Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated
Topeka Performing Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit venue in Topeka, Kansas operating a 2,500-seat performing arts hall and presenting Broadway tours, concerts, comedy, dance, private events, and youth arts education programs throughout Northeast Kansas.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersTopeka, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated does
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated (TPAC) is a private, independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts venue located at 214 SE 8th Avenue in Topeka, Kansas. The organization was formed around the 1991 reopening of the former 1940 Municipal Auditorium following a $6.25 million renovation completed through a public/private partnership, and it operates the 2,500-seat Georgia Neese Gray Performance Hall, the 120-seat Hussey Playhouse black box theater, the Hill's Festival Hall banquet facility, the Nunemaker Dance Studio, and six additional meeting rooms. TPAC presents live performances — Broadway touring companies, concerts, comedy, dance, and community events — and serves a base of general-public ticket buyers, private event organizers (weddings, corporate meetings, proms, graduations, trade shows), Shawnee County K-12 schools and students, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations eligible for ticket donations. The organization has been in continuous operation for over 30 years.
TPAC's underlying technology is concentrated in physical venue infrastructure: an original 1940 orchestra pit lift (50' x 9', 35,000 lb capacity), Art Deco architecture with acoustic clouds and fluted walls, a 41-pipe stage rigging system (24,000 lb maximum capacity), a midhouse divider curtain for configuring the hall to ~600 seats, and a sprung-floor dance studio matching the main stage dimensions. Digital infrastructure is intentionally lightweight: ticketing runs exclusively through Ticketmaster (also serving as the only authorized secondary market via TicketExchange), the public website is powered by the Saffire / SaffireTix platform, and customer data is managed via a VenuWorks-provided CRM. The 1940 building is ADA-compliant and accessible, with elevators, accessible seating, and sign language interpreter services on two weeks' notice.
The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack built around the venue asset. Earned revenue comes from ticket sales (event-priced, $15-$45+ range), facility rentals for private events (12 to 400+ guests), in-house and contracted food & beverage services (multiple approved caterers plus beverage service via host bars, cash bars, and drink tickets), season sponsorships, and a six-tier Friends of TPAC membership program ($100 Member through $5,000 Angel, billed annually). Contributed revenue comes from the "Keep the Stage Live!" annual fundraising campaign ($50 Pearl through $5,000+ Diamond donor levels) and passive programs such as Dillons Community Rewards. Day-to-day operations are managed under contract by VenuWorks, Inc., a third-party venue management firm founded in 1996 in Ames, Iowa. Educational programming (Schooltime Theater Series at $8/student, Sheffel Theatre Clinic for every Shawnee County third grader, and the Young Artists Awards for high school juniors) generates both tuition/grant revenue and long-term audience development.
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated
- Legal name
- Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated
- Website
- https://topekaperformingarts.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Topeka Performing Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit venue in Topeka, Kansas operating a 2,500-seat performing arts hall and presenting Broadway tours, concerts, comedy, dance, private events, and youth arts education programs throughout Northeast Kansas.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Venue
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Venue Food, Beverage & Hospitality Operations (Concessions, Catering, Premium Seating) (MPAGALAN)
Keywords
Where Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Topeka
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for performances and events at the venue, sold through Box Office and Ticketmaster. Ticket prices vary by event (e.g., $15-$45+ for various shows).
- Facility Rentals: Rental of performance hall and meeting rooms for weddings, receptions, corporate meetings, proms, graduations, trade shows, and other private events. Accommodates 12 to 400+ guests.
- Membership Programs (Friends of TPAC): Annual membership levels from $100 (Member) to $5,000 (Angel) providing benefits including presale access, ticket priority, parking, discounts, VIP lounge access, and artist meet and greets.
- Donations and Annual Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations through 'Keep the Stage Live!' campaign with giving levels from Pearl ($50-$249) to Diamond ($5,000+), recognized in performance programs.
- Season Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship opportunities for TPAC LIVE! presented shows and season programming.
- Food and Beverage Services: Beverage service and contracted catering for events, including host bars, cash bars, and drink ticket systems. Venue handles all beverage service arrangements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Schooltime Theater Series - $8 per person |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Carnival of the Animals - Starts at $15 |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Randy Travis: More Life Tour - Starts at $45 |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Bert Kreischer: Permission To Party - Starts at $39.75 |
| Subscription | Annual | Friends of TPAC Membership - $100 to $5,000 annually |
| Other | Annual | Keep the Stage Live! Annual Fundraising Campaign - $50 to $5,000+ |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts venue that presents ticketed live performances (Broadway touring companies, concerts, comedy, dance, and community events) in a 2,500-seat historic Art Deco theater, offers venue and meeting space rentals for weddings, corporate functions, and private events with catering/beverage services, and delivers youth arts education programs including the Schooltime Theater Series, Sheffel Theater Clinic, and Young Artists Awards. Ticket sales are processed through an on-site Box Office and exclusively via Ticketmaster online.
Product overview
The Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is a private, independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) performing arts venue. Its core offering is the Georgia Neese Gray Performance Hall — a state-of-the-art theater opened in 1991 with approximately 2,500-seat capacity, outstanding acoustics, and a proscenium stage with an orchestra lift — supplemented by three auxiliary spaces: the Hussey Playhouse (a 120-seat black box theater), Hill's Festival Hall (a banquet facility), and Nunemaker Dance Studio (a rehearsal hall). TPAC also offers six additional meeting rooms including the Fleming Room and Anton/Sheffel Rooms, plus a Grand Foyer Lobby. Beyond the physical venue, TPAC provides venue and facility rental services (for weddings, corporate events, trade shows, and more) with in-house and contracted food and beverage catering; a suite of educational programs including Schooltime Theater Series, Sheffel Theater Clinic, and Young Artists Awards; a multi-tiered Friends of TPAC membership (Member through Angel levels); an annual 'Keep the Stage Live!' fundraising campaign; and volunteer, season sponsorship, and Dillons Community Rewards programs. Ticketing is handled exclusively through Ticketmaster, with the website powered by the Saffire platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Live Performance Tickets
- Facility and Event Space Rentals
- Food and Beverage / Catering Services
- Friends of TPAC Membership
- Season Sponsorship Program
- Schooltime Theater Series
- Sheffel Theater Clinic
- Young Artists Awards
Quantifiable outcome
- Served every Shawnee County third grader through Sheffel Theatre Clinic since 1995
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature6 records
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- VenuWorkscoreVenuWorks is the official management company of Topeka Performing Arts Center. Founded in 1996 in Ames, Iowa, VenuWorks provides full-service venue management, food and beverage, and programming solutions to arenas, theatres and convention centers throughout the United States.
- Security BenefitmajorSecurity Benefit provides generous grant funding for Schooltime Theater live arts performances for children, which complement schools' curricula with professional touring children's theater companies.
- Kansas Ballet CompanymajorKansas Ballet Company partners with TPAC for performances including the Summer Showcase and Carnival of the Animals. All proceeds support Kansas Ballet Company's nonprofit community outreach programs.
- TicketmastercoreTicketmaster is the ONLY authorized ticketing agent for Topeka Performing Arts Center. Provides online ticket sales platform, event listings, and fan-to-fan secondary market through TicketExchange.
- DillonsminorDillons Community Rewards program allows shoppers to enroll and designate Topeka Performing Arts Center (NPO #33289) to receive a percentage of their purchases.
- The Celtic Fox, Iron Rail Brewing, LaRocca's Pizza, Engroff Catering, Front Door CateringminorContracted caterers combined with in-house services offering wide selection of menu options for events. Venue fees may apply and there is a charge for not using a preferred caterer.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- McCain Auditorium: Performing arts venue at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS, presenting touring concerts, Broadway, and dance in a comparable mid-size Kansas market. Directly comparable in scale, geography, and programming model to TPAC.
- Century II Performing Arts Center: Larger performing arts and convention complex in Wichita, KS hosting touring Broadway, concerts, and conventions. Comparable in Kansas-market context and multipurpose venue operations, though at higher capacity.
- Midland Center for the Arts: Nonprofit arts center in Midland, MI offering a main theater, black box, studios, and education programs. Directly comparable in multi-venue nonprofit structure, education programming, and presenting-rather-than-producing model.
- Fox Cities Performing Arts Center: Nonprofit regional performing arts center in Appleton, WI presenting Broadway tours, concerts, and education programs in a comparable mid-market. Closely comparable in scale (~2,000+ seats), nonprofit funding model, and education/community programming.
- Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC): State-funded nonprofit performing arts center in Nashville presenting Broadway, dance, concerts, and community programs. Comparable in mission, multi-venue configuration, and presenting-plus-education operating model.
- Lied Center of Kansas: Performing arts center in Lawrence, KS that presents touring Broadway, concerts, and dance with a comparable nonprofit operational model. Closest in-state peer to TPAC with overlapping programming and educational outreach.
- Proctors Collaborative: Historic performing arts venue in Schenectady, NY operating a main theater plus event spaces for concerts, film, and community events. Directly comparable as a renovated historic PAC with multi-purpose programming and rentals.
Regional players
- Kansas Expocentre: Multi-purpose arena and event facility in Topeka, KS that directly competes with TPAC for concerts, trade shows, and community events in the same geography. Material in-market competitor for bookings above ~2,500-seat demand.
Others
- VenuWorks: Third-party venue management company headquartered in Ames, IA that operates TPAC and a portfolio of arenas, theaters, and convention centers. Included as the parent/operating partner rather than a competitor, providing professional management infrastructure.
Broad incumbents
- Bass Performance Hall: Larger, well-established performing arts hall in Fort Worth, TX operated by Performing Arts Fort Worth. Comparable in presenting touring programming, but operates at a meaningfully larger scale and with deeper endowment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated social profiles
Digital presenceTopeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated
What does Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated do?
Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts venue that presents ticketed live performances (Broadway touring companies, concerts, comedy, dance, and community events) in a 2,500-seat historic Art Deco theater, offers venue and meeting space rentals for weddings, corporate functions, and private events with catering/beverage services, and delivers youth arts education programs including the Schooltime Theater Series, Sheffel Theater Clinic, and Young Artists Awards. Ticket sales are processed through an on-site Box Office and exclusively via Ticketmaster online.
Is Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated a public or private company?
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated founded?
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated was founded in 1991.
Where is Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated based?
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated is headquartered in Topeka, United States, in the North America region.
How does Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are facility Rentals, membership Programs (Friends of TPAC), donations and Annual Fundraising, season Sponsorships and food and Beverage Services.
Who are Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are McCain Auditorium, Century II Performing Arts Center, Midland Center for the Arts, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC), Lied Center of Kansas and Proctors Collaborative. Kansas Expocentre is listed as a regional player. VenuWorks is listed as an others. Bass Performance Hall is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated have an API?
No public API is recorded for Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated.
What industry is Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated in?
Topeka Performing Arts Center, Incorporated's product category is Performing Arts Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAM, Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking), with a secondary code of MPAGALAE, Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes). Its NAICS code is 71131 and its SIC code is 7900.