Usdan Center for the Creative & Performing Arts

What Usdan Center for the Creative & Performing Arts does

Usdan Center for the Creative & Performing Arts is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit summer arts day camp founded in 1968 and headquartered on a 140-acre campus at 185 Colonial Springs Road in Wheatley Heights, Long Island, New York (EIN 13-2792668). The organization delivers immersive arts education programs for students in grades K-12 (ages 5-18) drawn primarily from Long Island and New York City families, offering tiered session lengths of 1, 4, or 8 weeks running June 29 to August 21, 2026. Its product portfolio spans four core programs—Discovery (Grades K-1), Classic Program (Grades 2-12), Recreational Camp (Grades 2-8, one week), and Leadership Program (Ages 15-18)—delivered across eight artistic departments (Art, Creative Writing, Dance, Music, Theater, Chess, Nature & Sustainability, and Recreational Arts), supplemented by 150+ classes, 170+ annual performances at the McKinley Amphitheater, an Artist in Residence program, and a New Works Initiative commissioning original theatrical works. The device-free campus model positions Usdan as a deliberate counterweight to screen-based youth culture.

The organization is staffed by 350+ seasonal faculty and administrators (primarily professional working artists and educators) under Executive Director Lauren Brandt Schloss and COO Victoria Ellerbe. Its business model combines session-based tuition revenue (pricing not publicly disclosed) with diversified nonprofit funding: charitable donations via the Givelively platform, corporate sponsorships managed by Director of Development Jessica Liss Feuer, public funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, and seasonal fundraising through the RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns fall event. In 2025, Usdan served more than 1,300 young artists, distributed $2.2 million in scholarships and financial aid (Uniquely U, Poet in U, Music Merit, and the newly launched Leonard Riggio Creative Writing Scholarship), and reached 50,000+ on-campus guests plus 23,000+ virtual community members. Marketing is direct-to-consumer via usdan.org, a multi-platform social presence, monthly newsletters, campus tours, and structured referral/sibling discount programs. The organization holds American Camp Association Accreditation (December 2025) and has been named a Top Long Island Workplace for five consecutive years.

Name

Usdan Center for the Creative & Performing Arts

Legal name

Usdan Center for the Creative & Performing Arts

Website

https://usdan.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Usdan Center for the Creative & Performing Arts is a nonprofit summer arts day camp founded in 1968 on a 140-acre Long Island campus, serving 1,300+ K-12 students annually across eight artistic disciplines through 1-, 4-, and 8-week sessions funded by tuition, donations, and public grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Summer Arts Day Camp Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking) (EDAMALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Writing, Journalism & Publishing Camps (EDAMALAM), Academic Enrichment Camps (General Studies) (EDAMALAB)

Keywords

• Summer arts day camp
• Arts education programs
• Creative performing arts
• Youth arts immersion
• Nonprofit summer camp

Headquarters

HQ city

Melville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Camp Tuition: Tuition fees for summer camp programs including Discovery (K-1), Classic Program, Recreational Camp (1-week), and Leadership Program (4- and 8-week sessions). Revenue is session-based and seasonal.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable contributions from individuals, corporate sponsorships, and planned giving. Donation page available through Givelively platform. EIN 13-2792668.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship partnerships for visibility and philanthropic goals. Contact Director of Development Jessica Liss Feuer.
4. RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns Event Revenue: Fall event featuring hand-carved jack o'lanterns generating revenue for the organization. October 3 – November 1, 2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Usdan Center for the Creative & Performing Arts is a nonprofit summer arts day camp offering immersive arts education for students in grades K-12 on a 140-acre campus in Wheatley Heights, Long Island. Programs run June 29 – August 21 in 1-, 4-, or 8-week sessions across eight artistic disciplines (Art, Creative Writing, Dance, Music, Theater, Chess, Nature & Sustainability, Recreational Arts), taught by professional working artists, with 150+ classes and 170+ annual performances.

Product overview

Usdan Center for the Creative & Performing Arts operates as a nonprofit summer arts day camp offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs across eight artistic disciplines (Art, Creative Writing, Dance, Music, Theater, Chess, Nature & Sustainability, and Recreational Arts). The organization provides tiered program offerings: Discovery (grades K-1), Classic Program (grades 2-12 with 4- or 8-week sessions), Recreational Camp (1-week), and Leadership Program (ages 15-18). The camp runs annually from June through August on a 140-acre campus in Wheatley Heights, Long Island, serving over 1,300 students annually. Key programmatic features include daily Festival Performances at the McKinley Amphitheater, an Artist in Residence Program bringing professional artists to collaborate with students, and the New Works Initiative that commissions original theatrical works. Financial support is provided through multiple scholarship programs including Uniquely U, Poet in U, Music Merit, and Leonard Riggio Creative Writing Scholarships. The organization also hosts community events such as the Hip-Hop Pool Party and Community Days, and operates RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns as a fall fundraising event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts A nonprofit summer arts day camp on Long Island, New York, offering immersive arts education programs for students in grades K-12. The camp runs sessions from June 29–August 21, with 1-, 4-, or 8-week options, teaching eight artistic disciplines across a 140-acre campus.
• Discovery Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of students reported feeling safe to play and experiment as an artist at Usdan (2025)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New York State Council on the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Usdan Summer Camp programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, providing essential funding for arts education programming.
• The KnightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-class orchestral ensemble that performed at Usdan's Festival and collaborated with Usdan Music students who wrote original classical compositions performed by the ensemble. Part of Usdan's New Works Initiative supporting aspiring professional artists.
• DJ Kool HerccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist in Residence and founder of Hip-Hop culture. Teaching 'Intro to DJ Basics & the History of Hip-Hop' class and co-hosting the annual Hip-Hop Pool Party at Usdan.
• Cindy CampbellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist in Residence and 'First Lady of Hip-Hop.' Teaching at Usdan and co-hosting the annual Hip-Hop Pool Party alongside DJ Kool Herc, celebrating Hip-Hop music and culture.
• A.I.M by Kyle AbrahamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCritically-acclaimed dance company that performed at Usdan's 2025 Festival, showcasing contemporary dance to campers.
• IMGE DanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance company blending Indian classical dance, martial arts, and hip-hop that performed at Usdan's Festival and led workshops.
• NaiNi Chen DanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCritically-acclaimed dance company that performed at Usdan's 2025 Festival.
• Harlem Chamber PlayersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoundary-breaking classical ensemble that performed at Usdan's Festival, collaborating with Usdan alumni.
• The Red Trouser ShowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeloved circus act that performed at Usdan's Festival, entertaining campers with acrobatics and comedy.
• Wyandanch RisingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative bringing affordable housing and economic revitalization to Long Island. Through partnership with Usdan, Russell and Marilyn Albanese have helped support scholarships for Wyandanch students.
• American Camp Association (ACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUsdan received ACA Accreditation in December 2025, affirming commitment to health, safety, and program quality standards through voluntary review of 140 standards.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts: New York-based performing arts summer camp offering immersive training in theater, dance, music, and circus arts for school-age children — closely comparable in geography, age range, and arts focus.
• Interlochen Center for the Arts: Premier multi-disciplinary arts summer camp in Michigan offering summer programs in visual arts, music, theater, dance, and creative writing for K-12 students — the closest large-scale peer to Usdan in mission and structure, though primarily residential.
• Appel Farm Arts Camp: New Jersey summer arts camp offering multi-disciplinary arts programming in music, theater, dance, visual arts, and creative writing for K-12 youth — a regional peer with overlapping mission and summer-camp structure.
• Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp: Michigan-based summer arts camp serving K-12 students across multiple artistic disciplines with intensive multi-week sessions and a large performance/exhibition program — directly comparable to Usdan's multi-discipline model and community ethos.
• Stagedoor Manor: New York-based performing arts summer camp for ages 10-18 focused on theater, dance, and music — a directly comparable specialty arts summer camp competing for the same Long Island/NYC family market.
• Idyllwild Arts Academy & Summer Program: California-based arts summer program offering immersive training in music, dance, theater, visual arts, and creative writing for youth — comparable multi-disciplinary arts summer experience with similar scholarship-driven access model.

Broad incumbents

• Lincoln Center Education: Lincoln Center's educational and community programs serve NYC-area youth with arts exposure and performance opportunities — broader incumbent with overlapping arts-education mission and donor/foundation overlap.
• Performing Arts Camp at Usdan competitors — CalArts Summer Arts: CalArts (California Institute of the Arts) operates summer arts programs for K-12 students across visual and performing arts as part of a larger degree-granting institution — broader scope but overlapping summer arts education audience.
• Berklee College of Music Five-Week Summer Performance Program: Berklee's summer music programs serve teen musicians with intensive training and performance opportunities — a broader music-specialty incumbent that competes for the same family budget and adolescent music students.

Emerging players

• Tanglewood Music Center (BSO): Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer learning programs at Tanglewood serve advanced young musicians — partial overlap with Usdan's Music department and New Works Initiative collaborations like The Knights.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/usdanarts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UsdanCenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/usdansummercamp
• Instagraminstagram.com/usdanarts
• TikToktiktok.com/@usdanarts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usdan-center-for-the-creative-and-performing-arts

Compliance1 record

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 Usdan Center for the Creative & Performing Arts