A report issued last year estimated that nonprofit arts and culture organizations generate annual economic activity of approximately $615.2 million within the Kansas City region.

The national advocacy group Americans for the Arts included the findings in its Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 Study. Elaina Paige Thomas is doing her part to ensure that local creative talent gets in on the action through her talent management and production company.

The 34-year-old native of Kansas City, Missouri, founded The Next Paige Agency in 2021 as the first Black-owned business of its kind in the city. The agency has secured $400,000 worth of work for the approximately 150 arts professionals it represents, about three-quarters of whom are either Black or brown.

The Next Paige’s roster includes dancers, choreographers, models, influencers, and actors whose credits include film, television, and theater.

Thomas was active in sports as a kid but honed in on dance at local studios and at AileyCamp put on in the summer by the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey. She attended Columbia College in Chicago, where she earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in dance with a minor in arts and media management.

Thomas has performed internationally and danced with Beyoncé for the debut of “Run the World” in Chicago.

And now, in addition to being a wife and a mom, she is living out her dream of providing professional opportunities for performers so they can make a living without leaving town.

“People are able to feed their families, people are able to get paid for their skill set … for their talent, and it's an amazing thing,” Thomas said.

Thomas will always be grateful to Kansas City G.I.F.T., a nonprofit that provides financial support to Black-owned small businesses, for the $50,000 grant that helped her secure The Next Paige building at 5930 Troost Ave.

Another success came in 2023 with her first-place win in the AltCap Your Biz Pitch Competition (ACYB). The competition took the seasoned performer out of her comfort zone with a presentation selling her business instead of entertaining an audience.

Thomas put the $25,000 in prize money toward renovations that helped make the building a full-service hub for clients, including a lounge where they can visit or work on documents like resumes, bios, and applications.

Thomas said the significance of the AltCap award went beyond the money.

“I feel like nowadays entrepreneurship is romanticized, but people don't really know what it takes,” she said. “And to have an organization give you $25,000 and say, ‘Hey, we believe in you, and we believe in what you're creating for our community.’ Oh my gosh, that is a dream come true in itself.”

In April, the State of Missouri offered the film industry — and talent agencies like the Next Paige — a boost by re-introducing a film tax credit.

The tax credit, which Paige noted in her ACYB pitch as a meaningful opportunity for her business, offers producers 20% - 42% back on qualifying expenses for filming in the Show Me State. The move hopes to attract both large and small film projects, boost local economies, and support smaller studios.

The AltCap Your Biz Pitch Competition returns this year, offering pioneering Kansas City-area entrepreneurs a chance to win over $40,000 in cash prizes for their small businesses.

Applications for the 2024 AltCap Your Biz Pitch Competition open on Sept. 16 and close on Sept. 30, with the Live Pitch event taking place on Nov. 20 at Union Station in downtown Kansas City.

Learn more about the competition’s details, guidelines, and eligibility here.