What ArtWorks Foundation does

ArtWorks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2009 in Memphis, Tennessee, that stages juried exhibitions and festivals supporting professional fine craft artists working in 3-D media such as glass, metal, clay, wood, and fiber. Its core product is a portfolio of recurring events: the flagship WinterArts holiday market (running from the Friday after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve), the outdoor spring festival Art in The Loop, the Fort Worth-based Art Worth Festival, and additional trademarked formats including Art Paired (indoor fair with wine/spirits tastings) and art2wear (art/fashion showcase). Beyond exhibitions, the foundation runs a Continuing Education Scholarship program (up to $500 annually for advanced study at fine-craft schools, requiring participation in at least three prior shows) and is developing an Emergency Relief Grants endowment for artists impacted by disasters or catastrophic illness, alongside a longer-term vision for a regional Fine Craft center.

The organization's technology footprint is minimal: it relies on the third-party Zapplication.org platform for juried artist applications, standard e-commerce for gallery and merchandise sales, and conventional marketing channels (email newsletters, print publications, billboards, radio/TV via WKNO, and social media). There are no APIs, integrations, or AI/ML capabilities disclosed. Revenue is generated through a diversified non-profit mix: tax-deductible individual donations (with gifts over $200 directable to specific programs such as scholarships, emergency relief, or exhibitions), corporate sponsorships (Raymond James, ZenBusiness), event participation fees from juried artists, gallery and merchandise sales, an affiliate fundraising partnership with See's Candies, and pass-through state and federal funding (Tennessee Arts Commission, U.S. Department of Treasury federal award SLFRP5534).

Operationally, ArtWorks Foundation is governed by a board of directors and led by Executive Director Greg Belz, who received an Honorary Membership in Tennessee Craft in 2020. It maintains strategic alliances with regional craft guilds (Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi, Memphis Potter's Guild, Wood Turners of North Texas) and advocacy organizations (Tennessee Craft, Tennesseans For The Arts), and it operates within the Southeast United States with primary activity in Memphis, Tennessee and Fort Worth, Texas. Financials are not publicly disclosed, and there is no headcount data available.

Name

ArtWorks Foundation

Legal name

ArtWorks Foundation

Website

https://artworks.foundation

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ArtWorks Foundation is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that stages juried exhibitions and festivals for professional fine craft artists working in 3-D media, supporting them through events, scholarships, and grants in the Southeast U.S.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Exhibition & Event Services

NAICS

Museums (712110)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Juried art festivals
• Fine craft exhibitions
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Craft artist showcases
• Art event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donations over $200 may be directed to specific programs such as scholarship fund, emergency relief endowment, or exhibition and building programs.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships providing marketing opportunities for businesses interested in supporting the arts.
3. See's Candies Partnership: ArtWorks Foundation partners with See's Candies, receiving a percentage of candy purchase costs as a fundraising mechanism.
4. Event Participation Fees: Artists pay application and participation fees for juried shows and festivals.
5. Gallery and Shop Sales: Online gallery shop and merchandise sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ArtWorks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that stages juried art shows and festivals — ranging from intimate gallery exhibitions to large outdoor festivals — featuring professional fine-craft artists working in 3-D media such as glass, metal, clay, wood, and fiber. In addition to exhibition opportunities, the organization administers an annual Continuing Education Scholarship program (up to $500) for advanced study at fine-craft schools, and is building a regional center for Fine Craft along with an endowment to fund Emergency Relief Grants for artists whose careers are disrupted by disasters or catastrophic illness.

Product overview

ArtWorks Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization that organizes a portfolio of art exhibitions and festivals serving professional artists working in 3-D media such as glass, metal, clay, wood, and fiber. The organization's core offerings center on recurring signature events: WinterArts (flagship Holiday Artists' Market running from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve in Memphis), Art in The Loop (outdoor spring festival in April in Memphis), Art Worth Festival (outdoor October festival in Fort Worth, TX), Art Paired (indoor art fair paired with wine and spirits tastings), and art2wear (art and fashion showcase). Supporting programs include Continuing Education Scholarships for advanced study (up to $500 annually), an Emergency Relief Grants program for artists facing disasters or illness, and See's Candies fundraising partnerships. The organization focuses on helping artists grow in both business and craft excellence through juried exhibitions, education initiatives, and public appreciation for fine craft.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WinterArts: ArtWorks Foundation's flagship Holiday Artists' Market staged from 5pm on the Friday night following Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve, featuring fine craft artists in a gallery setting.
• Art in The Loop
• ART WORTH
• Art Paired
• art2wear
• Art Squared
• The Great Exposition

Products and services

• WinterArts WinterArts is a month-long Holiday Artists' Market staged annually in Memphis, TN from 5pm on the Friday following Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve, showcasing professional fine-craft artists working in 3-D disciplines including glass, metal, clay, wood, fiber, and other media in a gallery setting.
• Art in The Loop Art in The Loop is an annual outdoor art festival held in April in East Memphis featuring artists working in metal, glass, wood, clay, fiber, plus jewelry, paintings, and photography, sponsored by WKNO TV & FM (PBS & NPR).
• Art Worth Festival Art Worth is a juried festival of fine craft and fine art held annually in October on the lawns of The Shops at Clearfork in Fort Worth, Texas, featuring classical music performances alongside retailers including Neiman Marcus, Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci.
• Art Paired Art Paired is an indoor art fair combined with tastings of wine and distilled spirits, featuring works in glass, metal, wood, clay, fiber, plus paintings and jewelry by artists from across the U.S.
• art2wear art2wear is an event showcasing jewelry, apparel, and accessories by top artists from across the U.S., targeting proven art consumers while attracting fashion enthusiasts who may not typically attend fine-craft events.
• Continuing Education Scholarships Annual scholarship awards of up to $500 for established professional artists to pursue advanced study courses at fine-craft schools; eligibility requires prior participation in a minimum of three ArtWorks Foundation shows and a written description of the proposed course of study, with funds divisible among up to three applicants at the jury's discretion.

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Raymond JamesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRaymond James is listed as a special sponsor of ArtWorks Foundation, providing financial support for exhibitions and education programs.
• ZenBusinessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerZenBusiness is listed as a special sponsor of ArtWorks Foundation.
• See's CandiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArtWorks Foundation partners with See's Candies for fundraising. The organization receives a percentage of candy purchase costs, while supporters receive quality candy and help defray event expenses.
• WKNO TV & FM (PBS & NPR)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWKNO TV & FM sponsors Art in The Loop festival, providing broadcast media support for the outdoor art festival in Memphis.
• Tennesseans For The ArtsminorOthersArtWorks Foundation is a proud member of Tennesseans For The Arts.
• Tennessee CraftminorOthersArtWorks Foundation is a proud member of Tennessee Craft (formerly The Tennessee Association of Craft Artists). Executive Director Greg Belz received Honorary Membership in 2020.
• Craftsmen's Guild of MississippiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtWorks Foundation works with The Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi and other arts organizations in the Southeast region.
• Memphis Potter's GuildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtWorks Foundation collaborates with The Memphis Potter's Guild on regional arts initiatives.
• Wood Turners of North TexasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtWorks Foundation works with The Wood Turners of North Texas as part of the regional arts organization network.
• Zapplication.orgcoreTechnology or IntegrationZapplication.org is the primary online application platform used by ArtWorks Foundation for artist submissions to juried shows. Most presentations solicit applications through this platform.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cherry Creek Arts Festival: One of the largest and most prestigious juried art festivals in the U.S., held annually in Denver. Directly comparable as a juried multi-discipline fine art and craft festival featuring professional artists and consumer-facing event programming.
• Artscape (Baltimore): Large multi-day juried arts festival produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts. Directly comparable as a juried multi-discipline fine art and craft festival featuring professional artists.
• American Craft Council: National nonprofit that operates major juried craft shows (e.g., the Baltimore ACC Show and Cleveland ACC Show). Directly comparable as a craft-focused nonprofit staging recurring juried exhibitions that curate fine craft artists across similar 3-D media categories.
• Contemporary Craft (Pittsburgh): Nonprofit arts organization that operates a gallery, shop, and artist residency programs focused on contemporary craft. Comparable as a craft-focused nonprofit supporting professional craft artists through exhibitions, education, and artist services.
• Ann Arbor Art Fair: One of the largest juried art fairs in the U.S., combining three separate juried fairs. Directly comparable as a multi-format juried art event featuring professional artists across fine craft disciplines.
• Sausalito Art Festival: Long-running, highly selective juried fine art festival held annually over Labor Day weekend. Directly comparable as a quality-curated juried fine art and craft festival attracting professional artists and serious collectors.
• Paradise City Arts Festivals: Producer of multiple juried fine craft and fine art shows (Northampton, Marlborough). Directly comparable as an organization that curates professional artists across fine craft media with a similar event-portfolio model.

Others

• Tennessee Craft: Statewide nonprofit (formerly The Tennessee Association of Craft Artists) that ArtWorks Foundation is a member of. Thematically adjacent as a craft-focused industry association in Tennessee that supports the same artist community.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian Craft Show: Annual juried fine craft show held in Washington, D.C., under the Smithsonian umbrella. Comparable as a high-end juried fine craft event but operates with the brand and resources of a much larger institutional parent.
• Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show: Annual juried fine craft show held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Comparable as a high-quality juried craft event benefiting artists through exhibition and sales, but operated under the umbrella of a major museum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/artworks-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ArtWorks Foundation