Jessye Norman School of the Arts

What Jessye Norman School of the Arts does

The Jessye Norman School of the Arts (JNSA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts education organization founded in 2003 and headquartered at an 18,000 square foot facility at 739 Greene Street, Augusta, Georgia. Its core offering is a tuition-free after-school and summer camp program supplemented by homeschool arts enrichment, private lessons, and community classes spanning drawing, music, drama, dance, and performance training. JNSA serves more than 1,200 students per year across these programs and adjacent community initiatives including the Ann and Ellis Johnson Gallery of Art, the Painted Pianos public art project, the JNSA Window Project, the Uku Seniors ukulele program for older adults, and an on-site community garden.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of streams: modest program fees for specialized offerings (for example, the $100 Charles White Masterclass for high school students), retail sales at The Second Act thrift store sub-brand located at 316 8th Street, tax-deductible donations and multi-tier benefit concert sponsorships (Connoisseur, Visionary, Catalyst, Partner), and distributions from The Jessye Norman Endowment Fund managed by the Community Foundation of the Central Savannah River Area. The organization also receives institutional support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Georgia Council for the Arts, United Way of the CSRA, and corporate funders including the Walmart Foundation and Dollar General. Operational and development staff of 11-50, led by Executive Director Gary Dennis, run the organization. Enrollment is handled through the ASAP Connected online portal, and outreach is conducted via Instagram, Facebook, email newsletters, community events (the annual Rising Stars Benefit Concert, Spring Showcase), and earned local media.

The go-to-market motion is community-led: programs are accessed via word-of-mouth, school and civic partnerships (Augusta Players, Savannah River Academy, Augusta Kroger Center), and public events. JNSA operates in a single market (Augusta, Georgia, USA) with no disclosed geographic expansion plans. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no institutional investor ownership; it functions as an independent community-supported non-profit. No technology platform or AI/ML capability is part of the operating model — service delivery is entirely human-instructed.

Name

Jessye Norman School of the Arts

Legal name

The Jessye Norman School of the Arts

Website

https://jessyenormanschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Founded in 2003 in Augusta, Georgia, the Jessye Norman School of the Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing tuition-free after-school, summer camp, homeschool, and community arts education to over 1,200 students annually, funded via donations, sponsorships, an endowment, and The Second Act thrift store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ)

Keywords

• Arts education programs
• Youth arts enrichment
• After-school programs
• Community arts education
• Non-profit arts school

Headquarters

HQ city

Augusta

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue from program enrollment fees such as the Charles White Masterclass at $100 per two-week session, private lessons, and other specialized programs.
2. The Second Act Store: Thrift store retail operation at 316 8th Street generating revenue from donated and resale merchandise. Store open Monday-Saturday with varying hours.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Includes one-time and recurring donation options, plus benefit concert sponsorships at various tiers (Connoisseur, Visionary, Catalyst, Partner).
4. Endowment Fund: Contributions to The Jessye Norman Endowment Fund managed through Community Foundation of the Central Savannah River Area.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

JNSA delivers tuition-free after-school and summer camp arts programs in drawing, music, drama, dance, and performance training for youth in Augusta, GA. The school supplements these core programs with homeschool arts enrichment, private lessons, and community classes for adults and non-traditional students, supported by The Second Act thrift store at 316 8th Street and the Ann and Ellis Johnson Gallery of Art.

Product overview

The Jessye Norman School of the Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts education organization offering a portfolio of programs centered around its core after-school and summer camp offering. The school provides structured arts programming including homeschool enrichment, private lessons, and community classes across multiple disciplines. The organization operates The Second Act Store, a thrift store generating revenue for the school, and maintains the Ann and Ellis Johnson Gallery of Art for exhibitions and community events. Special programs include the Charles White Masterclass, Painted Pianos community art installations, and the JNSA Window Project. With an 18,000 square foot facility at 739 Greene Street, Augusta, the school serves over 1,200 students annually across all programs and has operated since 2003.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Second Act: A thrift store operated by JNSA located at 316 8th Street, supporting the school's mission through retail operations.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 and minor.

• Sky's Musical StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for theatrical productions. Sky's Musical Studio partnered with JNSA to present 'Into the Woods' musical featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
• Arts and Heritage CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization listed among JNSA's partner network.
• Augusta PlayersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal performing arts organization listed as a community partner and sponsor of the 2025 Rising Stars Benefit Concert.
• Savannah River AcademyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization collaborating with JNSA.
• Augusta Kroger CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization working with JNSA.
• ZenBusinessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness services company that has supported JNSA, appearing as a website sponsor.
• Legacy at Walton OaksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner organization listed among JNSA supporters.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Settlement Music School: One of the oldest community arts schools in the U.S., providing subsidized music and arts education across multiple sites. Comparable to JNSA as a tuition-assisted non-profit arts school serving youth and families.
• Perpich Center for Arts Education: Minnesota's state-funded arts education center offering K-12 arts programming and professional development. Comparable as an arts education organization serving youth with state and institutional support.
• Community Music Center of Boston: Non-profit community music and arts school offering affordable instruction to Greater Boston residents. Comparable to JNSA as a tuition-supported community arts organization with similar mission.
• Harlem School of the Arts: Community-based non-profit arts school providing multi-disciplinary arts instruction to youth and families. Compares as tuition-supported urban arts education organization with similar community-access mission.
• Boston Arts Academy: Public arts high school in Boston serving diverse urban youth with tuition-free arts education across multiple disciplines. Directly comparable mission and tuition-free arts education model.
• New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA): A tuition-free arts conservatory serving high school students in New Orleans across multiple artistic disciplines. Directly comparable to JNSA's tuition-free model and arts-focused youth programming.
• Interlochen Center for the Arts: A non-profit arts education organization offering multi-disciplinary arts programming (music, visual arts, dance, theater) for K-12 and adult learners. Compares to JNSA as a tuition-supported community arts institution with summer camp and year-round programs.

Broad incumbents

• Young Audiences Arts for Learning: National non-profit network providing arts education programming to K-12 students across multiple states. Comparable as a non-profit arts education organization with youth-focused programming model.
• Carnegie Hall: Iconic performing arts venue with significant K-12 music education programs through Carnegie Hall's education division. Comparable as a major arts institution with youth arts education initiatives.
• Berklee College of Music: Major post-secondary music and performing arts institution with K-12 outreach programs (Berklee City Music Network). Comparable as a leading arts education institution with Boston-area community programs serving youth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/share/3ANMRVbxwDwu2uBD
• Instagraminstagram.com/thesecondact.thrift
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rachel-longstreet-foundation-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Jessye Norman School of the Arts