Art Start

What Art Start does

Art Start is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991 that delivers creative arts programming to historically marginalized youth ages 14-24, including those experiencing homelessness or involved with the juvenile justice system. The organization runs four core program lines: Creative Collectives (long-term workshops in transitional housing, schools, and detention facilities), Creative Connections / CCX (a continuum of workshops, Studio Saturdays, and the seven-month Emerging Artist Residency), Creative Career Development (paid internships and apprenticeships with creative-industry partners), and Public Exchanges (the See Me Because Portrait Project and related exhibitions and murals). It operates physical studios in New York City's West Chelsea arts district and Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, delivering all programs free of charge to participants, with some paid internships and stipends layered on top.

The organization is not a technology company and operates no software platform; its 'technology' consists of traditional creative-arts pedagogy, a curated network of 12,000+ artist educators and volunteers over 30 years, and a content library anchored by the annual See Me Because Portrait Project. It relies on standard third-party SaaS for donations (Blackbaud), forms (Typeform), events (Eventbrite), and fundraising (JustGiving).

Art Start's revenue model is a typical nonprofit mix of government grants (NEA, NYSCA, Wisconsin Arts Board, Milwaukee Arts Board), foundation grants (Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Humanities New York), corporate sponsorships (Dr. Jart+, Shake Shack, Kurt Geiger Kindness Foundation, Roc Nation, Phillips, Herschel Supply Co., Beggars Group), individual donations, and a nascent earned-revenue stream via the Metronome membership program and merchandise. Its go-to-market is community-led: youth are acquired through referrals from social-service agencies, schools, shelters, and juvenile-justice partners rather than paid acquisition channels.

Name

Art Start

Legal name

Art Start

Website

https://art-start.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Art Start is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that delivers free creative arts workshops, mentorship, paid internships, and public exhibitions to historically marginalized youth ages 14-24, operating studios in New York City and Milwaukee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA)

Keywords

• Youth arts education
• Creative mentorship programs
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Community arts workshops
• Youth career development

Headquarters

HQ city

New York, New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate partners provide financial support, in-kind donations, mentorship, internship opportunities, and workshop facilitation. Partners include Dr. Jart+, Shake Shack, Kurt Geiger, Herschel Supply Co., and others in the creative industries.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Art Start receives funding from government agencies and private foundations including National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, Wisconsin Arts Board, Milwaukee Arts Board, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and others to support specific programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Art Start provides free creative arts education programs for historically marginalized youth ages 14-24, delivered through long-term workshops, mentorship, paid internships, and public exhibitions across studios in New York City and Milwaukee. Core program pillars include Creative Collectives (workshops for youth in shelters, schools, and juvenile justice facilities), Creative Connections/CCX (a continuum of creative arts pathways for teens and young adults), Creative Career Development (paid internships and apprenticeships with industry partners), and Public Exchanges (community exhibitions and the See Me Because Portrait Project).

Product overview

Art Start is a non-profit youth arts organization (not a technology company) offering multiple interconnected creative programs. The core offerings include Creative Collectives (long-term arts workshops for underserved youth), Creative Career Development (paid internships and apprenticeships), Creative Connections/CCX (a comprehensive pathway program combining sessions, studio time, and residencies), and Public Exchanges (public-facing exhibitions and portrait projects). The flagship See Me Because Portrait Project, founded in 2013, enables youth to create self-portraits with professional photographers. Additional programs include Creative Sessions (drop-in workshops), Studio Saturdays, the Emerging Artist Residency, Metronome membership, and the Youth Leadership Board. Programs operate primarily in New York City and Milwaukee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Creative Collectives: Arts workshops with young people in transitional housing, schools, and detention facilities since 1991.
• Creative Connections
• Creative Career Development
• Public Exchanges
• See Me Because Portrait Project
• Metronome
• Emerging Artist Residency

Products and services

• Creative Collectives Long-term arts workshops conducted at transitional housing residences, schools, and residential detention facilities for youth experiencing homelessness or involved in the juvenile justice system. Programs run up to five days a week with focus on visual arts, music, dance, theater, and performance showcases. Free to participants ages 14-24 in NYC.
• Creative Career Development Program connecting youth ages 14-24 to paid practicum opportunities with industry partners, including structured internships, apprenticeships (including NY State Department of Labor-certified 12-month programs with Phillips), career exploration trips to creative cities, and industry collaboration projects.
• Creative Connections (CCX) Year-round continuum of spaces and pathways for teens and young adults to explore, learn, and grow into creative arts industries. Includes summer internships, monthly creative sessions, industry partnerships, showcases, Studio Saturdays, and the Emerging Artist Residency. Available in NYC and Milwaukee.
• Public Exchanges Public platform for the voices and visions of the Art Start community of youth and families, including the Art Start Portrait Project (See Me Because), Family Portrait Project, infographics, gallery exhibitions, murals, music videos, and public forums. Operates in NYC and Milwaukee.
• Emerging Artist Residency Seven-month residency program providing workshops, mentorship, and individual art practice for emerging artists to develop their creative, personal, and professional growth, with industry projects and partners.
• See Me Because Portrait Project Annual multimedia exhibition and platform where youth of color create self-portraits with professional photographers to establish their own narratives and express how they want to be seen. Founded in 2013; Volume 16 held in 2025.
• Creative Sessions Free drop-in artmaking workshops for youth ages 14-24 held monthly in both NYC and Milwaukee locations, featuring hands-on activities, music, snacks, and socialization.
• Studio Saturdays Monthly open studio events providing space for art, music, writing, and creative exploration for youth ages 14-24 in NYC and Milwaukee.
• Metronome Membership Monthly membership program for Art Start supporters investing $50/month or more, offering monthly youth-curated fine art prints, poetry, publications, and creative swag.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25,000+ youth served since 1991
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• Dr. Jart+coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDr. Jart+ has been supporting the Creative Connections Program since 2020, providing scholarships, branding mentorship, and sponsorship of Emerging Artists. The skincare brand collaborates on youth development initiatives.
• Kurt Geiger Kindness FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kurt Geiger Kindness Foundation's mission is to remove barriers for young people to enter the creative industry. Art Start was the Kindness Foundation's first US partner, collaborating on fashion, marketing, PR, and photography projects.
• Shake ShackcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerShake Shack supports Art Start with in-kind donations, youth mentorship, and collaborative creative projects including marketing campaigns. Art Start interns have worked on projects from ideation to execution.
• Roc NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoc Nation partners with Art Start's Creative Connections Program, providing industry access and mentorship opportunities for youth in the creative arts.
• Phillips (auction house)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner2024 Creative Industries Apprenticeship partner. Phillips provides 12-month full-time paid apprenticeships in arts management for Art Start youth, certified by NY State Department of Labor.
• Staple DesignminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStreetwear brand partnering since 2014, supporting through fundraising, awareness campaigns, in-kind donations, youth mentorship, and workshops.
• Herschel Supply Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDesign-driven accessories brand supporting Creative Connections and Creative Collectives Programs since 2020.
• Cadogan TateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFine art logistics company supporting the Portrait Project by storing youth prints and providing exhibition materials and equipment.
• Milwaukee Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Creative Career Summer Internship program and Arts Internship Program. Black and Latino Male Achievement Department collaborates on specific initiatives.
• Casa RomerocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban multicultural retreat center serving as community partner for See Me Because Portrait Project Volume 8, selecting participants and providing programming space.
• Harbor DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilwaukee organization supporting the See Me Because exhibition at Harbor View Plaza and collaborating on Bronzeville Artwalk projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Lincoln Center Education: Education arm of Lincoln Center delivering arts programming and performances to NYC youth and schools. Comparable as a major institution running arts education for young people in NYC.
• National Arts Club (Education Programs): Historic NYC arts nonprofit offering arts programming, scholarships, and youth initiatives. Comparable as an established NYC arts nonprofit serving artists and youth communities.
• Roundabout Theatre Company (Education): Major NYC theatre institution with an established education program serving NYC youth through in-school and after-school arts programming. Comparable as a large-scale arts organization with NYC youth education initiatives.

Direct peers

• Marquis Studios: NYC nonprofit bringing arts education to schools, shelters, and community organizations serving underserved youth. Comparable in target population, program model, and arts workshops in transitional settings.
• Young Audiences Arts for Learning: National nonprofit delivering arts education programs to K-12 youth across many U.S. cities. Directly comparable as a nonprofit arts-education provider serving youth with workshops, residencies, and artist mentors.
• The Door - A Center of Alternatives: NYC youth-serving nonprofit offering arts, education, and career development programs for teens and young adults ages 12-24. Comparable target age range and arts/career pathway structure.
• Free Arts NYC: NYC-based nonprofit providing arts programs to youth impacted by poverty and trauma, including those in shelters and juvenile justice settings. Directly comparable in mission, target population, and program model.
• Brotherhood/Sister Sol (Bro/Sis): NYC nonprofit providing arts, education, and leadership programs for youth of color aged 8-22. Comparable in serving historically marginalized youth with arts-based identity and career development programming.

Others

• Philanthropy Roundtable: Membership organization supporting effective philanthropy including arts and youth development funders. Relevant as a connector to the foundation/government funding ecosystem Art Start depends on.

Emerging players

• Inner-City Arts: LA-based nonprofit providing arts education to underserved youth in a single metro area. Comparable as a city-focused creative arts nonprofit for historically marginalized youth, though in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/artstartorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/artstartorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Art Start