advertising in the show program distributed to 12,000 patrons per season across 4 issues and 280 events.
6. Concessions: Sale of popcorn, candy, soft drinks, beer, wine, spirits, and specialty drinks during events.
7. Planned Giving / Legacy Gifts: Bequests, gifts of appreciated property, retirement assets, and life insurance policies through Legacy Society.
8. Donations and Grants: Individual donations and grants from foundations (National Endowment for the Arts, VCU Commission for the Arts) supporting operations and programs.
9. Annual Gala: Annual Grand Marquee Gala featuring silent auction, dancing, food and cocktails as main fundraising event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville operates a historic nonprofit performing arts venue presenting live music, opera, dance, theater, comedy, classic and contemporary film screenings, live broadcasts, and community events. It sells tickets to public performances, rents the auditorium, ballroom, lounges, and Third Street space for private events, runs an Arts Education Program serving school groups, and offers a tiered membership program supporting operations.

Product overview

The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville is a historic nonprofit performing arts venue (established 1931) that operates as a unified venue with multiple connected programs. The core offering is the theater venue itself hosting live performances, film screenings, and community events. Supporting programs include the Arts Education Program serving school groups with subsidized tickets, the free Kids Club for children under 12 offering movie screenings with free tickets and popcorn, a tiered Membership Program with 11 levels from $100 to $50,000+ annually, Paramount On Screen film screenings, Venue Rental for private events, Event Sponsorship packages, the Legacy Society planned giving program, and Playbill Advertising for local businesses. The theater reopened in December 2004 after a $17.6 million restoration and continues as a cultural anchor for Charlottesville and Central Virginia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Paramount Kids Club: A free club for children aged 12 and under that provides free tickets and popcorn to family-friendly movies at the theater.
• Paramount Presents

Products and services

• Paramount Theater Main Venue Programming Historic performing arts venue in Charlottesville, Virginia, operating since 1931, offering live performances, film screenings, and community events across multiple genres including opera, music, comedy, and theater.
• Arts Education Program Live educational theater experience for youth throughout Central Virginia, serving approximately 254,684 students and teachers since 2004, with subsidized tickets at $8.50 per student/teacher.
• Paramount Kids Club Free membership program for children aged 12 and under offering free tickets to family-friendly films (G or PG rated), free popcorn, and special stickers for VIP treatment during movie screenings.
• Annual Membership Program Tiered membership levels ranging from Associate ($100/yr) to President's Circle ($50,000+/yr), offering benefits including pre-sale ticket access, popcorn and beverage vouchers, Founders Lounge access, concierge services, reserved parking, seat plaque recognition, complimentary rentals, and backstage tours.
• Paramount On Screen Film screening program featuring classic movies, recent releases, and live broadcasts shown on the theater's large screen, including Kids Club films, sensory-friendly screenings, and special event presentations.
• Venue Rental Services Private event rental services offering the auditorium, ballroom, lounges, and Third Street space for weddings, corporate events, dinners, and private parties with a virtual tour available.
• Event Sponsorship Packages Sponsorship packages for individual events, seasons, and the annual Gala, providing brand exposure through signage, advertising, and activation opportunities at various giving levels.
• Legacy Society Planned Giving Planned giving program allowing donors to support the theater through bequests, gifts of appreciated property, retirement assets, and life insurance policies, under legal entity 'The Paramount Theater Foundation' (Federal Tax ID 54-1554483).
• Playbill Advertising Print and digital advertising program in the theater's program booklet, with 12,000 playbills printed annually across 4 seasons, reaching 105,000+ annual patrons at 280 events, with rates from $430 (black & white eighth page) to $4,330 (full color back cover).

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 254,684 students and teachers since 2004
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMarquee Sponsor and Presenting Sponsor of Arts Education Season. Major philanthropic supporter providing leadership sponsorship for programming and operations.
• Apex Clean EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProducer Marquee Sponsor providing major sponsorship support for theater programming.
• The Manning Family FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProducer Sponsor providing significant annual support for theater operations and programming.
• League of Historic American Theatres (LHAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry organization that awarded Outstanding Historic Theatre Award in 2017. Provided DEIB Initiative grant for Third Street Box Office Project commemorating Civil Rights Act 60th anniversary.
• Smith Vicars Family FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level sponsor of Grand Marquee Gala annual fundraising event.
• Taylor & AssociatesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Partner Season Sponsor providing marketing and community engagement support.
• VPM (Virginia Public Media)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting sponsor of 2025-26 Arts Education Season. VPM provides media partnership support for educational programming.
• New City Arts InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided consulting support for Third Street Box Office Project, a summer 2024 commemoration of Civil Rights Act 60th anniversary featuring local artists.
• Three Notch'd BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for 2026 World Cup screening, providing beverages for concession sales during the event.
• Potter's Craft CiderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for 2026 World Cup screening, providing cider for concession sales during the event.
• Carpet PlusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMovie Sponsor for Star Wars: Return of the Jedi screening, providing promotional support.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Barter Theatre: Historic Virginia theater in Abingdon operating as the state's longest-running professional nonprofit performing arts venue with comparable Arts Education programming and donor-dependent revenue mix.
• Court Square Theater: Historic Harrisonburg, Virginia theater offering live music, films, and community programming at a similar regional-market scale and nonprofit operating model.
• Dominion Energy Center (Carpenter Theatre): Richmond, VA performing arts venue hosting Broadway tours, concerts, comedy, and community programming at a similar regional scale and presenting model.
• Lincoln Theatre (Washington DC): Restored 1921 historic theater on DC's U Street operated as a nonprofit presenting live music, film screenings, and community programming — a directly comparable restored-venue-presenter model.
• Altria Theater: Historic 1927 theater in Richmond, Virginia presenting concerts, comedy, Broadway tours, and family events under a multi-use nonprofit presenting model with comparable capacity and programming scope.

Broad incumbents

• Kennedy Center: National performing arts center in Washington DC presenting theater, dance, music, and education programming with a comparable nonprofit presenting-and-education mission at far greater scale and federal backing.
• Playhouse Square: Nonprofit performing arts center in Cleveland, OH operating multiple restored historic theaters with Broadway, concert, and education programming — comparable mission, multi-venue portfolio, and donor reliance at much larger scale.
• Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC): Large regional nonprofit performing arts center in Durham, NC hosting Broadway, concerts, comedy, and family shows with a comparable presenting-and-facility operating model at larger scale.
• The Beacon Theatre: Iconic 1929 historic NYC venue with restored Art Deco interior hosting concerts and special events — directly comparable architecture and venue-operations model, but commercial rather than nonprofit.
• Kings Theatre: Restored 1929 Loew's Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY operated as a nonprofit historic venue under a similar restoration-plus-presenting model, but at meaningfully larger scale and capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cvilleparamount
• Facebookfacebook.com/theparamounttheater
• Instagraminstagram.com/theparamounttheater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paramount-theater-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville