URBANO Project
URBANO Project is a Boston-based community arts non-profit founded in 2009 that runs participatory public art programs connecting professional artists, paid youth artists aged 14-22, and community members across Greater Boston neighborhoods, funded primarily through grants and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersEast Boston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What URBANO Project does
URBANO Project is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) community arts non-profit founded in 2009 and headquartered at 29 Germania Street in Jamaica Plain, Boston. The organization brings together professional artists, youth aged roughly 14-22, and broader community members to produce participatory and public art projects intended to foster personal transformation, community connection, and social change. Its core program portfolio includes paid Youth Art Projects (with teen stipends), Community Art Projects, structured Artist Residencies, Short Intergenerational Projects, Artist Workshops, public Exhibitions, Publications, and an online print store. Notable past projects include the ENIGMA exhibition by Chanel Thervil, Nora Valdez's Immigration Nation and WE HEAL collaborations with Boston Medical Center, and ongoing 2024-2025 programs such as Empowered Earth, Move.Dwell.Belong., Home is Here., Chapters of Choice, Mapas Colectivos, and Cumulus.
The organization operates with 1-10 employees and delivers programming through its Jamaica Plain studio, partner venues across Greater Boston (ICA Boston, Cambridge Foundry, Boston Public Library branches, Brain Arts Org, Jo-Mé Dance Studios, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, KAIROS Dance Theater), and public spaces for murals and installations. Marketing and outreach rely on earned media, Instagram, a Mailchimp newsletter, and partner referrals rather than paid acquisition. Technology infrastructure is minimal: a Squarespace website, basic social profiles, and an online merchandise storefront for silkscreen prints priced $35-$250.
URBANO's revenue model is non-profit philanthropy-based: individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants (City of Boston / Boston Cultural Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, The Boston Foundation, Shout Syndicate), and a small e-commerce stream from artist print sales. Programs are free to participants, with youth artists receiving stipends. The organization has received grant funding across multiple years (2016, 2019, 2020, 2022) and was among 192 arts organizations sharing $3.42 million in Boston Cultural Council and Reopen Creative Boston ARPA funding. No venture or equity investment has been identified.
URBANO Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- URBANO Project
- Legal name
- Urbano Project
- Website
- https://urbanoproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- URBANO Project is a Boston-based community arts non-profit founded in 2009 that runs participatory public art programs connecting professional artists, paid youth artists aged 14-22, and community members across Greater Boston neighborhoods, funded primarily through grants and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
URBANO Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Arts Programs
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Museums (712110)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA), Visual Arts & Media Arts Programs (Art Club, Photography, Film) (EDAJAJAF), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)
Keywords
Where URBANO Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- East Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
URBANO Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Primary revenue stream from individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants. The organization operates a donate page on its website and received Reopen Creative Boston Grant funding.
- Art Print Sales: Revenue from sale of artist prints and youth artist prints through the Urbano Store, ranging from $35-$250 per item
- Grant Funding: Significant funding from government and private foundations including Boston Cultural Council, NEFA Creative City grants, and Boston Foundation awards
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Others | Free community programs for youth and community members |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
URBANO Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
URBANO Project runs community arts programs that connect professional teaching artists, Boston-area youth (ages 14-22), and intergenerational community members through participatory public art projects, artist residencies, workshops, and exhibitions. Youth artists are paid stipends to participate in six-hour weekly studio sessions led by artists-in-residence, and the organization also sells artist prints through its online Urbano Store.
Product overview
URBANO Project is a community arts non-profit organization operating as a single unified program portfolio rather than a platform architecture. The core offerings consist of Youth Art Projects (paid stipends for teens working with teaching artists), Community Art Projects (participatory public art), Artist Residencies, Short Intergenerational Projects, and Artist Workshops. These programs are complemented by Exhibitions, Publications, and an Artist Print Store selling merchandise. The organization runs seasonal projects including 2024 programs like Empowered Earth (ceramics), Move.Dwell.Belong. (dance movement), and Home is Here. (mural painting), as well as 2025 initiatives such as Chapters of Choice (comic-making), Mapas Colectivos (creative cartography), and Cumulus (embodiment workshop). Special projects like We Heal provide art programs for cancer patients in collaboration with Boston Medical Center.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Youth Art Projects Paid youth artist residency programs pairing Boston-area teens with professional teaching artists for multi-week studio sessions, mentoring, and exhibition opportunities. Participants receive stipends for their creative work.
- Community Art Projects Participatory public art projects that bring together artists, youth, and community members for collaborative installations addressing social themes such as housing insecurity, identity, and belonging.
- Artist Residencies Structured artist-in-residence programs pairing professional teaching artists with youth participants for multi-week intensive creative programs culminating in exhibitions, performances, or public installations.
- Short Intergenerational Projects Brief collaborative art projects involving participants across different age groups for cross-generational creative exchange.
- Artist Workshops Hands-on creative workshops led by teaching artists introducing cohorts to artmaking techniques related to ongoing or recent projects.
- Exhibitions Gallery exhibitions showcasing works created by youth artists, teaching artists, and community participants, often hosted at partner venues such as ICA Boston and Boston Public Library branches.
- Publications Printed materials including project documentation, artist books, and event-related publications distributed through the organization.
- Artist Print Store Online store (Urbano Store) selling silkscreen prints, artist prints, and youth artist prints ranging from $35 to $250 per item.
- Empowered Earth (Spring 2024 Youth Art Project) Spring 2024 clay ceramics program where students explored ceramic history and design while learning skills for eco-heritage and climate solutions, culminating in building a 'Rocket Kiln' mobile kiln with teaching artist Hannah Niswonger.
- Move.Dwell.Belong. (Spring 2024 Community Art Project) A 12-week movement program with KAIROS teaching artists exploring Blue Zones lifestyle habits through dance and performance, creating a 45-minute site-specific performance piece with DeAnna Pellecchia and Carmen Rizzo.
- Home is Here. (Summer 2024 Youth Art Project) Six-week drawing and painting program led by Yixuan Zeng creating murals in Fields Corner Dorchester, featuring monsters representing perceptions of home.
- Chapters of Choice (Spring 2025 Youth Art Project) Eleven-week comic-making workshop guiding high-school students in reflecting upon choice and agency through autobiographical storytelling with teaching artist Maria Fong.
- Mapas Colectivos / Community MapMaking (Spring 2025) Creative-cartography workshop guiding participants in mapping individual and shared worlds through conversation and visual art techniques like collaging and collaborative drawing with teaching artist Hern\u00e1n Joub\u00e1.
- Cumulus (February 2025 Workshop) Sensory-based workshop on creative embodiment, guided language, metaphor, and nature led by Jassi Murad exploring movement and body expression.
- We Heal Therapeutic art project by Nora Valdez in collaboration with Boston Medical Center Cancer Sickle Cell Support Programs and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, encouraging cancer patients to explore and express healing journeys through collages, mandalas, poems, and prayer flags.
- Donate/Support Program Financial support program accepting charitable donations to fund youth stipends, artist residencies, and community art projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- Established over 10 years with consistent programming
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use URBANO Project
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
URBANO Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
URBANO Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cambridge FoundrycoreThe Cambridge Foundry serves as a key partner venue for Urbano programs, hosting events such as the Empowered Earth final showcase and other community workshops. The Foundry's family festival programming has included Urbano workshops.
- Brain Arts OrgcoreBrain Arts Org hosted Urbano's summer program final event at their location and has been a consistent community partner for youth arts programming in Dorchester.
- ICA Boston (Institute of Contemporary Art)coreICA Boston co-produces teen exhibitions with Urbano and hosts youth artwork at their Seaport Studios. The organizations collaborated on the Pinpoint Boston exhibition as part of ICA's Teen Exhibitions Program.
- Boston Medical CentercoreURBANO collaborated with Boston Medical Center's Cancer Sickle Cell Support Programs for the WE HEAL project, bringing art workshops to patients.
- Dana Farber Cancer InstituteminorPatients from Dana Farber participated in the WE HEAL collaborative art project alongside other cancer patients and Urbano youth artists.
- Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumminorYouth Artist Project collaboration with the museum for the Map This sustainable fashion exhibition.
- Jo-Mé Dance StudiosminorPartner venue in Jamaica Plain that hosted the final performance of Move.Dwell.Belong. project.
- Egleston Square Branch of Boston Public LibraryminorLibrary branch served as venue for Mapas Colectivos final showcase event.
- Franklin Park (Schoolmaster's Hill)minorOutdoor venue for site-specific performance of Move.Dwell.Belong. project.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
URBANO Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Cambridge Foundry: Cambridge-based coworking and event venue that hosts Urbano programming; adjacent enabling partner rather than a direct peer in community arts delivery.
- The Boston Foundation: Major Boston-area philanthropic foundation that has awarded grants to Urbano; relevant as a funder ecosystem participant rather than a programmatic peer.
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Boston museum that has hosted Urbano youth-artist projects; comparable as a cultural-institution ecosystem partner though not a direct competitor for community arts programming.
Direct peers
- Community Art Center: Cambridge, MA nonprofit offering youth and community art classes, residencies, and exhibitions; same Greater Boston community-arts footprint with youth-focused programming.
- Boston Center for the Arts: Long-standing Boston community arts hub supporting emerging artists, residencies, and exhibitions; comparable mission of nurturing local artists and providing community-facing art programs.
- Artists for Humanity: Boston-based nonprofit that provides paid art opportunities and creative workforce development for teens and young adults, directly mirroring Urbano's paid youth-stipend, artist-residency model.
- Zumix: East Boston community arts nonprofit focused on youth music and arts programming; same neighborhood-adjacent geography as Urbano (Jamaica Plain / Greater Boston) with comparable nonprofit youth-arts mission.
- KAIROS Dance Theater: Boston-area contemporary dance company that partners with Urbano on community projects; directly comparable as a community-engaged performing arts nonprofit with social-change mission.
Broad incumbents
- Institute of Contemporary Art / ICA Boston: Major Boston contemporary art museum that co-produces teen exhibitions with Urbano; broader arts institution that overlaps in serving young artists but operates at significantly larger scale.
- MassArt (Massachusetts College of Art and Design): Boston's public arts college, much larger than Urbano but operating in the same regional arts-education ecosystem and often partnering with or sourcing talent from community arts organizations.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
URBANO Project social profiles
Digital presenceURBANO Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
URBANO Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
URBANO Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
URBANO Project 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 URBANO Project
What does URBANO Project do?
URBANO Project runs community arts programs that connect professional teaching artists, Boston-area youth (ages 14-22), and intergenerational community members through participatory public art projects, artist residencies, workshops, and exhibitions. Youth artists are paid stipends to participate in six-hour weekly studio sessions led by artists-in-residence, and the organization also sells artist prints through its online Urbano Store.
Is URBANO Project a public or private company?
URBANO Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was URBANO Project founded?
URBANO Project was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is URBANO Project based?
URBANO Project is headquartered in East Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does URBANO Project make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are art Print Sales and grant Funding.
Who are URBANO Project's main competitors?
Others on record are Cambridge Foundry, The Boston Foundation and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Direct peers are Community Art Center, Boston Center for the Arts, Artists for Humanity, Zumix and KAIROS Dance Theater. Broad incumbents are Institute of Contemporary Art / ICA Boston and MassArt (Massachusetts College of Art and Design).
Does URBANO Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for URBANO Project.
What industry is URBANO Project in?
URBANO Project's product category is Community Arts Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAC, Arts Education & Community Arts Programs, with a secondary code of EDAAAGAA, Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 7330.