What Visionaries + Voices does

Visionaries + Voices is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit arts organization founded in 2001 by Keith Banner and Bill Ross, both of whom previously worked for county boards serving individuals with disabilities. The organization provides studio access, professional development, exhibition opportunities, and teaching pathways for adult artists with disabilities, operating two physical locations: the original Northside Studio + Gallery (3841 Spring Grove Ave) and the newly opened Blue Ash Studio (11256 Cornell Park Dr, Suite 500), which launched on April 11, 2025. Core programs include a studio program serving more than 50 active artists, the Teaching Artist Program (TAP), the Artist in Residence program, Summer Art Camp for children ages 5-18, JOY FUEL inclusive workshops for the LGBTQAI+ community, and the SHOW OF HANDS Puppet Festival, complemented by five in-house exhibitions per year and signature events such as the Double Vision auction and Holly Dazed holiday market.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue mix across four streams: (1) art and merchandise sales through an e-commerce shop and physical studios, with 70 percent of original artwork revenue paid directly to the artist and the organization retaining a 30 percent commission; (2) merchandise sales covering greeting cards ($2.99-$3.99), t-shirts ($28), enamel pins ($10), tote bags ($12), stickers ($4-$8), zines, and other items; (3) donations and corporate sponsorships, primarily routed through the ArtsWave Community Campaign with corporate contributors ranging from $100,000 to $2,000,000+ tiers; and (4) fees from 27 teaching artists delivering classes to schools and community organizations across Greater Cincinnati. Distribution occurs through the online shop, both physical studios, private consultations with the Exhibitions Director Maria Seda-Reeder, and the Teaching Artist Program deployed into external venues. No proprietary technology platform underpins the operations.

Notable milestones include the 2023 acquisition of artist Courttney Cooper's Cincinnati Map by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the launch of the V+V+U commercial licensing sub-brand, which monetizes artist designs through illustration, surface design, murals, and immersive brand experiences for business clients. The organization employs 11 to 50 staff, is led by Co-Founders Keith Banner and Bill Ross with an operational team including Directors of Exhibitions, Education, and Studios, and operates exclusively within the Greater Cincinnati region.

Name

Visionaries + Voices

Legal name

Visionaries + Voices

Website

https://visionariesandvoices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Visionaries + Voices is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit founded in 2001 that provides studio access, exhibitions, and education programs for adult artists with disabilities, operating studios in Northside and Blue Ash with revenue from art sales, sponsorships, and teaching artist fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inclusive arts and disability services

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Graphic Design Services (541430), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA), Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA), Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking) (EDAMALAH), Event Signage, Props & Custom Installations (HSACAOAG)

Keywords

• Inclusive arts studio
• Disability arts organization
• Artist exhibition services
• Community arts education
• Art merchandise sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Art Sales: 70% of original art purchase price is paid directly to the artist. The organization takes a 30% commission on art sales through their online store and exhibitions.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of artist-designed merchandise including greeting cards, t-shirts, tote bags, zines, stickers, buttons/pins, and other items.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Monetary donations support artist scholarships and art supplies. Corporate sponsors at various levels ($100,000+ to $2 million+) support through ArtsWave Community Campaign.
4. Teaching Artist Program: 27 teaching artists available to teach classes throughout Greater Cincinnati, with revenue supporting artist compensation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Visionaries + Voices runs studio programs that provide workspace, materials, and exhibition opportunities for adults with disabilities to create and sell original artwork. It complements these with the Teaching Artist Program, Summer Art Camp, JOY FUEL workshops, the SHOW OF HANDS Puppet Festival, the V+V+U commercial licensing service, and an online shop for original art, greeting cards, clothing, and accessories.

Product overview

Visionaries + Voices is an inclusive arts organization providing creative, professional, and educational opportunities for adults with and without disabilities. The organization operates through multiple interconnected programs: a core studio program at Northside and Blue Ash locations providing workspace and community for artists with disabilities; the Teaching Artist Program (TAP) training artists to teach in classrooms; V+V+U licensing artist artwork to commercial brands for illustration, surface design, and murals; and a robust exhibitions program including the annual Double Vision fundraiser and seasonal shows like Casting Shadows, Fiber Fantasy, and Holly Dazed. The organization also offers youth programming through Summer Art Camp, community engagement via JOY FUEL LGBTQAI+ workshops and the SHOW OF HANDS Puppet Festival, and generates revenue through an online shop selling original artwork, greeting cards, artist-designed merchandise (t-shirts, pins, bags), and publications like the STUDIOLIO zine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• V+V+U: A professional art resource from Visionaries + Voices offering illustration, surface design images, murals, and immersive brand experiences for commercial clients.

Products and services

• Teaching Artist Program (TAP) A 20-week training program that prepares artists to develop, prepare, and present lessons based on their personal artwork in classroom and community settings. 31 TAP artists are currently available to teach classes throughout Greater Cincinnati.
• V+V+U (Professional Art Resource) A commercial art licensing service offering illustration, surface design images, murals, and immersive brand experiences for businesses, using artwork created by Visionaries + Voices artists.
• Summer Art Camp One and two-week summer art camps for children ages 5-18 of all abilities, covering topics such as drawing, printmaking, ceramics, and puppets. Camps are limited to 12 campers per session and partner with Word Play Cincy for afternoon programming.
• JOY FUEL Workshops A free, inclusive workshop series celebrating the LGBTQAI+ community in Greater Cincinnati, providing accessible programming with teaching artists across various art forms.
• SHOW OF HANDS Puppet Festival An annual performance and workshop series celebrating experimental puppetry and storytelling for all ages, abilities, and experience levels, supported by sponsors including Puppet Slam Network, Summerfair Cincinnati, and Ohio Arts Council.
• Visionaries + Voices Online Shop E-commerce storefront selling original artwork, greeting cards, clothing, accessories, buttons and pins, stickers, and publications featuring designs by Visionaries + Voices artists.
• STUDIOLIO Zine Hand-bound zine publication featuring images of Visionaries + Voices studio life, sold individually through the organization's online shop.
• Visionaries + Voices Core Studio Program Inclusive studio program providing workspace, art materials, exhibition opportunities, and a community for adults with disabilities to create original artwork, with proceeds shared with artists.
• Artist in Residence Program Annual juried artist residency in which selected artists collaborate with V+V studio artists; recent residents have included Chloe Greenberg (2025) and Julia Green (2024, who co-founded DSGN CLLCTV).
• Exhibitions Program Year-round gallery exhibition program featuring V+V artists, with five in-house exhibitions annually and special events such as the Double Vision fundraiser, Casting Shadows, Holly Dazed holiday market, and Fiber Fantasy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of art purchase price goes directly to the artist
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 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 supporting.

• ArtsWavecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerV+V is part of the ArtsWave Community, the region's primary source for arts funding. ArtsWave administers the annual ArtsWave Community Campaign which funds Greater Cincinnati arts organizations including V+V. V+V participates in the 'Bring You' program.
• Puppet Slam NetworksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsors the annual SHOW OF HANDS Puppet Festival and Puppet Slam events. Part of a network supporting experimental puppetry.
• Word Play CincysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer Art Camp partners with Word Play Cincy for afternoon programming, with campers traveling there after starting at V+V studios.
• DSGN CLLCTVsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by 2024 Artist in Residence Julia Green. V+V collaborated on fashion show featuring artwork created during residency.
• FotoFocussupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerV+V participated in the FotoFocus 2024 Biennial with the 'Flowers in the Sidewalk' exhibition exploring themes of agency and perseverance.
• Bounty Paper TowelssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive Artist Project partnership featuring 8 V+V artists in collaboration with Bounty Paper Towels brand.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Project Onward: Chicago-based nonprofit studio and gallery for adult artists with mental and developmental disabilities offering workspace, exhibition, and representation; operates on the same inclusive-arts-studio model as V+V.
• Creativity Explored: San Francisco nonprofit providing studio space, exhibition, and art sales representation for artists with developmental disabilities; directly comparable studio-plus-gallery-plus-shop structure and artist-centered mission.
• Pure Vision Arts: New York City studio and exhibition program supporting artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities; comparable studio access, sales commissions, and gallery program aimed at the same core population.
• Creative Growth Art Center: Oakland, CA-based nonprofit art studio serving adult artists with developmental disabilities; operates a working studio, gallery exhibitions, online shop, and artist representation — the closest functional analog to V+V's model and scale.
• NIAD Art Center: Richmond, CA studio and gallery program for adult artists with disabilities, providing workspace, materials, and exhibition/sales representation; long-tenured peer in the same inclusive-arts-studio category.
• Artsphere Houston: Houston nonprofit providing art programs, exhibitions, and sales opportunities for adults with disabilities; directly comparable inclusive-arts-studio model though smaller in scale than V+V.

Regional players

• Contemporary Arts Center (Cincinnati): Greater Cincinnati contemporary art museum that has hosted V+V exhibitions; adjacent peer in regional arts ecosystem with overlapping community but very different operating model (museum vs. studio).
• Cincinnati Art Museum: Regional art museum that has exhibited V+V artists; comparable as a Cincinnati cultural institution with overlapping artist exposure but a fundamentally different scale and mission.

Others

• ArtsWave: Cincinnati's primary arts funding intermediary that administers the Community Campaign underwrites V+V's largest corporate sponsorships; comparable as a regional arts nonprofit but functions as V+V's funder rather than competitor.
• Disability Rights Fund: International grantmaker funding disability-led organizations; thematically adjacent to V+V's mission but operates as a funder rather than direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VandVcincinnati
• Facebookfacebook.com/visionariesandvoices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/visionaries-voices

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Visionaries + Voices