Instituto Tomie Ohtake

What Instituto Tomie Ohtake does

Instituto Tomie Ohtake is a private non-profit cultural association (CNPJ 00.984.768/0001-47) founded in 2001 in São Paulo, Brazil, established by the family of Japanese-Brazilian artist Tomie Ohtake (1913–2015). The institute operates a year-round cultural center at Rua Coropé, 88, in the Pinheiros neighborhood, approximately 800 meters from Faria Lima subway, presenting rotating visual arts exhibitions, public programs (lectures, workshops, guided visits), and an education department offering accessibility services such as audio description, Libras-mediated visits, and Braille materials. Its programming spans a core Exhibitions line, an Educativo education program, the long-running Experiências Negras program, Programa Territórios for territorial learning, and the recently launched Clima e Cultura (Climate & Culture) program including the multi-year 'Um rio não existe sozinho' project aligned with COP 30 in Belém. The institution also operates the Casa-ateliê Tomie Ohtake as a heritage venue, the Loja Tomie e-commerce store, and a Midiateca digital archive.

The business model is a free-admission non-profit funded through a combination of government cultural incentives (notably Lei Rouanet via the Ministério da Cultura), corporate sponsorship (including Nubank as institutional mantenedor, AkzoNobel for climate programming, Bradesco and JHSF as presenting sponsors, and Aché, CAIXA Vida e Previdência, and MFC Construtora as silver-tier sponsors), the tiered Programa Amigos membership program, and merchandise sales via Loja Tomie. The institute earns no revenue from exhibition admissions, with only some educational activities and courses carrying fees. Distribution is primarily through the São Paulo headquarters, supplemented by a national touring program through CAIXA Cultural (covering over ten touring exhibitions across Brazil including current Rio de Janeiro programming) and off-site programs in Belém and Rio de Janeiro.

The institution's strategic ecosystem is unusually broad for a non-profit of its scale: long-running artistic partnership with OCAM (Orquestra de Câmara da ECA/USP) since 2015; scientific partnerships with Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi and the international CNRS/USP research lab; indigenous-education partnership with Associação Selvagem across five territories; and academic partnerships with USP, Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia da USP, Inhotim, and Sítio Burle Marx. The institute is governed by a Board led by Ricardo Ohtake (the artist's son and founder), with an Artistic Superintendent (Ana Roman, ex-34th São Paulo Biennial assistant curator), Artistic Director (Paulo Miyada), and a team of specialized curators.

Name

Instituto Tomie Ohtake

Legal name

Instituto Tomie Ohtake

Website

https://institutotomieohtake.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Instituto Tomie Ohtake is a private non-profit cultural center in São Paulo, Brazil, founded in 2001 by the family of artist Tomie Ohtake, offering free-admission contemporary art exhibitions, education programs, climate-and-culture initiatives, and accessibility services to the general public across Brazil via touring partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Center

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Museums (THAJADAA), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Arts & Culture Appreciation (Art History, Film Appreciation, Music Appreciation) (EDAAAGAO)

Keywords

• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Art education programs
• Cultural center operations
• Visual arts curation
• Art accessibility services

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Instituto Tomie Ohtake operates a cultural center in São Paulo presenting rotating contemporary visual arts exhibitions, an education department (Educativo) offering accessibility services and inclusive programming, public programs including concerts and workshops, climate-and-culture initiatives, a digital media library (Midiateca), and an online retail store (Loja Tomie). The institution also runs dedicated programs such as Programa Territórios, Experiências Negras, the Juntó artistic residency, and the OCAM Chamber Orchestra concert series.

Product overview

Instituto Tomie Ohtake is a private cultural center in São Paulo that operates as a unified platform for visual arts exhibitions, educational programming, and cultural engagement. The institution functions as both an exhibition space and a cultural programming hub, offering Exposições (rotating art exhibitions), Programas Públicos (public programs including concerts and workshops), the Educativo (education department with accessibility services), Clima e Cultura (climate/sustainability initiatives), Podcast, Midiateca (digital archive), and the Loja Tomie (online store). Major programs include the OCAM Chamber Orchestra concert series, the Experiências Negras (Black Experiences) program, Programa Territórios (territorial education), and the Juntó Residency for art-educators. The institution also operates the Casa-ateliê Tomie Ohtake as an additional venue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Casa-ateliê Tomie Ohtake: A dedicated house-studio space of the institute, separate from the main building, hosting exhibitions and artistic activities.
• Loja Tomie

Products and services

• Exposições (Exhibitions)

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Ministério da CulturacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment cultural ministry that sponsors major exhibitions through Lei Rouanet (Federal Culture Incentive Law). Provides essential funding for institutional programming including exhibitions, educational activities, and climate/culture initiatives.
• NubankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional supporter (mantenedor institucional) of Instituto Tomie Ohtake, providing ongoing sponsorship for exhibitions and cultural programming.
• Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific and cultural partnership for the 'Um rio não existe sozinho' (A River Does Not Exist Alone) project, combining art, science, and ancestral knowledge about the Amazon. Includes curatorial collaboration, scientific collections, and programming connected to COP 30.
• CAIXA CulturalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for traveling exhibitions throughout Brazil. Has enabled over ten exhibitions organized by Instituto Tomie Ohtake in cities across the country. Currently hosting 'Alice Shintani e Tomie Ohtake – Montanha e vale' at Teatro Nelson Rodrigues in Rio de Janeiro.
• Associação SelvagemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the 'Escolas Vivas' (Living Schools) project, supporting indigenous education in 5 territories including Maxakali, Guarani Mbya, Baniwa, Huni Kuĩ, and Tukano-Desana-Tuyuka communities.
• Orquestra de Câmara da ECA/USP (OCAM)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner10-year partnership (since 2015) with the Chamber Orchestra of the School of Communications and Arts at University of São Paulo. Produces the 'Imersão OCAM no Tomie' concert series featuring classical and contemporary music programming connected to exhibitions.
• AkzoNobelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsorship of climate and culture programming, including the 'Um rio não existe sozinho' project, via Lei de Incentivo à Cultura. Also provides official paint support through the Coral brand.
• Instituto InhotimminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBotanical institute in Brumadinho providing botanical collection access for Luiz Zerbini's artistic research on plant-based monotypes.
• Sítio Burle MarxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical botanical garden providing access to botanical collection for Luiz Zerbini's artistic research.
• Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia da USPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for the 'Quando o museu é rio' exhibition, contributing archaeological and ethnographic collections.
• Laboratório Internacional Mundos em Transição, CNRS/USPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research laboratory partnership for climate and culture programming.
• CAIXA Vida e PrevidênciaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsorship of Luiz Zerbini exhibition at silver level.
• Aché Laboratórios FarmacêuticosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPharmaceutical company sponsorship at silver level for exhibitions.
• BradescominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting level sponsor for Isay Weinfeld 'Etcétera' exhibition.
• JHSFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting level sponsor for Isay Weinfeld 'Etcétera' exhibition.
• MFC ConstrutoraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver level sponsor for Isay Weinfeld 'Etcétera' exhibition.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MAR - Museu de Arte do Rio: Rio de Janeiro art museum operated as a public-private partnership, presenting rotating exhibitions and education programs. Comparable as a Brazilian non-profit or PPP art museum with broad public programming and educational mission.
• Centro Cultural São Paulo: Municipal cultural center in São Paulo offering free exhibitions, courses, and public programs. Comparable as a São Paulo-based cultural center with free admission, educational programming, and broad public audience focus.
• Pinacoteca de São Paulo: State-owned art museum in São Paulo offering rotating exhibitions, educational programs, and public engagement. Comparable as a São Paulo-based cultural institution with exhibition, education, and accessibility programming for broad audiences.
• Instituto Inhotim: Largest open-air contemporary art museum in Latin America, located in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais. Comparable as a Brazilian non-profit cultural institution dedicated to contemporary visual art exhibitions, botanical integration, and large-scale public programming.
• Fundação Bienal de São Paulo: Institution that organizes the historic São Paulo Biennial and operates the Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park. Comparable as a São Paulo-based non-profit visual arts organization producing major exhibitions and public programming.
• MASP - Museu de Arte de São Paulo: São Paulo's flagship art museum and one of the most important cultural institutions in Latin America. Directly comparable to Instituto Tomie Ohtake as a São Paulo-based visual arts institution serving the general public with major exhibitions, educational programming, and a permanent collection focus.
• Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM-SP): São Paulo-based modern and contemporary art museum housed in a landmark Ibirapuera Park building. Comparable as a São Paulo visual arts institution with rotating exhibitions, educational activities, and a public-facing cultural programming model.

Broad incumbents

• Itaú Cultural: São Paulo-based cultural institution funded by Itaú Unibanco, focused on Brazilian artistic production, exhibitions, and audiovisual content. Comparable as a corporate-sponsored São Paulo cultural institution offering free exhibitions, educational programs, and digital content.
• Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB): Multi-city cultural center network operated by Banco do Brasil offering free exhibitions, film, theater, and education. Comparable as a large Brazilian cultural center operator with free admission and a touring exhibition model analogous to the CAIXA Cultural partnership.
• SESC - Serviço Social do Comércio: Brazilian private institution operating a national network of cultural centers offering free or low-cost exhibitions, courses, concerts, and workshops. Comparable as a major Brazilian cultural programming network delivering free public programming across multiple venues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/tomieohtake
• Facebookfacebook.com/inst.tomie.ohtake
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-tomie-ohtake
• Instagraminstagram.com/institutotomieohtake

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Instituto Tomie Ohtake