Creative Art Works
Creative Art Works is a 1986-founded NYC 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers in-school, after-school, and youth-employment arts programming — including large-scale public murals and a FunPlus game character design apprenticeship — to NYC teens and young adults, funded by donations, corporate commissions, and government and foundation grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Creative Art Works does
Creative Art Works is a New York City-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, legally registered as Creative Arts Workshops for Kids, Inc. (EIN 13-3638436) and operating under the DBA Creative Art Works. Founded in 1986, the organization delivers youth arts programming across NYC's five boroughs through a portfolio that includes in-school programs during regular school hours, out-of-school time programs (notably the CASA multi-disciplinary curriculum covering sculpture, book arts, drawing, cartooning, 3D art, and filmmaking), a Public Art Youth Employment Program in which teens and young adults are paid to create large-scale murals under the guidance of Teaching Artists, a Character Design Apprenticeship operated in partnership with FunPlus, a Cultural Immigrant Program, and remote digital arts programs launched during COVID-19.
The organization is governed by a Board of Directors (with Andy Levin as Board Chair) and led by President & CEO Brian Ricklin, supported by a Deputy Director / Director of Development, Program Directors, a Manager of Teaching & Learning, and additional program and operations staff. Service delivery infrastructure spans 11-50 employees, two Manhattan offices (520 8th Ave and 100 W. 33rd Street), and a network of NYC Department of Education school partners alongside cultural institution partners (MoMA, The Studio Museum in Harlem, El Museo del Barrio, Art in Flux Harlem).
Revenue is generated through four streams: individual and institutional donations (with 75% of donations stated to flow directly to program expenses), corporate art commissions (with named clients including BXP, Shake Shack, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, BDO North America, JLL, 72andSunny, Savills, L+M / Invesco, and Dock 72 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard), government grants (NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, NYS Council on the Arts, Manhattan Borough President's Office), and foundation grants (Crowell & Moring Foundation, RBC Foundation, The Sills Family Foundation, Ponce De Leon Foundation). The organization reports Charity Navigator four-star, Candid Platinum Transparency, and Great Nonprofits 2025 Top Rated recognition.
Creative Art Works firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Creative Art Works
- Legal name
- Creative Arts Workshops for Kids, Inc.
- Website
- https://creativeartworks.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Creative Art Works is a 1986-founded NYC 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers in-school, after-school, and youth-employment arts programming — including large-scale public murals and a FunPlus game character design apprenticeship — to NYC teens and young adults, funded by donations, corporate commissions, and government and foundation grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Creative Art Works industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Arts Education and Creative Workforce Development
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA)
Keywords
Where Creative Art Works is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Creative Art Works business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Individual and institutional donations supporting youth arts programming and operations
- Corporate Art Commissions: Revenue from corporations commissioning public art created through youth employment programs - transforms lives while activating spaces
- Government Grants: Funding from NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYS Council on the Arts, Manhattan Borough President's Office, and other government sources
- Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including Crowell & Moring Foundation, RBC Foundation, Sills Family Foundation, and others
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Creative Art Works product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Creative Art Works is a nonprofit organization that empowers NYC youth through visual and multimedia arts education and workforce development. Its core deliverable is a portfolio of paid corporate public art commissions produced by Youth Apprentices under the guidance of professional Teaching Artists, supplemented by in-school and out-of-school arts curricula, a summer youth employment program, and specialized apprenticeships such as game character design. Programming is free to youth participants and funded through donations, grants, and commissioned mural projects.
Product overview
Creative Art Works is a nonprofit arts education organization offering a portfolio of programs centered on youth empowerment through visual arts. The core offerings include In-School Programs (delivered during school hours), Out-of-School Time Programs featuring CASA curriculum (Art Around the World, Sculpture, Mixed Media, Book Arts, Drawing, Cartooning, 3D Art), and the Public Art Youth Employment Program (providing job skills through large-scale mural creation). Additional specialized offerings include the Character Design Apprenticeship (in partnership with FunPlus for game industry training), Cultural Immigrant Programs, and Remote Digital Arts Programs developed during COVID-19. Digital resources include an Interactive Mural Map and Youth Art Gallery showcasing student work. The organization serves NYC youth through summer employment, academic year programs, and community events, all led by professional Teaching Artists.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- In-School Programs Arts education programming delivered during regular school hours at NYC public schools, covering visual arts, multimedia, and integrated curriculum for student participants.
- Out-of-School Time Programs After-school and weekend arts enrichment programs covering art around the world, sculpture, mixed media, book arts, drawing, cartooning, stop-motion animation, and filmmaking for NYC youth.
- Public Art Youth Employment Program Provides NYC teens and young adults with paid work experience and job skills through creation of large-scale public murals commissioned by corporate and civic clients, guided by professional Teaching Artists from concept development through public unveiling.
- Character Design Apprenticeship Game character design training program in partnership with FunPlus, providing NYC youth exposure and skills development for careers in the creative gaming industry.
- Cultural Immigrant Program Arts programming for immigrant students exploring cultural heritage, traditions, and artistic expressions from various backgrounds.
- Remote Digital Arts Programs Virtual arts education and employment programs developed during COVID-19, including graphic design apprenticeships, social justice poster creation, and inclusive stock photography using digital tools such as Pixlr for NYC youth.
- Summer Youth Employment Program Summer workforce development providing creative paid employment opportunities for over 100 teens and young adults annually through public art and multimedia projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- 75% of donations go directly to program expenses
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Creative Art Works
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Creative Art Works technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Creative Art Works partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FunPluscoreMulti-year partnership for character design apprenticeship programs. FunPlus has collaborated with Creative Art Works since at least 2021, entering their fourth year of partnership by 2024. The program teaches youth game character design skills.
- MoMAminorArt partner collaborating on public art initiatives
- The Studio Museum in HarlemminorArt partner for museum collaborations
- El Museo del BarriominorArt partner for Latino cultural art initiatives
- Art in Flux HarlemminorCommunity art organization partner in Harlem
- Catholic Charities AlianzacorePartnership for youth employment programs including Liberty High School Learning to Work Interns and pandemic response programs
- NYC Department of Cultural AffairscoreGovernment funding partner in partnership with City Council
- NYC Department of Youth and Community DevelopmentcoreFunding support for Summer Youth Employment Programs
- NYS Council on the ArtscoreState arts council funding with support of Governor and State Legislature
- Manhattan Borough PresidentminorManhattan Community Award Program funding
- A. Philip Randolph Campus High SchoolcoreKey school partner providing youth apprentices for employment programs
- F.Y. EyeminorNYC nonprofit advertising group that featured youth artwork on digital PSA Network (100+ billboards) - donated $30,000+ in media support
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Creative Art Works competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Groundswell: NYC-based nonprofit that produces public murals with youth apprentices, very closely matching Creative Art Works' Public Art Youth Employment model, target population (underserved NYC teens) and corporate / city commissioning approach.
- Urban Arts Partnership: NYC-based nonprofit providing in-school and after-school arts programming for underserved youth — overlapping NYC public-school delivery model, youth-arts mission and government/grant funding sources.
- Studio in a School: NYC nonprofit providing visual arts instruction and residency programs in NYC public schools — direct overlap with Creative Art Works' in-school visual-arts delivery model and NYC DOE partnerships.
- More Art: NYC nonprofit producing collaborative public art projects with communities — overlapping public-art commissioning model and NYC community-engagement orientation.
- The Laundromat Project: NYC nonprofit activating community creativity through arts programming in neighborhoods of color — comparable NYC geography, underserved-community focus and arts-empowerment mission.
- CityArts: NYC nonprofit producing public murals and community art projects with youth and local artists — directly comparable mission, NYC footprint, and corporate / community partnership model.
- DreamYard: Bronx-based nonprofit using arts education, youth development and social justice to engage public-school students — closely aligned NYC underserved-youth arts-education focus and school partnership model.
- Publicolor: NYC nonprofit engaging underserved youth in public art / mural projects — comparable mission (youth empowerment through collaborative painting) and similar CSR-driven corporate partnership model.
Emerging players
- Cool Culture: NYC nonprofit connecting underserved families to visual arts and cultural institutions — overlapping arts-access mission and NYC public-school population, though more museum-curatorial in approach than mural-making.
Regional players
- Marwen: Chicago-based nonprofit providing arts education and workforce-development programming for underserved youth — comparable youth-arts + career-readiness mission but operating in a different metro.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Creative Art Works social profiles
Digital presenceCreative Art Works financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Creative Art Works leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Creative Art Works funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Creative Art Works 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 Creative Art Works
What does Creative Art Works do?
Creative Art Works is a nonprofit organization that empowers NYC youth through visual and multimedia arts education and workforce development. Its core deliverable is a portfolio of paid corporate public art commissions produced by Youth Apprentices under the guidance of professional Teaching Artists, supplemented by in-school and out-of-school arts curricula, a summer youth employment program, and specialized apprenticeships such as game character design. Programming is free to youth participants and funded through donations, grants, and commissioned mural projects.
Is Creative Art Works a public or private company?
Creative Art Works is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Creative Art Works founded?
Creative Art Works was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Creative Art Works based?
Creative Art Works is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Creative Art Works make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are corporate Art Commissions, government Grants and foundation Grants.
Who are Creative Art Works's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Groundswell, Urban Arts Partnership, Studio in a School, More Art, The Laundromat Project, CityArts, DreamYard and Publicolor. Cool Culture is listed as an emerging player. Marwen is listed as a regional player.
Does Creative Art Works have an API?
No public API is recorded for Creative Art Works.
What industry is Creative Art Works in?
Creative Art Works's product category is Youth Arts Education and Creative Workforce Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAAAA, Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 7330.