Name

Daybreak Arts

Legal name

Daybreak Arts

Website

https://daybreakarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Arts Services

NAICS

Art Dealers (459920), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Nonprofit art organization
• Artist collective program
• Community art gallery
• Homeless artist support
• Commissioned artwork services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville, Tennessee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Art Sales Revenue Share: Artists sell original artwork and reproductions through Daybreak Arts' online shop and gallery. Artists receive 70% commission on original artwork sales and 25% on reproduction/merchandise sales. Organization reinvests earned revenue into program operations.
2. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors fund operations and artist programming. Donations provide art supplies, space, education, and platform development.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual Illuminate Art Gala and other events generate fundraising revenue through ticket sales, silent auctions, and direct artist sales.
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations from $25 to $1,000 with no expiration. Recipient can apply gift card value toward art purchases.
5. Commissioned Artwork: Some artists are available for commissioned pieces, ranging from 3 weeks to 3 months to complete based on size and complexity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Daybreak Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise that provides studio space, fine art supplies, training, and gallery representation to artists experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, then sells their original artwork (with 70% of proceeds going to the artist) and reproductions/merchandise (25% to the artist) through an e-commerce storefront, a physical gallery by appointment, and exhibition events across Greater Nashville. The Artist Collective Program is the cornerstone, complemented by the annual Illuminate Art Gala, digital gift cards, youth programming (Gigi's Creative Corner and Shwab Art Club), and commissioned artwork services.

Product overview

Daybreak Arts is a nonprofit social enterprise operating as a single integrated organization with multiple interconnected programs. The core offering is the Artist Collective Program, which provides artists experiencing homelessness with studio space, supplies, training, and a marketplace to sell their original artwork (earning 70% commission) and reproductions (earning 25% commission). Supporting this are the annual Illuminate Art Gala as a major fundraising showcase, an e-commerce shop for original art and merchandise including holiday cards, and digital gift cards. The Gigi's Creative Corner youth program (including Shwab Art Club) extends the mission to young people. The organization facilitates commissioned artwork and hosts exhibitions at partner venues. Together these create a closed ecosystem supporting artists from creation through sale, with donated income reinvested into program sustainability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artist Collective Program Core program providing adult artists experiencing homelessness and housing instability with professional studio space, fine art supplies, artistic and business training, gallery exhibition opportunities, and a marketplace to earn income through selling original artwork (70% to artist) and merchandise/reproductions (25% to artist).
• Illuminate Art Gala Annual fundraising gala showcasing and selling artwork by unhoused and housing-insecure artists, with ticket sales, silent auctions, and direct art sales providing income, networking opportunities, and public recognition for artists.
• Original Artwork and Reproductions Original paintings, drawings, sculptures, and mixed media created by Daybreak artists, plus reproductions and merchandise, available for purchase online and in the gallery. Artists receive 70% of original artwork proceeds and 25% of reproduction sales.
• Digital Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in $25, $50, $75, $100, $500, and $1,000 denominations that never expire, redeemable for art purchases with the artist receiving their commission percentage upon order completion.
• Holiday Cards Greeting cards designed and created by Daybreak artists, including customizable options for companies to feature their logos; sold to healthcare workers and available for bulk corporate orders (e.g., Crossroads Pets 2025 holiday cards).
• Gigi's Creative Corner Youth Program Youth program under Daybreak Arts dedicated to bringing accessible art experiences to young people, including the Shwab Art Club at Shwab Elementary and broader youth art education initiatives.
• Shwab Art Club Weekly art club for 3rd grade students at Shwab Elementary School, part of Gigi's Creative Corner, meeting to create art and culminating in a student exhibition.
• Commissioned Artwork Custom artwork commissions where customers work directly with Daybreak artists and receive a sketch; completion timelines range from 3 weeks to 3 months depending on size and complexity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75+ artists served since founding, over $90,000 distributed to artists experiencing homelessness
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arts & Business Council of Greater NashvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Nashville Sign billboard featuring Daybreak artists as 'Artist of the Week.' Partnership enables artist Edwin Lockridge to have artwork displayed at the iconic 13-lane Broadway/West End/16th Avenue intersection. Organization also refers artists to ABC's Periscope Artist Entrepreneur Training program.
• Nashville SymphonycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeamed up for Reflections & Hope concert showcasing Daybreak artists' creativity and talents. Artists enjoyed the concert with complimentary tickets. Partnership aims to bring more art to Nashville Symphony in the future.
• Nashville Living WageminorOthersListed in Nashville Living Wage directory of employers committed to paying living wages.
• Social Enterprise Alliance NashvilleminorOthersMember of Social Enterprise Alliance Nashville chapter, connecting with other social enterprises in the region.
• Center for Nonprofit ManagementminorOthersPartner organization providing resources and support for nonprofit management.
• Dickerson Road Merchants AssociationminorOthersBusiness association serving the Dickerson Pike commercial district where Daybreak Arts is located.
• PENCILcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Shwab Art Club program at Shwab Elementary. PENCIL connects schools with community resources to support student success.
• Belmont University Honors ScholarscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpring 2025 photography and multi-media collaboration with Belmont Honors class @f.o.c.u.s.2025. Exhibition highlighted creative expression and impact of being unhoused. Song 'Our Lives Are an Unwritten Song' created by Daybreak Artist Daniel Holmes with Belmont students, recorded at Ocean Way Studio.
• Crossroads PetsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected artist Bandy's 'Santa Claws' design for 2025 holiday cards supporting housing insecure youth, artists, and pets.
• Open Table NashvillecoreOthersListed in Open Table Nashville's 'Where to Turn in Nashville: A Resource Guide for Navigating the Streets' in Employment and Arts sections. Primary referral source for artists experiencing homelessness.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Project Onward: Chicago-based nonprofit studio and gallery dedicated to artists with mental illness, providing materials, mentorship, exhibition space, and sales opportunities — closely comparable to Daybreak Arts' integrated studio/gallery/marketplace approach.
• Open Studio Project: Illinois-based nonprofit that supports adult artists with disabilities through studio programming, exhibitions, and sales — comparable studio-plus-gallery-plus-marketplace nonprofit model.
• Creativity Explored: San Francisco-based nonprofit operating a professional art studio and gallery that supports artists with developmental disabilities, with a similar mission of providing studio space, supplies, training, and a marketplace — directly comparable to Daybreak Arts' Artist Collective.
• ArtWorks (Cincinnati): Nonprofit arts-based social enterprise that employs and supports artists (often youth and underserved populations) through paid creative work, murals, and gallery sales — directly parallel to Daybreak Arts' studio-plus-marketplace model serving artists experiencing housing insecurity.
• National Art Exhibitions by the Mentally Ill (NAEMI): Nonprofit that exhibits and sells artwork by artists with mental health challenges, providing a marketplace and visibility platform — closely comparable in mission and gallery-driven sales model.
• Healing Arts Network: Nonprofit network supporting arts-based healing and creative enterprise for underserved artists, with overlapping mission around using art to address social and economic vulnerability.
• Outside In: Portland-based nonprofit that supports homeless youth and other underserved young people through art, including gallery exhibitions and sales — directly comparable in serving unhoused populations through creative enterprise.

Broad incumbents

• National Arts Club: Established nonprofit arts organization operating exhibition programming and member-driven arts programming — comparable in nonprofit arts-services positioning but with a different mission focus.
• Artspace: National nonprofit focused on affordable live/work space for artists, with broader scope than Daybreak Arts but overlaps in providing physical studio/gallery infrastructure and community for artists.

Regional players

• Living Arts (Tulsa): Tulsa-based nonprofit arts collective offering studio, exhibition, and programming space — comparable small nonprofit arts organization model, but operating in a different region than Daybreak Arts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/DaybreakArts
• Instagraminstagram.com/daybreakarts
• Facebookfacebook.com/DaybreakArts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/daybreakarts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Daybreak Arts