Able ARTS Work

What Able ARTS Work does

Able ARTS Work is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in Long Beach, California, that delivers creative-arts-based educational, therapeutic, and vocational services to individuals with developmental disabilities and autism across Southern California. Its core methodology combines two clinical approaches — "Creative Arts IN Therapy," which uses the arts as the therapeutic medium itself, and "Creative Arts AS Therapy," which uses the arts as a vehicle for non-artistic goals such as IEP objectives, communication, and daily living skills — both grounded in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The service portfolio spans Adult Day Programs at the Long Beach ART Center, the Mobile Arts Program (home-based 1:1 therapy), Accessible Arts Workshops delivered in schools and community centers, the Creative Health & Wellness Clinic, the Able ARTS Work Gallery and Shop (where resident artists earn a 50% commission), the annual CORE juried exhibition (running since 2005), and the Weekend Warrior Residency. Delivery modalities include in-person, mobile/in-home, virtual/telehealth via Zoom, and e-commerce channels, supported by a four-site physical footprint (Long Beach, Hawthorne, San Diego, plus the EXPO Arts Center gallery).

The organization serves more than 5,000 individuals across Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego, and employs 51–100 staff. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix: regional-center contracts with five California Regional Centers (Westside, Harbor, Inland, Orange County, San Diego), grants from federal/state/local arts agencies (NEA, LA County Department of Arts & Culture, Department of Cultural Affairs) and foundations (notably a $1 million John Gogian Family Foundation grant in 2022 for building acquisition), individual and corporate donations, art-sale commissions, and private-pay services for non-regional-center clients. In 2022 the organization purchased and renovated a permanent Long Beach headquarters (the ART Center) for $2.7 million, eliminating recurring rental obligations and positioning it to redirect approximately $80,000 per year of facility cost toward programming once the remaining mortgage is retired by 2029.

Name

Able ARTS Work

Legal name

Able ARTS Work

Website

https://ableartswork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Able ARTS Work is a Long Beach-based non-profit founded in 1982 that provides creative-arts education, therapy, and vocational programs to more than 5,000 individuals with developmental disabilities and autism across Southern California, funded through regional centers, grants, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Arts and Therapy Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Sensory & Occupational Support (School-Based) (EDAKAKAH), Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA), Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools (EDALAGAB)

Keywords

• Creative arts therapy
• Developmental disability services
• Adult day programs
• Community arts programming
• Vocational art services

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual and corporate donations support general operations and the capital campaign. The organization conducts fundraising events and accepts planned/legacy gifts.
2. Grants: Funding from foundations (The John Gogian Family Foundation $1 million grant), government arts agencies (Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture, National Endowment for the Arts), and Department of Developmental Services.
3. Regional Center Contracts: Services funded through regional centers including Westside Regional Center, Harbor Regional Center, Inland Regional Center, Orange County Regional Center, and San Diego Regional Center.
4. Art Sales Commission: Artists earn 50% commission on artwork sales through the gallery and shop. The organization sells original artwork, prints, and handcrafted items created by resident artists.
5. Private Pay Services: Mobile Arts Program and Health & Wellness Clinic offer private pay options for individuals not covered by regional center funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Able ARTS Work is a non-profit organization that delivers creative arts therapy, vocational training, and educational programming for individuals with developmental disabilities and autism across Southern California. Its core services include Adult Day Programs (in-person daytime creative arts classes at the Long Beach ART Center), the Mobile Arts Program (home-based 1:1 creative arts therapy), Accessible Arts Workshops (in-school and community-center visual arts and music education), the Creative Health & Wellness Clinic (outpatient therapeutic treatment), and supporting retail/exhibition channels (Gallery, Shop, and the annual CORE juried exhibition).

Product overview

Able ARTS Work is a non-profit organization established in 1982 that provides inclusive programming for individuals with developmental disabilities and autism through creative arts. The organization operates a multi-faceted service portfolio including Adult Day Programs, Community Engagement initiatives (Accessible Arts Workshops, Mobile Arts Program, Creative Health & Wellness Clinic, Gallery, Shop, and Community Exhibitions), ArtBeat Radio podcasts, the Learning Center for career training, and annual CORE exhibitions. Services are delivered through teaching artists and creative arts therapists, with programs funded through regional centers and grants. The organization serves over 5,000 individuals across Southern California, operating facilities in Long Beach, Hawthorne, and San Diego.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ArtBeat Radio: A podcast initiative by Able ARTS Work featuring interview podcasts available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
• CORE
• ART Center
• Accessible Arts Workshops
• Mobile Arts Program (MAP)
• Creative Health & Wellness Clinic

Products and services

• Adult Day Programs Daytime in-person creative arts classes for individuals with developmental disabilities, operated at the ART Center in Long Beach during weekday hours and transforming into a community hub in the evenings.
• Mobile Arts Program (MAP) Home-based 1:1 creative arts therapy for individuals with developmental disabilities who cannot attend day programs, currently funded through Westside Regional Center and San Diego Regional Center with private-pay options available.
• Accessible Arts Workshops Standards-based visual art and music education workshops delivered to children and adults in schools and community centers throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties, with social-emotional learning components; funded by the Department of Cultural Affairs, LA County Department of Arts & Culture, and NEA.
• Creative Health & Wellness Clinic Outpatient treatment program for children and youth with disabilities including autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disabilities, applying Creative Arts IN Therapy and Creative Arts AS Therapy approaches. Private-pay options available.
• Able ARTS Work Gallery Gallery located at the EXPO Arts Center in Bixby Knolls, Long Beach (Tue-Fri 9am-4pm) featuring original artwork and handmade items by current and past resident artists and musicians, with artists earning 50% commission on sales.
• CORE Annual Juried Exhibition Signature annual juried art exhibition celebrating collaboration and community in the arts, featuring artists of all abilities and ADA-accessible showcases across the Los Angeles area.
• Learning Center (CMTEs) Educational and training center offering Creative Music Therapy and Creative Arts Therapy programs and internships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves more than 5,000 individuals across Southern California
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Yamaha CarescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYamaha Cares is an employee-based initiative dedicated to charitable works promoting education, arts, health and human services. They donated instruments for the Upcycled Guitar Exhibit, allowing Able ARTS Work to create artwork from donated materials while keeping items out of landfills.
• EXPO Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing gallery space for Able ARTS Work Gallery in Bixby Knolls, Long Beach. Enables social inclusion and entrepreneurship opportunities for artists with disabilities.
• LATLC (Los Angeles Therapeutic Learning Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted the 8th Annual Great Tryke Giveaway event with OCTLC, gifting 20 adaptive tricycles to children with special needs.
• OCTLC (Orange County Therapeutic Learning Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted the 8th Annual Great Tryke Giveaway event with LATLC, gifting 20 adaptive tricycles to children with special needs in Los Angeles and Orange County.
• Bergamot StationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallery venue originally planned for CORE 2020 exhibition. COVID-19 pandemic caused indefinite hold on plans.
• George V. Deneff GalleryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric gallery venue where the first CORE exhibition was held in 2005, beginning the longstanding annual tradition.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tierra del Sol Foundation: Southern California nonprofit serving people with developmental disabilities through arts, employment, and day programs. Same regional California footprint and overlapping IDD population served by regional centers.
• NIAD Art Center: Richmond, California nonprofit providing studio art programs, exhibitions, and representation for adult artists with developmental disabilities. Highly comparable model: studio practice, gallery sales, commissions, and curated exhibitions.
• Creativity Explored: San Francisco-based nonprofit visual arts studio and gallery for artists with developmental disabilities. Closest direct peer: identical mission of supporting artists with developmental disabilities through studio practice, gallery representation, and community exhibitions.

Broad incumbents

• United Cerebral Palsy: National disability services organization providing therapy, residential, and community programs. Comparable as a major IDD service provider funded through state contracts but not arts-focused.
• The Arc of the United States: National nonprofit providing advocacy and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While much broader than arts-only, The Arc operates local chapters with creative arts and vocational programs that overlap Able ARTS Work's service mix.
• Easterseals: National disability services nonprofit offering therapeutic, vocational, and community programs. Overlaps in adult day services and disability therapy but does not specialize in arts-based programming.
• VSA / Kennedy Center: National arts and disability program under the John F. Kennedy Center. Larger, broader mission focused on accessibility across all arts disciplines; serves a programming/grantmaking role rather than direct studio services.

Emerging players

• Best Buddies International: Nonprofit focused on one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with IDD. Partial overlap on the vocational/employment mission but not arts-studio based.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ASDIncmedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/ableartswork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/able-arts-work
• Instagraminstagram.com/ableartswork/?hl=en
• Xx.com/ableartswork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Able ARTS Work