DRAG STORY HOUR NYC

What DRAG STORY HOUR NYC does

Drag Artists for Expression NYC (formerly Drag Story Hour NYC / Drag Queen Story Hour NYC) is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit founded in 2017 that produces storytelling and creative arts programs for children and teens, presented by local drag artists. Programs are delivered in person across all five boroughs of New York City at libraries, schools, museums, festivals, parks, block parties, bookstores, play spaces, workplaces, and cultural and community institutions, and are also delivered virtually online. The organization reports that in 2021 it produced 67 in-person programs and 141 virtual programs, serving 863 children in person and thousands more virtually, with the vast majority of programs offered at no cost to attendees.

The core offering consists of in-person storytelling programs and virtual/online storytimes, supplemented by ancillary digital resources including printable coloring pages, a curated book list, and merchandise available through the Support section of the website. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying architecture is a service-delivery model in which the organization books and coordinates drag artist performers across community venues, supplemented by a Wix-hosted website and standard social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) for audience engagement.

The business model is donation-dependent. Programs are free to attendees, and the organization funds operations through charitable contributions solicited via its website and a Givebutter donation page, with no disclosed investor backing, parent company, or institutional ownership. The go-to-market motion is community-led: the organization directly reaches children, teens, and families through partner institutions rather than through paid acquisition or direct sales. Customer segments are split between end beneficiaries (children and teens) and institutional partners (libraries, schools, community organizations) that host and book programs.

Name

DRAG STORY HOUR NYC

Legal name

Drag Artists for Expression NYC

Website

https://dshnyc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Drag Artists for Expression NYC is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that produces free storytelling and creative arts programs for children and teens, presented by local drag artists in libraries, schools, and community spaces across all five NYC boroughs and virtually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment) (EDAGALAK), Creative Arts, Music & Movement Content (EDAGACAG)

Keywords

• Children's storytelling
• Drag arts education
• Community arts programming
• Gender diversity education
• Youth creative programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York City

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Support: The organization relies on donations and community support to deliver free programs. The 'Support' section includes options to donate and get involved, indicating a nonprofit funding model dependent on charitable contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Drag Story Hour NYC (legally Drag Artists for Expression NYC, or DAE NYC) produces storytelling and creative arts programs for children and teens that are presented by local drag artists. Programs are delivered in libraries, schools, and other community spaces across all five boroughs of New York City, as well as virtually. The programs celebrate gender diversity and all forms of difference to build empathy among young audiences.

Product overview

Drag Artists for Expression NYC (formerly Drag Story Hour NYC / Drag Queen Story Hour NYC) operates as a single unified program offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering consists of in-person storytelling and creative arts programs for children and teens, presented by local drag artists in community spaces across New York City. This is complemented by virtual/online storytimes that extend reach beyond physical locations. Additional offerings include coloring pages, merchandise, and a curated book list, all aligned with the mission of celebrating gender diversity and building empathy in youth through fun and educational experiences. The vast majority of programs are free to attend.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drag Story Hour Programs In-person storytelling events led by local drag artists for children and teens, held at libraries, schools, and community spaces throughout New York City's five boroughs. Programs celebrate gender diversity and build empathy through interactive reading experiences.
• Virtual Drag Story Hour Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 863 children in person and thousands more virtually through 67 in-person and 141 virtual programs in 2021 alone

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ticking Clock ProductionsminorOthersProduced video content for the organization. Listed as contributor of video content on the About section of the website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• PFLAG NYC: NYC chapter of the national PFLAG network supporting LGBTQ+ people, families, and youth through education and community programming. Comparable as a NYC-based nonprofit serving LGBTQ+ youth and families with educational programming and partnerships with schools and community organizations.

Emerging players

• Books of Wonder: Iconic NYC children's bookstore hosting storytimes, author events, and community programming for young readers. Comparable because it provides free/affordable children's storytelling events in NYC and curates book lists, overlapping with DAE NYC's library and book list assets.
• Family Equality: National nonprofit advancing equality and community for LGBTQ+ families, including youth programming and storytelling resources. Comparable because it serves the same LGBTQ+ family and youth audience with educational and community-building programming.

Regional players

• The 52nd Street Project: NYC nonprofit using theater to mentor youth from underserved communities through performance and storytelling programs. Comparable as a NYC-based nonprofit delivering theater/storytelling experiences to youth in partnership with community institutions.
• New Victory Theater: NYC-based performing arts venue dedicated to programming theater and performance for kids and families. Comparable because it operates as a mission-driven children's performing arts organization in the same NYC market, partnering with schools and cultural institutions to deliver live programming for young audiences.

Direct peers

• Drag Queen Story Hour (national): National organization supporting Drag Queen Story Hour chapters across the U.S. and internationally. DAE NYC operates as the NYC affiliate under predecessor names; comparable as the umbrella organization of the same drag storytelling programming model.
• TADA! Youth Theater: NYC nonprofit that produces original musical theater for young performers and family audiences. Directly comparable because it is a NYC-based children's theater company producing live, mission-driven programming for youth and partnering with schools and community organizations.
• Trusty Sidekick Theater Company: NYC children's theater company creating original productions for young audiences and partnering with schools and community venues. Comparable because it delivers theatrical programming for kids in NYC through schools, libraries, and community spaces, similar to DAE NYC's distribution model.
• Manhattan Children's Theatre: NYC-based theater company producing live theatrical performances specifically for young children and family audiences. Comparable because it serves the same NYC children's theater segment with live, story-driven productions and school/community programming.
• Atlantic for Kids: Children's programming arm of Atlantic Theater Company in NYC producing live theater for young audiences. Comparable as an NYC-based theater company running a dedicated children's programming line with school and community partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DragExpressionNYC
• Facebookfacebook.com/DragExpressionNYC
• Instagraminstagram.com/dragexpressionnyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/drag-queen-story-hour-nyc-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 DRAG STORY HOUR NYC