Illinois Art Therapy Association

What Illinois Art Therapy Association does

The Illinois Art Therapy Association (IATA) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit professional association founded in 1974 and headquartered at 2000 W Fulton Street Suite F-237 in Chicago, Illinois. It is the only dedicated state-level professional association for art therapists in Illinois and operates as an affiliate chapter of the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). IATA is governed by a volunteer Executive Board (President Amber Przybyla, Secretary Julie Ludwick, Treasurer Cassandra Colucy, Programs Chair Rebecca Kramer, Social Media Chair Megan Bonke, Communications Director Shan Ru Lin, plus currently vacant Government Affairs and Membership Chair positions) and serves professional art therapists, art therapy students, and the broader Illinois public seeking art therapy services.

IATA's core offerings are organized around four revenue streams. First, chapter memberships priced at $30/year for professionals, associates, and new professionals and $25/year for students, with independent chapter membership (no AATA prerequisite) available since 2023. Second, NBCC-approved continuing education events priced at $10-$18 per 1 CE credit and $60 per 2 CE credit, including a 1 CE diverse-modality course and a 2 CE in-person pottery event. Third, tiered advertising partnerships (one-time $25, 6-month $100, 12-month $180) distributed via e-alert, website, and social media. Fourth, event tickets for in-person networking and art-making sessions. Non-revenue products include a public Find an Art Therapist referral directory and a free job posting board serving employers such as SunCloud Health, Josselyn, Highland Park Hospital, and Dandelion Therapeutic Art Center.

IATA's technology stack is minimal and non-proprietary: a Weebly website and storefront, Constant Contact for the monthly e-alert newsletter, Zoom for monthly chapter meetings, and a Facebook page. Distribution is regional (Illinois only) via digital channels (website, email, social) and in-person CE workshops and networking events concentrated in the Chicago metropolitan area and expanding into suburbs such as Oak Park. Strategically, IATA has invested in three areas: (1) NBCC continuing education provider status (ACEP No. 7429, achieved 2023), (2) legislative advocacy for independent art therapy licensure in Illinois via HB 5019 (submitted February 2024 with Representative Janet Yang Rohr and Arts Alliance Illinois, withdrawn in 2024 after opposition), and (3) academic outreach to the three Illinois master's-level art therapy programs (Adler University, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville).

Name

Illinois Art Therapy Association

Legal name

Illinois Art Therapy Association

Website

https://illinoisarttherapy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Illinois Art Therapy Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional association founded in 1974 that serves Illinois art therapists and students through chapter memberships, NBCC-approved continuing education, advertising partnerships, a referral directory, and advocacy for independent state licensure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from professional art therapists, associate members, new professionals, and students. Since 2023, independent chapter membership is offered without requiring AATA membership.
2. Continuing Education Events: NBCC-approved CE courses and workshops offered to members at discounted rates and non-members at higher rates. Includes art media courses like pottery throwing events.
3. Advertising Partnerships: Tiered advertising packages for businesses and organizations targeting the art therapy community, including e-alert posts, website placement, and social media exposure.
4. Event Tickets: Ticket sales for in-person networking events, CE workshops, and art-making sessions at member-discounted rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IATA is a 501(c)(3) professional membership association serving Illinois art therapists, art therapy students, and the public. It provides chapter memberships (professional, associate, new professional, and student tiers), NBCC-approved continuing education courses and workshops, advertising partnerships, a public Find an Art Therapist referral directory, and a job posting board. The organization also conducts advocacy for independent art therapy licensure in Illinois.

Product overview

The Illinois Art Therapy Association operates as a professional membership organization offering a unified suite of services centered on chapter membership (professional and student tiers), continuing education programs, advertising partnerships, and a public referral directory. The core offering consists of IATA Chapter Membership and IATA Student Membership, which provide networking, CE discounts, and professional development opportunities. The organization generates revenue through advertising partnerships (one-time, 6-month, and 12-month tiers) and continuing education course fees. Additional services include a free job posting board, the Find an Art Therapist referral directory, and periodic in-person art-making events and networking gatherings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IATA Chapter Membership Annual professional membership for graduate-level art therapy graduates and associate members interested in the therapeutic use of art; includes networking, CE discounts, referral directory listing, leadership opportunities, and voting rights for eligible members.
• IATA Student Membership Annual student membership for individuals enrolled in higher education pursuing art therapy careers; includes committee participation, networking, and reduced CE pricing (requires student ID verification).
• 1 CE Art Therapy Diverse Modality Course NBCC-approved 1 credit hour continuing education course exploring how art therapy supports trauma, disability, and youth care across clinical settings and telehealth contexts; offered to members at $10 and non-members at $18.
• 2 CE Pottery Throwing Art Media Course In-person 2 CE credit art media course teaching pottery wheel throwing techniques in Oak Park, Illinois; limited to 10 seats and prioritizes art therapists and students.
• IATA Advertising Partner Level 2 (12-Month Ads) Twelve-month advertising partnership with ad posts on IATA e-alert, website, and social media for an entire year at $180.
• IATA Advertising Partner Level 1 (6-Month Ads) Six-month advertising partnership providing 6 ad posts on IATA e-alert, website, and social media for $100 per year.
• IATA One-Time Advertisement One-time advertisement placement for fee-based events at $25, distributed via IATA e-blast and social media.
• Find an Art Therapist Directory Public-facing referral directory of IATA members in good standing, used by consumers seeking qualified art therapy services in Illinois.
• Job Posting Service Free job posting service for employers seeking to hire art therapists, with listings distributed via the IATA monthly mailing list newsletter.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22% increase in new members since removing AATA membership requirement in 2023

Named customers8 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arts Alliance IllinoiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2024Arts Alliance Illinois expressed support for the Art Therapy Licensing and Practice Act (HB 5019). Their Director of Community Organization, Erick Deshaun Dorris, provided backing for independent licensing for art therapists. This partnership was crucial for legislative advocacy efforts.
• Representative Janet Yang Rohr's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2024State Representative Janet Yang Rohr sponsored the Art Therapy Licensing and Practice Act (HB 5019). Her office worked with IATA and AATA to develop the legislation, submit it to the Legislative Reference Bureau, and gather support for the bill.
• American Art Therapy Association (AATA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIATA is an affiliate chapter of the American Art Therapy Association. AATA provides policy support, advocacy assistance, and liaison services including Tyler Kirby (Policy & Public Affairs Manager) and Meredith Ashley (Policy & Communications Coordinator) supporting Illinois licensure efforts. AATA also helped draft HB 5019 legislation.
• National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIATA is an NBCC-approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7429). This allows the organization to offer NBCC-acceptable CE credits for art therapists, with ATCB recognizing and accepting CEs earned under NBCC-approved events.
• Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATCB confers ATR-P, ATR, ATR-BC, and ATCS credentials which IATA promotes and supports for Illinois art therapists. ATCB's 2026 re-certification standards allow board service to qualify for 5 CE credits per year.
• Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIATA directs members to IMHCA for information on obtaining LPC or LCPC licenses in Illinois, as art therapists in Illinois currently practice under counseling licenses since independent art therapy licensure does not exist.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Art Therapy Credentials Board: Independent credentialing body that confers the ATR-P, ATR, ATR-BC, and ATCS credentials. Adjacent ecosystem player rather than a competitor — IATA promotes ATCB credentials and ATCB in turn recognizes IATA board service as qualifying CE credit.
• National Board for Certified Counselors: Approves continuing education providers (IATA holds ACEP No. 7429 under NBCC). NBCC defines the CE framework that gives IATA's courses their professional value; not a competitor, but a critical enabling partner.
• Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association: Adjacent Illinois professional association for licensed counselors. IATA formally refers members to IMHCA for LPC/LCPC licensure information because Illinois lacks independent art therapy licensure — making IMHCA both a peer and a partial substitute.
• Arts Alliance Illinois: Statewide arts advocacy organization whose Director of Community Organization publicly backed IATA's HB 5019 licensure effort. Functions as a strategic advocacy ally in Illinois rather than a direct service competitor.

Direct peers

• American Art Therapy Association: National professional association for art therapists and the parent affiliate of IATA. Operates the same membership, CE, advocacy, and directory model at national scale; IATA functions as one of its state chapters and benefits from AATA's policy support.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/395628940462979
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/illinoisarttherapy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Illinois Art Therapy Association