What Wassaic Project does

The Wassaic Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit contemporary arts institution founded in 2008 and headquartered in Wassaic, New York. It operates from two primary venues — Maxon Mills, a seven-floor converted grain elevator, and Luther Barn — and runs four interconnected program lines: rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, multi-season artist residencies (summer, winter, and family sessions) hosting more than 100 artists annually, education programming that spans summer camps and after-school initiatives across four local school districts (Webutuck, Dover, Pine Plains, and Millbrook), and public art installations. The institution also runs an invite-only Print Editions program and an e-commerce store, both of which extend its brand and revenue beyond on-site programming.

Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit model: tax-deductible donations processed via Stripe, retail and print sales through a Shopify storefront, and fees from education programs. The digital infrastructure is built on commodity SaaS — Shopify, Salesforce, Stripe, and a website developed by external partners Magic Scroll and Studio Bueno — with no proprietary technology, custom models, or AI/ML components. Public-sector funding includes support from the New York State Council on the Arts.

The organization is led by Executive Director Will Hutnick, with Joe Brommel serving as Education Director, and is governed by a board chaired by Julia Kivitz. Operations are supported by a small staff of 1-10, and the institution's competitive position rests on its unique venue, internationally recognized residency brand, and deep integration into the local school-district and community ecosystem rather than on technology differentiation.

Name

Wassaic Project

Legal name

Wassaic Project

Website

https://wassaicproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Wassaic Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit contemporary arts institution in Wassaic, NY, operating from Maxon Mills and running artist residencies (100+ artists/year), exhibitions, education programs across four school districts, and a Shopify-based store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Arts Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI)

Keywords

• Artist residency programs
• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Arts education programs
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Wassaic

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization is registered as a 501(c)(3) and relies on donor support. The website features a donate button linking to Stripe, and they offer planned giving options.
2. Store Sales: Online store selling artwork prints, publications, merchandise, and workbooks. Products include Art at Home Workbooks and print editions from resident artists.
3. Education Programs: Revenue from summer camps, after-school programs, and educational curricula. Programs include Sculpture Camp, Film Camp, Theater Camp, Music Camp, Quilt Camp, and Art Scouts sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wassaic Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit contemporary arts institution founded in 2008 in Wassaic, NY. The organization operates a multidisciplinary arts campus offering artist residencies, contemporary art exhibitions, education programs, public art installations, and an online store selling print editions and merchandise.

Product overview

The Wassaic Project is a contemporary arts institution offering a unified portfolio of programs centered on supporting emerging artists and engaging communities. The core offerings consist of: (1) Exhibitions Program featuring rotating contemporary art shows throughout Maxon Mills, a seven-floor historic grain elevator; (2) Artist Residency Program with summer, winter, and family residencies hosting over 100 artists annually; (3) Education Programs including summer camps, after-school programs, and the Art Nest drop-in space; (4) Public Art installations throughout the hamlet; and (5) supporting offerings including a Print Editions program, Library archives, Events programming, and an e-commerce Store. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with exhibitions, residencies, and education forming the three pillars of its mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 100 artists-in-residence pass through Wassaic each year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Magic ScrollcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Founded by Joe Brommel in 2024; developed and maintains the Wassaic Project website, built alongside Studio Bueno in 2023. Manages technology infrastructure including Salesforce, Shopify store, and integrations.
• Studio BuenocoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Design studio that designed the Wassaic Project website in collaboration with Magic Scroll in 2023.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Anderson Center: Minnesota-based artist residency at Tower View historic estate offering residencies, public programs, and community events. Shares the Wassaic Project's rural-campus residency model and integration of residencies with public-facing arts programming.
• Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture: Prestigious nine-week summer residency program for emerging artists in Maine. Shares the Wassaic Project's emphasis on intensive artist residencies and emerging-practitioner support, with a similarly small staff and focused programming.
• Headlands Center for the Arts: California-based artist residency housed in former military buildings in the Marin Headlands, supporting residencies, exhibitions, and public programs. Shares the Wassaic Project's adaptive-reuse venue model and integrated residency-exhibition-education structure.
• Yaddo: Historic artist residency in Saratoga Springs, NY, hosting hundreds of artists, writers, and composers annually. Operates a similar residency-plus-exhibition model in upstate New York and is among the most direct comparables for the Wassaic Project's residency program.
• Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts: Omaha-based residency and contemporary arts center supporting emerging artists through studio programs, exhibitions, and public programming. Closely comparable to the Wassaic Project in combining residencies, exhibitions, and community-facing arts programming under one nonprofit umbrella.
• MacDowell: Major national artist residency in Peterborough, NH, supporting hundreds of artists annually across disciplines. Directly comparable to the Wassaic Project in mission, residency format, and emphasis on providing studio space and community for creative practitioners.
• Ox-Bow: Michigan-based artist residency and school offering residencies, workshops, and degree programs. Comparable in combining artist residencies with hands-on educational programming and a single-rural-campus operational model similar to the Wassaic Project's.
• Lower Manhattan Cultural Council: New York-based arts organization providing residencies, workspace, and public programming for artists. Comparable in operating artist residencies, exhibitions, and community programs, with a particular focus on supporting emerging and mid-career artists.
• Triangle Arts Association: International artist residency and curatorial program with operations in Brooklyn and abroad. Comparable to the Wassaic Project in supporting emerging artists through residencies, exhibitions, and an alumni network that sustains long-term brand value.

Broad incumbents

• MASS MoCA: Large contemporary art museum in North Adams, MA, offering large-scale exhibitions, performance programming, and artist residencies. A broader incumbent in the same upstate New England contemporary art ecosystem, with overlapping programming but a much larger operational scale than the Wassaic Project.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wassaicproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wassaic-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Wassaic Project