Visual Thinking Strategies

What Visual Thinking Strategies does

Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a U.S.-based nonprofit educational organization, fiscally sponsored by Commonweal (a 501(c)(3)), that trains educators to facilitate student-centered discussions of art using a research-grounded methodology built on Dr. Abigail Housen's Aesthetic Development theory and Philip Yenawine's curriculum design. The organization's core offering is a portfolio of live online training programs (Beginner and Advanced Practicums, Coaching Workshops, Image Selection and Learning Milestones Workshops, and a VTS in Science workshop), priced from $100 to $950 per program, combined with recurring subscriptions ($150/year individual, $600/year for groups of up to 50 users) that deliver a sequenced image curriculum, lesson plans, and facilitator resources for Pre-K through Grade 8. Additional revenue streams include customized consulting for museums, universities, schools, nonprofits, and corporations, multi-year School Partnership Programs, a bi-annual Trainer Fellowship, the Look Club Online monthly community event with rotating museum partners ($5-$25/session), and a three-tier Certification pathway (Facilitator → Coach → Trainer). The organization operates globally in 40+ countries with a distributed staff of approximately 11-15 and maintains strategic partnerships including the New York Times Learning Network (weekly "What's Going On In This Picture?" feature since 2012), Turnaround Arts (since 2016), and The Wild Center's VTS in Science partnership (since 2021). VTS has no native application, API, or AI/ML capability; its core asset is the proprietary three-question facilitation methodology, the Aesthetic Development stage model, and a 30-year research base of over 200 articles.

Name

Visual Thinking Strategies

Legal name

Visual Thinking Strategies

Website

https://vtshome.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a U.S. nonprofit that trains educators in a research-based, three-question facilitation method for art discussions, serving K-12 schools, museums, and medical education through training programs, subscriptions, and consulting across 40+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bolinas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training Programs (Practicums & Workshops): VTS offers monthly online Beginner Practicums (12-16 hours of live training), Advanced Practicums, Coaching Workshops I & II, Image Selection Workshop, Learning Milestones Workshop, and VTS in Science Workshop. Fees range from $600-$950 per program. Training is hands-on and interactive, led by expert facilitators.
2. Website Subscriptions: Group subscriptions at $600/year for up to 50 sponsored users, with subscription lengths up to 3 years. Individual subscriptions at $150/year for 1-3 years of curriculum access. Subscriptions provide access to image curriculum, assessment tools, classroom materials, facilitator resources, research, guides, and videos.
3. Customized Consulting: Tailored consulting engagements for museums, universities, schools, nonprofits, and corporate institutions including staff workshops, professional development, image/curriculum selection support, team building experiences, curriculum and program development, whole school or district implementation, and facilitator coaching.
4. School Partnership Programs: Multi-year professional development relationships between classrooms, schools, and districts. Includes full-staff trainings, grade-level debriefings, and classroom co-teaching sessions annually, with sequential and developmentally-based programs reflecting student and teacher growth.
5. VTS Look Club Online: Monthly Zoom gatherings hosted with museum partner institutions. Participants explore two artworks from the partner museum's collection. Priced at $5-$25 per session, building community engagement and VTS practice.
6. Practice with Coaching Sessions: Two-hour online sessions offering practice facilitation in a supportive group setting, led by experienced VTS Trainers. Priced at $100-$120 per session.
7. Donations: VTS is a fiscally sponsored program of Commonweal, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible and support the organization's mission to share visual literacy strategies broadly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) trains educators to facilitate student-centered, evidence-based discussions about art using a proprietary three-question methodology ("What's going on here?", "What do you see that makes you say that?", "What more can we find?"). The nonprofit delivers live online training programs (Practicums, Coaching Workshops, specialty workshops), website subscriptions providing image curriculum and facilitator resources, multi-year school partnership programs, a sequential certification pathway (Facilitator/Coach/Trainer), monthly community gatherings (Look Club Online), and customized consulting for museums, universities, schools, healthcare institutions, and corporations.

Product overview

Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a nonprofit educational organization offering a portfolio of professional development programs centered on its core VTS facilitation methodology. The core offering consists of live online training programs — the Beginner Practicum (entry-level), Advanced Practicum, Coaching Workshop I & II, and specialty workshops (Image Selection, Learning Milestones, VTS in Science) — which are complemented by the VTS Website Subscription (Individual and Group tiers) providing curriculum access, assessments, and resources. Additional offerings include the VTS Look Club Online monthly community gathering, the Certification Program with sequential Facilitator/Coach/Trainer designations, and school partnership programs. VTS also maintains highlighted projects including the New York Times Learning Network's 'What's Going On In This Picture?' feature, the VTS in Science partnership, Turnaround Arts, and the VTS Trainer Fellowship. Consulting services provide customized engagements for museums, universities, schools, and corporations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VTS Institute: The nonprofit home of Visual Thinking Strategies that trains educators and sets standards for VTS practice.

Products and services

• VTS Beginner Practicum Entry-level live training program teaching educators how to lead effective VTS image discussions, building evidence-based facilitation skills through guided practice and peer reflection. Offered online 11 times per year with 12-16 hours of live training; priced $600-$850.
• VTS Advanced Practicum Advanced training program for experienced VTS practitioners to refine facilitation techniques (paraphrasing, framing, linking) and develop image selection skills. Offered online 4 times per year; priced $800-$950.
• VTS Coaching Workshop I & II Two-level workshop series for developing VTS coaching skills, including 1-on-1 and group coaching techniques, practice, and reflection. Workshop I offered 2-3 times per year; Workshop II offered 1-2 times per year.
• VTS Image Selection Workshop Specialty workshop teaching criteria for selecting images for VTS discussions across any subject area, with developmentally appropriate image selection practice specific to each context.
• VTS Learning Milestones Workshop Workshop introducing Dr. Abigail Housen's Aesthetic Development research and mapping of visual learning development stages, including aesthetic stages, visual cognition growth, and observed viewer comments over time.
• VTS in Science Workshop Workshop applying VTS facilitation skills to non-art objects and inquiry-based science contexts, supporting science teaching and building student observation and communication skills.
• VTS Practice with Coaching Two-hour online sessions offering practice VTS facilitation in a supportive group setting, led by experienced VTS Trainers. Priced at $100-$120 per session.
• VTS Look Club Online Monthly Zoom-based community gathering featuring two artworks from a rotating museum partner's collection, guided by VTS facilitators. Priced at $5-$25 per session.
• VTS Consulting Services Customized consulting engagements for museums, universities, schools, nonprofits, and corporations, including staff workshops, professional development, image/curriculum selection support, team building, curriculum and program development, and facilitator coaching.
• VTS School Partnership Programs Multi-year professional development relationships between VTS and schools/districts, including full-staff trainings, grade-level debriefings, classroom co-teaching sessions, and sequential image curriculum aligned with student and teacher growth.
• VTS Website Subscription (Individual) Twelve-month subscription providing image curriculum for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade Eight, additional image sets from museum partners, a comprehensive facilitator toolbox including assessments, lesson plans, and resources, plus research and videos. Priced at $150/year for individuals.
• VTS Website Subscription (Group) Twelve-month group subscription for up to 50 sponsored users within an institution (schools, museums, cultural institutions), providing the same curriculum and resource library as the individual subscription. Priced at $600/year.
• VTS Certification Program Credential and assessment program offering three sequential certification levels: VTS Certified Facilitator, VTS Certified Coach (requires Facilitator certification), and VTS Certified Trainer (requires both). Designed for experienced practitioners to demonstrate skilled VTS practice.

Quantifiable outcome

• San Antonio Independent School District students who completed VTS lessons significantly outperformed non-VTS students in aesthetic and critical-thinking growth and transferred skills to individual viewing of non-art objects.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• The Wild CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Three-year IMLS-funded partnership (with planning grant from 2012) to create VTS in Science workshops and toolkit for science museum educators and classroom teachers. Regional partners include Seattle Aquarium, Rochester Museum and Science Center, and the EcoTarium. Focuses on observation, thinking, listening, and communication skills within science contexts.
• Turnaround ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Turnaround Arts (a project of the President's Committee on Arts and Humanities) selected VTS as one of only two whole-school arts integration strategies. VTS provides professional development to over 20 Turnaround Arts schools in NY, Oregon, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota, supporting student engagement and achievement in the nation's lowest-performing schools.
• New York Times Learning NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Since 2012, VTS has partnered with the New York Times Learning Network on the weekly 'What's Going On In This Picture?' feature—the most popular feature on the NYT Learning Network blog. Students aged 13+ engage with VTS questions using carefully selected NYT photo archive images. VTS Moderators (experienced VTS trainers) respond to student comments with paraphrasing during live 9am-2pm EST Monday discussions.
• VTS Trainer Fellowship (with VTS Staff and VTS Trainers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBi-annual fellowship program providing on-the-job mentorship, certification, and training opportunities for VTS practitioners who have completed the Beginner Practicum, Advanced Practicum, and Coaching Workshop I. Fellows learn to train others in the VTS method and may join VTS staff upon completion.
• The National Museum of Women in the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner hosting monthly VTS discussions with artworks from their collection. Part of the rotating Look Club program that brings together the VTS community for live, unscripted image discussions.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los AngelesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner. Hosts monthly VTS image discussions with MOCA's collection, providing global community participation through Zoom.
• The Seattle Art MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner. Hosts monthly VTS image discussions with SAM's collection.
• Crystal Bridges Museum of American ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner. Hosts monthly VTS image discussions with their collection as part of the global VTS community program.
• The National Portrait Gallery (Australia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner. International partner hosting monthly VTS discussions.
• VTS DublinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online partner. Dublin-based VTS program partner hosting monthly online discussions.
• The Ringling MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner hosting monthly VTS image discussions.
• The Frye Art MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner hosting monthly VTS image discussions.
• The Cafesjian Art Trust MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner hosting monthly VTS image discussions.
• The Saint Louis Art MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner hosting monthly VTS image discussions.
• The Chicago Architecture CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook Club Online museum partner hosting monthly VTS image discussions, with a focus on architecture and urban design imagery.
• Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing research and program partner. The Gardner Museum has used VTS as its main pedagogy since 2005. Multiple studies conducted with ISGM including three-year DoE grant (2003-2007), IMLS studies, and longitudinal case studies (2010-2014). School Partnership Programs operate between Gardner Museum and Boston schools.
• Kyoto UniversityminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for higher education and research purposes.
• University of Auckland Medical SchoolminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for medical education and professional development.
• Nelson-Atkins MuseumminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for museum education and visitor engagement.
• Canadian Museum of CivilizationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for museum education programs.
• Museo Picasso MálagaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for museum education in Spain.
• National Portrait Gallery of AustraliaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for museum education and visitor engagement.
• Smithsonian Institution: National Museum of the American IndianminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for museum education and cultural programming.
• U.S. National Park Service: Weir Farm National Historic SiteminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for interpretive programming at the Weir Farm National Historic Site.
• Cisco SystemsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for corporate team building and professional development.
• Nathan Cummings FoundationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client, likely using VTS for arts education programming or organizational development.
• Kentucky Historical SocietyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for historical education and visitor engagement.
• Reade Rehabilitation CenterminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVTS consulting client using VTS for rehabilitation and healthcare education settings in Amsterdam.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit providing programs, research, and advocacy for arts education and arts integration. Operates programs like the Arts Education Network that overlap with VTS's K-12 arts integration mission and serves similar educator audiences.
• Smithsonian Institution Education: The Smithsonian's education division offers museum-based learning programs, teacher professional development, and digital resources at scale. Overlaps with VTS's museum education segment and serves similar educator audiences across multiple Smithsonian museums.
• Getty Foundation Education: The Getty Foundation funds and develops arts-education initiatives, including teacher professional development programs (e.g., Getty Teacher Fellowships). Comparable to VTS in teacher-training scope, with far greater endowment-funded resources and broader arts-education mandate.
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Learning: MoMA's education programs were foundational to VTS's development (Philip Yenawine served as MoMA Director of Education 1983-93). MoMA Learning offers courses, workshops, and K-12 teacher programs that overlap with VTS's museum-education offerings, though at much larger institutional scale.

Direct peers

• National Art Education Association (NAEA): The leading professional membership organization for visual arts educators in the US. NAEA shares VTS's audience of K-12 art educators and museum educators, and provides complementary professional development, publications, and advocacy in the same arts-education category.
• The Wild Center: Natural history museum in the Adirondacks and IMLS-funded VTS in Science partner. Operates educator professional development and school programs with comparable structure to VTS's school partnerships, with focus on science observation skills.
• Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Education: Crystal Bridges is both a Look Club Online partner and operates school programs and teacher training in visual literacy. Directly comparable to VTS in its educator training and museum-school partnership model, with a strong regional (Arkansas/National) footprint.
• Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Education: Long-standing VTS research and program partner. The Gardner Museum has used VTS as its primary pedagogy since 2005 and runs school partnership programs with Boston schools. A direct peer and customer, with comparable educator-PD and museum-school program offerings.

Emerging players

• Art21: Nonprofit producing documentary films and digital educational content about contemporary art for educators and students. Comparable to VTS in mission (visual literacy through art) but differentiated by media format (video/documentary vs. facilitated discussion methodology).
• Facing History and Ourselves: Nonprofit providing educator professional development, classroom curricula, and school partnerships centered on critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and equity. Comparable to VTS in teacher PD model and school partnership structure, though focused on social studies/history rather than visual arts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vtsnational
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Visual-Thinking-Strategies/12301163417
• Instagraminstagram.com/visualthinkingstrategies

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 Visual Thinking Strategies