the connecticut forum

Name

the connecticut forum

Legal name

The Connecticut Forum

Website

https://ctforum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Cultural Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB), Adult/Public Speaking Clubs & Community Organizations (EDAMAOAI)

Keywords

• Live panel discussions
• Nonprofit cultural programming
• Youth civic engagement
• Event consulting services
• Speaker series events

Headquarters

HQ city

Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Season Subscriptions: Season ticket packages offering best seats, discounts up to $100 compared to single tickets, exclusive livestream access, recording access, dining discounts, and invitations to special events. Four signature Forums per season at The Bushnell.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship packages at various levels (Premier, Charter, Sustaining) providing networking access, client entertainment, employee engagement, and marketing exposure in exchange for financial support.
3. Individual Donations: Individual giving through Champions Society ($20,000+), Founders Society ($10,000-$19,999), Directors Society ($5,000-$9,999), Orators Society ($2,500-$4,999), and Producers Society ($1,000-$2,499). Also includes legacy/planned giving through Legacy Society.
4. Foundation Support: Grant funding from foundations to support innovative programming, community engagement, and youth initiatives.
5. Single Event Tickets: Individual tickets sold for specific Forum events and special programming throughout the year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Connecticut Forum produces live, unscripted panel discussions and special events featuring renowned experts, authors, journalists, entertainers, and thought leaders, primarily staged at The Bushnell performing arts center in Hartford, CT. Founded in 1992 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the organization also runs youth civic engagement programs and provides event consulting services to other organizations and corporations.

Product overview

The Connecticut Forum is a nonprofit event organization presenting live, unscripted panel discussions featuring renowned experts and celebrities. Its core offerings include four signature Season Forums per year held at The Bushnell Performing Arts Center, the Connecticut YOUTH Forum outreach program, Forum Event Consulting services, and various Special Events throughout the year. The organization generates revenue through season subscriptions, individual giving, corporate sponsorships, and a Legacy Society planned giving program. Subscriber benefits include exclusive livestream access, dining discounts, and priority seating. The Forum also operates community programs including Forum Encore events, book talks, and walking tours.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Signature Season Forums
• Connecticut YOUTH Forum
• Forum Event Consulting
• Season Subscriptions
• Special Events and Galas

Quantifiable outcome

• 450+ speakers have appeared at The Connecticut Forum
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Connecticut Public (Lifetime Visionary)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for broadcast and promotion of Forum events, co-presenter of civic engagement programming
• Connecticut Public Television/NPRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partner and co-presenter of civic engagement programming including From Campus to the Capitol event with UConn School of Public Policy
• The Bushnell Center for the Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue partner for signature Forum events. Joint programming for special events like Samin Nosrat appearance. Access to Bushnell facilities and production support
• Trinity CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost partner for An Evening with José Andrés. Education partner supporting Forum programming and community engagement
• The Warner TheatremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of special event An Evening with Elizabeth Gilbert, expanding Forum reach to new venue and audience

Scale indicators4 records

Direct peers

• 92nd Street Y (92Y): The 92nd Street Y in New York City presents live, curated conversations with renowned authors, thought leaders, and cultural icons in an unscripted format. It is the most direct national analog to The Connecticut Forum's model of intellectual live programming paired with community engagement.
• The Commonwealth Club of California: The Commonwealth Club is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum, presenting in-person and livestreamed conversations with authors, politicians, and cultural figures. It is a long-running nonprofit with the same mission of fostering public discourse through live events.
• Aspen Ideas Festival: Aspen Ideas Festival is a multi-day ideas gathering featuring prominent speakers across policy, arts, and science. While at larger scale and different format, the Festival shares the Connecticut Forum's focus on convening thought leaders for substantive public conversations.
• Chicago Ideas Week: Chicago Ideas Week is an annual ideas festival presenting hundreds of speakers across multiple days and venues. It is comparable to The Connecticut Forum as a nonprofit convening of experts and cultural figures for live audience discourse.
• Seattle Arts & Lectures: Seattle Arts & Lectures presents a season of author talks, speaker events, and literary conversations. It is a regional nonprofit with a comparable subscriber-and-donor-supported live events model to The Connecticut Forum.
• Town Hall Seattle: Town Hall Seattle is a nonprofit arts and culture venue presenting lectures, panels, and conversations with authors, scientists, and public figures. It is a comparable intellectual live-events presenter with subscriber-style programming.
• TED Conferences: TED convenes renowned thinkers for short, curated talks distributed globally across digital and live channels. While at much larger scale and shorter format, TED shares The Connecticut Forum's mission of spotlighting thought leaders and ideas for public audiences.

Broad incumbents

• The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts: The Bushnell is the primary venue partner for The Connecticut Forum's signature Forums and a broader performing arts presenter itself. It is comparable as a larger institutional entity that operates the physical infrastructure the Forum depends on.

Emerging players

• Connecticut Public (WNPR): Connecticut Public is a Lifetime Visionary media partner that broadcasts Forum events and co-presents civic engagement programming. It overlaps thematically as a regional convener of public-affairs content but operates through broadcast and digital rather than live ticketed events.

Regional players

• Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs: Carnegie Council convenes global ethicists, policymakers, and intellectuals through public events and programming. While based in New York and oriented toward ethics/foreign policy, it is comparable as a nonprofit convener of thought leaders for live intellectual discourse.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CTFORUM/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-connecticut-forum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 the connecticut forum