Project Create

What Project Create does

Project Create is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C., that delivers free, multidisciplinary arts education and enrichment to children, youth, and families. Founded in 1994 by Rev. John W. Wimberly, Jr. as an after-school arts program at Western Presbyterian Church, the organization became an independent nonprofit in 2003 and now serves participants from birth to age 24, primarily in DC Wards 7 and 8 east of the Anacostia River. Programming is built around a trauma-informed, healing-centered methodology and includes studio classes at its permanent Arts Center, community partnership programs delivered at 20+ partner sites (including SOME, Community of Hope, Boys and Girls Club, and DC Public Libraries), HeART Space art therapy, Family Art Day events, workshops, a digital media studio, professional development for educators, and a Summer Arts & Wellness Camp.

The core technology and physical infrastructure consist of the 5,200 sq ft Arts Center purchased in December 2019 at 2208 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, which houses five studios (music production, photography, visual art, dance, painting), an art gallery, student lounge, offices, and a fully equipped Digital Media Arts Studio with sound/recording equipment, DJ and podcast gear, video and photo technology, graphic design workstations, and 3-D printers. Supporting technology is conventional and non-differentiated: a WordPress website with WooCommerce/PayPal-powered e-commerce for a forthcoming online shop, Jetpack and Akismet for site functionality and spam control, DreamHost hosting, Bunny.net CDN, TaxJar for sales tax, EasyPost for shipping, and AfterSchool HQ as the third-party registration platform for classes, workshops, and summer camp.

The organization operates on a donation-and-grant revenue model with no participant fees. Funding flows from individual donations, foundation grants, corporate philanthropy (including The Genesis Inspiration Foundation), and government arts agencies (DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts). Distribution occurs through the Arts Center plus partner-site classes, with community-based marketing via social media, email newsletters, and events. Leadership is provided by Executive Director Christie Walser (since 2010) and a Board of Directors chaired by Gizachew 'Giz' Andargeh, supported by a Deputy Director and directors of Development & Communications, Programs, and an Artistic Director.

Name

Project Create

Legal name

Project Create

Website

https://projectcreatedc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Project Create is a Washington, D.C. nonprofit providing free, multidisciplinary arts education and art therapy to children, youth, and families in underserved DC Wards 7 and 8 from its Anacostia Arts Center and 20+ community partner sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO), Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking) (EDAMALAH), Visual Arts & Media Arts Programs (Art Club, Photography, Film) (EDAJAJAF)

Keywords

• Youth arts education
• Community arts programs
• Art therapy services
• Creative youth development
• Nonprofit arts enrichment

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a nonprofit organization, Project Create operates entirely on donations, grants, and foundation support. All programs are offered free to participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Project Create is a community-based nonprofit that provides free, multidisciplinary arts education and enrichment programs to children, youth, and families in underserved Washington, DC neighborhoods. Core offerings include Studio Programs at the Arts Center in Anacostia, Community Partnership Programs that deliver weekly arts classes at partner organization sites, HeART Space Art Therapy for emotional wellness, Family Art Day community events, workshops, summer camp, and digital media arts education. All programs are offered at no cost to participants.

Product overview

Project Create is a community-based nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of free arts education and enrichment programs for youth and families in Washington, DC. The core offerings include Studio Programs at their custom-designed Arts Center (opened 2015, expanded 2019 with digital media studio), Community Partnership Programs bringing arts education to underserved neighborhoods through partnerships with local organizations, HeART Space Art Therapy providing therapeutic creative services, Family Art Day community events, and Workshops covering diverse disciplines. The organization also offers a Summer Arts & Wellness Camp combining arts education with wellness practices, Digital Media Classes for teens in audio/video/photography/music production, and Professional Development training for educators. All classes and programs are provided free of charge to participants. An online shop selling art products and merchandise is in development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Studio Programs at the Arts Center Free multidisciplinary arts education classes held at Project Create's custom-designed Arts Center in Anacostia, featuring art classes in all disciplines, family workshops, open studio time, film screenings, gallery shows, and arts enrichment for all ages and experience levels.
• Community Partnership Programs Project Create's longest-standing program offering weekly multidisciplinary arts education classes taught by experienced teaching artists in partnership with community-based organizations serving children, youth, and families in underserved communities East of the River in DC Wards 7 and 8.
• HeART Space Art Therapy Therapeutic art program in which groups of up to six families participate in 2-hour weekly sessions led by experienced art therapists, focusing on building coping mechanisms, emotional wellness, anxiety reduction, and resilience through creative techniques such as drawing, painting, collage, coloring, and sculpting.
• Family Art Day Free community program held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month (1:00pm-3:00pm) serving multi-generational families from infants to grandmothers for artistic exploration, art-making, and creative play. Led by an art therapist with rotating teaching artists.
• Workshops Arts workshops hosted at the Arts Center or in the community, taught by teaching artists in various artistic disciplines. Past workshops include poetry readings, fashion design, video production, 3-D printing, cooking, graphic design, mural-making, and mosaic collages. Also includes the Arts Enrichment Field Trip Program to cultural institutions.
• Professional Development Staff training opportunities including Art Workshops (visual arts, collage, music production, DJing, photography, dance, theater) and Trauma-Informed Training sessions covering Cultivating Empathy, Integrating a Healing-Centered Approach, and Cultivating a Therapeutic Environment.
• Digital Media Classes Digital media arts education program at the Arts Center, fully equipped with sound/recording equipment, DJ and podcast equipment, video/photo technology, computers with graphic design capabilities, and 3-D printers. Provides advanced training in film, photography, illustration, and music production for teens and young adults.
• Summer Arts & Wellness Camp Six-week summer arts enrichment camp at the Arts Center for elementary and middle school students (with additional options for teens/youth), blending arts education with wellness practices. Features visual arts, digital media (audio engineering/music production), and mindfulness-based wellness practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free arts education to underserved youth
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration9 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• So Others Might Eat (SOME)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership providing art classes to children in families experiencing homelessness.
• Community of HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing arts education to families experiencing homelessness.
• Anacostia PlayhouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for arts programming in Anacostia.
• Best KidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving children and youth.
• Boys and Girls Club of Greater WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for youth arts programming.
• DC Public LibrariesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for arts workshops at library locations.
• DC Parks and RecreationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for community arts programming.
• Generation HopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner serving teen parents and their families.
• Washington School for GirlsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for arts programming.
• Bishop Walker SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for arts programming.
• Sasha BruceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner serving youth in foster care.
• Sitar Arts CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts partner organization in DC.
• Hortons KidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner serving children in Ward 8.
• Friendship PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner serving individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Mi Casa IncminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner serving families and youth.
• Community Services FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for community services.
• Good ProjectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving DC communities.
• Georgia Avenue Family Support CollaborationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily support network partner.
• FAN (Family Alliance Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily support partner organization.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dance Place: DC-based arts education and performance organization in Ward 7/8-adjacent neighborhoods offering classes across disciplines. Project Create team members have previously worked there, and both serve east-of-the-river DC youth with hands-on arts training.
• Sasha Bruce Youthwork: DC nonprofit serving youth and families experiencing homelessness and instability, with arts and creative expression programming. Both organizations serve overlapping populations in DC Wards 7 and 8 and pursue similar public and private funding sources.
• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington: DC-area youth development nonprofit offering out-of-school-time programming including arts enrichment for underserved youth. Also a Project Create partner, and competes for the same foundation grants and DC government funding for youth services.
• Sitar Arts Center: DC-based nonprofit providing multidisciplinary arts education to youth and families, with a comparable focus on accessible, tuition-free programming. Listed as a partner organization in Project Create's network, indicating direct overlap in mission, geography, and target population.
• Anacostia Playhouse: Community theater in Historic Anacostia focused on arts programming and storytelling for underserved DC communities. Listed as a partner of Project Create and operates in the same Ward 8 neighborhood competing for similar local arts funding.

Broad incumbents

• National Guild for Community Arts Education: National membership organization supporting community-based arts education programs. Provides the broader category context for Project Create's model and sits at the intersection of nonprofit arts, education, and youth development.
• The Phillips Collection: DC art museum with community engagement and education programs targeting underserved youth. Project Create's Deputy Director previously worked there, and both pursue arts education and community access goals, though the Phillips Collection is substantially larger.
• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit advocacy organization that supports local arts education and community-based arts programs through research, funding, and policy work. Operates at the systemic level but influences the funding environment Project Create depends on.

Regional players

• DC Arts & Humanities Education Collaborative: Coalition of DC-based arts education organizations that shares resources and advocacy for arts programming in DC schools. Project Create is part of a similar DC arts education ecosystem and competes for shared institutional funders.
• Young Audiences of Maryland: Regional nonprofit that provides arts education programming to students in Title I schools, including artist residencies and after-school programs. Operates in the broader DC/Maryland region with a similar mission of accessible arts education for underserved youth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/ProjectCreateDC
• Instagraminstagram.com/projectcreatedc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Project Create