What Riverzedge Arts does

Riverzedge Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 and headquartered at 196 2nd Avenue, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, with a staff of 1–10 employees. The organization delivers paid arts-based workforce training, mentorship, and wraparound support services primarily to underserved youth ages 14–18 in northern Rhode Island, and secondarily to younger children through summer camps and Boys & Girls Clubs STEAM programming. Its core product is the Arts Education and Training (AET) program, in which teens earn hourly wages working alongside credentialed professional artists (MFA- and BFA-trained) on real client commissions across four studios operating as independent micro-enterprises: Print Studio, Public Art Studio, Graphic Design Studio, and Media/Photography Studio. Technical capabilities include hand-screen-printing apparel, stationery, and signage using industry-standard equipment (Ulano QLT emulsion, mercury-bulb exposure units, six-armed presses, calibrated Canon Pro-100 printer) and production of murals, installations, sculptures, custom furniture, and woodworking pieces.

Name

Riverzedge Arts

Legal name

Riverzedge Arts

Website

https://riverzedgearts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Riverzedge Arts is a Woonsocket, RI-based nonprofit that provides paid arts workforce training and mentorship to underserved teens ages 14–18 through four studios producing screen printing, murals, and public art for real-world clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education and Workforce Development

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Arts & Design (Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation) (EDAMAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA), Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA)

Keywords

• Arts education
• Youth workforce development
• Screen printing services
• Public art installations
• Community arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Woonsocket

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Foundation Funding: Riverzedge Arts operates primarily as a nonprofit funded through grants from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts ($25,000 in 2022), Nellie Mae Education Foundation, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. The organization also receives funding through Social Enterprise Greenhouse's Nonprofit Innovation Lab program.
2. Client Services and Custom Projects: The organization generates revenue by providing paid art and design services to commercial clients including screen printing, murals, installations, and custom products. The Arts Education and Training (AET) program studios operate as micro-enterprises completing commissioned work.
3. Retail Merchandise Sales: Sale of screen-printed merchandise including apparel, bags, and other products created by youth artists. Products are sold through retail partners and pop-up shops.
4. Donations and Corporate Partnerships: Individual donations and corporate sponsorship programs such as Stop & Shop's Bloomin' 4 Good program where a portion of flower sales support hunger relief efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Riverzedge Arts operates a work-based learning program for teens ages 14-18 in northern Rhode Island, where youth earn hourly wages while developing professional skills in art and design studios. The organization runs four studios—Print Studio, Public Art Studio, Graphic Design Studio, and Media/Photography Studio—as micro-enterprises that produce custom screen-printed apparel, murals, installations, sculptures, and graphic design for real-world commercial, nonprofit, and government clients.

Product overview

Riverzedge Arts is a nonprofit youth arts and workforce development organization offering a multi-studio Arts Education and Training (AET) program where teens ages 14-18 earn wages while working alongside professional artists on real-world client commissions. The organization operates four specialty studios — Print Studio, Public Art Studio, Graphic Design Studio, and Media/Photography Studio — as independent micro-enterprises. Core offerings include custom screen printing services, public art installations and murals, and photography services for commercial and retail clients. Youth programming spans summer camps (ages 7-18), the Mentoring in the Arts Program (MAP), evening workforce development (AETE), and partnership programs with Boys & Girls Clubs. The organization also operates a Community Garden and offers classes and workshops. Services are available for external clients seeking custom apparel, signage, murals, sculptures, and woodworking pieces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arts Education and Training (AET) Program Flagship paid workforce training program for teens ages 14-18 who earn an hourly wage while working alongside professional artists on real-world client projects. Operates four studios as independent micro-enterprises producing screen-printed apparel, public art, graphic design, and media/photography for external clients.
• Print Studio (Screen Printing Services)

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ youth served annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stop & ShopcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStop & Shop's Bloomin' 4 Good and Community Bags programs support Riverzedge Arts' hunger relief efforts. Every $10.99 Bloomin' 4 Good Bouquet sold at the North Smithfield Stop & Shop generates a $1 donation, and $1 is donated for each reusable Community Bag purchased during August.
• Beacon Founders AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Mentoring in the Arts Program (MAP) pairing Beacon Founders Academy youth with older Riverzedge Arts teen mentors. The program provides middle school teens with arts education and leadership development opportunities under professional artist instruction.
• Thundermist Health CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Woonsocket Health Equity Zone for youth-created mural projects. Teen artists transformed Thundermist's courtyard with mural painting and custom benches engraved with 'You are safe, you are welcome' in English and Spanish.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern RIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiverzedge Arts partners with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern RI to bring STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) programs to children in grades K-8. Every lesson is project-based with youth remaining active and engaged.
• City of Woonsocket / Mayor Lisa Baldelli-HuntcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with mayor's administration on civic projects including 'The Blackstone Meets Main Street' installation. Riverzedge Arts creates projects that support city revitalization and civic identity.
• The Wurks GalleryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Riverzedge Arts' first annual youth gallery exhibition 'Art Works' featuring individual and collaborative projects across various media.
• West Elm ProvidenceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPop-up shop partnership showcasing Riverzedge Arts merchandise including handmade furniture, kitchenware, and RI-themed apparel. Provides youth artists opportunity to see their work valued at a respected retail venue.
• Woonsocket Health Equity ZonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsorship of 'UnMasked' photo essay exhibit documenting youth experiences with health disparities during COVID-19. Teen artists interviewed and photographed peers to explore health-related inequities.
• KSA MarketingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGivingTuesday sponsor that matched donations up to $1,411 for youth support programs. Recognized for being named #1411 on the Inc. 5000 list.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Artists for Humanity: Boston-based nonprofit that provides paid youth workforce training in the arts. Operates studio-based programs where teens create commissioned work for real clients — the closest direct analog to Riverzedge Arts' AET micro-enterprise model.
• AS220: Providence, RI community arts organization providing studio space, exhibition opportunities, and arts education to local artists and youth. Strong regional peer in the same Rhode Island arts ecosystem.
• Providence CityArts for Youth: Providence-based nonprofit offering visual and performing arts programming for youth, including paid apprenticeship opportunities. Regional peer serving a similar Rhode Island demographic.
• Raw Art Works: Lynn, MA nonprofit providing youth arts programming for underserved communities. Direct comparable in mission, target population, and New England geography.
• Inner-City Arts: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing arts education to underserved youth through studio-based programs. Comparable mission and operating model focused on creative workforce development for at-risk youth.
• Performing Arts Workshop: San Francisco-based nonprofit delivering sequential arts education to youth in underserved schools. Comparable nonprofit arts-education mission serving similar demographic populations.

Broad incumbents

• YouthBuild USA: National nonprofit network providing paid workforce training and education for low-income youth. Broader workforce-development peer that validates the paid-youth-apprenticeship model Riverzedge Arts applies in arts.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth services organization providing after-school programming including arts enrichment. Comparable target population and partnership model (Riverzedge Arts partners with the Northern RI affiliate).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/riverzedgearts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Riverzedge Arts