National Performing Arts Funding Exchange

What National Performing Arts Funding Exchange does

NPAFE is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded around 2015-2016 (sources conflict on the exact year), that delivers pro bono marketing, business counseling, and funding to performing artists, primarily choreographers, dancers, and dance filmmakers. The organization identifies artists through social media monitoring and direct outreach rather than a formal application process, and operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees. Administrative expenses have been held below 10% of inflows since inception, and its EIN is 81-1149904.

The organization's core product is the AAlchemy initiative, anchored on a proprietary 2D immersive video format called "Immersion Of The Mind." AAlchemy Online is a streaming-platform pilot distributing this content on YouTube and Amazon Prime, with Netflix as a targeted third channel. NPAFE has additionally developed "Arc" and "Sound of Dance" docuseries and is reported to be raising $7M+ for immersive video production. The organization holds common-law trademarks on "Immersion Of The Mind" and "The Tomorrow Of The Dance."

NPAFE's business model rests on three revenue streams: tax-deductible individual donations, corporate sponsorships that monetize access to 18-34 and high-end dance audiences within the broader $240B arts market, and streaming revenue — of which 90%+ is allocated back to creators. Stated 2026 funding goals are $3.5M from corporate sponsors and $12-22M for docuseries production. Operational reach spans the USA, UK, France, Germany, Ukraine, Singapore, and China.

Name

National Performing Arts Funding Exchange

Legal name

National Performing Arts Funding Exchange

Website

https://npafe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Performing Arts Funding Exchange is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides pro bono marketing, business counseling, and funding to choreographers, dancers, and dance filmmakers, and operates the AAlchemy immersive-video initiative and AAlchemy Online streaming pilot.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Funding Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grant Funding & Public/Nonprofit Financing (MPADAAAO), Indie Publishing & Label Services (Funding, Marketing, Release Management) (MPAFABAF)

Keywords

• Performing arts funding
• Artist nonprofit grants
• Dance marketing services
• Immersive dance video
• Dance streaming platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals who wish to support performing artists. 100% of contributions go toward enabling performing artists. Donors receive tax deductions that might otherwise not be allowed.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors gain access to the online 18-34 and high-end audiences loyal to brands sponsoring ballet and contemporary dance, in a $240 billion worldwide market. Sponsorships confirm corporate social responsibility commitments.
3. AAlchemy Streaming Revenue: Revenue from streaming content via Amazon Prime, YouTube, and eventually Netflix through the AAlchemy Online platform, with 90% or more of revenue going back to creators.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NPAFE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides pro bono marketing, business counseling, grant preparation, fiscal agency, and fundraising support to performing artists (choreographers, dancers, dance filmmakers), funded by individual donations and corporate sponsorships. Through its AAlchemy initiative, the organization produces "Immersion Of The Mind" 2D immersive video content and operates the AAlchemy Online streaming platform on Amazon Prime and YouTube with a Netflix pilot, returning 90% or more of streaming revenue to creators.

Product overview

NPAFE is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides funding, free marketing and PR assistance, business counseling, and fiscal agency services to performing artists (choreographers and dancers). The organization operates primarily through its AAlchemy Initiative, which encompasses multiple products: AAlchemy Online (a streaming platform pilot distributed via YouTube and Amazon Prime targeting Netflix), Immersion Of The Mind (a 2D immersive video format), and the Arc and Sound of Dance docuseries. All services to performing artists are provided pro bono, with 90% or more of streaming revenue going directly to creators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AAlchemy: Initiative focused on creating immersive 2D video content through collaboration between choreographers, dancers, and video production teams. Includes streaming platform AAlchemy Online with 90%+ revenue sharing to creators.
• AAlchemy Online
• Immersion Of The Mind

Products and services

• NPAFE Pro Bono Artist Support Free marketing and PR assistance, grant preparation help, direct funding opportunities, free web pages on NPAFE.org, fiscal agency, and general business counseling for choreographers, dancers, and dance filmmakers — all fully preserving creative freedom and intellectual property.
• Individual Donor Tax-Deductible Contribution Program Tax-deductible donation program enabling individuals to support performing artists they love; 100% of contributions flow to enabling performing artists and donors receive a tax deduction that might otherwise not be allowed.
• Corporate Sponsorship Program Corporate sponsorship program providing brand association with ballet and contemporary dance excellence, access to loyal 18-34 and high-end audiences, and confirmation of corporate social responsibility commitment in a $240 billion worldwide market.
• AAlchemy Initiative An initiative showcasing filmed work product resulting from innovative collaboration between choreographers and dancers and their video, cinematography, and production teams, supporting creators with funding and streaming distribution through partnerships with Amazon Prime, YouTube, and an ongoing Netflix pilot.
• AAlchemy Online Streaming Platform A streaming platform pilot designed to incentivize Netflix to stream choreographers' and dancers' video work product, distributing through Amazon Prime and YouTube partnerships and returning 90% or more of any revenue earned back to the creators.
• Immersion Of The Mind A 2D immersive video format centered on dance, created through close collaboration between choreographers/dancers and their video, cinematography, and production teams, funded by more than $7 million in AAlchemy capital.
• Arc and Sound of Dance Docuseries An 8-episode docuseries featuring the global network of choreographers, dancers, and their partners in music, film, and technology, teaming to grow the worldwide audience for dance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of donated funds go to artists — NPAFE takes no administrative cut from donations.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Amazon PrimecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Existing streaming partnership where AAlchemy Online content is distributed via Amazon Prime Video. The AAlchemy Online pilot launched on Amazon Prime in mid-2023, with new videos being added continuously.
• YouTubecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Existing streaming partnership where AAlchemy Online content is distributed via YouTube. The AAlchemy Online pilot launched on YouTube in mid-2023, with content available at youtube.com/@aalchemyonline.
• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAAlchemy Online is being developed as a pilot project to incentivize Netflix to stream creators' video work product, with 90%+ of revenue going back to creators. Netflix evaluation of the pilot is ongoing.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dance/USA: The national service organization for the professional dance field. Comparable as a dance-sector intermediary that supports and advocates for dance companies and artists, overlapping with NPAFE's relationship to companies like State Street Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance.
• Princess Grace Foundation - USA: A foundation that provides grants, fellowships, and scholarships to emerging artists in dance, theater and film. Comparable as a performing arts grantmaker with a focus on individual artists including choreographers/dancers — NPAFE has already supported an artist into Princess Grace Academy.
• Harkness Foundation for Dance: A private foundation specifically dedicated to supporting dance companies and presenting organizations through grants. Highly relevant as a dance-focused grantmaking foundation with a similar donor/sponsor-driven funding model.
• New York Foundation for the Arts: A major 501(c)(3) that provides grants, fellowships, and capacity-building support to individual artists across disciplines including dance. Most directly comparable peer as a nonprofit grantmaker serving performing artists with a national U.S. footprint.
• Jerome Foundation: A private foundation funding early-career artists in dance, film, video, and music in Minnesota and New York. Comparable as a regional/national grantmaker for dance and interdisciplinary performing arts.
• Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation: A nonprofit that distributes grants and runs programs supporting performing arts touring and presentation across the U.S. Comparable as a regional/multi-state grantmaker for performing arts and dance.
• Fractured Atlas: A nonprofit that provides fiscal sponsorship and business services to independent artists, directly overlapping with NPAFE's pro bono fiscal agency, business counseling, and grant preparation support for choreographers and dancers.
• The Shubert Foundation: A major private foundation that funds dance, theater, and arts organizations across the U.S. Comparable as a private foundation that channels corporate-derived wealth into performing arts grantmaking.

Broad incumbents

• Marquee TV: A subscription streaming service focused exclusively on dance, opera, and ballet content. Comparable as a dance-specific streaming distribution channel that AAlchemy Online would compete against for dancer audiences and corporate sponsorship inventory.
• National Endowment for the Arts: The federal arts funding agency and the dominant incumbent funder of performing arts in the U.S. Relevant as a much larger, established organization operating broadly across the performing arts space in which NPAFE competes for artist attention and corporate partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@aalchemyonline
• Facebookfacebook.com/NPAFE
• Instagraminstagram.com/npafe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/npafe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 National Performing Arts Funding Exchange