Open Hearts Art Center

What Open Hearts Art Center does

Open Hearts Art Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts center based in Asheville, North Carolina, founded in 2005 by Jessie Francis, Debbie Harris, and Sonia Pitts to empower adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) through the arts. Operating from a ~2,500 sq ft studio and gallery in Asheville's South Slope neighborhood, the organization serves approximately 50 named artists with adaptive programs spanning painting, drawing, ceramics, music, drama, and dance. Artists retain 50% of proceeds from original art sales, with the remainder supporting center operations. The center is CARF-accredited, holds a Candid Gold Transparency Seal, and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025.

The business model is hybrid and nonprofit in structure. Approximately 82% of revenue comes from Medicaid reimbursement for therapeutic recreation and adaptive arts services delivered to I/DD consumers; the remaining ~18% is generated from a diversified retail operation (original artwork, the Paper Flower Project, apparel, accessories, stationery, home goods, gift cards), studio rental of the gallery/studio space for weddings, corporate events, and community gatherings ($30–$250/hour), individual and corporate donations, and the flagship Paper Flower Project distributed via gallery, online shop, and local partner retailers. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer across gallery walk-ins, e-commerce, events, and corporate commissioning (e.g., a 12-ft x 20-ft collaborative commission for Dogwood Health Trust in 2025). Marketing relies on organic social (Instagram, Facebook), a website with newsletter, community events, and earned media in Western North Carolina outlets.

There is no proprietary technology platform: the organization operates as a traditional human-services nonprofit with a standard Squarespace e-commerce storefront and a small in-person team. Strategic positioning emphasizes community ecosystem depth (20+ years of local relationships), the signature Paper Flower Project brand, and regulatory credibility (CARF accreditation) as primary competitive moats. Notable 2025 milestones include the inaugural Vaya Health Integration Innovation Award, an ArtsAVL ABC Grant, and the 20th anniversary recognition — partially offset by an ongoing $25,000 annual revenue gap created by a 3% Medicaid rate reduction.

Name

Open Hearts Art Center

Legal name

Open Hearts Art Center

Website

https://openheartsartcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Open Hearts Art Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts center in Asheville, NC that delivers adaptive art programs to roughly 50 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, funded 82% by Medicaid reimbursement and supplemented by original art, paper flower, merchandise, and studio rental sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability arts and therapeutic recreation services

NAICS

Art Dealers (459920), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA)

Keywords

• Disability art programs
• Therapeutic art services
• Nonprofit arts center
• Adaptive art studio
• Handmade paper flowers

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Medicaid Reimbursement: 82% of revenue comes from Medicaid reimbursement for services provided to intellectually and developmentally disabled consumers. The organization provides therapeutic recreation and art programs that qualify for Medicaid-funded services.
2. Art Sales: Sales of original artwork created by artists with disabilities. 50% of each original art sale goes directly to the artist; the remaining 50% supports center operations. Includes paintings, ceramics, greeting cards, and home goods.
3. Paper Flower Project: Handmade paper flower bouquets sold through gallery, online shop, and at local partner establishments. Signature program that sustains operations and supports artists.
4. Studio Rental: Private event studio rental of gallery and studio spaces (nearly 2,500 sq ft total) for weddings, parties, corporate events, and community gatherings. Special non-profit/community rates available.
5. Donations: Individual and corporate donations to support operations. Facing potential $25,000 annual loss due to 3% Medicaid rate reduction, making public donations critical to sustaining programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Open Hearts Art Center operates a supportive studio and gallery in Asheville, NC that delivers adaptive art programs (painting, drawing, ceramics, music, drama, dance) to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The center sells handmade paper flowers, original artwork, apparel, stationery, and home goods through its gallery, online shop, and partner retailers, with 50% of each original art sale going directly to the artist. Studio and gallery space is also rented for private events, and 82% of revenue comes from Medicaid reimbursement for therapeutic recreation services.

Product overview

Open Hearts Art Center is a nonprofit art center and gallery that provides programs and sells products to empower adults with disabilities through the arts. The organization operates a retail shop offering a diverse portfolio of products centered around original artwork created by its artists. Core offerings include handmade Paper Flowers (the flagship program), Original Artwork (paintings, mixed media), and various branded merchandise including Apparel, Accessories, Home & Living items, and Stationery & Gifts. The center also offers a Studio Rental service for private events. Each original art sale provides 50% directly to the artist. The organization is structured as a single unified nonprofit with programs designed for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Paper Flower Project: Award-winning program where artists create handmade paper flowers that are sold to support the artists and sustain programs. The single largest program at the center.

Products and services

• Adaptive Art Programs
• The Paper Flower Project
• Original Artwork
• Stationery & Gifts
• Apparel and Accessories
• Home & Living
• Gift Cards
• Studio Rental
• Paper Flowers Retail Line

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% of revenue from Medicaid reimbursement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Dogwood Health TrustflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Dogwood Health Trust commissioned Open Hearts artists to create a 12-foot by 20-foot collaborative mixed media artwork celebrating regional diversity and resilience. The piece was installed at Dogwood's Asheville headquarters in spring 2025. Artists incorporated handmade paper Dogwood blossoms and reflected on Dogwood's strategic priorities (housing, education, economic opportunity, health and wellness). Dogwood is part of a larger art project investing in local WNC art connected to Hurricane Helene recovery.
• UNC AshevillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Local artist and UNC Asheville student Cayla Ritchy led the Dogwood Health Trust project, assisting with concept development and guiding artists through the creative process. Brent Skidmore, UNC Asheville Public Arts & Humanities Chair, co-curated the Dogwood art project.
• Blue Spiral 1 Art GallerycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Michael Manes, Owner of Blue Spiral 1 Art Gallery, worked with UNC Asheville and Dogwood staff to curate the growing art collection and project at Dogwood Health Trust.
• Bloom FitnesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Bloom Fitness, an exercise program for people with developmental disabilities founded by John Watson, conducts classes at Open Hearts Art Center. This partnership provides additional programming for artists beyond visual arts.
• Local ClothcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Local Cloth collaborated with Open Hearts on an ice-dyeing technique workshop for artists. This collaboration resulted in hand-dyed fabrics used in quilts and other textile artworks, including the collaborative quilt auctioned in 2026.
• Local Flower Seller PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVarious local businesses around Asheville sell Open Hearts paper flowers. These partners carry the Paper Flower Project products, the organization's single largest program that directly supports operations.
• Local Attractions and Field Trip HostsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal businesses and attractions host Open Hearts artists for field trips including: WNC Nature Center, Rare Bird Farm, Botanical Gardens, YMI Cultural Center, Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary, Folk Art Center, Wellspring Fiber Farm, Lake Louise Walking Trail, and Highland Brewing. These partnerships inspire new art projects and connect artists with Asheville culture.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• VSA (Kennedy Center): International program of the Kennedy Center for arts and disability education. Operates broadly across the U.S. and globally with a much larger footprint and funding base, providing a national umbrella that Open Hearts' regional model sits underneath.
• The Arc: National nonprofit organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including arts and community programs. Operates at far greater scale than Open Hearts and addresses a broader I/DD service mandate beyond the arts.

Direct peers

• Pure Vision Arts: NYC-based nonprofit studio and gallery that supports artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Operates a near-identical model to Open Hearts — studio programs, gallery exhibitions, artist consignment sales, and a meaningful revenue split to artists.
• Momentum: NYC-based nonprofit that uses the arts to empower adults with developmental disabilities through studio programs, performances, and exhibitions. Comparable as a nonprofit disability-arts organization serving I/DD adults with creative programming.
• Art Enables: Washington, DC-based nonprofit art gallery and studio representing artists with intellectual disabilities and other disabilities. Directly comparable in mission, gallery retail model, artist representation, and disability-arts nonprofit structure.
• NIAD Art Center: Richmond, CA-based nonprofit art center for adults with developmental disabilities, providing studio programs, exhibitions, and sales. Closely analogous to Open Hearts in terms of disability focus, artist services, and gallery/retail operations.
• Creative Growth: Oakland, CA-based nonprofit art studio and gallery that supports artists with developmental disabilities, providing studio space, exhibitions, and art sales. Highly comparable operating model to Open Hearts, including artist representation and revenue-split economics, but at significantly larger scale.

Others

• Vaya Health: NC behavioral health managed care organization and award partner that funds I/DD and behavioral health services, including Open Hearts via Medicaid. Relevant as a key payer/partner relationship rather than a direct competitor.
• Dogwood Health Trust: Western NC foundation focused on health, housing, education, and economic opportunity that has commissioned art from Open Hearts. Relevant as a major regional funder/commissioner rather than a direct operating peer.
• Blue Spiral 1: Asheville fine art gallery and partner that co-curated the Dogwood Health Trust installation with Open Hearts. Comparable as a regional art-market channel/curator that supports and resells art, but operates as a commercial gallery rather than a disability-arts nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OpenHeartsArt
• Facebookfacebook.com/openheartsartcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/openheartsartcenter

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Open Hearts Art Center