What Creative Action does

Creative Action is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization headquartered in Austin, Texas, operating since 1997 (originally as Theatre Action Project before rebranding in 2014). The organization delivers arts-based programming to Central Texas youth and families through a multi-program portfolio: licensed after school programs on 35+ public-school campuses (K-5th grade, $348/month/child in 2026-27), summer and seasonal day camps for ages 5-14 ($395-$425/week), school-based interactive theatre and SEL curricula (Brave Schools, Spark Schools), and a paid teen creative-leadership pathway (Color Squad, Chroma Collective, CLYTE). Additional programs include Music and Movement for early learners (ages 0-5), Continuing Creativity for adults 65+, Art on the Bus with CapMetro, and the UpFront Gallery for emerging artists.

The organization's core technology is human-delivered arts instruction supported by standard nonprofit operational tools: Constant Contact for newsletters, Airtable for financial aid applications, and Active Network/campscui for camp enrollment. Its proprietary assets are its SEL curriculum frameworks (4-step conflict resolution, 4-part apology framework, anti-racist placekeeping) and its stable of 75+ professional teaching artists, refined over 25+ years of classroom delivery and recognized via Austin Chronicle Best of Austin awards (2023 Best Youth Arts Program) and B. Iden Payne Awards.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure. Tuition from after school and camps operates on subscription and unit-pricing rails with financial aid/sliding scale; the Decker site is free. Contributed revenue flows from individual donations, Creative Circle monthly memberships ($15-$125/month), foundation grants (Bloomberg Philanthropies, St. David's Foundation as $100K+ donors; NEA, Texas Commission on the Arts, City of Austin Cultural Arts Division), corporate sponsorships (Adobe, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, Silicon Labs, Texas Instruments Foundation), and the annual Kaleidoscope Ball gala. Chroma Collective generates fee-for-service mural revenue from city, corporate, and community clients. Customer segments span individual families (primary), K-12 schools, teens, older adults, and donors/sponsors.

Name

Creative Action

Legal name

Creative Action

Website

https://creativeaction.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Creative Action is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization in Austin, Texas, delivering after school, summer camp, teen, and senior arts programs via 75+ teaching artists across 35+ Central Texas school campuses and community sites in partnership with AISD, CapMetro, and major foundations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Youth arts education
• After school programs
• Social emotional learning
• Interactive theatre education
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Tuition Fees: Fees charged to families for After School ($348/month/child 2026-27), Summer Camps ($395-$425/week), and Studio Camps ($400/week). Financial aid and sliding scale available. Decker after school program is free.
2. Individual Donations & Membership: Monthly donations via Creative Circle membership ($15-$125/month with tiered benefits), one-time donations, stock donations. Kaleidoscope Ball gala generates fundraising revenue.
3. Foundation & Government Grants: Funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, St. David's Foundation, City of Austin DHHS/Cultural Arts Division, Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and others. Core operational funding for OST programs.
4. Corporate Sponsorships & Partnerships: Event sponsorship (Kaleidoscope Ball), program sponsorship, third-party fundraising events. Corporate partners listed include Adobe, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, Silicon Labs, Texas Instruments Foundation, and others.
5. Chroma Collective Fee-for-Service: Chroma Collective (alumni muralist program) is available for hire for mural projects — clients include city contracts, corporate clients, private projects, and community organizations. Revenue generated through commissioned public art.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Creative Action is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization that delivers after-school programs, summer/day camps, school-based interactive theatre for SEL (Brave Schools, Spark Schools), teen public art and theater ensembles (Color Squad, CLYTE, Chroma Collective), and community arts programs (Music and Movement, Continuing Creativity, Art on the Bus). Programs are delivered by 75+ professional teaching artists across 35+ Central Texas campuses, serving over 2,000 youth annually with 75% attending Title I schools. Revenue is generated from program tuition, donations, grants, memberships, corporate sponsorships, and commissioned mural projects.

Product overview

Creative Action is a nonprofit arts education organization offering a diverse portfolio of programs spanning after school, summer camp, school-based, community, and teen-focused arts education. The core offerings include After School Programs and Summer/Day Camps (arts-based programming across theatre, filmmaking, visual arts, music), Brave Schools and Spark Schools (school-based interactive theatre and arts integration), Color Squad and Chroma Collective (teen public art/mural programs), Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble (teen theatre productions), Music and Movement (early learner classes), Continuing Creativity (senior arts programming), Art on the Bus (sustainability-focused public art), UpFront Gallery (emerging artist exhibition space), and Professional Learning (educator development). All programs emphasize social and emotional learning, social justice education, and youth development through the arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chroma Collective: A group of creatives dedicated to empowering young artists through mural programs and public art, accepting 2-4 muralists annually who are alumni of Color Squad.
• Color Squad
• Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble
• Brave Schools
• Spark Schools
• UpFront Gallery

Products and services

• After School Programs On-site, licensed after-school program engaging students in visual art, filmmaking, music, puppetry, creative writing, acting, and more to deepen social and emotional skills. Serves K-5th grade across multiple Austin ISD and MISD campuses from school dismissal to 6 p.m. with snack, free play, arts programming, and homework support. Decker program is free; $348/month/child for all other locations with financial aid available.
• Summer Camps Award-winning summer camps serving ages 5-14 at multiple Central Texas locations including Blanton Elementary, Pickle Elementary, Marshall Middle School, ACC Highland, Headwaters School, Austin Clay Arts, and Sustainable Food Center. Pricing ranges from $395-$425 per week with financial aid and sibling discounts available. Offers Art Academy, Science Academy, Film Academy, Design Academy, Media Academy, Theatre Academy, and Studio Camps (Ceramics, Comedy, Digital Music, Digital Storytelling, Comics & Printmaking, Mural & Alternative Painting).
• Day Camps (Winter & Spring) Day camps during winter and spring school breaks led by professional teaching artists, designed to nurture creativity through arts-based projects and increase self-awareness and self-regulation. 100% of surveyed parents would enroll their child in another Creative Action camp.
• Brave Schools Multi-day interactive theatre programs for Pre-K through 5th-grade students that engage young people in solving real-world problems through role-play, puppetry, song, and movement. Includes anti-bullying and conflict resolution curricula such as Welcome Armadillo (bilingual), The Heroes/Los Héroes (1st grade, 4-step conflict resolution), Creating Community (2nd-3rd grade), and The Courage to Stand (4th-5th grade anti-bullying). After a Brave Schools performance, 97% of teachers hear students using program vocabulary and 88% of middle school students are more likely to intervene in bullying.
• Spark Schools Multi-year partnerships with select campuses to cultivate joy, belonging, and personally/culturally relevant learning through the arts. Includes arts integration collaborations, guest artist visits, after school music production, and community events. The Campbell Elementary partnership delivered a 114.3% increase in 5th graders' belief they could master hardest topics, with 67% of families citing Creative Action as the main reason for school choice.
• Professional Learning for Educators Professional development sessions for school staff and organizations using creative teaching strategies to build community and facilitate dialogue around social issues. Approved provider of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits in Texas. Designed for educators seeking arts-integrated pedagogies and SEL facilitation skills.
• Chroma Collective Teen muralist program, also the professional alumni muralist pathway from Color Squad, accepting 2-4 muralists annually who work with Creative Action's Staff Muralist to complete up to 10 public art projects/year for city contracts, corporate clients, and community organizations. Revenue generated through commissioned murals from clients including Foundation Communities, Austin Open Door Preschool, Central Texas Food Bank, Ground Floor Theatre, and ACC Amplify Center.
• Color Squad Collective of teen artists ages 14-18 who design and implement public art addressing community needs. Participants receive stipends each semester while developing artistic and workforce skills through mural projects. The program is a stepping stone into Chroma Collective for alumni. Voted Best Muralist in Austin in 2019 in the Austin Chronicle Best Of poll.
• Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble (CLYTE) Year-round teen theatre program where teen artists write, rehearse, and tour original theatrical productions around themes of healthy relationships, social justice, and violence prevention. A collaboration between Creative Action and SAFE's Expect Respect program since 2003. Productions tour to 25+ schools reaching 3,000+ audience members annually. Schools book performances at $300 half day / $500 full day with scholarships available.
• Music and Movement Free parent/child classes for early learners ages 0-5 featuring beatboxing, singing, guided exercise, dance parties, and Spanish language exposure. Holds classes in collaboration with Austin Parks Foundation, Waterloo Greenway, SAFE Alliance, Texas Book Festival, Todos Juntos, Painting Pandas, and Del Valle Public Library. Builds creativity, physical/emotional development, and caregiver bonding.
• Continuing Creativity Arts-based programming for adults ages 65+ promoting social, physical, and cognitive health through creative writing, storytelling, visual art, creative movement, and community-building activities. Free of charge. Includes the Legacy Leaders volunteer program.
• Art on the Bus Annual contest in partnership with CapMetro (since 2019) where local elementary, middle, and high schools create sustainable-inspired artwork displayed on CapMetro's electric vehicles throughout the city. Four campuses are selected each year to receive a six-month partnership with Creative Action including in-school residency, arts-integrated curriculum, art contests, and $1,000 stipend for art supplies. Winning campus art is wrapped on CapMetro electric buses around Earth Day.
• AmeriCorps Program Service program where AmeriCorps members serve as educators and creatives at after-school sites, delivering hands-on arts-based projects supporting social and emotional development. Includes living allowance and education award benefits for members.
• Get Creative Saturdays Saturday art classes taught by professional teaching artists for students ages 7-11. 8-week courses designed to build artistic skills and creative confidence.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of parents, students, and teachers surveyed would recommend Creative Action to others
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CapMetro (Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Art on the Bus is an annual contest started in 2019 hosted by CapMetro and Creative Action. Local elementary, middle, and high schools create sustainable inspired artwork displayed on CapMetro's electric vehicles throughout the city. Four campuses are selected each year to receive a six-month partnership with Creative Action including in-school residency, arts-integrated curriculum, art contests, and $1,000 stipend for art supplies. The winning campus's art is wrapped on CapMetro electric buses around Earth Day. Also collaborated on bus stop murals by Chroma Collective.
• Austin Clay ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer camp partner location for Art Academy: Ceramics & Sculpture camp (July 13-24). Camps held at Canopy Arts (Austin Clay Arts facility) at 916 Springdale Rd., Bldg 4, Suite 111, Austin, TX 78702.
• Austin PBSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer camp partner location for Film Academy: Stop Motion Studio camp (July 27 – Aug 7). Campers get an inside look at how public television operates at Austin PBS's state-of-the-art headquarters. Austin PBS also covered Art on the Bus and mural unveilings.
• Sustainable Food CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer camp partner location for Art Academy: Photography Studio camp (July 27 – August 7). Campers compose photography at the SFC headquarters. Also home to Creative Action's headquarters building.
• ACC Highland (Austin Community College)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer camp partner location for Studio Camps (Ages 11-14): Ceramics & 3D Art (July 6-10), Comics & Printmaking (July 13-17), Mural & Alternative Painting (July 20-24) at ACC Highland campus.
• Headwaters School – River CampusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer camp partner location: Science Academy: Confectionery Kitchen (June 8-19), Art Academy: Ceramics & Sculpture (June 22-26), Film Academy: Music Videos (July 6-17), Science Academy: Exploding Experiments (July 20-31) for ages 8-11 at 801 Rio Grande St., Austin, TX 78701.
• Armstrong Community Music SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer camp partner location: Musica del Mundo (Aug 3-7) for ages 5-7 at 404 Camp Craft Rd., West Lake Hills, TX 78746.
• Facebook Open ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented La Colectividad mural project — a public art project at Native Hostel and Bar & Cafe (807 E. 4th St.) created by lead artist Mylo Mendez in conversation with Color Squad members, presented by Creative Action in partnership with Facebook Open Arts.
• GirlForward AustinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with GirlForward (supporting refugee girls displaced by conflict and persecution) on 'Juntos Somos Austin/Together We Are Austin' mural at Lott Pocket Park. The mural visually displays Austin as a welcoming, inclusive city with feet representing journeys of movement.
• Six Square (Black Austin Cultural District)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Six Square on a prominent community mural in East Austin, in partnership with Cap Metro. Six Square is dedicated to preserving and re-animating Black culture in Austin's East Austin Cultural District.
• SAFE (Safe Alliance) — Expect Respect ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLYTE (Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble) is a collaboration between Creative Action and Expect Respect, a program of SAFE (Safe Austin). Since 2003, CLYTE has offered original theatrical productions written and performed by youth artists and activists on themes of healthy relationships, social justice, and violence prevention. Co-directed by Jacqui Calloway (Creative Action) and Claire K. Redfield (Expect Respect).
• Austin Parks FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic and Movement community classes are held in collaboration with Austin Parks Foundation. Austin Parks Foundation is also a sponsor of Community Art Sunday at Branch Park Pavilion, Mueller.
• Waterloo GreenwayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic and Movement community classes are held in collaboration with Waterloo Greenway.
• SAFE AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic and Movement community classes are held in collaboration with SAFE Alliance.
• Texas Book FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic and Movement community classes are held in collaboration with Texas Book Festival.
• Todos JuntosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic and Movement community classes are held in collaboration with Todos Juntos.
• Painting PandasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic and Movement community classes are held in collaboration with Painting Pandas.
• Del Valle Public LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic and Movement community classes are held in collaboration with Del Valle Public Library.
• E4 YouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the 'Tribute to Professor Friendly R. Rice' art box series at 12th and Airport. E4 Youth created an accompanying video piece. The project honors Blackshear Elementary's former Principal and is located across from Evergreen Cemetery where he is buried.
• UT School of ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Map Your Roots mural project at the Center for Creative Action, along with Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and African American Cultural Heritage District.
• African American Cultural Heritage DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Map Your Roots mural project at the Center for Creative Action.
• Ghisallo CyclingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Summer Camp at Shadowbend Apartments (July 13-17), providing bike activities as part of the camp's daily summer fun activities.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ZACH Theatre: Austin's primary professional theatre company with deep youth and education programming including after-school classes, summer camps, and in-school residencies. Operates in the same Austin arts education ecosystem with comparable K-12 theatre instruction and family-facing programming.
• VORTEX Repertory Theatre: Austin's experimental theatre company with ensemble-driven productions and youth programming. Jacqui Calloway is a VORTEX company member, and the two organizations share teaching artists and a similar interactive/devised-theatre pedagogical approach.
• Mainly Mozart / Mainly Music: Austin-based music education nonprofit offering youth music instruction and performance programs. Comparable nonprofit arts-education structure in the same Austin market, focused on a complementary (music) artistic discipline.
• Alliance Theatre: Atlanta-based professional theatre with one of the largest theatre-for-youth education programs in the U.S., including in-school residencies, teen ensembles, and SEL-aligned curriculum. Closest large-scale direct peer in theatre-based youth SEL education.
• Imagination Stage: Bethesda, MD-based professional theatre dedicated exclusively to young audiences with extensive education, summer camp, and in-school programming. Comparable mission and business model combining tuition-based camps, school partnerships, and SEL-focused theatre.

Broad incumbents

• Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA/USA): National service organization for the Theatre for Young Audiences field, founded at the University of Texas at Austin. Creative Action's Brave Schools and CLYTE programs are direct members of this national peer category of theatre-based youth education.
• Young Audiences: National arts-in-education nonprofit network that places teaching artists in schools. Shares Creative Action's model of professional artists delivering in-school arts programming and represents a national peer category for Creative Action's Brave Schools and Spark Schools.
• Lincoln Center Education: Education arm of Lincoln Center delivering in-school arts residencies and professional development for educators nationally. Operates at much larger scale but shares Creative Action's core model of arts integration, teacher professional learning, and SEL outcomes.
• BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music): Major performing arts institution with deep education and community programs serving youth, families, and schools in Brooklyn. Analogous mission of combining live performing arts presentation with school and community education at significant scale.

Regional players

• The Contemporary Austin: Austin-area contemporary art museum with school and family education programming. Operates in the same Austin arts-education ecosystem with comparable K-12 programming, though its medium (visual art museum) differs from Creative Action's performing-arts core.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CreativeActionAustin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/creative-action
• Instagraminstagram.com/creativeaction
• Xx.com/CreativeATX

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Creative Action