What Chashama does

Chashama is a New York-based nonprofit arts organization founded in 1995 by Anita Durst in response to the lack of affordable creative workspace in NYC. Its core function is activating vacant and underutilized commercial real estate by partnering with property owners (Durst Organization, Brookfield Properties, Extell Development, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey) and sub-allocating that space to artists at below-market or zero cost. The organization operates five program lines: Space to Create (subsidized workspace at $1.50-$2.00 per square foot per month, 90-700 sq ft units), Space to Present (free exhibition/performance space in high-visibility NYC venues for 1-4 week periods with refundable deposits of $200-$500), Space to Connect (bilingual free community arts programming across the five boroughs), ChaNorth (upstate month-long artist residency in Pine Plains, NY, operated May through October since 2006, with 5-7 artists per session at a subsidized $1,200/month vs. $5,000 actual cost), and Storefront Startup (vacant-retail activation for small businesses and artists).

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit: revenue streams include below-market workspace rentals, residency fees, individual and corporate memberships, donations, and grants from foundations (Bloomberg Philanthropies, Rockefeller Brothers Fund), federal arts funding (NEA), and city/state agencies (NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NY State). Go-to-market is community-led, recruiting artists through Submittable-based online applications, newsletter announcements, and social media outreach (Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn), with landlord acquisition driven by founder Anita Durst's direct relationships and NYC real-estate board representation. The organization has scaled to approximately 80 activated properties, 1+ million square feet of artist space secured, and 15,000 artists served since founding. The technology layer is minimal/non-proprietary — built on Submittable for applications, Mailchimp for email, and standard website/social stacks — with no AI/ML capabilities or proprietary platform products.

Name

Chashama

Legal name

Chashama

Website

https://chashama.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chashama is a New York nonprofit founded in 1995 that activates more than 80 vacant commercial properties across NYC, New Jersey, and the Hudson Valley, providing subsidized workspace, free exhibition venues, community arts programming, and upstate artist residencies to over 15,000 artists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artist Space Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Affordable artist workspace
• Artist residency programs
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Creative space activation
• Exhibition space rental

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Workspace Rentals: Affordable workspace rental revenue from artists. Chashama charges $1.50-2.00 per square foot per month for workspace, providing below-market-rate studio space to artists throughout New York.
2. Donations and Grants: Chashama receives funding from foundations (Bloomberg Philanthropies, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, National Endowment for the Arts), government entities (NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NY State), corporate sponsors, and individual donors.
3. Membership Programs: Individual and organizational membership tiers providing supporter benefits and access to Chashama community.
4. ChaNorth Residency Fees: Artists pay $1,200 per month for residency sessions (subsidized from actual $5,000 cost per artist), plus $30 application fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Chashama is a nonprofit arts organization that activates vacant commercial real estate by partnering with property owners, then provides subsidized and free space to artists across New York City. The organization operates four primary programs: Space to Create (affordable workspace at $1.50-$2.00/sq ft/month), Space to Present (free exhibition space in highly visible venues), Space to Connect (free community arts programming in underserved neighborhoods), and the ChaNorth upstate artist residency in Pine Plains, NY. Funding comes from foundation grants, government arts funding, corporate sponsors, individual donations, and below-market rental fees.

Product overview

Chashama is a nonprofit arts organization that offers a portfolio of space-based programs supporting artists. The core offerings include Space to Create (affordable workspace at $1.50-$2.00/sq ft monthly), Space to Present (free exhibition venues), Space to Connect (community arts programming), and ChaNorth (upstate artist residency). Since 1995, the organization has activated over 80 unused properties, providing space to approximately 15,000 artists across New York City and the Hudson Valley.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ChaNorth (Chashama North): Chashama's upstate artist residency program located in Pine Plains, NY in the Hudson Valley. Provides month-long residencies for emerging and mid-career artists from May through October.
• Space to Create
• Space to Present
• Space to Connect
• Storefront Startup

Products and services

• Space to Create Affordable workspace program providing studio space to artists of all disciplines throughout New York City at $1.50-$2.00 per square foot per month. Spaces range from 90 to 700 square feet. No time limit on rentals as long as space is available and contracts are honored.
• Space to Present Free presentation/exhibition space for visual artists, performers, and curators in highly visible venues throughout New York City. Artists are granted 1-4 week periods and must keep spaces open for a minimum of 30 hours per week. Requires only a refundable deposit ($200-$500).
• Space to Connect Program collaborating with local organizations to create free arts programming throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Programs are bilingual, parent-friendly, age-appropriate, and focused on increasing marginalized communities' access to the arts.
• ChaNorth Artist Residency Month-long artist residency program in Pine Plains, NY (Hudson Valley), operated in cooperation with McEnroe Organic Farm. Six sessions run May through October, accepting 5-7 artists per session (up to ~35 artists per summer). Artists pay $1,200 per session (subsidized from a $5,000 true cost); Young Artist Fellowship waives the fee for artists under 30. Includes private room, private studio, fully stocked kitchen, and 2-3 studio visits per session from critics, curators, and residency directors.
• Storefront Startup Program helping small business entrepreneurs and artists gain access to vacant retail spaces by activating storefronts for commercial use.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000 artists provided with space since 1995
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Durst OrganizationcoreOthersMajor property owner donor providing vacant commercial space for artist activation. Durst Organization is a prominent NYC real estate developer with history supporting arts initiatives.
• Brookfield PropertiescoreOthersProperty donor providing vacant space for Chashama's artist programs.
• Extell Development CompanymajorOthersProperty donor providing vacant commercial real estate for artist space activation.
• Port Authority of New York and New JerseymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner hosting Chashama exhibitions at Port Authority Bus Terminal, including 'Art to Ware' and 'The Love Show' pop-ups at the laundromat installation.
• McEnroe Organic FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChaNorth collaborates with McEnroe Organic Farm's Education Garden where resident artists participate in 3 hours of work exchange weekly. In return, the shared kitchen is stocked with fresh produce. This community engagement program fosters connections between artists and local food systems.
• CompassminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReal estate partner. Cindy Scholz, founder of the Scholz Team at Compass, serves as Board Chair of Chashama.
• IVYminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization collaborating with Chashama on arts programming and community initiatives.
• NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity economic development agency partnering on initiatives to activate vacant spaces and support artists.
• QuadraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization collaborating with Chashama on arts programming.
• Fordham BedfordminorOthersHousing corporation providing property and partnership for Chashama's community programming.
• Times Square ArtsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Times Square art installations including 'Art Takes Times Square' program and Cuban artist Esterio Segura's 'Goodbye My Love' installation on jumbotrons.
• Art To WareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable, women and BIPOC-owned fashion brand partnering with Chashama for pop-up shops in vacant storefronts, including Tribeca and Westfield World Trade Center locations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC): NYC-based nonprofit providing workspace grants, residencies, and artist support programs across Manhattan. Highly comparable to Chashama's Space to Create and Space to Present model, with overlapping artist-grant and residency offerings.
• ArtSpace: National nonprofit developer of affordable live/work and work-only spaces for artists. Directly comparable to Chashama in mission — providing below-market creative space to artists — but operates at national scale rather than NYC-centric, and typically involves ground-up development rather than activating donated vacant space.
• The Laundromat Project: NYC nonprofit that partners with local laundromats and community spaces to deliver free, place-based arts programming in historically underinvested neighborhoods. Directly comparable to Chashama's Space to Connect community programming model and mission of making arts access equitable.
• Westbeth Artists Housing: NYC's largest affordable live/work space for artists in the West Village, operating under a nonprofit artist-housing model. Comparable in subsidized-space mission to Chashama's Space to Create, though structured as long-term residential occupancy rather than workspace activations.

Broad incumbents

• New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA): Largest NY-based arts-services nonprofit providing grants, fiscal sponsorship, and professional development to artists. Operates at much broader scale than Chashama and represents a wider portfolio of services, with overlap in artist-fellowship programming comparable to ChaNorth.
• New Museum: Major NYC contemporary art museum with adjacent NEW INC creative incubator. Less directly comparable as a museum-vs-artist-space provider, but relevant as an institutional neighbor through shared NYC arts community, board-level connections (e.g., Laura O'Reilly was a NEW INC alum), and aligned mission of supporting emerging artists.

Emerging players

• CUE Art Foundation: NYC nonprofit focused on supporting emerging and under-recognized artists through exhibitions, publications, and mentorship. Overlaps with Chashama's Space to Present gallery exposure model, though operating in a smaller, curated format.
• NURTUREart: NYC-based nonprofit supporting emerging artists through gallery exhibitions and mentorship. Directly comparable to Space to Present's free exhibition model, with overlapping focus on early-career visual artists in NYC.
• Triangle Arts Association: NYC-based nonprofit providing international artist residencies and exhibition programming. Closely comparable to ChaNorth and Space to Present in residency and exhibition programming, though with a more internationally focused artist base.
• Harvestworks: NYC nonprofit supporting experimental artists through residencies, technology access, and presentation opportunities. Comparable to Chashama across residency and presentation dimensions, with a stronger focus on technology-based art practices.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chashama
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcOrrRusRmZhiWwjNBmmhuA
• Facebookfacebook.com/chashama
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chashama
• Instagraminstagram.com/chashama
• TikToktiktok.com/@chashama

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Chashama