LitiArts
LitiArts is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that integrates literacy instruction with creative arts to serve BIPOC K-12 youth, first-generation high school students of color, and educators through workshops, virtual camps, fellowships, and professional development programs delivered nationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What LitiArts does
LitiArts is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 92-0866379) that integrates literacy instruction with creative arts to serve BIPOC K-12 youth, first-generation high school students of color, and educators. Founded in 2017 by Dr. Lakeya Afolalu, a language, literacy, and culture professor and TEDx speaker, the organization operates with a 5-person paid staff supplemented by 40+ volunteers and an advisory board drawn from Ohio State University, L'Oréal, and other institutions. Programs follow an anti-racist, identity-affirming framework and combine phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension with creative writing, theater, painting, visual arts, music, and multimedia storytelling. Headquartered at 1201 2nd Avenue, Suite 900, Seattle, WA, LitiArts reports having engaged 150+ children and youth and delivered 20+ creative workshops nationwide, with 90% of college prep fellows securing university admissions.
The organization's product portfolio includes core Literacy-Art Workshops, Professional Development & Partnerships for educators, the Identity Journal creative platform, Summer Virtual Reading & Writing Camp, Virtual College & Career Fellowship, Seattle Girls & Nonbinary Youth Book Circles, a Student Art Gallery, and an annual Youth Art Gala & Fundraiser. The Seattle Girls & Nonbinary Youth Book Circles program is delivered through a core strategic partnership with Seattle Public Library focused on the Rainier Beach community, while virtual programs (Summer Camp, College & Career Fellowship) enable national reach. The organization also lists partnerships with NVIDIA, ACT, Common.org, BGKC (Black Girls CODE), and Northshore/Wash, though the nature of those relationships is not fully detailed.
LitiArts generates revenue primarily through donations and charitable contributions, supplemented by fee-based Professional Development services for schools, nonprofits, and community groups. A recent 7-day GiveButter fundraising campaign raised $78,500 from 6,388 donors, demonstrating a distributed small-dollar donor base. All youth-facing programs are provided at no cost to participants. The organization markets through its website, blog/news section, email newsletter, social media, community partnerships, and the annual gala, with a community-led go-to-motion anchored in partnerships with schools, libraries, and community organizations rather than traditional sales channels.
LitiArts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LitiArts
- Legal name
- LitiArts
- Website
- https://litiarts.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- LitiArts is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that integrates literacy instruction with creative arts to serve BIPOC K-12 youth, first-generation high school students of color, and educators through workshops, virtual camps, fellowships, and professional development programs delivered nationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LitiArts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Education Services
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Literacy & Media Literacy (Reading/Writing Online) (EDAMAJAN), Visual Arts & Media Arts Programs (Art Club, Photography, Film) (EDAJAJAF)
Keywords
Where LitiArts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
LitiArts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: LitiArts is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization (EIN: 92-0866379) that raises funds through donations, online fundraising campaigns (GiveButter platform), and annual gala events. The organization raised $78,500 from 6,388 donors in a 7-day campaign.
- Professional Development Services: The organization provides customized professional development services for schools, nonprofits, and community groups seeking to deepen literacy instruction. This represents a service revenue stream.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
LitiArts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LitiArts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that integrates literacy instruction with creative arts (creative writing, theater, painting, visual arts, music, multimedia storytelling) to empower BIPOC youth identity, well-being, and educational equity. Its core offerings include Literacy-Art Workshops for K-12 youth, a Virtual College & Career Fellowship for first-generation high school students, reading and writing programs, Book Circles, and customized professional development services for schools, nonprofits, and community organizations. All youth programs are provided free of charge to participants.
Product overview
LitiArts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of youth literacy-arts education programs. The core offering consists of Literacy-Art Workshops that combine literacy instruction with creative arts for K-12 BIPOC youth, complemented by the Identity Journal creative space, Summer Virtual Reading & Writing Camp, and Virtual College & Career Fellowship for older students. The organization also provides Professional Development services for schools and community organizations, operates Seattle Girls & Nonbinary Youth Book Circles in partnership with Seattle Public Library, maintains a Student Art Gallery, and hosts an annual Youth Art Gala & Fundraiser. All programs follow an anti-racist, identity-affirming, and socio-emotional approach to education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Identity Journal: A creative space for young people to share stories rooted in their identities, languages, communities, and lived experiences.
- Youth Art Gala
Products and services
- Literacy-Art Workshops Core program empowering BIPOC youth through creative expression, blending different art forms (creative writing, theater, painting, visual arts, music, multimedia storytelling) with literacy instruction to support identity, confidence, and overall well-being.
- Professional Development & Partnerships Customized professional development for schools, nonprofits, and community organizations seeking to deepen literacy instruction using an identity-affirming, research-based approach.
- Identity Journal A creative space for young people to share stories rooted in their identities, languages, communities, and lived experiences.
- Summer Virtual Reading & Writing Camp Small-group virtual instruction focused on phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension during summer months.
- Virtual College & Career Fellowship Intimate fellowship supporting high school students with mentorship, skill-building, and guidance as they prepare for college and careers in the arts and literacy fields.
- Seattle Girls & Nonbinary Youth Book Circles Identity-affirming literacy arts workshops and creative projects for BIPOC girls and nonbinary youth in Seattle's Rainier Beach community, offered in partnership with Seattle Public Library.
- Student Art Gallery Platform showcasing student artwork created through literacy-arts programs, displaying drawings, paintings, and multimedia projects.
- Youth Art Gala & Fundraiser Annual event bringing together students, families, community members, and donors to celebrate youth achievements, raise funds, and foster connections among stakeholders committed to educational equity.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% of college prep fellows secure university admissions
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use LitiArts
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
LitiArts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
LitiArts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Seattle Public LibrarycoreLitiArts partners with Seattle Public Library to offer Book Circles for BIPOC girls and nonbinary youth in Seattle's Rainier Beach community. This initiative fosters self-expression, builds community connections, and supports personal growth through the arts and literacy. The partnership emphasizes relationship building guided by the interests of participating youth.
- ACT (American College Testing)minorACT is listed among LitiArts' partner organizations. The nature of the partnership is not explicitly detailed in the available sources.
- Common.orgminorCommon.org is listed among LitiArts' partner organizations. The nature of the partnership is not explicitly detailed in the available sources.
- NVIDIAminorNVIDIA is listed among LitiArts' partner organizations. The nature of the partnership is not explicitly detailed in the available sources.
- BGKCminorBGKC (Black Girls CODE initiative) is listed among LitiArts' partner organizations. The nature of the partnership is not explicitly detailed in the available sources.
- Northshore/WashminorNorthshore/Wash is listed among LitiArts' partner organizations. The nature of the partnership is not explicitly detailed in the available sources.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights5 records
LitiArts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Writing Project: National nonprofit network of educators focused on improving writing instruction across K-12 and beyond. Comparable in literacy-arts pedagogy and Professional Development services, but at much larger scale.
- Reading Partners: National nonprofit providing one-on-one literacy tutoring to K-12 students in underserved schools. Comparable mission around advancing literacy equity, though less focused on creative arts integration.
Emerging players
- WriteOutLoud: Smaller nonprofit focused on fostering youth voice through writing and performance. Comparable in identity-affirming creative writing for youth, though narrower in geographic footprint.
Direct peers
- WriteGirl: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing mentoring and creative writing workshops for teen girls and gender-expansive youth. Directly comparable in target population, identity-affirming approach, and creative writing/literacy integration.
- 826 National: National nonprofit network of youth writing and tutoring centers that integrate literacy with creative arts for K-12 students. Operates with the same model of free, identity-centered programming combined with volunteer-driven delivery, making it the closest structural peer to LitiArts.
- LitWorld: Global nonprofit advancing literacy and storytelling for children, with explicit focus on identity-affirming, social-emotional learning. Comparable in mission, identity-centered pedagogy, and youth literacy-arts programming.
- 826 Valencia: San Francisco flagship of the 826 National network and a pioneering youth writing/arts nonprofit. Directly comparable in combining creative writing, arts, and tutoring for underserved K-12 youth.
- Reach Incorporated: Washington DC-based nonprofit employing teen reading tutors and delivering literacy programs to younger students. Comparable in pairing youth mentorship with literacy instruction and identity-affirming framing.
- Project Write Now: New Jersey-based nonprofit offering creative writing and literacy programs for youth and adults, including mentoring and community workshops. Comparable in delivering literacy-arts workshops with a youth mentoring component.
- The Telling Room: Portland-based nonprofit writing center that provides free creative writing workshops and tutoring for youth ages 6–18. Comparable in programming model, youth literacy focus, and community partnership-driven delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LitiArts social profiles
Digital presenceLitiArts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LitiArts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
LitiArts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LitiArts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LitiArts
What does LitiArts do?
LitiArts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that integrates literacy instruction with creative arts (creative writing, theater, painting, visual arts, music, multimedia storytelling) to empower BIPOC youth identity, well-being, and educational equity. Its core offerings include Literacy-Art Workshops for K-12 youth, a Virtual College & Career Fellowship for first-generation high school students, reading and writing programs, Book Circles, and customized professional development services for schools, nonprofits, and community organizations. All youth programs are provided free of charge to participants.
Is LitiArts a public or private company?
LitiArts is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was LitiArts founded?
LitiArts was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is LitiArts based?
LitiArts is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does LitiArts make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are professional Development Services.
Who are LitiArts's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Writing Project and Reading Partners. WriteOutLoud is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are WriteGirl, 826 National, LitWorld, 826 Valencia, Reach Incorporated, Project Write Now and The Telling Room.
Does LitiArts have an API?
No public API is recorded for LitiArts.
What industry is LitiArts in?
LitiArts's product category is Youth Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAC, Arts Education & Community Arts Programs, with a secondary code of EDAMAJAN, Digital Literacy & Media Literacy (Reading/Writing Online). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 8200.