The Art Farm

What The Art Farm does

The Art Farm is a New York City-based, privately held children's educational center founded in 2002 (per firmographics data) and led by founder Valentina Hantke. Operating from a flagship facility at 431 E. 91st Street on Manhattan's Upper East Side, the company delivers nature-focused early childhood education for children aged 14 months to 10 years, anchored by New York City's only indoor petting zoo. The instructional model combines hands-on animal interactions (bearded dragons, chinchillas, chickens, rabbits, birds) with art, music, cooking, and academic readiness aligned with New York State pre-K standards.

The product portfolio spans Preschool Programs (Two's, Three's, Four's/Pre-K with 2-, 3-, and 5-day options), Semester Classes and Drop-In Classes, Summer Camp at two partner-school locations (Calhoun Lower School on the Upper West Side and Trevor Day School on the Upper East Side), After School Programs at three sites including PS 6 and PS 171, Birthday Parties, Weekend Programs, Holiday Camps, and Group Animal Science field trips. Class sizes are limited to 12-15 students for preschool and 15-18 for summer camp, with teacher-to-child ratios of 1:4 to 1:6 exceeding New York State requirements. Lead teachers hold Master's degrees in Early Childhood Education.

Revenue is generated through annual preschool tuition (ranging from $13,500 to $41,250 for the 2025-2026 academic year depending on schedule), per-week summer camp registration, semester and drop-in class fees, after-school program fees, birthday party packages, and gift card sales. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via theartfarms.com and the Amilia online registration platform, with formal preschool applications processed through the Ravena Hub admissions portal used by NYC independent schools. Marketing relies on SEO/blog content, social media, email, word-of-mouth referrals, and membership-based credibility via ISAAGNY and Parents League of New York. The business operates with 11-50 employees across a single geography (Manhattan) and reports no external funding, acquisitions, or parent company relationships.

Name

The Art Farm

Legal name

The Art Farm

Website

https://theartfarms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Art Farm is a New York City nature-focused children's educational center operating NYC's only indoor petting zoo, delivering preschool, summer camp, after-school, and enrichment programs for children aged 14 months to 10 years across Manhattan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Education Services (Early Childhood Education and Enrichment)

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Nature-Based / Forest School Early Learning Programs (EDACADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Preschools (Play-Based) (EDACABAA), Outdoor / Nature-Based Before/After Care Programs (EDACAHAJ)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Nature-based learning
• Petting zoo programs
• Preschool programs
• Summer day camp

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Preschool Tuition: Full-time and part-time preschool programs for 2, 3, and 4-year-olds with varying schedules and duration options. Programs run September through June with year-round options available.
2. Summer Camp Programs: Week-long summer camp sessions for children ages 3-10 running June through August at Upper East Side and Upper West Side locations. Per-week registration with sibling and multi-week discounts.
3. After School Programs: After school enrichment programs for children Pre-K through 5th grade featuring animal science, art, cooking, and play activities.
4. Birthday Parties and Events: Themed birthday party packages and adult/teen events with animal interactions, art activities, and venue rental.
5. Drop-in Classes: Flexible enrollment options for semester classes and drop-in sessions for various age groups from 14 months to 8 years.
6. Gift Cards: Gift card sales in denominations of $25, $50, and $100 for use towards programs and services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Art Farm is a nature-focused children's educational center in Manhattan's Upper East Side that operates New York City's only indoor petting zoo and delivers a portfolio of early-childhood programs. Offerings span year-round preschool (Two's, Three's, Pre-K), semester and drop-in enrichment classes for ages 14 months to 8 years, summer day camps at two Manhattan locations for ages 3-10, after-school enrichment for Pre-K through 5th grade, and themed birthday parties, weekend programs, and group animal-science field trips. All programs are built around supervised hands-on interactions with small animals (bearded dragons, chinchillas, chickens, rabbits, birds) combined with art, music, cooking, and science activities.

Product overview

The Art Farm is a nature-focused children's educational center offering a break from city life through a diverse portfolio of programs centered around art, music, cooking, and animal interactions. The company's core offerings include Preschool Programs (Two's, Three's, and Four's/Pre-K) providing year-round early childhood education; Semester Classes and Drop-In Classes for children 14 months to 8 years; Summer Camp at two Manhattan locations (Upper West Side at Calhoun Lower School and Upper East Side at Trevor Day School); After School Programs for Pre-K through 5th grade; Birthday Parties with themed celebrations; Weekend Programs; Holiday Camps during school breaks; and Group Animal Science field trip experiences. All programs feature access to New York City's only indoor petting zoo. The company operates as a single unified service rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschool Programs Year-round private preschool for children aged 2 to 4 years (Two's, Three's, and Pre-K/Four's) featuring the indoor petting zoo, art, music, cooking, and academic-readiness activities aligned with New York State standards; delivered at the 91st Street facility with schedules from 9am-12pm half-day up to 8am-6pm full-day and a year-round full-time option.
• Semester Classes Recurring semester-long enrichment classes in art, music, and cooking for children aged 14 months to 8 years, incorporating nature experiences and supervised indoor petting zoo interactions.
• Drop-In Classes Flexible single-session classes for families seeking occasional art, music, cooking, or animal experiences without committing to a full semester, available for children from 14 months to 8 years.
• Birthday Parties Themed birthday party packages for children hosted at The Art Farm with animal interactions, arts and crafts, and access to New York City's only indoor petting zoo.
• Summer Camp Full-day and half-day summer day camp programs for children ages 3 to 10 at two Manhattan partner-school sites (Calhoun Lower School on the Upper West Side and Trevor Day School on the Upper East Side), featuring animal science, swimming, cooking, art, music, sports, and Mad Science enrichment.
• After School Programs After school enrichment program for children Pre-K through 5th grade featuring petting zoo interactions, arts and crafts, supervised cooking, outdoor play at Asphalt Green Playground, and homework help, organized into age-grouped cohorts (Fishies, Geckos, Chinchillas) and offered on-site and at partner public schools.
• Weekend Programs Weekend adventure programs for young children combining hands-on learning, creative expression, and supervised animal interactions at The Art Farm.
• Holiday Camps Single-day and multi-day school-year break camps (Fall Mini Break, Winter Break, MLK/President's Day, and Spring Break) with seasonal themed activities and indoor petting zoo access.
• Farm Tour Virtual and in-person guided tours of New York City's only indoor petting zoo, featuring bearded dragons, chinchillas, chickens, rabbits, and other small animals, for prospective families and visitors.
• Group Animal Science / Field Trips Group educational outreach and field trip experiences that bring school and youth groups to The Art Farm to learn about animal science through supervised interactions with the indoor petting zoo animals.
• Adult / Teen Events Bookable adult and teen event packages held at The Art Farm's Upper East Side facility, featuring animal interactions, art activities, and venue rental.

Quantifiable outcome

• Teacher-to-child ratios exceed New York State requirements
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Calhoun Lower SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Summer camp location partnership at 325 W 85th St., New York, NY 10024. The Art Farm operates its Upper West Side summer day camp at the Calhoun Lower School campus, utilizing their facilities for camp activities including state-of-the-art gym facilities and proximity to Riverside Park.
• Trevor Day SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Summer camp location partnership at Trevor Day School East Campus, 312 E 95th St. The Art Farm operates its Upper East Side summer day camp at this partner school location, utilizing their facilities for camp programs.
• ISAAGNY (Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York)minorOthers · 1 January 2025The Art Farm Preschool is a member of ISAAGNY, an organization of independent schools in the Greater New York area that provides resources and standards for preschool admissions.
• Parents League of New YorkminorOthers · 1 January 2025The Art Farm Preschool is a member of the Parents League of New York, an organization that supports and provides resources for families seeking private school education in NYC.
• Asphalt Green PlaygroundminorOthers · 1 January 2022After school program utilizes Asphalt Green Playground, located one block from The Art Farm, for structured outdoor playtime activities. Asphalt Green is a nonprofit recreation facility serving the Upper East Side community.
• 92nd Street YminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Summer camp swimming lessons held at the 92nd Street Y. Shuttle buses provided to transport campers to and from swimming lessons at this partner facility.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Avenues: The World School: NYC-based elite private school serving nursery through 12th grade. Competes for the same upper-income Manhattan family segment at the higher-education end of the funnel and is a downstream destination for Art Farm preschool graduates.
• The Learning Experience: National franchise operator of private preschools with locations across multiple U.S. states including the New York metro area. Comparable preschool curriculum and tuition model, though less differentiated on the nature/animal interaction angle.
• The Gardner School: Premium private preschool operator with multiple U.S. locations emphasizing high teacher-to-child ratios and accredited curriculum. Comparable pricing tier and quality positioning to The Art Farm's preschool program.
• British International School of New York: Manhattan private school offering nursery through secondary programs with a nature- and play-based early years curriculum. Comparable premium-positioned, ISAAGNY-aligned competitor in the UES private preschool market.
• Kiddie Academy: National franchise network of private preschools and before/after-school programs serving children from infancy through school age. Overlaps with The Art Farm on preschool, after-school, and summer camp categories across the broader NYC metro.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Large publicly-traded operator of early childhood education centers, after-school programs, and employer-sponsored childcare with a New York City presence. Overlaps with The Art Farm on preschool, after-school, and camp categories but operates at much greater scale and with a broader geographic footprint.

Others

• 92nd Street Y (92Y): Upper East Side community and cultural institution offering children's classes, camps, and enrichment programming. Both a partner (swimming facility for The Art Farm camps) and an indirect competitor for the same UES family enrichment wallet share.

Direct peers

• Vivvi: NYC-headquartered early childhood education provider offering infant, toddler, and preschool programs with employer-partnered and direct-pay models. Competes directly with The Art Farm for Manhattan families seeking premium private preschool and flexible scheduling.
• NY Kids Club: NYC-based early childhood enrichment and preschool operator offering classes, camps, birthday parties, and member programs for children from infancy through elementary age. Direct competitor in Manhattan with a similar multi-program model targeting affluent urban families.
• Apple Seeds: NYC indoor play and enrichment facility for young children offering classes, camps, and birthday parties. Direct competitor for Manhattan family enrichment spend with a similar urban indoor-play positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheArtFarmintheCity
• Xx.com/theartfarmnyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-art-farm-nyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Art Farm