Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a DC public high school, founded in 1974, offering the only dual college-preparatory and pre-professional arts curriculum in the district across eight arts disciplines, serving Washington, DC students tuition-free.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Duke Ellington School of the Arts does
Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DESA) is a public high school located at 3500 R Street NW in Washington, DC, operated by the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) system. Founded in 1974 and nearing its 50th anniversary, the school offers a dual curriculum that combines rigorous college-preparatory academics with pre-professional arts training. It is the only public high school in DC offering this specific combined model, and serves high-school-age students and their families seeking integrated academic and arts education.
The school delivers eight distinct pre-professional arts programs — Cinematic Arts & Media Production, Dance, Instrumental Music, Museum Studies, Technical Design & Production, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Vocal Music — alongside college-preparatory academic departments covering English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, World Languages, Health & P.E., and Specialized Instruction. Prospective students are admitted through an application and audition process. As a public school, there is no tuition for DC residents; student fees may apply for materials, supplies, and activities. The school's operations are supplemented by the Ellington Fund, a separate nonprofit organization that raises private philanthropic support for school programs and initiatives.
The institution maintains an active presence on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, and LinkedIn, alongside an email newsletter, and engages in ongoing fundraising and community events. The current leadership structure, enrollment size, operating budget, and detailed financials are not disclosed in the available data; no AI/ML capabilities, commercial products, or venture-style growth signals are associated with the institution.
Duke Ellington School of the Arts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Duke Ellington School of the Arts
- Legal name
- Duke Ellington School of the Arts
- Website
- https://ellingtonschool.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a DC public high school, founded in 1974, offering the only dual college-preparatory and pre-professional arts curriculum in the district across eight arts disciplines, serving Washington, DC students tuition-free.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Duke Ellington School of the Arts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Duke Ellington School of the Arts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Duke Ellington School of the Arts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a DC public high school delivering a dual curriculum that combines rigorous college-preparatory academics with pre-professional arts training. It offers eight distinct arts programs — Dance, Instrumental Music, Cinematic Arts & Media Production, Museum Studies, Technical Design & Production, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Vocal Music — alongside academic departments in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, World Languages, Health & P.E., and Specialized Instruction. Admission is via application and audition, with no tuition for DC residents.
Product overview
Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DESA) operates as a single unified educational institution offering a dual curriculum that combines rigorous college-preparatory academics with pre-professional arts training. The school provides eight distinct arts programs: Cinematic Arts & Media Production, Dance, Instrumental Music, Museum Studies, Technical Design & Production, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Vocal Music. These arts programs function as the core pre-professional training components, complemented by comprehensive academic departments covering English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, World Languages, Health & P.E., and Specialized Instruction. Together, these offerings create a one-of-a-kind institution where students pursue both their artistic passions and academic excellence simultaneously.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cinematic Arts & Media Production Pre-professional training in film, video production, and media arts combined with the academic curriculum, for DESA high school students.
- Dance Pre-professional dance training as part of the dual curriculum combining arts and academics, for DESA high school students.
- Instrumental Music Pre-professional training in instrumental music performance and musicianship, for DESA high school students.
- Museum Studies Pre-professional training in museum curation, exhibition design, and arts administration, for DESA high school students.
- Technical Design & Production Pre-professional training in technical theatre, stage design, and production management, for DESA high school students.
- Theatre Pre-professional training in theatrical performance, acting, and dramatic arts, for DESA high school students.
- Visual Arts Pre-professional training in visual arts including drawing, painting, sculpture, and digital media, for DESA high school students.
- Vocal Music Pre-professional training in vocal performance, music theory, and choral techniques, for DESA high school students.
- College-Preparatory Academics Rigorous college-preparatory academic curriculum covering English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, World Languages, Health & P.E., and Specialized Instruction, for DESA high school students.
Companies that use Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Duke Ellington School of the Arts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Duke Ellington School of the Arts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Duke Ellington School of the Arts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts: The flagship public arts high school in New York City, LaGuardia offers dual academic and pre-professional arts training across visual art, instrumental music, vocal music, dance, and theatre. It is the closest U.S. peer to DESA in mission, structure, and selective admissions model.
- Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA): A Philadelphia public magnet high school delivering college-preparatory academics alongside pre-professional arts programs in dance, instrumental and vocal music, theatre, visual arts, and creative writing. Operates the same public-magnet-arts model as DESA.
- New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA): A Louisiana public arts conservatory serving high schoolers with pre-professional training in music, theatre, dance, visual arts, culinary arts, and other creative disciplines. Comparable to DESA as a regional public arts high school with selective audition-based admissions.
- Boston Arts Academy (BAA): Boston's only public high school for the arts, providing college-preparatory academics with pre-professional instruction in dance, instrumental and vocal music, theatre, and visual arts. Closely comparable to DESA as a city-level public arts high school.
- Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA): A California public magnet high school providing college-prep academics alongside pre-professional arts tracks in dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and cinematic arts. Closely mirrors DESA's dual-curriculum public magnet model on the West Coast.
- San Francisco School of the Arts (Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts): A San Francisco Unified public high school combining college-preparatory academics with pre-professional arts training across multiple disciplines including dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and media arts. Directly comparable in public-magnet-arts model.
- Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA): A Baltimore City public magnet high school that combines college-preparatory academics with pre-professional training in dance, film, instrumental and vocal music, theatre, and visual arts. Operates the same public-magnet + arts-specialty model as DESA on a similar regional scale.
- Frank Sinatra School of the Arts: A NYC public high school dedicated to the arts, offering pre-professional training in dance, film, instrumental music, vocal music, theatre, and visual arts alongside a college-prep curriculum. Directly comparable to DESA in mission and program structure.
- Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA): A HISD public magnet high school offering rigorous academics paired with pre-professional training in dance, instrumental and vocal music, theatre, visual art, and creative writing. Directly comparable to DESA in structure and program breadth.
Emerging players
- Interlochen Arts Academy: A private boarding high school in Michigan focused on arts training across music, theatre, dance, visual arts, and creative writing. Different ownership model (private residential vs. DESA's public day school), but overlaps as a national magnet for arts-focused high school students.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Customer concentration
Duke Ellington School of the Arts social profiles
Digital presenceDuke Ellington School of the Arts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Duke Ellington School of the Arts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Duke Ellington School of the Arts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Duke Ellington School of the Arts 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 Duke Ellington School of the Arts
What does Duke Ellington School of the Arts do?
Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a DC public high school delivering a dual curriculum that combines rigorous college-preparatory academics with pre-professional arts training. It offers eight distinct arts programs — Dance, Instrumental Music, Cinematic Arts & Media Production, Museum Studies, Technical Design & Production, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Vocal Music — alongside academic departments in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, World Languages, Health & P.E., and Specialized Instruction. Admission is via application and audition, with no tuition for DC residents.
Is Duke Ellington School of the Arts a public or private company?
Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Duke Ellington School of the Arts founded?
Duke Ellington School of the Arts was founded in 1974. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Duke Ellington School of the Arts based?
Duke Ellington School of the Arts is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Duke Ellington School of the Arts's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), Boston Arts Academy (BAA), Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), San Francisco School of the Arts (Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts), Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA), Frank Sinatra School of the Arts and Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA). Interlochen Arts Academy is listed as an emerging player.
Does Duke Ellington School of the Arts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Duke Ellington School of the Arts.