ArtSparks
ArtSparks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012 in Akron, Ohio that delivers in-school dance and music residencies to K-5 students across 34 partner schools using National Dance Institute pedagogy and a three-artist teaching team.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersAkron, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ArtSparks does
ArtSparks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Akron, Ohio (with a secondary mailing address in Cuyahoga Falls). Its purpose is to deliver dance and music programming to children, primarily kindergarten through fifth grade, through in-school residencies placed alongside core academic subjects during the school day. Programming is built on the National Dance Institute (NDI) pedagogy developed by Jacques d'Amboise, and ArtSparks holds ANDI (Associates of National Dance Institute) certification. Each class is delivered by a three-artist teaching team composed of a lead dance teacher/choreographer, an assistant dance teacher, and a live musician, with live music integration during dance instruction.
The product portfolio includes core K-5 in-school residencies, specialized Dancers with Disabilities programs, the inclusive Dynamite Duos program pairing disabled and non-disabled peers, the Ready, Spark, Kindergarten! pre-K readiness program, and a tiered advanced-student pipeline comprising Team TNT (Top Notch Team), Team XD (eXtra Dynamite), and an Internship Program. The organization also runs after-school programming, summer camps, and community-event performances. Distribution is anchored by partnerships with 28 Akron Public Schools and 6 Cuyahoga Falls City Schools, supplemented by community-center and cultural-institution partnerships (Akron Art Museum, Akron Children's Museum, Akron-Summit Libraries, Akron Zoo, Akron Symphony Orchestra, VERB Ballets, and the University of Akron).
Revenue is generated entirely through donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants (no tuition or fee-based pricing is disclosed). Major supporters include GAR Foundation, KeyBank Foundation, Kaulig Foundation, Akron Community Foundation, Huntington Bank, Seibert Keck Insurance Partners, Civista Bank, and Discount Drug Mart, supplemented by affiliate programs such as AmazonSmile and Rite Aid Round-Up. Annual fundraising is conducted through an Ignite the Spark event. The organization is led by Co-Executive Directors Kara Cea (Founder) and Chloe Redman, with Erica Piper as Artistic Director and Lead Teaching Artist.
ArtSparks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ArtSparks
- Legal name
- ArtSparks
- Website
- https://artsparksdance.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ArtSparks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012 in Akron, Ohio that delivers in-school dance and music residencies to K-5 students across 34 partner schools using National Dance Institute pedagogy and a three-artist teaching team.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ArtSparks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Arts Education Services
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Dance Companies (711120)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts Education Instruction (Visual/Performing) (EDAJAFAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Music Instruction (Instrumental & Vocal) (EDAMAAAE), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI)
Keywords
Where ArtSparks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Akron
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
ArtSparks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Donations from individuals who believe in providing transformational arts experiences to children in the community.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors support ArtSparks through annual sponsorship and corporate sponsorship programs, providing financial resources in exchange for brand association with arts education.
- Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations such as GAR Foundation, Kaulig Foundation, Akron Community Foundation, and others who support arts education in the community.
- In-Kind Support: Donations of materials, services, and volunteer time that directly defray costs of running programs.
- AmazonSmile: ArtSparks receives donations when supporters shop at AmazonSmile and select ArtSparks as their charity (EIN 45-5629269).
- Rite Aid Round-Up Program: Shoppers can round up to the nearest dollar when shopping at Rite Aid with ArtSparks as the designated charity.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
ArtSparks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ArtSparks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers dance and music education programs to children, primarily through in-school residencies during school hours. Using the National Dance Institute (NDI) pedagogy and a three-artist teaching team (two dance instructors and a live musician), it offers K-5 dance instruction, inclusive programs for students with disabilities, a pre-K readiness program, and advanced scholarship teams for selected students.
Product overview
ArtSparks is a nonprofit arts education organization offering a portfolio of dance and music programs for children in Akron, Ohio. The core offering consists of in-school residencies (K-5 programs and Dancers with Disabilities programs) that bring two teaching artists and a musician into classrooms during the school day. Specialized programs include the Dynamite Duos inclusive dance partnership program and the Ready, Spark, Kindergarten! pre-K readiness program. Advanced students can join scholarship teams: Team TNT (younger dancers), Team XD (seasoned performers), and the leadership-focused Internship Program. The organization operates under National Dance Institute (NDI) pedagogy as an ANDI (Associates of National Dance Institute) organization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- In-School Residencies
Quantifiable outcome
- 88% of Americans believe that basics alone are inadequate for 21st Century workforce without imagination, creativity, and innovation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ArtSparks
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ArtSparks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
ArtSparks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Akron Public SchoolscoreComprehensive partnership with 28 schools throughout Akron Public Schools district providing in-school dance residencies during school hours for K-5 students
- Cuyahoga Falls City SchoolscorePartnership with 6 elementary schools (DeWitt, Lincoln, Preston, Price, Richardson, Silver Lake) providing in-school dance programming
- National Dance Institute (NDI)coreArtSparks is an ANDI (Associates of National Dance Institute) organization, using NDI's award-winning pedagogy created by Jacques d'Amboise. Staff receive training from NDI trainers including participation in NDI's D.R.E.A.M. Project for dancers with disabilities
- The University of AkroncoreArtSparks office is located at University of Akron's Guzzetta Hall. Partnership includes participation in Nutcracker performance with University of Akron Dance Institute, VERB Ballets and Akron Symphony Orchestra
- Akron Symphony OrchestramajorPerformance collaboration where TNT dancers performed with the Akron Symphony Orchestra at EJ Thomas Hall, providing professional theater and backstage experience
- NEOs Dance TheatremajorLocal dance company based in Mansfield and Akron OH. Dancers collaborated with professional dancers to create collaborative performances including pieces about arts in the community
- Akron Art MuseumminorCommunity partner providing collaborative arts programming opportunities
- Akron ZoominorCommunity partner for collaborative programming
- Martell School of DanceminorLocal dance school whose owner Rachel Huffman serves on ArtSparks board; scholarship relationship with ArtSparks alumni
- VERB BalletsmajorLocal ballet company that collaborated with ArtSparks dancers and University of Akron Dance Institute for Nutcracker performance
- GroundWorks DanceTheaterminorContemporary dance company based in Cleveland with Akron connections; former teaching artist worked with both organizations
- Keeney DistrictminorCommunity partner for programming in the Keeney neighborhood
- HEAD, Inc.minorHead Start program partner providing early childhood education services
- Summit County Public HealthminorCounty health agency partner for community programming
- Cuyahoga Falls Parks and RecreationmajorDepartment organizes Celebrate the Arts Day and hosts Farmers' Market performances where ArtSparks performs annually
- Akron Children's HospitalminorArtSparks directed dance activities for hospital's Dancing For The Kids event and children's interactive segments at Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ArtSparks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Dance Institute (NDI): Parent pedagogy organization whose NDI methodology ArtSparks uses as an ANDI affiliate. NDI runs in-school dance residencies for children and is the benchmark for the model ArtSparks operates, including specialized programs for dancers with disabilities.
- GroundWorks DanceTheater: Cleveland-based contemporary dance company with deep Akron connections and a former ArtSparks teaching artist. Comparable as a regional professional dance company that conducts community and education programming, including former teaching-artist crossover with ArtSparks.
- Dancing Wheels Company: Cleveland-based physically-integrated dance company specializing in inclusive dance for disabled and non-disabled performers. Highly comparable to ArtSparks' Dynamite Duos and Dancers with Disabilities programs, and has shared teaching artists (e.g., Morgan Ashley, Brittany Medlong).
- VERB Ballets: Cleveland-based ballet company that co-produced Nutcracker performances with ArtSparks and the University of Akron Dance Institute. Comparable as a regional ballet organization with an active community/education programming arm that engages young dancers.
- NEOs Dance Theatre: Mansfield- and Akron-based professional dance company that has partnered with ArtSparks on collaborative performances. Comparable as a regional dance company doing community-based work in the same Northeast Ohio footprint.
- Cleveland Dance Project: Cleveland-based dance organization whose leadership pipeline intersects with ArtSparks (Co-ED Chloe Redman was an apprentice and board member). Comparable as a Northeast Ohio dance company with both performance and education/community programming.
Broad incumbents
- Young Audiences Arts for Learning: National network of affiliates that bring professional artists into K-12 schools across disciplines (dance, music, theater, visual arts, STEM). Direct comparable as a multi-discipline in-school arts-education delivery model, though broader in scope than ArtSparks' dance/music focus.
- Akron Symphony Orchestra: Performance partner that featured ArtSparks TNT dancers at EJ Thomas Hall. Comparable as a regional performing-arts organization with in-school education programming and the kind of institutional backing ArtSparks' advanced teams access.
- Joffrey Ballet School (Community Engagement / Education): Major national ballet institution where ArtSparks Founder Kara Cea has taught in summer intensives. Comparable as an established ballet education brand with summer programming and a teaching-artist ecosystem that intersects with ArtSparks' talent pool.
Emerging players
- National Center for Choreography–Akron: Akron-based choreography residency center where Co-ED Chloe Redman has contributed. Comparable as an Akron-anchored dance infrastructure organization that supports choreographers and community-based projects in the same metro.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ArtSparks social profiles
Digital presenceArtSparks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ArtSparks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
ArtSparks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ArtSparks 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 ArtSparks
What does ArtSparks do?
ArtSparks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers dance and music education programs to children, primarily through in-school residencies during school hours. Using the National Dance Institute (NDI) pedagogy and a three-artist teaching team (two dance instructors and a live musician), it offers K-5 dance instruction, inclusive programs for students with disabilities, a pre-K readiness program, and advanced scholarship teams for selected students.
Is ArtSparks a public or private company?
ArtSparks is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ArtSparks founded?
ArtSparks was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ArtSparks based?
ArtSparks is headquartered in Akron, United States, in the North America region.
How does ArtSparks make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship, foundation Grants, in-Kind Support, amazonSmile and rite Aid Round-Up Program.
Who are ArtSparks's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Dance Institute (NDI), GroundWorks DanceTheater, Dancing Wheels Company, VERB Ballets, NEOs Dance Theatre and Cleveland Dance Project. Broad incumbents are Young Audiences Arts for Learning, Akron Symphony Orchestra and Joffrey Ballet School (Community Engagement / Education). National Center for Choreography–Akron is listed as an emerging player.
Does ArtSparks have an API?
No public API is recorded for ArtSparks.
What industry is ArtSparks in?
ArtSparks's product category is Youth Arts Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAFAK, Arts Education Instruction (Visual/Performing), with a secondary code of EDAMALAI, Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 8200.