Marin School of the Arts

What Marin School of the Arts does

Marin School of the Arts (MSA) is a public high school arts magnet program operating within Novato High School in Novato, California, founded around 2002 and celebrating 20+ years of continuous operation. The program delivers tuition-free arts education across 16 specialties spanning six domains: Creative Writing, Dance, Media Arts (Cinematic Arts, Digital Art & Animation, Digital Music Production, Video Game Design), Music (Classical, Jazz, Rock Bands, Vocal), Theatre Arts, and Visual Arts (Drawing & Painting, Photography, Product Design, Sculpture & Ceramics). Instruction is delivered in person at the Center for the Arts facility on the Novato High School campus, with an application/audition admission process open to students in the Novato Unified School District catchment.

The program is funded through a hybrid public-nonprofit model: Novato Unified School District covers facilities and teacher salaries, while the Marin School of The Arts Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (Tax ID 51-0490730), supplements approximately $500,000 in annual giving to cover art supplies, instruments, equipment, costumes, teaching artists, and field trips. The Foundation also operates the Opportunity & Experience Fund, supported by the Nielsen Family, for student grants tied to internships, coaching, and audition/travel expenses. Notable alumni include Tony Award-winning actor Matt Doyle and filmmaker Kane Parsons; recent student outcomes include the 2026 California Poetry Out Loud state champion, Teen Battle of the Bands winner, and multiple national film festival honors.

MSA is led by Director Michelle Cortez (also NHS Co-Principal alongside Ms. Greene) and Dance Director Janelle Mitnick Cooper, with ~17 employees. Strategic partners include Bank of Marin (16+ year calendar partnership), River Road Family Vineyards (three-year season sponsor), Sweetwater Music Hall, Marin Poetry Center, Dominican University, and the All-American High School Film Festival. Revenue mechanics are donation-driven rather than commercial; the MSA Showcase annual benefit event is the largest fundraiser, supplemented by recurring giving campaigns, a Business Partner Program, and matching-gift initiatives.

Name

Marin School of the Arts

Legal name

Marin School of The Arts Foundation

Website

https://marinschoolofthearts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marin School of the Arts (MSA) is a tuition-free public arts magnet program at Novato High School in Novato, California, offering specialized arts education across 16 disciplines to students in the Novato Unified School District and supported by the nonprofit Marin School of The Arts Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Education (Secondary)

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education Instruction (Visual/Performing) (EDAJAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts-Focused Private K–12 Schools (EDAJABAN)

Keywords

• Public arts education
• High school arts programs
• Creative arts curriculum
• Media arts instruction
• Performing arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Novato

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: Funded primarily through Novato Unified School District which covers facilities and teacher salaries
2. MSA Foundation Annual Giving: MSA Foundation must raise $500,000 annually to fill the gap for art supplies, instruments, equipment, costumes, teaching artists, and field trips

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Marin School of the Arts is a tuition-free public arts magnet program at Novato High School offering specialized arts education across 16 disciplines grouped under Creative Writing, Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre Arts, and Visual Arts. Programs are delivered on-campus through an application and audition process and are supported by the Marin School of The Arts Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises approximately $500,000 annually to supplement district funding.

Product overview

Marin School of the Arts (MSA) is a public high school arts magnet program at Novato High School offering a comprehensive arts education across 16 disciplines. The program architecture consists of core educational programs including Creative Writing, Dance, Theatre Arts, Music (Classical, Jazz, Rock Bands, Vocal), Media Arts (Cinematic Arts, Digital Art & Animation, Digital Music Production, Video Game Design), and Visual Arts (Drawing & Painting, Photography, Product Design, Sculpture & Ceramics). Supporting the educational programs are the MSA Foundation (a 501(C)(3) nonprofit), the MSA Opportunity & Experience Fund grant program, flagship events including the annual MSA Showcase and Pretty Big Film Festival, and media content series like Tales from the Hive. The program serves Novato High School students and is funded through the MSA Foundation which raises approximately $500,000 annually to bridge the gap between district funding and program needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Writing Program A creative writing program within MSA that includes poetry, fiction, and collaborative writing workshops; has produced 17 poets selected for the Marin Poetry Center's High School Anthology.
• Dance Program Comprehensive dance education program offering multiple styles including hip hop, jazz, and Bollywood, with performance opportunities and dance concerts.
• Cinematic Arts Film and video production program where students create short films; has produced award-winning filmmakers and films that have won national awards at festivals including the All-American High School Film Festival.
• Digital Art & Animation Digital arts and animation program teaching students digital modeling and animation techniques; alumni have excelled at NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
• Digital Music Production Program focusing on digital music creation and production techniques for students at Novato High School.
• Video Game Design Program teaching students the fundamentals of video game design and development.
• Classical Music Classical music instruction including String Orchestra and instrumental music education conducted by Michael Rennie.
• Jazz Studies Jazz music education program featuring performance ensembles and collaborations with the community.
• Rock Bands Rock music performance program where students form and perform in rock bands, including regular performances at Sweetwater Music Hall and competition victories such as Teen Battle of the Bands.
• Vocal Music Vocal music education program focused on singing techniques and ensemble performance.
• Theatre Arts Theatre arts program including musical theatre and dramatic performance; students have worked with Tony Award-winning professionals.
• Drawing & Painting Visual arts program focusing on traditional drawing and painting techniques and mediums.
• Photography Photography program where students have achieved recognition including placements in Bank of Marin's Community Calendar across eight months.
• Product Design Product design program teaching students industrial design concepts and practical design skills.
• Sculpture & Ceramics Three-dimensional arts program focusing on sculpture and ceramics creation.
• MSA Showcase The annual flagship benefit event showcasing all MSA programs with performances, exhibitions, and student presentations; the largest annual fundraiser for the school.
• MSA Opportunity & Experience Fund Student grant program funded by the Nielsen Family that supports MSA students pursuing arts-related internships, programs, coaching, supplies, materials, or travel for auditions and college visits.
• Tales from the Hive A video series produced by Cinematic Arts featuring highlights and stories from Novato High and MSA activities.
• Pretty Big Film Festival An annual film festival showcasing student-produced films from MSA's Cinematic Arts program.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Sweetwater Music HallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSA rock bands perform regularly at Sweetwater Music Hall. The partnership provides performance opportunities for MSA musicians and visibility for the school at Mill Valley Art Walk events.
• River Road Family Vineyards & WinerymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSeason sponsor for MSA programs for three consecutive years. Provides financial support for the arts program and receives recognition at events.
• Bank of MarincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing partnership (16+ years) where Bank of Marin features MSA student photography in their annual community calendar. Students compete for inclusion with submissions from across Northern California.
• Marin Poetry CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSA students participate in Marin Poetry Center's High School Anthology program, with record numbers of MSA poets selected each year.
• All-American High School Film FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSA Cinematic Arts students compete nationally in this festival. Award winners receive summer workshops at Savannah Academy of Art & Design or New York Film Academy.
• Dominican UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the annual High School Poetry Anthology launch event and readings.
• Peoples Circus TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSA dance students perform with Peoples Circus, gaining professional performance experience.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oakland School for the Arts (OSA): Public charter high school in Oakland focused on arts conservatory training across multiple disciplines. Comparable Bay Area arts school with similar audition-based admissions and multi-discipline arts focus.
• Idyllwild Arts Academy: Private boarding arts high school in California offering pre-college arts training across multiple disciplines. Geographic California peer with comparable breadth of arts specialties and alumni success focus.
• Baltimore School for the Arts: Public Baltimore City magnet high school offering tuition-free pre-professional arts training across multiple disciplines. Directly comparable public magnet model with foundation-supported supplemental funding.
• San Francisco School of the Arts (Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts): Public arts high school within San Francisco Unified School District offering multi-discipline arts training. Direct Bay Area geographic peer with comparable public magnet structure and audition-based admissions.
• Frank Sinatra School of the Arts: Public arts high school in Queens, NY offering tuition-free specialized arts training. Comparable public magnet model with similar audition-based admissions and multi-discipline focus.
• Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA): Public arts high school in Los Angeles offering tuition-free specialized training in multiple arts disciplines. Highly comparable structure: public funding + foundation support + audition-based admissions serving a regional student base.
• New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA): Public arts conservatory serving high school students in Louisiana with tuition-free training in multiple arts disciplines. Same public magnet structure with regional draw and notable alumni outcomes.
• Interlochen Arts Academy: Premier private boarding arts high school in Michigan offering conservatory-style training across all major arts disciplines. Comparable multi-discipline depth and reputation for producing top arts talent, though tuition-based versus MSA's tuition-free model.
• Duke Ellington School of the Arts: Public arts magnet high school in Washington DC serving grades 9-12 with conservatory-style arts training. Same public magnet model with audition-based admissions, multi-discipline arts focus, and alumni-driven reputation.
• Alexander Hamilton High School Academy of Music: Public music magnet program within Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. Comparable school-within-a-school public magnet structure focused on specialized arts training within a comprehensive high school.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marin-school-of-the-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Marin School of the Arts