Oye Group
¡OYE! Group is a Bushwick-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012 that delivers free arts education, four annual festivals, and original theatrical productions serving Black and Latine communities in NYC, including youth, seniors, and justice-involved populations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Oye Group does
¡OYE! Group Inc. is a Bushwick, Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit creative incubator founded in 2012 by Modesto 'Flako' Jimenez and Kevin Torres. The organization serves Black and Latine communities through three interconnected pillars: free arts education workshops (Come to the Corner programs covering poetry, architecture, and literacy; Shake on the Block Shakespeare workshops; Healing Room therapeutic art for seniors; Fresh Start for justice-involved youth; and the paid New Beginnings program), four annual multidisciplinary festivals (Ghetto Hors d'Oeuvres, Summer Arts Festival, Avant Garde Night, and One Catches Light), and original theatrical productions featured at prominent Off-Broadway venues including New York Theatre Workshop, The Bushwick Starr, Abrons Art Center, JACK, and The Tank.
The organization operates from a multipurpose space at 214 Starr Street in Bushwick, with programs also delivered at senior centers across all five NYC boroughs and at NYS Office of Children and Family Services facilities. Revenue is generated through a mix of tax-deductible donations, institutional foundation grants (Brooklyn Org, Howard Gilman Foundation, Brooklyn Museum, Pinkerton Foundation, Matisse Foundation, Heineman Foundation), government arts funding (NYSCA, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC Council, Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment), ticketed event revenue via Eventbrite and Zeffy, and the paid New Beginnings program. Distribution is primarily through direct community workshops, venue co-productions, and institutional partnerships with senior centers, schools, and justice facilities.
Technically, the platform centers on a "three levels of engagement" framework combining education, entertainment, and resources. Most recently, ¡OYE! has begun integrating generative AI, image generation, and face-swapping technology into immersive theatrical experiences such as the ¡Harken! co-production at Onassis ONX, signaling experimentation with audience-interactive AI-driven storytelling as a new creative format.
Oye Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Oye Group
- Legal name
- ¡Oye! Group Inc.
- Website
- https://oyegroup.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ¡OYE! Group is a Bushwick-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012 that delivers free arts education, four annual festivals, and original theatrical productions serving Black and Latine communities in NYC, including youth, seniors, and justice-involved populations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Oye Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Arts Education & Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking) (EDAMALAH), Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA), Classroom Learning Centers & Thematic Units (Dramatic Play, Blocks, Sensory, STEM) (EDACAJAH)
Keywords
Where Oye Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Oye Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations under 501(c)(3) status. Funds support Brooklyn youth education, emerging artist support, community partnerships, and production technical elements.
- Institutional Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including Brooklyn Org, Howard Gilman Foundation, Brooklyn Museum, Matisse Foundation, Pinkerton Foundation, and others supporting specific programs.
- Government Funding: Support from New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC Council members, and Shakespeare in American Communities.
- Ticket Sales and Event Revenue: Some productions and events may have ticketed components through Eventbrite and Zeffy platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Programs - Education workshops for all ages |
| Subscription | Annual | Paid Program - New Beginnings |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Oye Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
¡OYE! Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit creative incubator that delivers free arts education workshops, four annual multidisciplinary festivals, and original Off-Broadway theatrical productions serving Black and Latine communities in Bushwick, Brooklyn and across NYC. Offerings span youth theater programs (Fresh Start for incarcerated juveniles, New Beginnings for justice-involved youth, Shake on the Block), all-ages workshops (Poet's Corner, Reading Corner, Building Corner, Come to the Corner), senior therapeutic art (Healing Room), an artist residency program, and signature festivals (Ghetto Hors d'Oeuvres, Avant Garde Night, Summer Arts Festival, One Catches Light).
Product overview
¡OYE! Group is a Bushwick-based creative incubator operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012, dedicated to enriching communities through art education, programming, and performances. The organization offers three interconnected pillars: (1) Educational Programs including Come to the Corner workshops (Poet's Corner, Reading Corner, Building Corner), Healing Room, Shake on the Block, New Beginnings, and Fresh Start; (2) Four Annual Festivals including Ghetto Hors d'Oeuvres, Avant Garde Night, Summer Arts Festival, and One Catches Light; and (3) Theatrical Productions developed at Off-Broadway venues. The organization supports emerging artists through an Artists in Residency/Fellowship program and operates a multipurpose space at 214 Starr St, Brooklyn. The company's work focuses on Black and Latine communities in Bushwick, Brooklyn, offering free and low-cost programming to youth, adults, and seniors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ghetto Hors D'oeuvres: Annual festival where rappers, musicians, and poets collaboratively create an ode to NYC's streets, featuring performances, live DJ sets, conversation and dancing.
- Summer Arts Festival
- ¡Oye! Avant Garde Night
- One Catches Light Festival
- Shake on the Block
- Come to the Corner
- Fresh Start
- Healing Room
- New Beginnings
- Poet's Corner
Products and services
- Come to the Corner Free monthly workshops for children and adults exploring poetry, architecture, and literacy, developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to rebuild communal spirit in Bushwick.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100+ workshops delivered since 2012
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Oye Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Oye Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature2 records
Oye Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and secondary.
- Onassis ONXflagshipCo-production partner for ¡Harken! original production. Immersive theatrical experience using generative AI, audience prompts, and face-swapping technology presented at Onassis ONX space.
- National Queer TheatercoreCo-production partner for frikiNation at Criminal Queerness Festival. Initiative developing groundbreaking new plays by queer artists fighting censorship globally.
- HERE Arts CentercoreVenue partner for frikiNation production as part of Criminal Queerness Festival co-produced with National Queer Theater.
- ArtsHubcorePartnership for artist residency and development programs. Co-presented Life of the White Ant staged reading in May 2025. Provides support for emerging artists including rehearsal space and financial support.
- LumberyardcorePartnership to deliver Fresh Start arts education intervention program for incarcerated juveniles. OYE Group took responsibility for curriculum development and administration in July-August 2021, partnering with Lumberyard to deliver the program.
- The Bushwick StarrcoreOngoing festival and production partner. Co-presents Summer Arts Festival and hosts productions including Yoleros, Fury/La Furia, demons., and Slamdance Garage. One of OYE Group's primary venue partners since 2015.
- Mayor's Office of Media and EntertainmentcoreGovernment partner for Summer Arts Festival through Made in NY initiative. Provides funding and institutional support for community programming.
- JACKcoreVenue partner for productions including Conversation Pt 1 and Translating Sonnets. Co-presents Ghetto Hors d'Oeuvres 2026 festival.
- Perfect CitysecondaryArts-activism collective partner for Reading Corner program. Based at Abrons Art Center through Social Practice Residency Program. Founded in 2017, works with planners, activists, and artists.
- CitymealssecondaryPartner in Healing Room Tours project 'Mercedes' providing meals and resources to homebound older adults in NYC.
- Joey Hauk WeisssecondaryDeveloper of rapid prototype building kits and founder of Building Corner program. Artist making work for performance and visual art. Also teaches at Guggenheim and Cooper Hewitt Museums.
- Cypress Hills Senior CentersecondaryHost venue for Healing Room therapeutic art workshops in 2022 and 2023. Led by art therapist Sarah Serrano-Esquilin and teaching artist Angelica Aranda.
- Abrons Art CentercoreVenue partner for Reading Corner program and past productions including ¡Oye! For My Dear Brooklyn. Home to partner Perfect City's social practice residency.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Oye Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- New Victory Theater: NYC's theater dedicated to kids and families. Comparable youth performing arts focus, but operates as an established Off-Broadway venue with significantly larger scale and resources.
Regional players
- BRIC Arts Media: Brooklyn-based nonprofit presenting performing arts, media, and visual arts programming. Comparable Brooklyn footprint and nonprofit structure, but operates at meaningfully larger scale.
Direct peers
- Ping Chong + Co: NYC-based experimental theater company producing original work with community and youth programs. Directly comparable as an NYC experimental theater nonprofit with educational programming (Oye's Program Manager has direct prior affiliation).
- The 52nd Street Project: NYC-based nonprofit that pairs youth with theater professionals to create original work. Directly comparable as a community-rooted youth theater/arts education nonprofit of similar scale and mission.
- Mabou Mines: NYC-based experimental theater nonprofit developing new work with a resident company of artists. Comparable experimental/avant-garde theater nonprofit of similar NYC scope.
- The Laundromat Project: NYC-based nonprofit that brings arts programming directly into neighborhood spaces in communities of color. Directly comparable community-arts nonprofit with similar grant-funded operating model.
- The Civilians: NYC investigative theater nonprofit creating new plays based on real-world inquiry. Comparable nonprofit theater with a programmatic focus on artist development and new work.
- En Garde Arts: NYC nonprofit known for site-specific and immersive theatrical productions. Directly comparable as a mission-driven, site-specific NYC theater nonprofit.
- Epic Theatre Ensemble: NYC nonprofit creating socially engaged theater with youth and communities. Comparable organizational structure, mission, and youth-driven programming model.
- National Queer Theater: NYC theater nonprofit developing new work by queer artists. Direct peer as a NYC nonprofit theater; Oye is already a current co-production partner on frikiNation/Criminal Queerness Festival.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Oye Group social profiles
Digital presenceOye Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Oye Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Oye Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Oye Group 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 Oye Group
What does Oye Group do?
¡OYE! Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit creative incubator that delivers free arts education workshops, four annual multidisciplinary festivals, and original Off-Broadway theatrical productions serving Black and Latine communities in Bushwick, Brooklyn and across NYC. Offerings span youth theater programs (Fresh Start for incarcerated juveniles, New Beginnings for justice-involved youth, Shake on the Block), all-ages workshops (Poet's Corner, Reading Corner, Building Corner, Come to the Corner), senior therapeutic art (Healing Room), an artist residency program, and signature festivals (Ghetto Hors d'Oeuvres, Avant Garde Night, Summer Arts Festival, One Catches Light).
Is Oye Group a public or private company?
Oye Group is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Oye Group founded?
Oye Group was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Oye Group based?
Oye Group is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Oye Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are institutional Foundation Grants, government Funding and ticket Sales and Event Revenue.
Who are Oye Group's main competitors?
New Victory Theater is listed as a broad incumbent. BRIC Arts Media is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Ping Chong + Co, The 52nd Street Project, Mabou Mines, The Laundromat Project, The Civilians, En Garde Arts, Epic Theatre Ensemble and National Queer Theater.
Does Oye Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Oye Group.
What industry is Oye Group in?
Oye Group's product category is Community Arts Education & Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAE, Children’s & Youth Theatre, with a secondary code of EDAMALAH, Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 7900.