What Marietta Arts Council does

Marietta Arts Council is a volunteer-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (Tax ID 83-3515326) based in Marietta, Georgia, dedicated to enriching the artistic and cultural landscape of the city through advocacy, education, and public art. Its mission is operationalized through the Project 23Square initiative, which aims to activate all 23 square miles of Marietta, and through a portfolio of programs including the annual M2R TrailFest (a free public arts festival featuring murals, sculptures, and live performances along the Mountain to River Trail), the Mural Program, Sculpture Tour, M2R Traveling Fence Gallery, Art in Our Parks (a student-art-in-city-parks program presented by Narwhal Capital Management in partnership with Marietta City Schools), Bridge Installations developed with KSU College of Architecture and Construction Management, and community engagement initiatives such as Free Art Scavenger Hunts and the (currently suspended) Keys to the City painted-pianos program.

The organization is led by a part-time Executive Director (Kris Delaney) and a volunteer Board of Directors chaired by Jan Galt. Its underlying technology footprint is intentionally lightweight: a Squarespace-hosted website (mariettaartscouncil.com), ArcGIS StoryMaps for self-guided public-art tours, Instagram as the primary social channel under the #mariettaARTscene campaign, and donation processing through GiveLively and PayPal. There is no proprietary software product; the core "platform" is a curated pipeline of public-art installations refreshed annually through corporate sponsorships, in-kind contributions (e.g., Benjamin Moore paint, MaxVision printing), and commissions to local and regional artists.

Revenue is derived from a diversified mix of individual donations, tiered corporate sponsorships (Presenting Sponsor $5,000+, Supporting Sponsor $1,000-$4,999, Sponsor $200-$999), project-specific sponsorships for stages, sculptures, bridges, and murals, the multi-year 23Squared Campaign (Founding Gems $2,300/year × 5 years; Sustaining Gems $1,000/year × 5 years), grants from the Cobb Community Foundation, venue-partner fundraising events (Atlanta Hard Cider, Glover Park Brewery, Marietta Wine Market), and earned media-driven tourism impact. Financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Marietta Arts Council

Legal name

Marietta Arts Council, Inc.

Website

https://mariettaartscouncil.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Marietta Arts Council is a volunteer-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that enriches Marietta, GA's cultural landscape through advocacy, education, and public art, including the annual M2R TrailFest, murals, sculptures, and student art programs serving residents across all 23 square miles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts and Cultural Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

Keywords

• Public art installations
• Arts advocacy services
• Community cultural programs
• Arts festival management
• Nonprofit arts organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Marietta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals through GiveLively and PayPal platforms. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, donations are the primary revenue source supporting public art installations and operations.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors at various levels (Presenting Sponsor $5,000+, Supporting Sponsor $1,000-$4,999, Sponsor $200-$999) and project-specific sponsorships for stage, sculpture, bridge installations, and murals.
3. 23Squared Campaign: Structured giving program with Founding Gems ($2,300/year for 5 years) and Sustaining Gems ($1,000/year for 5 years) providing sustainable funding.
4. Event Participation: Revenue from events includes wine tasting fundraisers, raffle proceeds, and venue partnerships where a portion of sales is donated (e.g., Atlanta Hard Cider, Glover Park Brewery).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Volunteer-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that enriches the artistic and cultural landscape of the City of Marietta, GA through advocacy, education, and public art. It produces experiential public art installations (murals, sculptures, bridge art, fence galleries) and the annual M2R TrailFest, a free public arts festival featuring murals, sculptures, and live performances along the Mountain to River Trail.

Product overview

Marietta Arts Council is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the artistic and cultural landscape of the City of Marietta through advocacy, education, and public art. Rather than a unified software product, the organization offers a portfolio of experiential programs and initiatives including the annual M2R TrailFest (a free public arts festival), a Downtown Mural Program, Sculpture Tour, M2R Traveling Fence Gallery, Art in Our Parks student installations, Bridge Installations with KSU, and community engagement programs like Free Art Scavenger Hunts and Keys to the City. The organization also runs the 23Squared Campaign for donor sustainability and manages the 23Square initiative to activate all 23 square miles of the city with public art.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• M2R TrailFest: Annual public arts festival featuring murals, sculptures, and live performances along the Mountain to River Trail, also known as Mountain to River TrailFest.
• Project 23Square
• 23Squared Campaign

Products and services

• M2R TrailFest Annual free public arts festival featuring murals, sculptures, and live performances along the Mountain to River Trail in Downtown Marietta. Cobb Travel and Tourism's 2024 Event of the Year. The festival is the centerpiece of the Marietta arts scene and serves as the public debut window for new mural, sculpture, and fence-gallery installations.
• Mural Program Cornerstone community-favorite program featuring annual new mural installations in Downtown Marietta alongside returning favorites, displayed as part of M2R TrailFest. Murals include Botanical Escape by Raqui Washington, Patterns of the Past by Leigh Ann Culver, Seasons of Being by Drift Mural Co., Rejoice and Blossom by Lindsey O'Shields, and OUR TOWN and PEACH III.
• Sculpture Tour Self-guided tour featuring medium-to-large-scale 3D artwork in public parks throughout Downtown Marietta and along the M2R Trail. 60-day installation debuts annually at M2R TrailFest, with sculptures such as Teal Bunny by Jeffie Brewer, Low Poly Heart, Lotus Gate, and Loving Moon.
• M2R Traveling Fence Gallery Curated installation debuting trackside in Downtown Marietta each May as part of M2R TrailFest, featuring works from photographers and artists including a student section. After the initial 60-day Marietta exhibit, the gallery tours throughout Cobb County.
• Art in Our Parks City-wide art installation celebrating student artwork in neighborhood parks, presented by Narwhal Capital Management in partnership with Marietta City Schools and the City of Marietta, involving 12 participating schools.
• Bridge Installations Pedestrian bridge art installations at North and South Loop Bridges featuring collaborative works with KSU College of Architecture and Construction Management students and faculty.
• Free Art Scavenger Hunts Ongoing initiative where artists create and hide free artwork in different areas of the city. Followers on Instagram @mariettaartscene are notified when scavenger hunts occur.
• Keys to the City City-wide initiative featuring painted pianos by local artists placed throughout the city for public enjoyment, with pianos donated by New Song Pianos. Temporarily suspended due to health climate.
• 23Squared Campaign Sustainability initiative seeking 23 donors to contribute $2,300/year for 5 years as Founding Gems or $1,000/year for 5 years as Sustaining Gems to ensure financial stability and expand public art access.
• Public (A)Dress Collaborative art installation that gathered community input about the future of public art in Marietta through an interactive dress exhibit and online survey.
• Bright Winter Experiential holiday installation on Winters Street featuring a tree made from repurposed lucite panels, community participation in adding lights, and ornament giveaways. Partnered with Cobb EMC Foundation and MaxVision.

Quantifiable outcome

• M2R TrailFest recognized as Cobb Travel and Tourism's 2024 Event of the Year

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Marietta, GAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary municipal partner providing support for public art installations, M2R Trail development, and community programming. The City partners on the Mountain to River Trail and sponsors bridge installations.
• Marietta City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for Art in Our Parks initiative displaying student artwork in neighborhood parks. Involves 12 schools including A.L. Burruss Elementary, Dunleith Elementary, Hickory Hills Elementary, Lockheed Elementary, Marietta High School, and others.
• Visit MariettacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism marketing partner promoting Marietta arts and events. Co-sponsor of MULTIFACETED bridge installation and organizational operations.
• Cobb Arts VibecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional arts advocacy organization supporting the Cobb County arts community. Partners on programming and promotion of Marietta arts scene.
• dk GalleryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal gallery on Marietta Square, sponsor and venue partner for sculptures and events. Co-sponsor of Patterns of the Past mural.
• Georgia Metropolitan Dance TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal dance company sponsor supporting arts initiatives.
• KSU College of Architecture and Construction ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for bridge art installations. KSU students design and create bridge art installations including Weaving Community and Community murals.
• Zenith Design GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal design firm providing creative services and sponsorship. Location of McPherson Tire Shop mural.
• Old Zion Heritage MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHistorical museum partner for community events including Equitable Evening performances.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• South Arts: Regional arts organization serving the Southeastern United States through grants, advocacy, and programming support for state and local arts groups. It is comparable as a regional peer that channels funding and capacity support to community-level arts organizations, similar to how Marietta Arts Council connects to national/regional arts infrastructure.
• Mid-America Arts Alliance: Regional arts organization providing grant funding, professional development, and touring support to arts organizations across multiple states. It is comparable as a regional arts intermediary, though it serves a different geography and a wider set of organizational types than Marietta Arts Council's local-arts-council focus.
• Houston Arts Alliance: Local arts council for the City of Houston that manages municipal arts funding, public art programs, and grants to cultural organizations. It is comparable as a publicly-affiliated, grantmaking and public-art-focused arts council, although it operates at significantly larger scale and with direct city funding.
• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit arts advocacy and service organization that supports local arts councils and public art initiatives across the U.S. It is comparable as a higher-level industry body working on the same arts-advocacy and capacity-building mission that Marietta Arts Council pursues at the municipal level.

Direct peers

• Atlanta BeltLine Inc. Atlanta nonprofit that develops a network of trails and public spaces, including a major public art program featuring murals, sculptures, and installations along its corridors. It is comparable to Marietta Arts Council in operating a trail-anchored, public-art-heavy model with strong municipal and corporate sponsorship support, though at metro scale.
• ArtsWave: Community arts council and fund for the Greater Cincinnati region that pools corporate, individual, and workplace giving to support arts organizations and community-wide programming. It is comparable as a similarly structured, donor-and-sponsor-driven local arts council model that Marietta Arts Council operates at a smaller city scale.
• Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance: Regional alliance serving arts and cultural organizations in the Greater Philadelphia region through advocacy, research, and collective marketing. It is comparable as a regional cultural-alliance model that aggregates support for local arts groups, though at a substantially larger metropolitan scale.
• Cobb Arts Vibe: Regional arts advocacy organization supporting the Cobb County arts community through programming and promotion. It is comparable as the most direct local peer named in Marietta Arts Council's own partner list, addressing an overlapping geographic and constituent base.

Regional players

• Visit Marietta: Official tourism marketing organization for Marietta, GA that promotes arts, events, and cultural assets to visitors. It is comparable as a named partner sharing the Marietta geography and arts-promotion remit, although its primary mission is tourism marketing rather than arts production.
• Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre: Historic 1935 Art Deco nonprofit theatre on Marietta Square that hosts performing arts programming and community events. It is comparable as a Marietta-based arts nonprofit whose Secretary also serves on Marietta Arts Council's board, sharing both geography and donor/audience base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/mariettaartscene
• Facebookfacebook.com/mariettaartscouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Marietta Arts Council