New Urban Arts

What New Urban Arts does

New Urban Arts (NUA) is a nonprofit community arts studio founded in 1997 in Providence, Rhode Island, providing free, year-round out-of-school arts programming to high school students, with a documented reach of more than 1,000 youth annually and over 2,000 visitors to public events. The organization's core offering is the Youth Mentorship in the Arts program, a yearlong after-school drop-in model (Mon-Fri, 2:45-6:45pm) that pairs approximately 20 volunteer Artist Mentors with small groups of students across disciplines including painting, drawing, photography, filmmaking, fashion, and graphic design. The 7,200-square-foot facility at 705 Westminster Street (6,000 sq ft of program space after the 2016 basement expansion, with an adjacent building annexed in 2023) houses studios, a darkroom, digital media center, silkscreen, and printmaking facilities. Supporting programs include the Studio Team Advisory Board (STAB) for youth governance, A Life After School (ALAS) for post-secondary advising, Summer Art Inquiry and The Untitlement Project, Vacation Week Internships, and NUA Knights, a satellite afterschool program launched in 2017 at Central High School.

NUA serves a constituency that is approximately 88% qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 45% Latino, 15% African American, and 48% identifying as LGBTQ, with explicit organizational focus on youth of color, low-income youth, and LGBTQ+ youth in Providence. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Jannelle Codianni (appointed June 2024, the fifth executive director transition since founding). Paid staff of approximately 15 is supplemented by ~20 volunteer Artist Mentors who collectively contribute roughly $100,000 in donated time per year as part of an estimated $200,000 in total donated time and services.

NUA operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with no products sold and all youth services delivered free of charge. Revenue is generated entirely from charitable sources: institutional grants (21st Century Community Learning Center, Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Ford Foundation, United Way, Champlin Foundation, Rhode Island Foundation, Bank of America), corporate sponsorships (Citizens Bank, Bank Rhode Island, TD Bank, Nordson), and individual donations ($83,955 raised in FY24 fundraising). It is not a technology company: there is no software platform, digital product, or proprietary AI; the 'platform' is in-person mentorship, a shared physical studio, and a content library of publications and program resource guides freely shared with peer organizations. Distribution is regional (Providence only) via direct delivery at the Westminster Street studio, NUA Knights at Central High School, and free public exhibitions. The organization has received national recognition including the 2009 Coming Up Taller Award from First Lady Michelle Obama and inclusion in the U.S. Department of Education Best Practices Study.

Name

New Urban Arts

Legal name

New Urban Arts

Website

https://newurbanarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Urban Arts is a Providence, RI nonprofit founded in 1997 that provides free, year-round arts mentorship programs to over 1,000 high school students annually through volunteer artist mentors, in partnership with Providence Public Schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA), Charter Arts & Performing Arts Schools (EDAJACAH)

Keywords

• Community arts education
• Youth mentorship programs
• After-school arts programming
• Creative learning studio
• Nonprofit arts organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Government Grants: New Urban Arts receives funding from government agencies (RI Department of Education, RISCA), foundations (Ford Foundation, Rhode Island Foundation, Bank of America, United Way, etc.), and corporate partners. The organization received $200,000 from Bank of America's 2022 Neighborhood Builders program and has received multiple 21st Century Community Learning Center grants. They also receive $200,000 annually in donated time and services.
2. Individual Donations and Fundraising: Annual fundraising campaigns, direct donations from individuals, and special events like birthday bashes and art auctions. The organization raised $83,955 for FY24 according to December 2023 updates.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate contributors including Citizens Bank, Bank Rhode Island, TD Bank, Nordson, and others through sponsorships and cause marketing programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

New Urban Arts is a nonprofit community art studio that provides free, year-round after-school and summer arts mentorship programs for high school students in Providence, Rhode Island. Its core program, Youth Mentorship in the Arts, pairs roughly 20 volunteer Artist Mentors with small groups of students for creative learning across disciplines including painting, drawing, graphic design, photography, fashion, and filmmaking, delivered through drop-in studio access at 705 Westminster Street, a satellite program at Central High School, summer internships, and post-secondary advising.

Product overview

New Urban Arts operates as a unified community art studio model offering multiple interconnected programs centered around youth mentorship in the arts. The core Youth Mentorship in the Arts program forms the centerpiece, supported by the Artist Mentor Professional Development Program which recruits and trains volunteer mentors. Additional programs include STAB (youth leadership), ALAS (college advising), Vacation Week Internships, and the Summer Art Inquiry/Untitlement Project. NUA Knights extends programming to Central High School. Public exhibitions and publications share learning with the broader community. All programs are free and serve high school students in Providence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Mentorship in the Arts A yearlong after-school program (October–May) that pairs approximately 20 Artist Mentors with small groups of high school students for creative arts projects across disciplines including painting, drawing, graphic design, photography, fashion, and filmmaking; delivered as a free drop-in program (Mon-Fri 2:45–6:45pm) at the 705 Westminster Street studio. Intended for high school students in Providence, particularly those from low-income families, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ youth.
• Summer Art Internships A suite of paid summer programs for Providence high school students, including four-week thematic explorations such as The Summer Art Inquiry and The Untitlement Project, College Explorations, Vacation Week Internships, and Student Team Advisory Board participation; participants receive a $400 stipend upon successful completion. Intended for low-income high school students seeking summer arts enrichment.
• A Life After School (ALAS) A post-secondary advising program for high school seniors that covers the college application and selection process, financial aid, workforce preparation, and financial literacy, paired with a College Explorations summer internship. Intended for New Urban Arts high school seniors planning for college and post-secondary pathways.
• NUA Knights An afterschool arts program at Central High School created collaboratively by New Urban Arts and the school's administration, providing arts programming at a partner high school location. Intended for Central High School students in Providence.
• Studio Team Advisory Board (STAB) A youth development and leadership program that brings together current New Urban Arts students and alumni to advocate for youth voice, advise staff and board, organize public events and exhibitions, and facilitate community building activities within the studio. Intended for engaged student and alumni leaders of New Urban Arts.
• Public Events and Exhibitions Free annual public programming showcasing youth and mentor work, including the Summer Programs Exhibit, Mentor and Staff Exhibit, Mid-Year Makings, and Art Party, drawing over 2,000 visitors to the studio each year. Intended for participating students, families, artists, educators, and the broader Providence community.
• Publications A digital and print publication program sharing New Urban Arts program resources, learning, and best practices freely with other organizations and the field, including a STUDIO library of books organized into STUDY, MAKE, and DISCOVER sections, zines, and archive materials. Intended for peer youth arts organizations, educators, and the broader community arts field.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, demonstrating service to low-income youth
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Providence Public School DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership for Youth Mentorship in the Arts program delivery, professional development program for Providence art teachers, and collaboration during COVID-19 for art supply kit distribution to over 1,100 students.
• Rhode Island Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner21st Century Community Learning Center grant program partnership supporting Youth Mentorship in the Arts and Summer Art Internships.
• College VisionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege access and success organization partnership started in 2004. Founded by former volunteer artist mentor Simon Moore.
• AS220 YouthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth arts organization collaborative partner in Providence's arts ecosystem.
• Providence Youth Arts Collaborative (PYAC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative launched in 2004 with several peer youth arts programs to strengthen youth arts programming in Providence.
• Rhode Island College School of Social WorkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership brings Master of Social Work candidates into the studio as Studio Advocates, providing additional support resources for students.
• Providence Student UnionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Providence Youth Caucus launched in 2015, advocating for youth voice in education.
• Young VoicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Providence Youth Caucus launched in 2015 for youth advocacy work.
• College Planning Center of Rhode IslandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting post-secondary advising and college preparation for students in ALAS program.
• DreamYard Project Inc.minorOthersPeer youth arts organization collaborative partner.
• Providence CityArtsminorOthersPeer youth arts organization collaborative partner.
• Project Open DoorminorOthersPeer youth arts organization collaborative partner at RISD.
• The SteelyardminorOthersPeer youth arts organization collaborative partner.
• RiverzEdge Arts ProjectminorOthersPeer youth arts organization collaborative partner.
• Community MusicWorksminorOthersPeer youth arts organization collaborative partner.
• Everett: Company, Stage, and SchoolminorOthersPeer youth arts organization collaborative partner.
• Youth In ActionminorOthersYouth organization collaborative partner.
• Youth Pride, Inc.minorOthersLGBTQ+ youth organization partner, aligned with NUA's commitment to serving LGBTQ+ youth.
• Nonviolence InstituteminorOthersCommunity organization collaborative partner.
• Inspiring MindsminorOthersYouth organization collaborative partner.
• Manton Avenue ProjectminorOthersPeer youth arts organization collaborative partner.
• Tiny ShowcaseminorOthersArts organization collaborative partner.
• Urban Pond ProcessionminorOthersArts organization collaborative partner.
• Yollocalli ArtReachminorOthersYouth arts organization collaborative partner.
• All Saints' Memorial ChurchminorOthersCommunity organization partner, historically hosted early programs.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DreamYard Project: Bronx, NY-based youth arts and social justice organization serving high school students through in-school and after-school arts programming. Listed as a partner of NUA, with a similar model combining artistic practice, mentorship, and college/career preparation.
• Community MusicWorks: Providence-based nonprofit providing free music education and mentorship to youth from low-income communities. Listed NUA partner sharing the same city, mentor-driven model, and underserved-youth mission.
• RiverzEdge Arts Project: Woonsocket, RI-based youth arts and workforce development nonprofit serving teens through creative projects. Listed NUA partner with overlapping art-education-plus-youth-development model in Rhode Island.
• Project Open Door (RISD): Rhode Island School of Design's pre-college art and design program for high school students from underserved communities. A listed NUA partner, with a directly comparable target population and visual arts focus.
• Manton Avenue Project: Providence-based youth theater organization using theater arts as a tool for youth voice and development. Listed NUA partner operating in the same Providence arts ecosystem with comparable age group and underserved community focus.
• Providence CityArts: Providence-based community arts nonprofit offering arts education programs for youth and adults. A listed partner of NUA in the Providence arts ecosystem, sharing geographic focus and community arts mission.
• AS220 Youth: Providence-based youth arts organization offering free arts programming to local teens. Listed as a Major strategic partner of NUA in the Providence Youth Arts Collaborative, making it the closest direct peer in mission, geography, and population served.
• Everett: Company, Stage, and School: Providence-based performing arts organization combining theater production with youth education. Listed NUA partner providing performing arts exposure in the same Providence youth arts ecosystem.
• Yollocalli ArtReach: Chicago-based youth arts program of the National Museum of Mexican Art, serving teens from predominantly Latino communities through free arts programming. Listed NUA partner with directly comparable mission and demographic focus.
• The STEELYARD: Providence-based industrial arts and metalworking program serving youth and adults. Listed NUA partner in the Providence Youth Arts Collaborative, sharing the same geographic and community focus on hands-on arts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/newurbanarts
• Facebookfacebook.com/newurbanarts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

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 New Urban Arts