Donna Lexa Art Centers

What Donna Lexa Art Centers does

Donna Lexa Art Centers (DLAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1985 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, that delivers inclusive art therapy and skill-building programs to adults and young adults with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities, military veterans with PTSD, elders with Alzheimer's or dementia and their caregivers, and other community members with special needs. The organization's core methodology is an open-studio approach where artists of all abilities work alongside one another in a shared creative space, supported by board-certified art therapists (ATR, ATR-BC), licensed professional counselors (LPC), and instructors with adaptive art certifications. Services are delivered through two fixed studio locations (Waukesha and West Milwaukee) plus 13 community outreach sites serving senior housing, long-term care facilities, schools, and day programs in Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties.

The program portfolio consists of: (1) Open Studio Sessions (the core program), (2) Military Veterans Open Studio (free to participants, sponsor-supported), (3) Elder's Studio for individuals with dementia/Alzheimer's (grant-supported, no cost), (4) Community Outreach Programs at off-site partner facilities, (5) periodic public Workshops (e.g., $25 per participant for Embossed Foil Ornaments), and (6) Exhibitions & Art Sales through community venues. DLAC reaches 400+ individuals annually across these channels. The organization has no proprietary technology platform, app, or API; service delivery is entirely human-mediated.

Revenue is generated through a diversified but small-scale nonprofit mix: individual and corporate donations (with monthly recurring PayPal option), foundation grants (Bader Philanthropies, Second Chance Foundation, NEA Creative Forces via Mid-America Arts Alliance with $25K local match requirement), workshop participation fees, commissions on student artwork sold through community galleries, and fundraising events including the annual Gotta Have Art Gala and Joe Randa's Swing for the Arts. The organization is governed by a volunteer board including an honorary member, employs 1–10 staff, and operates as a non-stock Wisconsin corporation with no private equity or venture capital ownership.

Name

Donna Lexa Art Centers

Legal name

Donna Lexa Community Art Centers

Website

https://donnalexa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Donna Lexa Art Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 that delivers inclusive open-studio art therapy to 400+ individuals annually across Wisconsin, serving adults with disabilities, veterans with PTSD, elders with dementia, and caregivers through two studios and 13 outreach sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Therapy Services

NAICS

Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (623), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Cognitive Stimulation & Reminiscence Therapy (Non-Clinical) (HSABAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Memory Care Adult Day Programs (Dementia/Alzheimer’s) (HSABANAC), Behavioral Health–Integrated Dementia Care Communities (Neuropsychiatric/BPSD Programs) (HLADACAE), Memory Care Respite (Short-Term) (HSABAEAD)

Keywords

• Art therapy services
• Adaptive art programs
• Inclusive art centers
• Community art education
• Disability art programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Waukesha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations providing sustainable funding for programs. Monthly recurring donation option available through PayPal.
2. Foundation Grants: Grant funding from organizations including Creative Forces/NEA, Bader Philanthropies, and Second Chance Foundation supporting specific programs
3. Workshop Fees: Fees charged for public workshop participation, such as $25 for Embossed Foil Ornaments workshop
4. Art Sales Commission: Students create artwork that is sold through community venues with commission; provides vocational opportunities for artists with disabilities
5. Fundraising Events: Annual Gotta Have Art Gala fundraiser featuring auctions, casino, and entertainment to raise funds for operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Donna Lexa Art Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides inclusive, adaptive art-making programs for adults and teens with cognitive and physical disabilities, military veterans with PTSD, and elders with dementia or Alzheimer's. Core offerings include open studio sessions at two Wisconsin locations, specialized programs for veterans and elders, off-site community outreach at 13 partner sites, periodic public workshops, and exhibitions with artwork sales on commission.

Product overview

Donna Lexa Art Centers operates as a single unified nonprofit program providing inclusive art community services rather than a technology platform. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs: Open Studio Sessions serve as the core offering where artists of all abilities work alongside one another in a shared creative space; specialized programs including the Military Veterans Open Studio and Elder's Studio (for dementia/Alzheimer's) adapt the core approach to specific populations; Community Outreach Programs extend services off-site to partner locations; periodic Workshops provide structured learning experiences; and Exhibitions & Art Sales provide vocational opportunities for artists to showcase and sell their work. All programs share a common focus on therapeutic benefits, accessibility, and inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Open Studio Sessions
• Military Veterans Open Studio
• Elder's Studio
• Community Outreach Programs
• Workshops
• Exhibitions and Art Sales

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 400 individuals each year at two studio locations, thirteen outreach sites, and numerous community galleries

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mid-America Arts AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with National Endowment for the Arts on the Creative Forces grant program that DLAC participates in.
• Black Shoe HospitalityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides catering services for the annual Gotta Have Art Gala fundraiser.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Meet Me at MoMA (Museum of Modern Art): Museum-based program for individuals with dementia and their caregivers that uses gallery discussions and art-making. Comparable to DLAC's Elder's Studio in target audience, therapeutic orientation, and partnership with cultural/healthcare institutions.
• Arts & Minds: Nonprofit that provides arts programming for people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and their caregivers. Highly comparable to DLAC's Elder's Studio and outreach to long-term care facilities.
• National Center for Creative Aging: Organization promoting creative engagement for older adults through arts programs, training, and research. Comparable to DLAC's elder-serving programs and its emphasis on cognitive stimulation and reminiscence through art.
• Gateway Arts (Vinfen): Studio-based program supporting artists with disabilities through creation, exhibition, and sale of artwork. Directly comparable to DLAC's open studio and exhibition/sales model, including the vocational and inclusive-arts orientation.
• National Veterans Creative Arts Festival: VA-supported festival and program recognizing creative arts as therapy for veterans recovering from physical and psychological injuries. Highly comparable to DLAC's Military Veterans Open Studio for veterans with PTSD.
• VSA (now part of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts): National nonprofit network dedicated to arts programming for people with disabilities. Closely mirrors DLAC's core mission of accessible art-making for individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities and provides a direct benchmark for program scope and reach.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: Large national nonprofit providing disability services including therapeutic, vocational, and community programs. Comparable to DLAC's adult-with-disabilities programming at a broader scale, with overlapping target population but much wider service portfolio.

Others

• National Guild for Community Arts Education: Membership organization supporting community-based arts education providers. Relevant as a peer/industry body to DLAC, providing benchmarking, training, and advocacy rather than direct service overlap.

Emerging players

• Creative Forces (NEA Military Healing Arts Network): National Endowment for the Arts initiative supporting arts programs for military service members and veterans. Both a funder and peer network for DLAC's veteran programming; comparable through shared creative-arts-for-healing methodology.
• Alzheimer's Poetry Project: National nonprofit that uses poetry recitation and creative arts to inspire people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. Comparable to DLAC's Elder's Studio in therapeutic approach and population served, though using poetry rather than visual art.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lexaartcenter
• Xx.com/donnalexaarts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Donna Lexa Art Centers