Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz
Belongó is a New York-based nonprofit founded in 2007 by Arturo O'Farrill that presents Afro Latin Jazz performances, delivers free K-12 music education across 21 NYC school districts, and preserves a 750-score archive, while developing Casa Belongó, a permanent East Harlem arts center scheduled to open in 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersWest New York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz does
Belongó, legally Afro Latin Jazz Alliance of New York Inc, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 2007 by GRAMMY-winning pianist and composer Arturo O'Farrill and headquartered in East Harlem, New York — the recognized birthplace of Afro Latin Jazz. The organization operates three integrated program verticals: Present & Produce (live and recorded Afro Latin Jazz performances by The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and The Fat Cats ensemble), Educate & Inspire (free K-12 music education across 21 NYC public school districts, plus The Fat Cats Youth Orchestra Program and programs for seniors and marginalized communities), and Protect & Advance (a music library and archive of 750+ scores spanning 16+ genres, plus commissioning of new works). Since founding, Belongó has delivered 870+ performances reaching over 1M viewers and instructed more than 20,000 K-12 students.
The organization's product surface is intentionally low-tech and human-capital-driven. Performance and education programs are delivered directly — live at venues including The Pocket (weekly residency), Carnegie Hall, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and in classrooms across the NYC public school system. Digital distribution (launched in 2020 in response to the pandemic) consists of Virtual Birdland, a weekly free online performance series, and ALJA Digital Village, an online awareness and education platform. Merchandise, recordings, and apparel are sold through a dedicated e-commerce storefront at shop.belongo.org. Underlying technology is standard web/video streaming and donation processing via GiveLively — no proprietary AI, ML, or platform infrastructure is disclosed.
Belongó's revenue model is donation- and grant-driven, typical of a 501(c)(3) performing arts nonprofit: individual contributions processed through GiveLively, foundation and government grants, corporate sponsorships, earned income from ticketed performances, and merchandise sales. The organization is in a capital expansion phase: in 2022 it was selected as the cultural partner at Timbale Terrace, a 340-unit affordable housing project in East Harlem, where it is developing Casa Belongó — a permanent state-of-the-art performance, education, and cultural hub scheduled for inauguration in 2026. The organization rebranded from the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance to Belongó around 2022–2024 as part of a stated mission expansion from Afro Latin Jazz specifically to broader Latin music, arts, and cultures.
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz
- Legal name
- Afro Latin Jazz Alliance of New York Inc
- Website
- https://belongo.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Belongó is a New York-based nonprofit founded in 2007 by Arturo O'Farrill that presents Afro Latin Jazz performances, delivers free K-12 music education across 21 NYC school districts, and preserves a 750-score archive, while developing Casa Belongó, a permanent East Harlem arts center scheduled to open in 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arts & Cultural Services
- NAICS
- Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)
Keywords
Where Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Nonprofit organization relying on donor support, grants, and charitable contributions. Website features a donate button linking to GiveLively platform for accepting donations.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Belongó is a nonprofit arts organization that presents live Afro Latin Jazz performances featuring The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and The Fat Cats ensemble, delivers free music education programs to K-12 students across NYC public schools, and preserves the genre through a music library archive of 750+ scores spanning 16+ genres. The organization operates weekly concerts at venues including The Pocket and Carnegie Hall, school-based curricula, the Virtual Birdland online series, and is developing Casa Belongó, a permanent music and arts center in East Harlem scheduled to open in 2026.
Product overview
Belongó (formerly Afro Latin Jazz Alliance) is a nonprofit arts organization founded in 2007 by Arturo O'Farrill, offering a portfolio of interconnected cultural programs: live jazz performances featuring The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and The Fat Cats; free K-12 music education programs and The Fat Cats Youth Orchestra Program; a music library archive of 750+ scores across 16+ genres; and the online ALJA Digital Village/Virtual Birdland streaming series. The organization is developing Casa Belongó, a permanent music and arts center planned for East Harlem (2026). Its offerings serve both in-person audiences (870+ performances since 2007) and online viewers, with an e-commerce shop for merchandise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: The primary performing ensemble led by Arturo O'Farrill
- The Fat Cats Youth Orchestra Program
- Casa Belongó
- ALJA Digital Village
- Virtual Birdland
Products and services
- Live Performances (The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra) Live concerts featuring The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra led by Arturo O'Farrill at venues including The Pocket (NYC weekly), Carnegie Hall, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts, reaching audiences of thousands. Over 870 performances delivered since 2007, reaching 1M+ viewers as of 2022.
- Music Education Programs (ALJAM) Free, tailored music education programs delivered to K-12 public schools, seniors, and marginalized groups across New York City. Serving over 20,000 K-12 students since 2007 across 21 NYC school districts.
- The Fat Cats Youth Orchestra Program A youth orchestra program providing musical training and performance opportunities to the next generation of aspiring young musicians. Performs publicly at venues including Harlem Rose Garden.
- Music Library and Archives An archive collection of over 750 scores spanning 16+ musical genres along with music-related memorabilia, preserved to commission new works and big band arrangements across genres.
- Virtual Birdland & ALJA Digital Village Online series created in 2020 to raise awareness for Afro Latin Jazz through performance and education. Virtual Birdland is a weekly free online event featuring musicians playing from diverse locations globally.
- Online Store (Shop) Online shop offering unique collections including recordings, apparel, accessories, and other merchandise to supporters and fans worldwide.
Quantifiable outcome
- 870+ performances since 2007 reaching 1M+ viewers
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Timbale Terrace (cultural partner)coreSelected as cultural partner for Timbale Terrace, a 340-unit affordable housing project on Park Avenue at 118th Street in East Harlem. This partnership supports the development of Casa Belongó Music & Arts Center, bringing a state-of-the-art performance space, music education, and cultural hub to the birthplace of Afro Latin Jazz.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SFJAZZ: San Francisco nonprofit presenting organization that produces a jazz festival, concerts, and education/outreach programs. Mirrors Belongó's presenting-and-educating operating model, donor-funded structure, and large-scale annual programming.
- Jazz at Lincoln Center: New York-based nonprofit that presents, produces, and educates around jazz through a resident orchestra, performances (incl. Rose Theater, Dizzy's Club), and education programs. Most direct comparable to Belongó's combination of GRAMMY-level jazz orchestra, education mission, and East Harlem programming footprint.
- Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance: Jazz-focused education nonprofit supporting collegiate-level performers and global programs. Comparable to Belongó's talent-development (Fat Cats) and artist-training mission within the jazz genre.
- Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz: National nonprofit dedicated to jazz performance, education (incl. peer-instruction programs in public schools), and competitions. Directly comparable to Belongó's K-12 education arm (ALJAM) and GRAMMY-adjacent artist network.
- National Jazz Museum in Harlem: Harlem nonprofit dedicated to preserving, exhibiting, and educating about jazz heritage. Strongly comparable to Belongó's 'Protect & Advance' preservation, archive, and education mission within the same Harlem cultural ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Carnegie Hall: Iconic presenting nonprofit that produces and presents thousands of concerts annually plus large-scale education and community programs. Comparable as a venue/presenter relationship Belongó relies on (Belongó performs at Carnegie Hall Citywide), and as a model for nonprofit concert presenting and education at scale.
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts: Large NYC-based presenting nonprofit encompassing multiple resident orchestras and education initiatives. Operates at much larger scale but addresses the same donor, education, and presenting ecosystem Belongó competes within for funding and audiences.
- The Apollo Theater Foundation: Historic Harlem performing arts nonprofit that presents programming and runs education/workforce initiatives. Comparable NYC cultural anchor with similar African-American/Latin cultural heritage positioning and donor base overlap.
Regional players
- Harlem School of the Arts: Harlem-based nonprofit providing music, dance, and visual arts instruction to children and seniors. Shares Belongó's geographic catchment (East/Central Harlem), education-for-marginalized-groups mission, and tuition-assisted/free programming model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz social profiles
Digital presenceBelongó | Afro Latin Jazz financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz 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 Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz
What does Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz do?
Belongó is a nonprofit arts organization that presents live Afro Latin Jazz performances featuring The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and The Fat Cats ensemble, delivers free music education programs to K-12 students across NYC public schools, and preserves the genre through a music library archive of 750+ scores spanning 16+ genres. The organization operates weekly concerts at venues including The Pocket and Carnegie Hall, school-based curricula, the Virtual Birdland online series, and is developing Casa Belongó, a permanent music and arts center in East Harlem scheduled to open in 2026.
Is Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz a public or private company?
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz founded?
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz based?
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz is headquartered in West New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Contributions.
Who are Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SFJAZZ, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and National Jazz Museum in Harlem. Broad incumbents are Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and The Apollo Theater Foundation. Harlem School of the Arts is listed as a regional player.
Does Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz have an API?
No public API is recorded for Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz.
What industry is Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz in?
Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz's product category is Arts & Cultural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAL, Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building), with a secondary code of EDAMANAC, Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir). Its NAICS code is 711130 and its SIC code is 8600.