What Imagine Art does

Imagine Art is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, that serves artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and other disabilities through an integrated set of programs. Its core offerings include a public Fine Arts Studio that provides free workspace, art materials, and artistic direction; Texas Medicaid Home and Community-based Services (HCS) and IDD Day Habilitation programs delivered under waiver authority; Supervised Living residential care; an Art Loan Program; and original-art sales (typically priced between $50 and $800 per piece). The organization also operates an AmeriCorps Artists in Residence program (sustained since 2019) and a Peer Support training initiative branded Training 4 Transformation.

In April 2025, Imagine Art expanded its physical footprint substantially with the opening of the Live+Make Campus, a 66-unit affordable housing complex featuring an 8,000 sq ft on-site art studio and a community kitchen (The Kitchen) that provides no-cost meals to residents and neighbors. As of June 2025, 63 of the 66 units were leased and the campus was home to 88+ residents. Imagine Art also operates licensed Supervised Living homes, and its Medicaid waiver roster covers approximately 32 individuals at any given time, with 85 artists actively using the public studio.

Imagine Art's revenue model blends government and philanthropic sources rather than commercial sales. Recurring inflows include Medicaid Long-Term Care Services reimbursements (administered via Texas Health and Human Services Commission contracts), grants from the Austin Housing Finance Corporation ($6.5M in December 2022 plus $297K in 2020 pre-development), the Texas Council on Developmental Disabilities ($15K in 2021), the City of Austin Economic Development Department ($45.5K across 2020-2021), and the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation plus FACE grants ($13K in 2025). Direct art sales and Art Loan Program fees are supplemental revenue lines, and donations provide ongoing charitable support. The organization partners with Austin Travis County Integral Care (since 2008), AmeriCorps/OneStar Foundation, MRE Capital, and Citrine Development, and participates annually in the Austin Studio Tour, with 40+ artists featured in the 2025 edition.

Name

Imagine Art

Legal name

Imagine Art

Website

https://imagineart.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Imagine Art is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Austin, Texas that provides free studio access, Medicaid waiver services, supervised living, and affordable housing to artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities, anchored by its 66-unit Live+Make Campus opened in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Arts Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media) (EDAMAAAD)

Keywords

• Disability arts services
• Medicaid waiver services
• Day habilitation programs
• Affordable housing services
• Peer support training

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Medicaid Long-Term Care Services: Contracted provider of Medicaid waiver services including residential support, nursing, attendant care, and specialized therapies for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and grant funding from foundations and government sources to support operations and programs.
3. Art Sales: Sale of original artwork created by artists with disabilities through gallery exhibitions, online stores, and direct purchases.
4. Grant Funding: Funding from government agencies including Texas Health and Human Services, Texas Council on Developmental Disabilities, City of Austin Economic Development, and Austin Housing Finance Corporation.
5. Art Loan Program Revenue: Artwork loaned to businesses for display, creating visibility for artists and potential sales opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Imagine Art delivers integrated programs for artists with disabilities, anchored by a Fine Arts Studio that provides no-cost studio space, materials, and artistic direction in painting, ceramics, mixed media, and textiles. It supplements this with Medicaid long-term care services (residential support, nursing, attendant care, therapies), Peer Support training and certification, the Live+Make 66-unit affordable housing campus, The Kitchen no-cost community meals, and an AmeriCorps Artists-in-Residence job readiness program. Original artwork created in the studios is also sold through galleries, exhibitions, an online store, and an Art Loan Program.

Product overview

Imagine Art operates as a nonprofit organization offering a suite of programs for artists with disabilities. The portfolio includes: Fine Arts Studio (providing free public studio space, professional materials, and artistic direction for painting, ceramics, mixed media, and textiles); AmeriCorps (job readiness program with artists-in-residence providing mentorship); Medicaid Waiver programs (long-term care services for individuals with IDD); Peer Presence (peer support training and certification); Live+Make (66-unit affordable housing campus at 1127 Tillery Street anchoring creative programming); The Kitchen (community kitchen providing no-cost meals); Art Loan Program; and artist stores for purchasing artwork. This is a program-based service model rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fine Arts Studio Program Provides free professional studio space, art materials, and artistic direction for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities, featuring painting, ceramics, mixed media, and textiles. The core program of Imagine Art since 1996.
• Medicaid Waiver Long-Term Care Services Licensed long-term care services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including 24-hour residential support, in-home attendant care, nursing, dietary, behavioral, occupational, physical, and speech therapies.
• Live+Make Affordable Housing Campus 66 units of affordable housing anchored by Imagine Art's creative programming, including fine arts studio and gallery, long-term care services, peer support activity, and a no-cost community kitchen serving onsite residents.
• Peer Support Training and Certification (Training 4 Transformation) Training and certification program for peers with intellectual and developmental disabilities navigating complex disability systems, including peer support groups, classes, and workshops.
• The Kitchen Community Meals Program Community kitchen at the Live+Make campus providing no-cost breakfast, lunch, and dinner to residents, addressing food insecurity for low-income and disabled residents.
• AmeriCorps Artists-in-Residence Program Job readiness program placing AmeriCorps members as Artists-in-Residence to mentor adult artists with disabilities in design, production, exhibition preparation, and micro-business development.
• Art Loan Program Program that loans Imagine Art artists' original artwork to businesses for display, increasing visibility for artists and creating sales opportunities.
• Original Artwork Sales Sale of original paintings, ceramics, mixed media, and textile artwork created by artists with disabilities through the Live+Make gallery, partner venues, and individual artist online stores, priced from $50 to $800.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving artists with disabilities since 1996
• +3 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

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AmeriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019AmeriCorps State and National program supported by Corporation for National Community Service and OneStar Foundation. Since September 2019, AmeriCorps artists-in-residence have empowered adult artists with disabilities through teaching job readiness skills and providing support for design, production, exhibition, and micro-business development.
• OneStar FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Since 2016, OneStar Foundation has provided multiple VISTA Volunteer positions to increase organizational capacity with focus on systems and sustainability development. VISTA positions have supported Waiver Long-Term Care services, group home launch, and demonstration site data collection.
• Austin Travis County Integral CarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Partnered since 2008 to provide respite care funds to families. ATCIC's intellectual developmental disability department provides contracts for consumers attending studio. Serves as local Mental Health Authority (LIDDA) overseeing long-term care contracts funded by Health and Human Services.
• Texas Health and Human Services CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissions contracts with Imagine Art as statewide provider of Medicaid Long-Term Care Services and Supports. Through licensing, Imagine Art manages Texas Home Living Waiver and Home and Community Based Support Waiver.
• Citrine DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined Live+Make project as HUB partner alongside MRE Capital. Finalized development agreements for affordable housing project at 1127 Tillery Street.
• Kelly Grossman ArchitectminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerServing as lead architect to design Live+Make Tillery Street space.
• Valhalla ManagementminorOthersProperty management company handling wait list and leasing for Live+Make apartment complex.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Creativity Explored: San Francisco-based nonprofit visual arts studio and gallery dedicated to artists with developmental disabilities, with a working studio, exhibition program, and supported art sales. Closely mirrors Imagine Art's Fine Arts Studio, gallery exhibitions, and artist-with-disabilities mission in a different metro.
• NIAD Art Center: Richmond, California nonprofit fine art center for adults with developmental disabilities, providing studio space, materials, instruction, exhibition, and sales of original work. Directly comparable in program design (visual arts studio + exhibition + sales for IDD artists) to Imagine Art's Fine Arts Studio.
• Pure Vision Arts: New York City nonprofit visual arts studio and gallery for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities, offering studio access, exhibition programming, and art sales. Direct peer in the studio-plus-gallery model for IDD artists in an urban setting.

Broad incumbents

• VSA (Kennedy Center): National program of the John F. Kennedy Center focused on arts, disability, and education, supporting artists with disabilities through programming, training, and a network of state affiliates. Comparable in mission (arts + disability) but operates at a much larger national scope rather than as a single integrated campus.
• Artspace: National nonprofit developer of affordable live/work space for artists, combining real estate development with artist services. Comparable on the affordable-housing-for-artists axis of Imagine Art's Live+Make model, though it does not focus on disability services.
• The Arc: National nonprofit advocacy and service organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, operating a federation of state and local chapters. Comparable on the IDD services and Medicaid waiver service axis, though much broader in scope and not arts-specialized.

Others

• Mercy Housing: One of the largest nonprofit affordable housing developers in the U.S., providing housing plus supportive services for low-income and special-needs populations. Comparable to Imagine Art's Live+Make affordable housing + supportive services approach, though at national scale and without the arts-studio focus.
• AHRC New York City: Large New York City nonprofit providing residential, day, employment, and clinical services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable to Imagine Art's Medicaid waiver, day habilitation, and supervised living programs, but with a broader clinical-services portfolio and no arts focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/imagineartatx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Imagine Art