Centre for Art Tapes
The Centre for Art Tapes is a non-profit, artist-run media arts center founded in 1979 in Halifax, Canada, offering subsidized equipment and facility rentals, tape digitization, and mentorship programs to individual media artists and non-profit arts organizations in Atlantic Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersHalifax, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Centre for Art Tapes does
The Centre for Art Tapes (CFAT) is a registered not-for-profit, artist-run charitable organization founded in 1979 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It provides subsidized access to professional media-arts equipment and production facilities for individual media artists and non-profit arts organizations, positioning itself as the only dedicated media artist-run centre east of Montreal. Core operations span equipment rentals (cameras, lighting, audio gear, computers), facility rentals (Project Room, Audio Suite, Online Video Suite, Transfer Suite), and a tape digitization service for legacy analog formats (VHS, Betacam, U-matic, DV/MiniDV, DVCAM, Hi-8, Video8). Programming includes the six-month Media Arts Scholarship mentorship program, annual thematic artist residencies (e.g., Curator in Residence, E-Lab Artist in Residence), the bi-weekly AV Club co-working sessions, and promotion of the Conference for Art Games.
CFAT operates a hybrid subscription-plus-usage revenue model. Members pay annual fees — $30 for individual Basic Membership and $130 for Non-Profit Organization Membership — which grant booking privileges and voting rights at the AGM. Equipment and facility rentals are billed pay-as-you-go at subsidized rates (cameras $5–$40/day, Project Room $10/hour or $50/day, Audio Suite $15/hour or $75/day, tape digitization $20 per tape), with an honor-system booking model that charges only for actual usage time. Revenue is supplemented by tax-deductible donations to the registered charity, government arts funding, and fundraising. The organization is governed by a member-based structure typical of Canadian artist-run centres, with a small leadership team (Executive Director Cat Bluemke, Programming Coordinator Jesse Mitchell, Production Coordinator Luckas) and 1–10 total employees.
Distribution is exclusively direct and on-site at the single Halifax location (2238 Maitland Street, accessible Wednesday–Friday 10AM–5PM). The GTM motion is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, programming visibility, an annual exhibition archive dating to 1979, Instagram, and email newsletter. No public revenue figures are disclosed and the organization carries no venture, private equity, or institutional investment ownership.
Centre for Art Tapes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Centre for Art Tapes
- Legal name
- Centre for Art Tapes
- Website
- https://cfat.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Centre for Art Tapes is a non-profit, artist-run media arts center founded in 1979 in Halifax, Canada, offering subsidized equipment and facility rentals, tape digitization, and mentorship programs to individual media artists and non-profit arts organizations in Atlantic Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Centre for Art Tapes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Media Arts Facilities
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Photofinishing (81292), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861), Services-Photofinishing Laboratories (7384)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Camera, Grip & Lighting Equipment Rental (MPADAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ), Media Center & Audiovisual Lending Operations (Equipment Checkout, Production Support) (EDAEAGAG)
Keywords
Where Centre for Art Tapes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Halifax
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Centre for Art Tapes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide access to equipment bookings, facility bookings, and voting rights. Basic membership at $30/year, Non-Profit Organization membership at $130/year with discounted rental rates for qualifying organizations.
- Equipment and Facility Rentals: Rental income from cameras, audio gear, projectors, computers, and studio spaces. Billing is usage-based, charging only for actual usage time. Facilities include Project Room, Audio Suite, Transfer Suite, and Online Video Suite.
- Donations: CFAT is a registered charity accepting tax-deductible donations from the public to support subsidized access to media arts equipment and facilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Basic Individual Membership - $30/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Non-Profit Organization Membership - $130/year |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Project Room - $10/hr or $50/day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Audio Suite - $15/hr or $75/day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tape Digitization - $20.00/tape |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Camera Rentals - $5-$40/day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lighting Equipment - $5-$20/day |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Centre for Art Tapes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Centre for Art Tapes (CFAT) is a not-for-profit, artist-run charitable organization founded in 1979 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that facilitates and supports media artists through subsidized rentals of professional video, audio, lighting, and computer equipment; bookable studio facilities (Project Room, Audio Suite, Online Video Suite, Transfer Suite); tape digitization for legacy analog formats; and educational/mentorship programs such as the Media Arts Scholarship, Artist Residencies, and AV Club co-working sessions. Membership ($30/year individual, $130/year non-profit) is required to access rentals, with an honor-system usage-based billing model.
Product overview
The Centre for Art Tapes (CFAT) is a not-for-profit artist-run charitable organization founded in 1979 that operates as a media arts center providing subsidized public access to professional equipment, facilities, and educational programs. The core offerings include Equipment Rentals (cameras, lighting, audio, computers) and Facility Rentals (Project Room, Audio Suite, Online/Video Suite, Transfer Suite), supported by membership tiers (Basic at $30/year and Non-Profit at $130/year). Educational programs include the Media Arts Scholarship (6-month mentorship), Artist Residencies, and AV Club workshops. Ancillary offerings include Tape Digitization services and artist-designed merchandise. The organization serves artists at all levels working with video, audio, and new media, positioning itself as the only dedicated media artist-run center east of Montreal.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Centre for Art Tapes
Customer profileSegments3 records
Centre for Art Tapes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Centre for Art Tapes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- CARFAC (Canadian Artists' Representation / Représentation des artistes canadiens)minorCFAT pays CARFAC fees to all exhibiting artists, following industry-standard artist compensation guidelines for exhibitions and presentations.
- IMAA (Independent Media Arts Alliance)minorCFAT pays IMAA fees to all exhibiting artists, following the alliance's fee schedules for media arts organizations.
- Conference for Art GamesminorCFAT promotes the Conference for Art Games as part of its programming, connecting media artists with game design and interactive arts communities.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Centre for Art Tapes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Centre for Art Tapes social profiles
Digital presenceCentre for Art Tapes compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Centre for Art Tapes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Centre for Art Tapes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Centre for Art Tapes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Centre for Art Tapes 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 Centre for Art Tapes
What does Centre for Art Tapes do?
Centre for Art Tapes (CFAT) is a not-for-profit, artist-run charitable organization founded in 1979 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that facilitates and supports media artists through subsidized rentals of professional video, audio, lighting, and computer equipment; bookable studio facilities (Project Room, Audio Suite, Online Video Suite, Transfer Suite); tape digitization for legacy analog formats; and educational/mentorship programs such as the Media Arts Scholarship, Artist Residencies, and AV Club co-working sessions. Membership ($30/year individual, $130/year non-profit) is required to access rentals, with an honor-system usage-based billing model.
Is Centre for Art Tapes a public or private company?
Centre for Art Tapes is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Centre for Art Tapes founded?
Centre for Art Tapes was founded in 1979. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Centre for Art Tapes based?
Centre for Art Tapes is headquartered in Halifax, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Centre for Art Tapes make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are equipment and Facility Rentals and donations.
Does Centre for Art Tapes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Centre for Art Tapes.
What industry is Centre for Art Tapes in?
Centre for Art Tapes's product category is Media Arts Facilities. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAFAB, Camera, Grip & Lighting Equipment Rental, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAJ, Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 512 and its SIC code is 7819.