CITYarts

What CITYarts does

CITYarts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public arts and education organization founded in 1989 by Tsipi Ben-Haim and headquartered at 77 Bleecker St in Manhattan, New York City. The organization engages youth with professional artists to create public art, primarily murals and mosaics, with the stated mission of empowering, educating, and connecting young people locally and globally to transform their communities. Its program portfolio includes Community Identity, Global HeART Warming (environmental awareness through art), Young Minds Build Bridges, Kids for Justice, Windows of Opportunity, and the Peace Walls and Pieces for Peace global initiatives; signature projects include the Shakespeare Steps in the Bronx, Always in Bloom in Manhattan's Upper West Side, and the CITYarts Liberty Mural at Freedom Plaza.

CITYarts operates an event-driven and community-led go-to-market model, reaching supporters through annual galas (Spreading Light Instilling Hope, Inspiring Peace, Rise Together), the Affordable Art Fair, volunteer programs, school partnerships, social media, and email newsletters. Its revenue is generated through a mix of individual donations (tiered from $10-$2,000+), government and public grants (New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Manhattan Borough President's Office, NYC DOT Art Program), corporate and foundation sponsorships (including over 1,500 sponsors such as The Soloviev Foundation), merchandise and artist-edition sales via its online store ($15 pocket squares to $35,000 limited-edition prints), and event-based fundraising.

The organization reports reaching over 100,000 kids, 200,000+ volunteers, and 600+ artists across 380+ projects in 120+ countries on 6 continents, working with 1,400+ schools through its Pieces for Peace project. CITYarts is not a technology company: it has no public APIs, no AI/ML capabilities, and no software products. Its primary competitive advantages are a 37-year operating history, an extensive sponsor and school network, and seven international Peace Walls that function as permanent brand assets.

Name

CITYarts

Legal name

CITYarts, Inc.

Website

https://cityarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CITYarts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1989 that engages youth with professional artists to create public murals and mosaics in New York City and 120+ countries, funded through donations, government grants, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and annual galas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education and Public Art Programs

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Historical Sites (712120)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO), Cultural, Arts & Humanities Community Education (Museums/Arts Councils) (EDAAAFAD)

Keywords

• Youth arts education
• Public art programs
• Community mural creation
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Peace through art

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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. Individual Donations: Public donations from individuals supporting youth arts education and community transformation
2. Corporate & Foundation Sponsorships: Partnerships with over 1,500 sponsors including The Soloviev Foundation and other institutional funders
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of art prints, artist editions, merchandise (pocket squares, scarves, coasters), and publications (Peace Books, stamps)
4. Gala Events: Annual benefit galas including Spreading Light Instilling Hope Gala, Inspiring Peace Gala, Rise Together Gala, and Affordable Art Fair
5. Government & Public Grants: Funding from New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Manhattan Borough President's Office, and NYC DOT Art Program

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CITYarts engages youth with professional artists in the creation of public art, including murals and mosaics. Through this creative process, the organization empowers, educates, and connects youth and children locally and around the world to become active participants in realizing their potential and transforming communities. It operates signature programs such as Peace Walls, Pieces for Peace, Community Identity, Global HeART Warming, Young Minds Build Bridges, Kids for Justice, and the 50 States of Peace Initiative, and sells peace-themed merchandise and limited-edition artist prints via its online store.

Product overview

CITYarts is a nonprofit arts organization offering a portfolio of youth empowerment programs centered on public art creation. The core programs include Community Identity (murals and mosaics), Global HeART Warming (environmental awareness through art), Young Minds Build Bridges (international youth connection), Kids for Justice, Windows of Opportunity, and Peace Walls. Major initiatives include the 50 States of Peace Initiative aiming to create murals in all U.S. states culminating in a National Peace Wall in Washington D.C. in 2026, and Pieces for Peace Global Project connecting youth in over 120 countries. CITYarts also operates an e-commerce store selling merchandise (Peace Book, silk pocket squares, stamps) and an Artist Editions program featuring limited prints by professional artists. The organization provides internship opportunities across various disciplines and engages volunteers in community art projects. CITYarts is not a technology product company; it does not offer software, APIs, or AI-powered features.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Identity Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 kids impacted by programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• NYC Department of Transportation Art Program (DOT Art)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented the Shakespeare Steps (formerly Joker Stairs) project as part of the DOT Art Arterventions initiative, providing official city partnership for the public art installation.
• Spanish Palate (Winemaker)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CITYarts to create wine labels featuring Pieces for Peace artworks from youth around the world, with proceeds benefiting Young Minds Build Bridges program.
• Benefit Print ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on artist editions including Alec Soth 30 for 30 Edition celebrating CITYarts 30th Anniversary, and Tim Hawkinson prints.
• Sean Kelly GallerycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGallery partner for Alec Soth limited edition print collaboration benefiting CITYarts.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mural Arts Philadelphia: The largest public mural program in the United States, operating since 1984 as a Philadelphia city-affiliated nonprofit. Directly comparable to CITYarts as a nonprofit producing community-driven public murals with measurable social impact, but at significantly greater scale and institutional integration.
• Groundswell: NYC-based nonprofit that produces public murals by and with community youth participants, employing young artists in paid fellowships. Closely comparable to CITYarts' youth-artist collaborative mural model and NYC geographic footprint.
• Studio in a School: NYC nonprofit founded in 1977 providing visual arts instruction and residencies to public school students. Comparable to CITYarts on youth visual arts education in NYC public schools, though its delivery model is classroom residencies rather than public art creation.
• Public Art Fund: NYC-based nonprofit presenting temporary public art exhibitions across the city for nearly 50 years. Comparable as a NYC public art nonprofit, though focused on curating contemporary art exhibitions rather than youth co-creation.
• The Laundromat Project: NYC nonprofit that creates community-based art projects in laundromats and neighborhood spaces, often engaging local residents and youth. Directly comparable on the community-arts placemaking model in NYC neighborhoods.
• DreamYard Project: Bronx-based nonprofit using arts, equity, and education to empower youth, including mural-making programs. Comparable to CITYarts on NYC-based youth public art creation, particularly in Bronx schools.

Broad incumbents

• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit advocating for the arts sector across the U.S. Comparable as an arts-services nonprofit in the same broader space as CITYarts, but focused on policy, research, and advocacy rather than direct youth public art delivery.

Emerging players

• Creative Arts Team (NYU): NYU-affiliated program using drama and visual arts for youth empowerment in NYC schools. Comparable on youth arts education delivery in NYC, with academic institutional backing rather than independent nonprofit structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cityartsinc/?hl=en
• Xx.com/CITYartsInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/CITYartsInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cityarts-inc-

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 CITYarts