Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education

What Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education does

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1934 as the first U.S. nonprofit established to serve Latino youth, currently operating from a 90,000 sq ft, six-story facility at 928 Simpson Street in the South Bronx with a satellite program in East Harlem. The organization delivers free after-school programming for grades K-8 (daily 2:30-6 PM), a free summer day camp, the Casita Maria Gallery, a Murals Program, the BronX BandA Latin jazz ensemble (launched 2020 with Grammy-winning Arturo O'Farrill), and the annual South Bronx Culture Festival, which drew 5,425 attendees in 2025. More than 400 youth participate daily through enrollment managed via the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) system, with safe-passage partnerships linking it to Pharos Academy, Longwood Academy, P.S. 150, and Harlem Village Academy.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its core delivery model is in-person, community-based, and facility-anchored. Curated gallery exhibitions and arts programming are integrated into after-school curricula, with cultural partnerships spanning Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum, the Public Theater, the Misty Copeland Foundation, and Belongó (Afro Latin Jazz Alliance).

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable contributions, government and foundation grants, and an annual fundraising gala (Fiesta). Individual giving flows through online donations, matching gifts, stock donations, text-to-donate, Instagram and Facebook Fundraisers, and alumni network contributions. Institutional funders include NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, DYCD, NYS Council on the Arts, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Programs are free to all participants regardless of need, with enrollment managed on a first-come, first-served basis through DYCD PIN codes.

Name

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education

Legal name

Casita Maria, Inc.

Website

https://casitamaria.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1934 that delivers free after-school programs, summer camp, gallery exhibitions, and cultural festivals to more than 400 South Bronx youth daily from a 90,000 sq ft facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education and Community Cultural Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Youth arts education
• After-school programs
• Creative youth development
• Community cultural arts
• Nonprofit arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Bronx

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations, matching gifts from employers, stock donations, goods and services donations, text-to-donate, Instagram Fundraisers, Facebook Fundraisers, and alumni network contributions.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, DYCD, New York State Council on the Arts, Howard Gilman Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and other institutional funders.
3. Annual Gala (Fiesta): Annual fundraising event Fiesta serves as major donor cultivation and fundraising initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education provides free after-school and summer day camp programs for youth in grades K-8, offering arts education in music, visual arts, dance, and theater along with academic enrichment and social-emotional learning. The organization also operates the Casita Maria Gallery, the BronX BandA Latin jazz ensemble, the Murals Program, the annual South Bronx Culture Festival, and the Hunts Point/Longwood Biennial, all delivered from a 90,000 sq ft facility at 928 Simpson Street in the South Bronx.

Product overview

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education is a non-profit community organization offering a portfolio of free youth and family programs centered on arts, culture, and education. The core offerings include after-school programs (grades K-8) and summer day camps providing academic enrichment and STEAM learning; the Casita Maria Gallery featuring rotating exhibitions by local, national, and international artists; a Murals Program producing public art installations; the BronX BandA Latin jazz ensemble in collaboration with Arturo O'Farrill; and the annual South Bronx Culture Festival. All programs operate from a 90,000 square foot facility at 928 Simpson Street in the Bronx and are delivered in-person.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CelebrARTE!: Creative Arts Program with three theme-based seasons per year for after-school participants, families, and community
• ExpresARTE!
• South Bronx Culture Festival
• BronX BandA
• Young Artists Gallery

Products and services

• After-School Programs

Named customers6 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

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BronxArtSpacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Co-presenting inaugural Hunts Point/Longwood Biennial, a landmark cultural event featuring exhibitions, live performances, open studios, workshops across three venues. Casita Maria serves as one of three venues.
• Inspiration PointcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Co-presenting inaugural Hunts Point/Longwood Biennial at 710 Tiffany Street location. Inspiration Point is a nonprofit cultural arts center in Hunts Point established in 2023 with artist, residency, and specialty studios, galleries, Fashion Moda Modern, and Tiffany Street Theater.
• Boone Avenue WallsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Bronx-based community-rooted initiative and Biennial partner. Founded by legendary Bronx graffiti artist WEN COD, celebrating 11th anniversary with annual Boone Avenue Walls Festival.
• En FocominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Bronx-based nonprofit supporting lens-based artists of color since 1974. Biennial partner publishing Nueva Luz photography magazine and providing Artist Fellowship.
• WALLWORKSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Contemporary art gallery in South Bronx dedicated to graffiti and street art legacy. Founded in collaboration with legendary graffiti artist CRASH, entrepreneur Robert Kantor, and curator Anna Matos.
• Public Theater/Public WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized arts education partnership bringing theater and performing arts programming to Casita Maria participants. Public Works invites community members to take classes, participate in programming, attend performances, and join in creating ambitious participatory theatrical works.
• Metropolitan Museum of ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts education partnership providing specialized museum programming and educational resources for youth participants.
• Whitney MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts education partnership offering specialized museum programming and educational resources.
• Young Concert ArtistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts education partnership providing concert and music education programming.
• SEBCO Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth East Bronx Community Organization provides Father Gigante Plaza venue free of charge for South Bronx Culture Festival. SEBCO responsible for development of 6,000+ housing units, transforming Hunts Point community since 1968.
• Carnegie HallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival collaborator as part of Carnegie Hall's United in Sound: America at 250 citywide festival. Programming partner for South Bronx Culture Festival with presence at festival activities.
• New York Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival collaborator providing bookmobile and literacy resources at South Bronx Culture Festival.
• Misty Copeland FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBE BOLD ballet program brought to Casita Maria through partnership with Misty Copeland Foundation, making ballet accessible and inclusive for children from low-income communities.
• SPARCSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting Parks and Revitalizing Communities Study promotes community wellbeing through community-designed programs. Presenting Al Quiñones Art Club at South Bronx Culture Festival.
• Bloomberg Arts InternshipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps youth develop skills through paid summer internships at selected cultural institutions. Program operates in seven cities including New York.
• TDFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater Development Fund partners to share performing arts with community, removing financial and invisible barriers to access.
• Belongó (formerly Afro Latin Jazz Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Arturo O'Farrill in 2007, dedicated to Afro Latin jazz performance, education, and preservation. Produces annual concert season and manages Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra at Birdland. Parent organization of BronX BandA.
• Digital BodegaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSouth Bronx-based creative agency providing media content and social media coverage for festival events.
• La Reina Del BarriominorGTM or Marketing PartnerUrban advertising and media production company providing innovative, art-driven messaging for festival social media coverage.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• El Museo del Barrio: East Harlem-based Latino cultural institution operating a museum, public programs, and arts education. Highly comparable: same NYC Latino cultural mission, same free community programming model, similar donor and government funding mix.
• The Door: NYC-wide youth development organization offering arts, education, and social services to teens and young adults. Comparable on free youth arts programming model, NYC location, and mixed public-private nonprofit funding.
• Pregones Theater / Puerto Rican Traveling Theater: Bronx-based Puerto Rican/Latino performing arts organization producing theater and community programming. Comparable on Latino cultural identity mission, Bronx location, performing arts programming, and nonprofit arts education model.
• The Point CDC: Hunts Point-based community development organization providing arts, youth, and family programming in the same South Bronx neighborhood. Directly comparable on place-based mission, free youth arts programming, and community-led model.
• BRIC Arts Media: Brooklyn-based nonprofit arts and media organization presenting programming across visual arts, performance, and community education. Comparable on nonprofit community arts center model with gallery, performance, and youth education components.
• Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture: Bronx-based CUNY-affiliated performing arts and cultural center in the South Bronx offering free community programming and youth arts education. Comparable on Bronx geography, free cultural programming, and youth education focus.

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: NYC-based performing arts institution with nationally recognized dance education and community outreach programs. Comparable on performing arts education mission and free community access programming, though at much larger national scale.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National nonprofit operating membership-based youth recreation and arts clubs across the country. Comparable on after-school youth programming and recreational arts model, but at vastly larger national scale and as a federation rather than single site.
• Children's Aid Society: Large NYC-wide youth services organization providing after-school, arts, and education programming across multiple sites. Comparable on NYC youth arts education mission and free program model, but operates at much larger scale across many sites.

Regional players

• La Plaza Cultural de Carolina: Puerto Rico-based Latino cultural organization (Federación de Plazas Culturales). Comparable on Latino cultural community arts center mission and free programming model, but operates in Puerto Rico rather than NYC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/casitamariabx
• Facebookfacebook.com/casitamariabx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education