What Locust Projects does

Locust Projects is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1998 by three Miami-based artists (Elizabeth Withstandley, Westen Charles, and COOPER), operating as Miami's longest-running alternative nonprofit art space. The organization commissions experimental, site-specific exhibitions by local, national, and international artists at all career stages, supported through residencies, project grants, and dedicated budgets. Programming is delivered through an interconnected portfolio: the Locust Art Builders (LAB) summer art intensive mentoring 30 Miami teens annually, WaveMaker Grants distributing $60,000 to 12 emerging Miami artists in 2025-26, LegalARTLink pro bono legal services, a TALKS artist and curator speaker series, and the Locust Late @ the DILL evening programming. The organization also operates the Closer Look Blog and the locustprojectseditions.org online shop selling commissioned artist editions and publications.

The underlying technology stack is a digital content creation and distribution platform rather than a software product: it consists of a public-facing website, an e-commerce storefront for artist editions, an active multi-platform social media presence (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube), email newsletters, and a blog. The proprietary features are the Closer Look Blog (intern-authored creative documentation) and the Artist Editions and Publications platform. No API, SDK, or AI/ML capability is disclosed.

The business model is a nonprofit hybrid of contributed and earned revenue. Contributed revenue streams include tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporate sponsors, plus foundation grants from Knight Foundation ($750,000 in 2022; $1,000,000 in 2018), the Andy Warhol Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts (eight consecutive Art Works Grants), Miami-Dade County, the State of Florida, VIA Art Fund, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation, and Arison Arts Foundation. Earned revenue comes from space rentals (Main Space, The DILL, The Courtyard in the 8,000+ sq ft warehouse), sales of commissioned artist editions through the editions shop, and annual fundraising events such as benefit dinners and Spring Fling. All public exhibitions and programs are offered free of charge; the organization is W.A.G.E. certified, ensuring fair artist compensation.

Name

Locust Projects

Legal name

Locust Projects

Website

https://locustprojects.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Locust Projects is Miami's longest-running nonprofit alternative art space (founded 1998) that commissions experimental large-scale exhibitions by local, national, and international artists and runs teen mentorship, emerging-artist grants, and public arts programs free of charge.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Art Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ)

Keywords

• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Artist residency programs
• Nonprofit art space
• Youth art education
• Artist edition prints

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundations including Knight Foundation, Andy Warhol Foundation, NEA, and local arts councils
2. Space Rentals: Event venue rental of 8,000+ sq ft industrial warehouse with Main Space (2,550 sq ft), The DILL (1,000 sq ft), and Courtyard (5,000 sq ft) for corporate events, private celebrations, and artistic events
3. Artist Editions and Publications: Sales of commissioned artist editions, limited prints, and retrospective publications through online shop
4. Fundraising Events: Annual benefit dinners and Spring Fling events that raise critical funds to support exhibitions, programs, and artist grants

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Locust Projects commissions and presents ambitious experimental large-scale exhibitions and site-specific installations by visual artists at all career stages, providing residencies, project grants, budgets, and production resources. Beyond core commissioning, it operates a portfolio of supporting programs including the LAB summer art intensive for teens, WaveMaker Grants for Miami emerging artists, LegalARTLink pro bono legal services for artists, and the TALKS artist/curator speaker series, complemented by event venue rentals and an online shop for artist editions and publications.

Product overview

Locust Projects is Miami's longest-running nonprofit alternative art space (founded 1998), operating as an arts incubator that produces and presents exhibitions, programs, and projects. The organization functions as a single unified offering focused on creating opportunities for visual artists at all career stages. The core programs include Commissioned Exhibitions/Residencies for experimental large-scale exhibitions, Locust Art Builders (LAB) summer art intensive for teens, WaveMaker Grants for emerging artists, LegalARTLink pro bono legal services, and the TALKS speaker series. The organization also offers Event Rentals at its 8,000+ sq. ft. Little River warehouse location and sells Artist Editions and Publications. All programs and services are interconnected elements of the nonprofit's mission to advocate for artists and inspire the next generation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Locust Art Builders (LAB): Summer Art Intensive for Teens - invites creative teens from diverse backgrounds to collaborate with peers to build an exhibition guided by professional artist mentors over 4 weeks.
• WaveMaker Grants
• LegalARTLink
• LAB MFA

Products and services

• Locust Art Builders (LAB): Summer Art Intensive for Teens A free summer art intensive program for approximately 30 teens from diverse Miami backgrounds who collaborate with peers to build a full exhibition from scratch over 4-5 weeks under the guidance of professional artist mentors.
• WaveMaker Grants Incubator grants supported by the Warhol Foundation's regional regranting program, providing funding for Miami's emerging artists to execute innovative, socially-engaged, non-institutional projects across Miami neighborhoods.
• Artist Editions and Publications Commissioned editions and donated original works by past and upcoming exhibiting artists, including photographic editions, prints, and retrospective publications such as the 20th Anniversary Retrospective, sold globally through the locustprojectseditions.org online shop.
• Event Rentals at Locust Projects Rental of the 8,000+ sq ft industrial warehouse venue for corporate meetings, private celebrations, artistic events, and cultural gatherings, offering three distinct spaces: Main Space (2,550 sq ft, capacity 150-200 seated / 250 standing), The DILL Under the Mezz (1,000 sq ft, capacity 90), and The Courtyard (5,000 sq ft, capacity 400).
• TALKS: Artist and Curator Speaker Series A free public speaker series featuring artist and curator talks, conversations with leading curators, and professional development programming for artists and the community.
• Commissioned Exhibitions and Residencies Locust Projects' core commissioning program inviting local, national, and international artists at all career stages to embrace risk and experiment to create ambitious site-specific new work, supported with residencies, project grants, production budgets, and installation resources.
• Happenings Special events and public programs including performances, activations, and interactive experiences presented alongside the exhibition program.
• LegalARTLink Pro bono legal services that connect artists with legal professionals to support the administrative work of being an artist, including contracts, copyright, and business matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 teens mentored annually through LAB program with full scholarships
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ProjectArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership bringing ProjectArt resident teaching artists program to Locust Projects, featuring artists Nina Osoria Ahmadi, Luz Estrella Cruz, Niko Devera, Estrella Dominguez, and Sofia Villalonga in residency at Miami-Dade public libraries.
• New World School of the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership presenting collaborative multimedia installation exploring displacement through technology in 2025.
• Le Basque CateringminorOthersPreferred catering partner for benefit dinners and events, including 25th Anniversary and Infinity Annual Benefit Dinner.
• Art Basel Miami BeachminorOthersIn-kind supporter providing resources for events and programming.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM): Miami's flagship modern and contemporary art museum. While larger and collecting, it competes for the same philanthropic dollars, corporate event rentals, and cultural-tourism audience.
• The Bass Museum of Art: Miami Beach-based contemporary art museum presenting exhibitions and educational programming. Comparable as a Miami cultural nonprofit serving overlapping audiences and donor pools.

Broad incumbents

• MASS MoCA: Largest contemporary art museum in the US, presenting large-scale commissioned installations. Comparable in commissioning experimental work but operates at substantially greater scale and footprint.
• New Museum: NYC museum devoted to contemporary art with a focus on emerging artists. Comparable artist-first mission and exhibition-driven programming, though at a larger institutional scale.
• The Momentary: Crystal Bridges' contemporary art satellite in Bentonville, Arkansas. Comparable as a converted-warehouse venue commissioning experimental contemporary art, though part of a broader museum system.

Direct peers

• The Kitchen: NYC nonprofit that presents experimental contemporary art across disciplines. Comparable as a long-running alternative nonprofit art space focused on commissioning emerging and established artists.
• SculptureCenter: NYC nonprofit dedicated to experimental sculpture and contemporary art. Comparable niche commissioning model with similar artist-residency and exhibition programming.
• Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami): Miami-based contemporary art institution offering free admission, commissioning and presenting experimental exhibitions. Operates with a similar nonprofit, artist-first mission in the same Miami cultural ecosystem.
• Socrates Sculpture Park: NYC outdoor sculpture park and alternative art space presenting commissioned installations. Comparable as a community-oriented nonprofit commissioning large-scale experimental work.
• The Fabric Workshop and Museum: Philadelphia-based nonprofit that invites artists to experiment with new materials and produce ambitious projects. Closely matches Locust Projects' experimental commissioning model and artist-residency programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/locustprojects
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LocustProjects
• Facebookfacebook.com/locustprojects
• Instagraminstagram.com/locustprojects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/locust-projects-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Locust Projects