ABC No Rio

What ABC No Rio does

ABC No Rio is a 501(c)(3) volunteer-led nonprofit community center founded in 1980 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, providing physical space, facilities, and programming for artists, musicians, zine makers, and activists committed to social justice and oppositional culture. Its core products are physical facilities and programs rather than digital products: a zine library holding over 13,000 independent publications, a community silkscreen printshop, a black-and-white photography darkroom, and a multi-OS computer center. Programming includes weekly all-ages punk/hardcore shows (run as HC/Punk Matinee for 25+ years), rotating visual arts exhibitions, the COMA experimental music series, photography critiques, zine fairs, and online educational classes (e.g., Comics as Political Expression at $200 per 19-session course).

The business model is donation- and grant-driven. Revenue streams include individual donations, crowdfunding, government grants from NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and NYS Council on the Arts, sliding-scale event donations ($10-$50), modest service fees ($5/hour printshop, $10-$35 screen burning), merchandise sales, and bespoke fundraisers (e.g., SaneSmith Brick Fundraiser at $100-$156 per brick). The organization acquired title to its 156 Rivington Street building from NYC HPD for $1 in 2006, demolished it in 2016, and broke ground on a new facility on July 16, 2024, with completion projected for July 2026 and programming resumption in Fall 2026. Through 2024-2026, ABC No Rio operates "in exile" across partner venues including P.I.T., The Clemente, Mercury Lounge, Starr Bar, Trans-Pecos, Mayday Space, and Bullet Space. The organization has 1-10 headcount (essentially one paid executive director plus volunteer collectives), is governed by a volunteer board, and faces a remaining $600,000 capital fundraising gap for construction completion.

Name

ABC No Rio

Legal name

ABC No Rio, Inc.

Website

https://abcnorio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ABC No Rio is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit community center founded in 1980 on Manhattan's Lower East Side, providing artists, musicians, zine makers, and activists with accessible exhibition space, all-ages music venues, a 13,000-item zine library, printshop, and darkroom facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts Center

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)

Keywords

• Community arts center
• Zine library
• Punk hardcore venue
• Silkscreen printshop
• Photography darkroom

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue source includes individual donations, crowdfunding campaigns, and brick fundraisers. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with tax-deductible contributions. The new building fund requires approximately $600,000 additional fundraising to cover construction costs, special inspection fees, architecture fees, and fixtures/furnishings.
2. Event Revenue: Sliding-scale suggested donations at punk shows, benefit concerts, COMA performances, and garage sales. Shows typically range $10-$20 or $15-$50 sliding scale. Punk Rock Karaoke events include $5-10 door fee plus raffle tickets at $5 each.
3. Printshop Fees: $5/hour for printing services, $10-$35 for screen burning. Revenue supports ABC No Rio programming and operations.
4. Educational Programming: Comics as Political Expression class offered online via Zoom for $200 per student. 19-session course with noted comics artist Seth Tobocman.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of merchandise including artwork prints, t-shirts, and donation incentives. Art donation gifts available for $100, $150, and $250 donation levels.
6. Government Grants: Significant funding from New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and city funding for building construction.
7. Brick Fundraiser: Sale of 198 bricks from original ABC No Rio building at $100 (random) or $156 (choose specific brick), each coming with screen-printed box, photograph, essay, stickers, and certificate of authenticity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ABC No Rio is a volunteer-led nonprofit community center that operates physical creative facilities — a 13,000+ publication Zine Library, a community silkscreen Printshop, a black-and-white Photography Darkroom, and a multi-OS Computer Center — alongside recurring programming including all-ages punk/hardcore shows (HC/Punk Matinee), socially engaged Visual Arts Exhibitions, the COMA experimental music series, the Endless Fest DIY festival, and educational classes such as Comics as Political Expression.

Product overview

ABC No Rio is a volunteer-led nonprofit community center for arts and activism offering a portfolio of physical facilities and programs rather than a unified software product. Core facilities include the Zine Library (13,000+ zine collection), Screenprint Printshop (silkscreen printing), Photography Darkroom, and Computer Center. Programming includes Visual Arts Exhibitions, HC/Punk Matinee (weekly punk/hardcore shows), COMA (experimental music series), and the Comics as Political Expression online class. The organization operates 'in exile' during construction of its new building at 156 Rivington Street (opening July 2026), with facilities temporarily relocated across various NYC venues. Fundraising products include art donation incentives and the SaneSmith Brick Fundraiser.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zine Library A public library housing over 13,000 independent, underground, and alternative zine publications covering music, culture, politics, activism, gender, health, and self-education, with special focus on NYC Lower East Side materials. Free public access during scheduled hours; no membership fee required. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:00-7:30pm, Fridays and Sundays 12:00-3pm.
• Screenprint Printshop A community silkscreen printing facility for t-shirts, posters, patches, and fine arts projects, operated on a skills-sharing model with volunteer assistance and teaching. Charges $5/hour for printing and $10-$35 for screen burning, available by appointment only.
• Photography Darkroom An all-volunteer photographic facility providing black-and-white enlarger workstations, a film processing room, a wet room for printing, and a light room for examining negatives and finished prints. The rebuilt darkroom will expand capacity with scanners and digitization software.
• Computer Center A public computer lab providing Mac, Windows, and Linux workstations for word processing, graphics design, internet access, and new media production. Also serves as a forum for skills and knowledge sharing. Currently closed for new building construction.
• Comics as Political Expression (Online Class) A 19-session online course taught by comics artist Seth Tobocman via Zoom, exploring political expression through comics, cartooning, and illustration. Open to all skill levels with focus on anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian perspectives. Course fee $200.
• ENDLESS FEST A new annual DIY punk and hardcore festival held in NYC, inaugurated in June 2026 as a benefit for ABC No Rio's new building. Multi-day lineup of punk and hardcore bands. Single-day pass $30; three-day pass $75.
• SaneSmith Brick Fundraiser Fundraiser offering 198 numbered bricks from the original ABC No Rio building. Each brick comes with a screen-printed SaneSmith box, photograph, essay, stickers, and certificate of authenticity. Random brick $100; choose specific brick $156.
• Art Donation Incentives Replica artworks offered as donor incentives tied to contribution levels: Sane Smith Graffiti photograph ($100+), Internationalist Art exhibition poster ($150+), and ABC No Rio Printshop photograph by Jade Doskow ($250+).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,500 community members mobilized to defend against eviction in mid-90s
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• University SettlementminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 February 2026Host venue for Garage(land) sale fundraiser at 184 Eldridge St (2nd floor, accessible elevator) on February 28 and March 1, 2026.
• Partners & SonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 2026Philadelphia partner served as drop-off location for Garage(land) sale donations, accepting items Wed-Sun at 618 S 6th St during February 2026.
• Mercury LoungeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 November 2025Benefit show venue for ABC No Rio building fund. Hosted benefit concert featuring Skull Practitioners, Art Gray Noizz Quintet, and Female Genius with all proceeds going to ABC No Rio.
• Trans-PecosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 November 2025Ridgewood, Queens venue hosted ABC No Rio in Exile benefit show featuring Melissa, Commitment, Pure Terror, and Spesia.
• Mayday SpacecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 September 2025Hosted ABC No Rio's inaugural Zine Fair on September 27, 2025, providing venue for over 25 zine creators/collectives, workshops, performances, and benefit hardcore show.
• Starr BarminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 August 2025Brooklyn venue hosted benefit show for ABC No Rio building fund featuring Funkrust Brass Band, Shellshag, False Starts, and Franz Nicolay.
• P.I.T. (Property Is Theft)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Brooklyn anarchist bookstore and record store serves as primary venue for ABC No Rio in Exile punk/hardcore shows, COMA experimental music nights, and benefit events. Regular host venue for weekly programming during construction period.
• Bullet Space/292 GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Venue partner for ABC No Rio in Exile exhibitions including PEST, Genocide, and Mythos shows. Provides gallery space for Visual Arts Collective programming.
• The Clemente (Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016During ABC No Rio's 'in exile' period, The Clemente provides temporary space for the office, archive, and Zine Library at 107 Suffolk Street #305. ABC No Rio expresses gratitude for their support and collaborative partnership.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Penumbra Foundation: NYC non-profit photography center operating community darkroom access, workshops, and exhibitions. Directly comparable to ABC No Rio's Photography Darkroom as a community-oriented analog photography facility providing affordable darkroom access to NYC photographers.
• Queens College Zine Library (Goddess Zine Library): CUNY Queens College zine collection providing public access to independent publications for research and study. Closest institutional parallel to ABC No Rio's zine library in mission and audience, though academic-affiliated rather than community-led.

Direct peers

• The Clemente (Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center): LES Manhattan cultural and educational center that hosts ABC No Rio's exile operations (office, archive, Zine Library). Comparable as a multi-use community arts facility providing affordable studio, performance, and exhibition space for artists and activists in NYC.
• Bullet Space: LES affordable housing and community space operating the 292 Gallery; serves as a primary exile venue for ABC No Rio's Visual Arts Collective exhibitions. Directly comparable as a long-standing Lower East Side activist/countercultural venue presenting politically-engaged art programming.
• 924 Gilman Street: Berkeley, CA all-ages DIY punk/hardcore venue run by a volunteer collective with explicit anti-discrimination booking policy. Closest analog to ABC No Rio's Saturday HC/Punk Matinee — both are volunteer-led, all-ages, mission-driven punk community spaces.
• Trans-Pecos: Ridgewood, Queens DIY music and art space hosting ABC No Rio exile benefit shows. Comparable as a volunteer-run small venue presenting experimental music, noise, and punk programming for the NYC underground community.
• P.I.T. (Property Is Theft): Brooklyn anarchist bookstore and record store serving as ABC No Rio's primary exile venue for weekly punk/hardcore shows and COMA experimental music nights. Directly comparable as a small radical/anarchist cultural venue operating in NYC.
• Mayday Space: Brooklyn volunteer-run community arts and organizing space that hosted ABC No Rio's inaugural Zine Fair (Sept 2025). Comparable as a DIY neighborhood center providing meeting, performance, and exhibition space for activist and arts communities.
• Interference Archive: Brooklyn volunteer-run archive of social movement ephemera open to the public free of charge. Directly comparable to ABC No Rio's zine library as a countercultural archival resource focused on activism, dissent, and DIY publishing.
• Silent Barn: Former Brooklyn DIY artist-run community space offering residencies, exhibitions, and music programming (closed 2018, relaunched). Highly comparable to ABC No Rio as a volunteer-led artist/activist community hub providing affordable studio, exhibition, and performance space in NYC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/abcnorio
• Xx.com/abcnorio
• Facebookfacebook.com/abcnorio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abc-no-rio

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 ABC No Rio