Art Projects For Schools

What Art Projects For Schools does

Art Projects For Schools (APFS), founded in 1997 by former English teacher Dan Dickey, is a UK-based supplier of creative fundraising projects for primary schools. The company operates from Whitstable, Kent, and was acquired by Whitstable Print Limited in 2024. APFS runs two core product lines: a Yearbook Project, in which schools design and order personalised A4 yearbooks (starting at £7.00-£7.75 per standard 28-32 page book, up to 200 pages at 24p per two additional pages) using a proprietary free online Yearbook Designer Platform (yearbooks.apfs.org.uk) with themed templates and collaborative editing; and a Creative Card / Christmas Card Project, in which children's artwork is transformed into personalised cards, wrapping paper, gift tags, mugs, and bags for parents to purchase. Auxiliary products include Build-a-Book and Design a Mug projects, plus downloadable fundraising resource packs.

Revenue is generated through per-unit transaction fees on yearbook and card/mug orders placed by parents through the apfsorders.co.uk online shop, with no minimum orders or deposits required. The go-to-market is product-led and self-serve: schools book projects via an online reservation form, teachers and PTAs manage design through the platform, and parents order directly — claimed to reduce school administrative workload by 90%. Distribution is direct-to-school across UK primary schools with delivery to school or home. Marketing relies on content (educational blog, teacher interviews), organic social (Facebook, Instagram), Trustpilot reputation (4.7/5), and downloadable resources. Reported scale signals include £6.4M cumulative funds raised for schools over the company's history, 2 million+ children reached annually, and 220,000 artworks transformed into 6 million Christmas cards in each 8-week seasonal cycle.

Name

Art Projects For Schools

Legal name

Art Projects For Schools

Website

https://apfs.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Art Projects For Schools is a UK-based, Whitstable-headquartered supplier of creative fundraising projects for primary schools, founded in 1997, offering online yearbook design and Christmas Card Projects that transform children's artwork into personalised printed products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary School Fundraising & Printing Services

NAICS

Stationery Product Manufacturing (32223), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Greeting Cards (2771)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative Arts, Music & Movement Content (EDAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creativity, Art & Music Learning Apps (EDACANAE), Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing (MPAJAFAG)

Keywords

• School fundraising projects
• Yearbook design services
• Creative card printing
• Primary school art projects
• Personalised printed products

Headquarters

HQ city

Whitstable

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Yearbook Sales: Schools create and sell yearbooks to parents. Families pay for the finished printed products. Revenue is generated through per-unit transaction fees on yearbook orders, with pricing from £7.00-£7.75 per standard book. No deposits or minimum orders required.
2. Christmas Card and Creative Card Project Products: Schools run art projects where children's drawings are transformed into printed products (cards, wrapping paper, mugs, bags). Parents order personalised items through the online shop, and schools receive fundraising revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Art Projects For Schools provides creative fundraising projects to UK primary schools, including the Yearbook Project (schools design and print personalised A4 yearbooks via a free online designer) and the Christmas/Creative Card Project (children's artwork is transformed into personalised printed products such as cards, wrapping paper, mugs and bags, which parents purchase). The offering combines an online design platform, project management, print production and delivery, with schools receiving fundraising revenue on each product sold.

Product overview

Art Projects For Schools operates a multi-product platform for primary school fundraising through creative art projects. The core offerings include the Yearbook Project (allowing schools to create professional A4 yearbooks with an online designer and themed templates) and the Creative/Christmas Card Project (transforming children's artwork into personalised products like cards, mugs, and bags). Additional offerings include the Design a Mug Project and Build-a-Book Project. The company provides free online design tools accessible to any internet-connected device, with resources including posters, guides, and artwork guidelines to support implementation. All products are specifically designed for UK primary schools, with pricing tailored to educational budgets and no minimum order requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yearbook Project A yearbook creation service for primary schools enabling teachers, students and parents to design and print personalised A4 yearbooks (typically Year 6 leavers' books) using an online designer with themed templates, photo upload and customisation. Pricing starts at £7.00-£7.75 per standard 28-32 page book with no deposits and no minimum orders.
• Christmas Card Project / Creative Card Project A seasonal and year-round fundraising project where children's artwork is transformed into personalised printed products — including Christmas cards, wrapping paper, gift tags, mugs and bags — which parents purchase through the APFS online shop, with schools receiving fundraising revenue.
• Design a Mug Project A fundraising project allowing primary school children to create artwork that is then printed onto personalised mugs which parents purchase through the APFS online shop, generating school fundraising revenue.
• Build-a-Book Project A publishing project enabling primary school children to create and share their own art books using APFS's designer platform, with parent login capabilities to view creations and blank or templated book options as part of school fundraising.

Quantifiable outcome

• Schools have raised over £6.4 million through APFS projects
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Whitstable Print LimitedcoreOthersAPFS has been acquired by Whitstable Print Limited. The acquisition provides APFS with backing from a wider print team and enhanced resources while maintaining the same trusted service, creative projects, and dedicated support schools have come to expect. All existing APFS services continue unchanged.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pg/Art.Projects.for.Schools/posts/?ref=page_internal
• Instagraminstagram.com/artprojectsforschools/?hl=en
• Xx.com/artprojectsfs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/art-projects-for-schools-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Art Projects For Schools