Smack Mellon
Smack Mellon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization in DUMBO, Brooklyn that supports emerging and under-recognized artists through studio residencies, exhibitions, high school mentorship, and curatorial programs, funded by foundations, government grants, memberships, and venue rentals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Smack Mellon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smack Mellon
- Legal name
- Smack Mellon
- Website
- https://smackmellon.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Smack Mellon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization in DUMBO, Brooklyn that supports emerging and under-recognized artists through studio residencies, exhibitions, high school mentorship, and curatorial programs, funded by foundations, government grants, memberships, and venue rentals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Smack Mellon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Smack Mellon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting the organization's mission to nurture artists through exhibitions, artist residencies, and teen education programs.
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees ranging from $60 (artist rate) to $6,500 (benefactor), providing tiered benefits including private tours, studio visits, gallery rentals, and merchandise.
- Venue Rental: Rental of gallery space for weddings, events, photo/film shoots, and corporate events. Pricing from $1,500 for proposals/elopements to $3,000 for ceremony/cocktail events, plus membership fees.
- Print Sales: Sale of signed, limited-edition artist prints (11x14 archival inkjet) through the Print Sale shop to support exhibitions, residency, and education programs.
- Special Events and Benefits: Annual benefit events including Spring Benefit, Gravity Racers Benefit Party & Art Auction, and Kentucky Derby Party & Art Auction to raise funds for operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual membership for general supporters |
| Subscription | Annual | Discounted individual membership for artists |
| Subscription | Annual | Family/Dual membership for two individuals and children |
| Subscription | Annual | Enhanced membership with studio access |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium membership with artist print benefit |
| Subscription | Annual | Event hosting membership (weekday) |
| Subscription | Annual | Event hosting membership (Friday/Sunday) |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium event hosting membership (Saturday) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Small intimate venue rental |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Medium venue rental for ceremonies/cocktails |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Curator stipend for emerging curators program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Smack Mellon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smack Mellon is a nonprofit arts organization that nurtures under-recognized and emerging artists through free studio residencies, exhibitions, education programs, and community engagement. It runs the Artist Studio Program (free 11-month studio space with production facilities and stipend), Art Ready (high-school mentorship), exhibitions, and an Emerging Curators program, supplemented by venue rental, an artist print shop, and a tiered membership program.
Product overview
Smack Mellon is a nonprofit arts organization in DUMBO, Brooklyn offering a portfolio of programs supporting artists at various career stages. Its core programs include the Artist Studio Program (eleven-month residency providing studio space, equipment, and stipends to six emerging artists), Art Ready (high school mentorship program), Exhibitions Program (solo and group shows for under-recognized artists), and Emerging Curators Program. Additional services include Venue Rental of its gallery space for events, a Print Sale shop selling artist prints, and a Membership program with multiple tiers. The organization was founded in 1995 and operates from a converted 1880s boiler house at 92 Plymouth Street.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Artist Studio Program An eleven-month residency program (September 5 - August 5) providing six NYC-based early career artists with free private studio space (250-300 sq ft) with 24/7 access, shared production facilities (digital production lab with 27" iMac workstations, HD projector, film scanners, wide-format photo printer, and a fabrication shop with table saw, bandsaw, drill press, belt-sander), a stipend, technical staff support, and exposure through public open studios and curated studio visits with invited curators.
- Art Ready Mentorship Program An eight-month mentorship program (15-week core mentorship) connecting up to 21 NYC public high school students (10th-12th grade) from 10 NYC public high schools with seven diverse working artist mentors annually, featuring studio visits, field trips, portfolio workshops, and a culminating exhibition of student work.
- Exhibitions Program Solo and group exhibitions featuring under-recognized artists, particularly women artists, working in experimental projects across diverse media. Recent and current exhibitions include Chang Yuchen's "For those who share mornings and evenings," Armando Guadalupe Cortés's "Dead Parrot Radio," Golnar Adili's "To Measure the Emotions of Others," and Kate Teale's "Vanishing Points." Free admission Wed-Sun 12-6pm.
- Emerging Curators Program Annual open-call opportunity for NYC-based emerging curators (with at least 3 prior curatorial projects) to propose and curate a summer group exhibition at Smack Mellon. Selected curators receive a $2,000 stipend plus a modest budget for artists' honoraria.
- Public Programs Programs including artist talks, exhibition walkthroughs, performances, screenings, and family workshops that contextualize exhibitions and offer insights into artists' practices.
- Venue Rental Rental of the 3,000-square-foot main gallery (35-foot ceilings, 25 windows, Manhattan and East River views) for weddings, private parties, corporate events, and photo/film shoots. Accommodates seated dinners up to 175 guests or cocktail receptions up to 200. Pricing: $1,500 for proposals/elopements (90 min, up to 12 people) and $3,000 for ceremonies/cocktail parties (3 hours, up to 70 people). Requires separate Smack Mellon membership.
- Membership Program Annual tiered membership program for individuals and families starting at $60/year (artist rate) and $120/year (individual), up to $6,500/year (Benefactor with Saturday event rental). Benefits include private exhibition previews, priority access to public programs, studio visits with Studio Artists, DUMBO gallery tours, supporter recognition, and limited-edition artist prints. Monthly installment option available.
- Print Sale Online shop (smackmellon.square.site) selling signed, limited-edition 11x14 inch archival inkjet artist prints to support exhibitions, residency, and education programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 75+ artists supported annually with first solo NYC exhibitions
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Smack Mellon
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Smack Mellon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Smack Mellon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Walentas Family and Two Trees ManagementcoreSpace for Smack Mellon's programs is generously provided by the Walentas family and Two Trees Management. The organization operates in space provided by these real estate developers in DUMBO.
- Sage & Coombe ArchitectscoreArchitecture firm that transformed the 1880s boiler house into Smack Mellon's current home and provides ongoing in-kind services. Partner for Art Ready education program.
- Materials for the Arts (MFTA)minorNYC Department of Cultural Affairs program providing in-kind donations and services for Smack Mellon's programs.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Smack Mellon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- White Columns: Nonprofit contemporary art organization in NYC supporting emerging and under-recognized artists through exhibitions. Directly comparable to Smack Mellon in audience, mission, and small-team nonprofit structure.
- BRIC: Brooklyn-based nonprofit arts and media organization presenting contemporary art, performance, and media programming. Comparable to Smack Mellon in Brooklyn footprint, multi-program nonprofit model, and audience development.
- Artists Space: NYC-based nonprofit contemporary art organization presenting exhibitions and supporting emerging artists. Highly comparable to Smack Mellon in mission, scale, and operating model as a small artist-focused nonprofit exhibition space.
- SculptureCenter: Long Island City-based nonprofit contemporary art organization supporting emerging and mid-career artists through residencies and exhibitions. Directly comparable to Smack Mellon in residency-plus-exhibition model.
- A.I.R. Gallery: NYC nonprofit gallery dedicated to advancing the work of women artists. Comparable to Smack Mellon in nonprofit gallery model and historical mission focus on women and under-recognized artists.
- Socrates Sculpture Park: NYC nonprofit outdoor sculpture park and artist residency. Comparable to Smack Mellon in artist-residency-plus-public-programming model and nonprofit operations in NYC.
- The Drawing Center: NYC nonprofit exhibition space and educational institution dedicated to drawing and contemporary artists. Comparable to Smack Mellon in museum-style exhibition programming and educational outreach.
- ISCP (International Studio & Curatorial Program): NYC-based nonprofit providing studio residencies and curatorial programs for international and NYC artists. Directly comparable to Smack Mellon's Artist Studio Program in residency model and nonprofit structure.
- NURTUREart Non-Profit: Brooklyn-based nonprofit supporting emerging artists and curators through exhibitions and open calls. Comparable to Smack Mellon in Brooklyn footprint, open-call exhibition model, and small nonprofit scale.
- apexart: NYC nonprofit art space running an open-call exhibition program and curatorial fellowship. Comparable to Smack Mellon's Emerging Curators Program and exhibition-driven nonprofit model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Smack Mellon social profiles
Digital presenceSmack Mellon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smack Mellon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Smack Mellon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smack Mellon M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smack Mellon
What does Smack Mellon do?
Smack Mellon is a nonprofit arts organization that nurtures under-recognized and emerging artists through free studio residencies, exhibitions, education programs, and community engagement. It runs the Artist Studio Program (free 11-month studio space with production facilities and stipend), Art Ready (high-school mentorship), exhibitions, and an Emerging Curators program, supplemented by venue rental, an artist print shop, and a tiered membership program.
Is Smack Mellon a public or private company?
Smack Mellon is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Smack Mellon founded?
Smack Mellon was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Smack Mellon based?
Smack Mellon is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smack Mellon make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are membership Fees, venue Rental, print Sales and special Events and Benefits.
Who are Smack Mellon's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are White Columns, BRIC, Artists Space, SculptureCenter, A.I.R. Gallery, Socrates Sculpture Park, The Drawing Center, ISCP (International Studio & Curatorial Program), NURTUREart Non-Profit and apexart.
Does Smack Mellon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smack Mellon.