Pikes Peak Arts Council

What Pikes Peak Arts Council does

Pikes Peak Arts Council (PPAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1968 and headquartered at 1902 E. Boulder St., Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving the Pikes Peak regional arts community. PPAC's core function is to connect, promote, and empower local artists across visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, music, dance, theater, crafts, and digital media through a portfolio of programs including ARTBOSS (business skills education covering marketing, branding, taxes, and copyright), ArtBasics (affordable art classes), monthly MicroGrants for creative projects, Curation services coordinating exhibitions at multiple downtown venues, quarterly Member Mixers, and an Artist Directory. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors of between nine and fifteen members, with current officers Kai Gaynor (President), Jessica de la Luna (Vice President/Curation), Andrew Ziegler (Treasurer), Aves Willman (Secretary), and Curation lead Erin Kittleson, operating with a small staff of 1-10 employees.

The underlying technology platform is Wild Apricot, a third-party membership management SaaS that powers PPAC's website, member database, event registration, membership processing, and donation workflows — there is no proprietary technology, AI capability, or API surface. Distribution relies on a self-serve web platform supplemented by in-person programming at curated venues including City Hall, the Administration Building, PPAC's own ZoneFive space, UCCS Downtown, and partner businesses such as Kangaroo Coffee and Salad or Bust.

PPAC's revenue model is a three-stream nonprofit blend: (1) recurring annual membership dues across five tiers ranging from $35 (individual) to $250 (full organizational membership), (2) tax-deductible individual and organizational donations, and (3) institutional funding from Colorado Creative Industries, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Claar Fund, and the Tiemens Foundation of the Pikes Peak Community Foundation. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, relying on quarterly Member Mixers, an annual Awards Gala, Poetry Club Meetups, 3rd Shift Grind co-working sessions, and Call for Entry exhibition submissions to acquire and retain members. Customer segments are local individual artists (primary), regional arts organizations (secondary), and arts enthusiasts/patrons (secondary), all geographically confined to the Pikes Peak region.

Name

Pikes Peak Arts Council

Legal name

Pikes Peak Arts Council, Incorporated

Website

https://pikespeakartscouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pikes Peak Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1968 that supports individual artists, arts organizations, and arts patrons in the Colorado Springs region through education (ARTBOSS, ArtBasics), microgrants, curated exhibitions, networking mixers, and an artist directory, funded by membership dues, donations, and institutional grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individuals, families, nonprofits, and organizations provide recurring revenue. Membership tiers range from $35/year (individual) to $250/year (organization).
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations support educational events, programs, MicroGrants, Awards, and exhibition and performance opportunities for local artists.
3. Institutional Funding: Funding from government agencies (Colorado Creative Industries, National Endowment for the Arts) and private foundations (The Claar Fund, Tiemens Foundation, Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC) supports organizational programs and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pikes Peak Arts Council (PPAC) is a nonprofit arts organization that connects, promotes, and empowers artists across the Pikes Peak region through membership-based programs. Its offerings include the ARTBOSS business-skills education program, ArtBasics classes, monthly MicroGrants funding, exhibition curation at multiple downtown venues, quarterly Member Mixers networking events, and an Artist Directory searchable by discipline.

Product overview

The Pikes Peak Arts Council operates as a non-profit arts organization offering a portfolio of programs and services to support local artists in the Pikes Peak region. The core offerings include ARTBOSS (educational business skills training), ArtBasics (affordable art classes), MicroGrants (monthly funding for creative projects), Curation services (venue coordination for exhibitions), Member Mixers (quarterly networking events), and an Artist Directory. The organization also coordinates member shows and performance opportunities across multiple venues. Coming soon are Creative Consultations and Fiscal Sponsorships. Membership is available at Individual ($35/year), Family ($50/year), and Organization ($250/year) tiers, with additional benefits including free event attendance, grant access, and exhibition opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ARTBOSS Educational program that empowers artists and creatives with real-world business skills, covering marketing, branding, taxes, copyright, and storytelling. Partners with non-profits, foundations, and chamber leaders to bring community-focused arts education.
• ArtBasics

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• American Advertising FederationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025PPAC is collaborating with the American Advertising Federation for their monthly meetup series. This partnership supports the 2025 ArtBoss program 'Arts in Community' by exploring the intersection of artistic expression and advertising through panel discussions.
• Colorado Springs Chamber and EDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPAC has been a member of the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC since 2003, indicating a longstanding partnership for regional economic development through the arts.
• Center for Nonprofit ExcellenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPAC has been a member of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence since 2003, indicating alignment with nonprofit best practices and professional development resources.
• Colorado Springs Executives AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPAC has been a member of the Colorado Springs Executives Association since 1999, providing networking and professional development opportunities.
• Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional member and partner in the regional arts ecosystem, supporting collaborative arts initiatives in the Pikes Peak region.
• Cottonwood Center for the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional member and partner arts organization, contributing to the collaborative arts community in Colorado Springs.
• UCCS Galleries of Contemporary Art (GOCA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGOCA provides curated exhibition venue space at UCCS Downtown (102 S Tejon St Ste 105-A) where PPAC members can display artwork during gallery hours.
• Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak RegionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cultural organization partner supporting arts and cultural initiatives in the Pikes Peak area.
• Opera Theatre of the RockiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional member and performing arts partner contributing to the diversity of arts programming in the region.
• Ormao Dance CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional member and dance arts partner contributing to the performing arts community.
• Wild ApricotcoreTechnology or IntegrationWild Apricot provides the membership management software platform that powers PPAC's website, membership database, event registration, and donation processing.
• Kangaroo CoffeeminorOthersLocal coffee shop that serves as venue sponsor for PPAC events including Poetry Club Meetups and ArtBoss sessions, providing space for creative co-working and community programming.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit that advocates for the arts and provides services, research, and convening support to local arts agencies and community arts organizations — the broader national umbrella relevant to PPAC's sector.
• National Endowment for the Arts: Federal arts funding agency that grants institutional funding to PPAC; operates at a national scale as the primary public-sector incumbent funding source for community arts organizations across the U.S.
• Colorado Creative Industries: Colorado's state arts agency, which provides institutional funding directly to PPAC; serves the same Colorado arts ecosystem as a much larger umbrella funding and policy body, making it a relevant upstream incumbent.
• Denver Arts & Venues: Municipal arts agency for the City and County of Denver that funds and supports a wide range of artists and arts organizations statewide; operates at a larger scale and serves a broader geographic scope than PPAC but follows a similar community arts support model.

Direct peers

• Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College: Established Colorado Springs arts institution offering exhibitions, performances, and arts education in the same geography, listed as a PPAC institutional member; serves an overlapping regional arts audience.
• Manitou Springs Arts Council: Community arts council serving Manitou Springs, immediately adjacent to Colorado Springs in the Pikes Peak region; runs similar community-based programming supporting local artists and serves a comparable small-city arts ecosystem.
• Boulder Arts Council: Colorado-based community arts council that supports local artists through programming, exhibitions, and funding — a comparable small-staff community arts organization model operating in a different Colorado city.
• Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region: Regional cultural arts support organization serving the same Pikes Peak geography as PPAC, with overlapping mission of connecting artists and cultural institutions in the Colorado Springs area. Listed as a strategic partner in PPAC's data.
• Cottonwood Center for the Arts: Colorado Springs arts organization operating shared studios and gallery space that serves the same regional artist community PPAC supports. Listed as a PPAC institutional partner, with directly overlapping customer base and programming.

Others

• National Assembly of State Arts Agencies: Membership association representing state and jurisdictional arts agencies in the U.S., positioned upstream of PPAC via its member Colorado Creative Industries; an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pikespeakartscouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pikes Peak Arts Council