The Awakenings Project

What The Awakenings Project does

The Awakenings Project is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 and based in Elgin/Wheaton, Illinois, that supports artists with lived experience of mental illness and/or addictions through creative programming. Its core offerings comprise art exhibitions (including a premiere annual art show in Lisle, Illinois dating to 1997), the award-winning literary journal The Awakenings Review, the Healing Through Art four-week workshop series led by a professional art therapist, and weekly creativity workshops delivered at local nursing homes and care centers such as Wheaton Care Center and DuPage County Convalescent Center. The organization's stated mission is to foster, advance, and support the creative efforts of artists with mental illnesses while raising public awareness, acceptance, and appreciation of art by people in recovery.

The underlying technology stack is effectively absent: there is no proprietary platform, app, or software product, and the digital surface consists only of a Mailchimp newsletter, a Cargo-built marketing website (awakeningsproject.org), and PayPal/Stock Donator payment integrations for donations. All programmatic delivery is in-person in DuPage County, with no digital distribution of programs.

The revenue model is a hybrid typical of small community nonprofits: tax-deductible individual and organizational donations (the primary stream), nominal program fees of $20 per class or $60 for four Healing Through Art sessions (made possible by DuPage County grant subsidization), and grant funding from public and private sources including the DuPage County Board, Illinois Arts Council Agency, DuPage Community Foundation, faith-based benefactors, and historically large corporate donors such as Abbott Labs, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, and Lucent Technologies. Customer acquisition is community-led—driven by word-of-mouth, the public exhibition calendar, NAMI-DuPage referrals, and a low-cost newsletter—rather than any traditional sales motion.

Name

The Awakenings Project

Legal name

The Awakenings Project

Website

https://awakeningsproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Awakenings Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 in the Chicago suburbs that supports artists with mental illness through exhibitions, the Awakenings Review literary journal, and Healing Through Art workshops, funded primarily by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Arts Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking) (EDAMALAH)

Keywords

• Arts therapy programs
• Mental health nonprofit
• Creative arts community
• Art exhibition curation
• Literary journal publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Elgin

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 Charitable Contributions: The organization relies primarily on donations from individuals and organizations. All donations are fully tax-deductible as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations can be made online via PayPal, credit card, or by mailing gifts to the organization's P.O. Box.
2. Program Fees: The 'Healing Through Art' workshop series charges a nominal fee of $20 per class or $60 for four sessions. This subsidized pricing is made possible by DuPage County funding and covers art materials. These fees represent a minimal revenue stream intended to support program delivery rather than generate profit.
3. Grant Funding: The organization receives grant funding from government agencies and foundations including DuPage County Board, Illinois Arts Council Agency, DuPage Community Foundation, and others. These grants support specific programs such as the Healing Through Art initiative and operational costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Awakenings Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides art exhibitions, an award-winning literary journal (The Awakenings Review), weekly creative workshops at nursing homes, and a Healing Through Art wellness workshop series for artists and community members with lived experience of mental illness in DuPage County, Illinois. Programs are offered at subsidized rates or free admission to participants, funded through donations and grants.

Product overview

The Awakenings Project is a nonprofit organization that offers a multi-faceted portfolio of artistic and wellness programs centered on supporting people with lived experience of mental illness. The core offerings include art exhibitions (fine art shows at national and local venues), The Awakenings Review (an award-winning literary journal), and creative workshops at nursing homes. A newer addition is the Healing Through Art wellness program—a four-week workshop series combining art therapy with mindfulness practices. The organization serves DuPage County residents through these programs, with exhibits and events open to the public with free admission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Awakenings Review: An award-winning literary journal published by The Awakenings Project, committed to featuring editors, artists, writers and poets with mental illnesses.

Products and services

• Healing Through Art A four-week workshop series for mental health and well-being led by professional art therapist Dianne Samp, MA, LCPC. The program guides 15-17 participants per series through drawing, watercolor, and other creative techniques while integrating stress reduction, mindfulness, and emotional wellness practices in a non-clinical environment. Materials are included.
• The Awakenings Review An award-winning literary journal that publishes work by editors, artists, writers, and poets with mental illnesses, serving as one of the few literary magazines committed to this distinctive population.
• Art Exhibitions Fine art exhibitions showcasing work by artists with lived experience of mental illness, held at national and local venues throughout the Chicago suburbs, including an annual premiere art show in Lisle, Illinois. Exhibits are open to the public with free admission.
• Creative Workshops at Nursing Homes Weekly creativity workshops conducted at local nursing homes and care centers, including Wheaton Care Center and DuPage County Convalescent Center, providing artistic programming to foster creativity and community connection among elderly residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants experience a sense of freedom and nonjudgment through creative expression
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NAMI-DuPagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Alliance on Mental Illness of DuPage has been a benefactor and partner since 2000. The organization's origins are connected to NAMI-Illinois, where founder Robert Lundin served on the board.
• Dianne Samp, MA, LCPCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional art therapist who leads the Healing Through Art workshop series, guiding participants through drawing, watercolor, and creative techniques while integrating stress reduction, mindfulness, and emotional wellness practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Clubhouse International: International network of community mental health programs (clubhouses) offering arts, vocational, and social programming for adults with mental illness. Comparable beneficiary population and use of creative/therapeutic activity within a community support framework.
• Fountain House: Pioneering NYC-based mental health nonprofit running a clubhouse model that includes arts, education, and employment programming for people living with mental illness. Comparable target population (adults with mental illness) and use of creative/therapeutic programming within a broader service model.
• Mental Health America: Nation's oldest community-based mental health nonprofit, providing advocacy, education, and program support. Comparable in addressing stigma and recovery for people with mental illness, though at vastly larger scale and broader scope than the subject company.
• VSA / Arts for All (Kennedy Center): National program (originating at the Kennedy Center) supporting arts participation and creative expression for people with disabilities. Comparable mission of advancing creative opportunities for people with disabilities, though operating at a much larger national scale.

Regional players

• Studio Incamminati: Philadelphia-based nonprofit art school and studio program for figurative and fine art. Comparable in being a community-led nonprofit teaching and exhibiting fine art, though focused on classical training rather than mental health recovery.
• NAMI DuPage: Local DuPage County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Serves the same geography and overlapping beneficiary population, and is itself a long-standing strategic partner and referral source for The Awakenings Project.

Direct peers

• Creative Growth Art Center: Oakland, California nonprofit operating a studio and gallery program for adult artists with developmental, mental, and physical disabilities. Comparable model: professional studio space, public exhibitions, and publishing that elevates artists outside the mainstream.
• Arts of Life: Chicago-based nonprofit providing studio space, exhibitions, and community programming for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Closest geographic and operational analog: a community-led nonprofit supporting artists with disabilities through studio practice and public exhibitions.

Emerging players

• Center for Creative Minds: Mental health-focused nonprofit providing creative arts programming and therapy services. Comparable in using creative expression as a pathway to mental wellness, though operates in a different geographic market.
• Threshold Arts: Nonprofit using the arts to support mental health recovery and community inclusion. Comparable mission of integrating creative programming with mental health support, at a similarly small scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/awakenings-project

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 The Awakenings Project