Future Arts
Future Arts is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that commissions and produces AR, mixed-reality, and AI-enabled public art installations and artist residencies for underserved BIPOC, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ artists working with emerging technology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Future Arts does
Future Arts is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 87-0950093), founded in 2020 by Yuliya (Julia) Bruk, that develops interdisciplinary residency programs and accessible public art initiatives for underserved artists working with emerging technology. The organization's portfolio centers on augmented-reality and AI-enabled public installations, headlined by Future Arts Way — a 2.5-mile interactive AR trail through Downtown Seattle with 35+ QR-activated drops and 18+ artworks — alongside named products such as Cut Crush Decay (40-foot mixed-reality mural using MOVE.AI motion capture, 8th Wall web-AR, and mycelium biomaterials), Emerging Radiance (Tribeca X 2022 winner, produced with Meta Open Arts), TRANCESTOR.AI (LLM-driven poetry system using OpenAI and Hugging Face), and AR+Pops (QR-activated AR storytelling on edible popsicles). The technology stack is built on third-party platforms (8th Wall for web-based AR, OpenAI and Hugging Face for generative AI, MOVE.AI for computer vision) rather than proprietary foundation models.
The organization serves four primary segments: underserved artists from BIPOC, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities working in technology; the general public through free installations such as Future Arts Way; technology companies seeking artist residencies and creative programming (Meta Open Arts, Hudson Pacific Properties); and youth (ages 14-18) through the Young Futures program with Coyote Central. Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model combining project-restricted grants (Agog Immersive Art Institute, ArtsFund, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, 4Culture, Canada Council for the Arts), operational support from King County and the City of Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, corporate sponsorships and commissions, individual donations, a $25/month recurring membership tier (Future Sparks), coworking salon admissions ($15 for non-members), merchandise sales (AR t-shirts at $35-$45), and event revenue. The go-to-market is event-driven and partnership-mediated, relying on free public installations, festival participation (Bumbershoot, Seattle Art Fair, World Cup Seattle), and direct enterprise engagement rather than traditional product sales channels.
Future Arts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Future Arts
- Legal name
- Future Arts
- Website
- https://futurearts.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Future Arts is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that commissions and produces AR, mixed-reality, and AI-enabled public art installations and artist residencies for underserved BIPOC, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ artists working with emerging technology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Future Arts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Art & New Media Arts Programs
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Arts & Design (Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation) (EDAMAAAB), Arts & Culture Appreciation (Art History, Film Appreciation, Music Appreciation) (EDAAAGAO)
Keywords
Where Future Arts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Future Arts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: One-time and recurring tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting arts and technology accessibility. EIN 87-0950093.
- Monthly Membership (Future💥Sparks): Monthly recurring donations starting at $25 with benefits including priority event access, early access to tickets, behind-the-scenes newsletter content, workshop access, and member networking events.
- Corporate Sponsorships & Partnerships: Event sponsorships, artist-in-residency program placements, art commissions, artist talks, technology demos, and workspace integration programs customized for company goals.
- Event Revenue: Revenue from events such as Future Arts LIVE!, coworking salons, and participation in festivals like Bumbershoot.
- Merchandise Sales: Sales of AR-enabled merchandise including t-shirts and other swag through the organization's e-commerce store.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Future💥Sparks Monthly Membership starting at $25/month |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coworking Salon admission - $15 for non-members, free for members |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | AR T-Shirts priced at $35-$45 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Future Arts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Future Arts develops interdisciplinary residency programs and accessible public art initiatives for underserved artists (BIPOC, Indigenous, LGBTQ+) working with emerging technology. Its offerings include paid artist residencies, free public AR/mixed-reality installations and walking trails, youth education programs, commissioned AI/AR artworks, coworking salons, and monthly memberships, all delivered through partnerships with technology companies, cultural institutions, and civic agencies.
Product overview
Future Arts is a nonprofit organization that develops interdisciplinary residency programs and accessible public art initiatives for underserved artists working with technology. The organization operates a portfolio of AR-focused products and programs including Future Arts Way (a 2.5-mile AR trail with 35+ installations), the FAIR artist residency program, Young Futures youth education, and Future Arts LIVE! events. Core products include AR artworks like Cut Crush Decay, Emerging Radiance, TRANCESTOR.AI, Speak Your installations, and AR+Pops. The organization also offers membership through the Future 💥 Sparks program and runs the annual Augment Seattle festival. Technology stack includes 8th Wall for web-based AR, OpenAI and Hugging Face for AI content generation, and MOVE.AI for motion capture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Future Arts Way: Other Earth 2026 A free 2.5-mile interactive AR trail through Downtown Seattle featuring 35+ vinyl QR-code launchpad drops and 18+ AR artworks. Visitors self-guide using a mobile wayfinder from Pacific Science Center to King Street Station, scanning QR codes at each stop to experience AR storytelling rooted in Coast Salish histories, Afrofuturism, and Pacific Northwest ecology. Open free to the public during World Cup Seattle and beyond.
- Future Artists in Residence (FAIR) A community-driven, large-scale public artist-in-residency program connecting underserved artists (BIPOC, Indigenous, LGBTQ+) with technology companies and resources to create innovative public art experiences. Inaugural resident Divine Ndemeye created 'Parasitic Healing Bath' AR waterfall combining Afrofuturism and Indigenous Ethnobotany.
- Young Futures Youth education program delivered in partnership with Coyote Central that teaches Seattle students ages 14-18 to create AR-augmented murals and public art at Bitterlake Community Center. Develops tech-art skills and creative career pathways for underserved youth.
- Future Arts LIVE! Hybrid event series featuring talks, performances, and demonstrations at the intersection of art, technology, and creativity. Includes artist presentations, technology demos, and recorded sessions available on Future Arts' YouTube channel.
- Future Sparks Monthly Membership Monthly recurring donation/membership program starting at $25/month. Members receive priority event access, early ticket access to events, behind-the-scenes newsletter content, workshop access, and member networking events. Corporate donation matching and stock gifts also accepted. Supports closing Seattle's arts-tech wage gap.
- Future Sparks Coworking Salons Monthly coworking events featuring collaborative work/play stations, tech artist demonstrations, LOFI beats, and networking opportunities for tech-minded creatives. $15 admission for non-members, free for Future Sparks members. Held on the last Thursday of each month at partner venues including Washington 1000 (Hudson Pacific Properties) in Denny Triangle, Seattle.
- Augment Seattle AR Art Festival Annual AR art festival featuring multiple artists, open-air galleries, digital maps, ARtours, and mixed-reality food and drinks. Showcases BIPOC, Indigenous, and international AR artworks. Inaugural edition in August 2022 featured 9 artists in South Lake Union.
- Corporate Partnership Programs Customized corporate partnership offerings including artist-in-residency program placements, art commissions, artist talks, technology demos, event sponsorships, and workspace integration programs. Designed for technology companies and corporations seeking authentic creative engagement, such as Meta Open Arts (Emerging Radiance at Bellevue Arts Museum) and Cornish College of the Arts (Cornish+ / Cut Crush Decay).
- AR T-Shirt (Earth Sky Planter) Augmented reality-enabled t-shirt sold through Future Arts' e-commerce store at $35 sale price (original $45). Wearer and viewers can scan a QR code on the shirt to unlock digital content and AR layers. Additional swag items are also available.
- Cut Crush Decay Mixed Reality Mural A 40-foot mixed-reality installation combining dance, augmented reality, AI-powered motion capture (MOVE.AI), and mycelium biomaterials. Interactive mural activated via ground vinyl QR codes using 8th Wall web-based AR platform. Created in collaboration with Cornish College of the Arts students and faculty. Available for public engagement at future installations.
- Emerging Radiance AR Installation AR installation by Michelle Kumata and Tani Ikeda honoring Nikkei Farmers of Bellevue (1920-1942). Three AR filters bring archival images and audio recordings to life on a life-sized farmhouse structure at Bellevue Arts Museum. Winner of Tribeca X 2022. Produced in partnership with Meta Open Arts, Immediate Justice, and Densho.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 artists paid through programs in 4 years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Future Arts
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Future Arts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Feature5 records
Future Arts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Houdini InteractivecoreCreative technology partner for Future Arts Way and FAIR 2023 AR waterfall projects. Full stack design and development agency creating magical AR/XR experiences.
- MOVE.AIsupportingAI-powered motion capture technology used in Cut Crush Decay mixed reality installation for capturing dance movements.
- 8th WallsupportingWeb-based AR platform used for Cut Crush Decay's generative augmented reality layer accessible through any mobile device.
- Cornish College of the ArtscorePartnership for Cornish+ program featuring Cut Crush Decay installation. Students and faculty collaborated across dance, sculpture, and technology disciplines.
- Meta Open ArtscoreProducing partner for Emerging Radiance project at Bellevue Arts Museum, honoring Nikkei Farmers of Bellevue history.
- Downtown Seattle Association (DSA)coreMajor partner for Future Arts Way and multiple projects, providing organizational support and community connections.
- Hudson Pacific PropertiescoreProvides venue at Washington 1000 building for monthly Future💥Sparks Coworking Salons, hosting events in their state-of-the-art Denny Triangle space.
- Pacific Science CentercoreNorth trailhead location for Future Arts Way, serving as starting point for the 2.5-mile AR walking experience.
- King Street Station ArtscoreSouth trailhead location for Future Arts Way, serving as endpoint for the 2.5-mile AR walking experience.
- Seattle Interactive Media Lab (SiM)supportingGame and graphic design partner for Memory Market Smash interactive mini golf at Smash Putt Seattle.
- Infinite SpacessupportingTechnical producer for Memory Market Smash, transforming places into interactive playgrounds.
- PassablesupportingCreative hardware producer for Memory Market Smash, providing makerspace tools and equipment.
- Coyote CentralcoreYouth program partner for Young Futures, teaching students ages 14-18 to create AR-augmented murals at Bitterlake Community Center.
- Urban Renaissance Group (URG)supporting3rd & Pine location partner for Future Arts Way AR trail, featuring installations at key downtown intersection.
- Immediate JusticesupportingPartner in Emerging Radiance project honoring Nikkei Farmers of Bellevue at Bellevue Arts Museum.
- DenshosupportingPartner in Emerging Radiance project, contributing historical documentation of Japanese American experiences.
- Elm Coffee RoasterssupportingLocal business partner supporting Future Arts programs and events.
- Seattle UniversitysupportingAcademic partner supporting artist residencies and educational programming.
- Suquamish MuseumsupportingCultural partner for Future Arts Way, contributing Indigenous Coast Salish perspectives and stories.
- Benaroya HallsupportingCultural venue partner hosting AR installations as part of Future Arts Way trail.
- Seattle Art MuseumsupportingCultural institution partner for Future Arts Way trail stops.
- Arts at King Street StationsupportingCity of Seattle program partner providing space for AR experiences at transit hub.
- ShunpikesupportingArts organization providing fiscal sponsorship and support for independent artists.
- VMF Winter Arts FestsupportingFestival partner for GLITCHGODESS and other AR artworks including structural support.
- Tidelands (Pueblo)supportingCreative technology partner for Future Arts Way AR trail production.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Future Arts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Meow Wolf: Immersive art entertainment company creating large-scale interactive installations. Comparable in mixing immersive storytelling with technology, though operates as a for-profit with permanent venue locations.
- Artsy: Online art marketplace and editorial platform serving artists and collectors. Comparable as a technology-enabled arts organization, though focused on commercial fine art rather than immersive public installations.
- Onassis Foundation (Onassis AiR): International cultural foundation supporting artist residencies and interdisciplinary programs. Comparable to Future Arts' FAIR residency model and ARTS+TECH intersection programming.
- teamLab: Global interdisciplinary art collective producing large-scale immersive digital art installations. Comparable as a peer in tech-mediated immersive public art experiences, though at much larger scale and broader geography.
- Tribeca Film Festival (Tribeca X): Major arts festival organization that awarded Future Arts' Emerging Radiance the Tribeca X 2022 prize. Comparable as an institution that recognizes and platforms immersive/storytelling work at the intersection of art and technology.
Direct peers
- Creative Time: New York-based public arts nonprofit commissioning ambitious public art projects. Comparable as a nonprofit producing technology-engaged public art initiatives with community and educational components.
- Rhizome (New Museum): Nonprofit affiliate of the New Museum supporting born-digital art and internet-era artists. Comparable as a nonprofit championing new media artists working with emerging technologies.
- Agog Immersive Art Institute: Primary funder and producer of immersive AR art experiences. Directly comparable because it operates in the same AR-art nonprofit/arts-institution category and is the anchor partner for Future Arts Way.
- Augment Seattle: An AR art festival in Seattle that Future Arts itself founded/runs in 2022. Comparable as a peer event-based immersive AR organization in the same geography and category.
Regional players
- AWE (Augmented World Expo): Industry expo and awards body for XR/AR with the Auggie Awards where Future Arts was a finalist in 2024. Comparable as a peer ecosystem connector in AR art/film, though event-focused rather than production-focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Future Arts social profiles
Digital presenceFuture Arts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Future Arts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Future Arts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Future Arts 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 Future Arts
What does Future Arts do?
Future Arts develops interdisciplinary residency programs and accessible public art initiatives for underserved artists (BIPOC, Indigenous, LGBTQ+) working with emerging technology. Its offerings include paid artist residencies, free public AR/mixed-reality installations and walking trails, youth education programs, commissioned AI/AR artworks, coworking salons, and monthly memberships, all delivered through partnerships with technology companies, cultural institutions, and civic agencies.
Is Future Arts a public or private company?
Future Arts is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Future Arts founded?
Future Arts was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Future Arts based?
Future Arts is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Future Arts make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are monthly Membership (Future💥Sparks), corporate Sponsorships & Partnerships, event Revenue and merchandise Sales.
Who are Future Arts's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Meow Wolf, Artsy, Onassis Foundation (Onassis AiR), teamLab and Tribeca Film Festival (Tribeca X). Direct peers are Creative Time, Rhizome (New Museum), Agog Immersive Art Institute and Augment Seattle. AWE (Augmented World Expo) is listed as a regional player.
Does Future Arts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Future Arts.
What industry is Future Arts in?
Future Arts's product category is Public Art & New Media Arts Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAC, Arts Education & Community Arts Programs, with a secondary code of EDAMAAAB, Digital Arts & Design (Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation). Its NAICS code is 712 and its SIC code is 7330.