What Summertime Gallery does

Summertime Gallery is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit art studio, residency, and gallery founded in 2019 by Sophia Cosmadopoulos (Gallery Director) and Anna Schechter (Studio Director). The organization serves neurodiverse artists — primarily adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities — alongside artists without disabilities, creating work in shared studio environments. Its programs include weekly Studio Hours (3-hour mentored sessions at $150 each), a 3-month Artist Residency Program (with free studio access, $500 materials stipend, $600 honorarium, and a culminating exhibition), rotating Gallery Exhibitions, Art Walks + Talks (a 10-week NYC excursion series), the Sincerely Summertime monthly postcard subscription ($5/month or $60/year), the Residency Alumni Program (launched 2024), and the publication The Double Scoop. Pussypaws Puppetry, an internal collaborative of 60+ artists led by Studio Supervisor Priscilla Frank, produces public performances.

The organization generates revenue through a diversified mix: art sales with proceeds split 50% to the artist, 25% to Summertime, and 25% to the artist's home studio; e-commerce merchandise (t-shirts from $65, sweatshirts from $60); original artwork sales (individual pieces ranging $800–$2,500); class enrollment fees; the Sincerely Summertime subscription; and tax-deductible donations. The organization reports no proprietary technology platform — operations run on a Squarespace website with email and Instagram as primary owned channels. Earned media coverage in The New York Times, Artforum, Hyperallergic, Thrillist, and Cultured Magazine supplements a community-led GTM that recruits artists through partner organizations such as YAI Arts, Pure Vision Arts, Creative Growth, and other disability-focused art studios.

Funding comes from institutional grants rather than equity investment, with major supporters including the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The New York Community Trust, Teiger Foundation, the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, the Joseph Robert Foundation, Puffin Foundation, and the Clementine Fund. The organization is led by co-founders alongside a board of directors and operates from a single gallery location at 145 Ainslie Street in Brooklyn, with no public revenue disclosure.

Name

Summertime Gallery

Legal name

Summertime Gallery

Website

https://summertimegallery.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Summertime Gallery is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit art studio, residency, and gallery founded in 2019 that serves neurodiverse artists with and without intellectual disabilities through studio programs, exhibitions, and a monthly postcard subscription.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Visual Arts and Disability Inclusion Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Art Dealers (459920)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA), Art, Street Art & Creative Scene Tours (THAJAAAE)

Keywords

• Art studio services
• Artist residency programs
• Inclusive art gallery
• Neurodiverse artist support
• Community art classes

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Art Sales: Artists sell their artwork through Summertime, with proceeds split 50% to the artist, 25% to Summertime, and 25% to the artist's home studio (if applicable). This enables artists to generate essential income and achieve independence.
2. Sincerely Summertime Postcard Subscription: Monthly postcard club delivering limited-edition artworks by neurodiverse artists to subscribers' mailboxes. $5/month ($60/year) subscription with shipping included domestically. Proceeds pay artists, cover printing/shipping costs, with remainder supporting Summertime programs.
3. Studio Hours Classes: Weekly group art sessions for adult artists with and without disabilities. Classes run 3 hours and cost $150 per session. Sessions are led by artist mentors and provide space, materials, and gentle guidance.
4. Art Sales (Merchandise): Sale of art-based merchandise including t-shirts ($65), sweatshirts ($60), and prints through the online shop.
5. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting Summertime's mission to create an inclusive art world.
6. Original Artwork Sales: Sale of original artworks by artists including Raquel Albarran Gonzalez, with prices ranging from $800 to $2,500 for individual pieces.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Summertime Gallery operates an art studio, residency program, and gallery in Brooklyn that supports neurodiverse artists with and without intellectual disabilities. It delivers weekly Studio Hours classes, a 3-month artist residency with stipends and mentorship, rotating exhibitions, a monthly postcard subscription club, and art walks through NYC cultural destinations. The organization sells original artwork, merchandise, and subscriptions, with proceeds split between artists, their home studios, and Summertime's programs.

Product overview

Summertime Gallery is an art studio, residency, and gallery that offers a portfolio of programs supporting neurodiverse artists. The core offerings include Studio Hours (weekly art sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays), an Artist Residency Program (3-month program with stipends and mentorship), and Gallery Exhibitions (showing work at their Brooklyn space). Additional offerings include Sincerely Summertime (a $5/month postcard subscription delivering original art from neurodiverse artists), Art Walks + Talks (a 10-week program exploring NYC creative destinations), The Double Scoop (an artist publication), and a Residency Alumni Program providing continued support after the residency concludes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sincerely Summertime: Monthly postcard club featuring limited-edition artwork by neurodiverse artists, delivered to subscribers' doors.
• Studio Hours
• Art Walks + Talks
• Residency Alumni Program
• The Double Scoop

Products and services

• Artist Residency Program A 3-month residency providing neurodiverse artists with free studio access, a $500 materials stipend, a $600 honorarium, weekly mentorship check-ins, and a culminating public exhibition. Artists receive 50% of sales from their work, with an additional 25% allocated to their home studio. Applications are accepted annually.
• Studio Hours Weekly group art sessions for adult artists (18+) at all stages of their creative journeys, with and without disabilities. Sessions are 3 hours long, held on Mondays and Wednesdays, and led by artist mentors who provide space, materials, and gentle guidance rather than formal instruction. Participants pay $150 per session.
• Art Walks + Talks A 10-week immersive art class visiting museums, galleries, and artistic landmarks across New York City. Designed for artists with and without disabilities, sessions are $150 per class with sliding scale spots available. Artists travel independently to each location and engage with creative activities inspired by each destination.
• Sincerely Summertime Postcard Subscription A monthly postcard subscription club delivering limited-edition art postcards created by neurodiverse artists directly to subscribers' mailboxes. Priced at $5/month or $60/year with domestic shipping included (international shipping with $1 fee). Proceeds pay artists, cover printing and shipping costs, with the remainder supporting Summertime programs.
• Gallery Exhibitions Rotating exhibitions showcasing work by studio artists, residency alumni, and collaborative projects including neurodiverse artists such as Raquel Albarran Gonzalez, Josephine Noel, Chase Ferguson, and Jimmy Tucker. Exhibitions are viewable by appointment at the Brooklyn gallery. Original artworks are sold at prices ranging from $800 to $2,500.
• Residency Alumni Program Ongoing support program for past Summertime residency artists, including monthly meetups, continued mentorship, spotlight features, connection to opportunities, community building, and access to supplies and resources.
• The Double Scoop An artist publication zine featuring the work of neurodiverse artists, with issues themed around artistic themes and distributed by Summertime Gallery.
• Artwork and Merchandise Sales Direct e-commerce sales of original artworks, prints, and art-based merchandise including t-shirts (from $65) and sweatshirts (from $60) through the online shop, with proceeds split 50% to the artist, 25% to Summertime, and 25% to the artist's home studio where applicable.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dean Millien's residency exhibition was covered by The New York Times and led to future shows at The American Visionary Arts Museum and Powerhouse Arts.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Powerhouse ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2023Brooklyn-based organization that collaborated with Dean Millien on the 'Arts' Refuse: Art From the Everyday' exhibition.
• Fountain House GalleryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2021Online exhibition 'Come on Home' guest curated by Summertime for Fountain House Gallery.
• Arts of LifeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 August 2020Online exhibition 'Fantastic Stranger' guest curated by Summertime for Arts of Life.
• YAI ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManhattan-based artist collective whose members regularly participate in Summertime residencies and exhibitions. Multiple YAI artists have had solo shows at Summertime.
• Pure Vision ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYC-based studio for artists with developmental disabilities. Collaborated on the 'Ford, Chevy, Dodge' exhibition with Chase Ferguson and jointly participated in the Outsider Art Fair.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Project Onward: Chicago-based nonprofit studio and gallery for artists with mental and developmental disabilities; comparable model combining studio space, gallery exhibitions, and artist income through sales.
• LAND Studio & Gallery: NYC-area studio and gallery for artists with disabilities; former employer of Summertime co-founder Sophia Cosmadopoulos and a direct comparable in the disability arts gallery space.
• YAI Arts: Manhattan-based artist collective previously led by Summertime co-founder Anna Schechter; directly comparable as a developmental disability arts program whose members regularly participate in Summertime residencies.
• Fountain House Gallery: NYC nonprofit gallery representing artists living with mental illness; comparable operating model (gallery, exhibitions, sales) and a documented Summertime collaboration via the 'Come on Home' online exhibition.
• Arts of Life: Chicago-based nonprofit studio and gallery for artists with and without disabilities; comparable integrated studio-gallery model and a documented collaboration with Summertime via the 'Fantastic Stranger' online exhibition.
• Pure Vision Arts: NYC-based studio and gallery for artists with developmental disabilities; directly comparable as a Summertime partner exhibiting neurodiverse artists at the Outsider Art Fair and sharing co-founder heritage.
• Center for Creative Works: Pennsylvania-based nonprofit studio program for artists with intellectual disabilities; comparable operator of vocational and exhibition-based programming supporting neurodiverse artists.
• Creative Growth Art Center: Oakland-based nonprofit studio and gallery serving artists with developmental disabilities; one of the most established disability arts organizations and a comparable model for studio, exhibitions, and artist income.
• Howell Area Initiating (Project HAI): NYC-area nonprofit arts program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities; Summertime co-founder Sophia Cosmadopoulos's prior employer and a comparable studio-based disability arts operator.

Others

• Outsider Art Fair: Annual NYC fair for outsider and self-taught art where Summertime and Pure Vision Arts have exhibited; a marketplace/ecosystem venue rather than a direct operator, but central to the same collector and visibility ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/summertimegallery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/summertime-gallery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Summertime Gallery