What Keith Haring Foundation does

The Keith Haring Foundation is a New York-based 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation established in 1989 by artist Keith Haring (1958–1990) to sustain, expand, and protect his artistic legacy and philanthropic ideals after his death from AIDS-related complications. The Foundation concentrates its activities in two domains: (1) commercial licensing of Keith Haring's artwork and intellectual property — the Foundation owns the international copyright to all Haring works and licenses reproductions to product manufacturers and marketers through Artestar, with notable partnerships including Comme Des Garcons, Levi's, Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas, and Vilac; and (2) grant-making to non-profit organizations supporting underprivileged youth, HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and care, and arts & cultural institutions that contextualize Haring's work. Grants are administered through a structured Fluxx-based application process with quarterly review cycles and awarded to approximately 100+ non-profits annually across the Northeast and Southeast United States.

The Foundation operates a portfolio of supporting activities in addition to its two primary programs. It offers artwork authentication services, maintains archives for historical research, funds exhibitions and programming at cultural institutions (including a dedicated Exhibition Fund at the Whitney Museum and an opening Keith Haring Wing at CCS Bard in October 2025), underwrites named fellowships and clinical programs (e.g., at Callen-Lorde, Mount Sinai, Children's Village, the LGBTQ Center NYC, Performance Space New York, and the New Museum), and distributes educational lesson plans globally via haringkids.com. Primary and print sales of Haring artwork are conducted through commercial partners Gladstone Gallery (515 West 24th Street) and Pace Prints (536 West 22nd Street), both in New York City.

The Foundation's revenue model is dual-track: licensing royalties from commercial partners flow to the Foundation to fund its grant-making, alongside tax-deductible charitable contributions accepted under its 501(c)(3) status. It has no disclosed headcount, no public revenue or financial statements, no parent or subsidiary entities, no investment activity, and no technology or AI product offerings. Its core product is the controlled exploitation and stewardship of a culturally significant artist estate rather than any scalable technology platform.

Name

Keith Haring Foundation

Legal name

Keith Haring Foundation

Website

https://haring.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Keith Haring Foundation is a New York-based 501(c)(3) non-profit established in 1989 that licenses Keith Haring's artwork internationally and channels the proceeds into grants for non-profits serving underprivileged youth, HIV/AIDS organizations, and arts institutions across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Arts Foundation

NAICS

Art Dealers (459920), Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) (533)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Creator Licensing & Rights Monetization (UGC Licensing, Music/Video Rights) (MPACAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Copyright Services & Content Protection (BPAHAMAC)

Keywords

• Art licensing
• Nonprofit foundation
• Charitable grants
• Youth programs
• HIV/AIDS support

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Art Licensing: The Foundation owns the international copyright to all artwork created by Keith Haring and licenses commercial use of his artwork to product manufacturers and marketers. Revenues generated through licensing support the Foundation's grant making activities.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization accepting charitable contributions to support its mission of sustaining Keith Haring's legacy and funding grants to non-profit organizations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Keith Haring Foundation owns the international copyright to all artwork created by Keith Haring and licenses commercial reproduction rights to product manufacturers and marketers globally. Revenues from licensing and charitable donations fund a grants program that awards funding to non-profit organizations supporting underprivileged youth and HIV/AIDS-related causes, alongside authentication services, educational resources, exhibition support, and maintained art archives.

Product overview

The Keith Haring Foundation operates as a non-profit organization established by artist Keith Haring in 1989 to sustain, expand, and protect his artistic legacy and ideals. The Foundation offers art licensing services (managing international copyright to Haring's works and working with commercial partners), a grants program for non-profits supporting youth and AIDS-related causes, artwork authentication services, educational resources through the Haring Kids platform, exhibition support for institutions, and maintains archives for historical research. The Foundation is represented commercially by Gladstone Gallery and Pace Prints for artwork sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Keith Haring Art Licensing Program

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable and flagship.

• ArtestarcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArtestar manages the Foundation's commercial licensing program, facilitating partnerships with product manufacturers and marketers to reproduce Keith Haring artwork on various products globally.
• Comme Des GarconsnotableOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFashion brand collaboration featuring Keith Haring artwork on clothing and accessories, exemplifying the Foundation's commercial licensing program.
• Levi'snotableOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerClothing brand collaboration featuring Keith Haring artwork designs on denim and apparel products.
• Tommy HilfigernotableOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFashion brand partnership creating Keith Haring-inspired clothing and accessories collections.
• VilacnotableOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFrench tableware and gift manufacturer partnership featuring Keith Haring artwork on products.
• AdidasnotableOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAthletic footwear and apparel brand collaboration featuring Keith Haring artwork designs.
• Gladstone GallerycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Keith Haring Foundation is represented by Gladstone Gallery for sale of Haring artwork. Located at 515 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10011.
• Pace PrintscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Keith Haring Foundation is represented by Pace Prints for print sales. Located at 536 West 22nd Street, New York, NY 10001.
• FluxxcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline grants management platform used by the Foundation for grant applications, registrations, Letter of Inquiry submissions, and reporting processes.
• God's Love We DeliverflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed program: Haring Heart Hub - provides meals and nutritional support to people living with HIV/AIDS in NYC
• The LGBTQ Center (NYC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed programs: Keith Haring Bathroom and The Keith Haring Community Wing at the LGBTQ Center in NYC
• Bard CollegeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed programs: Keith Haring Chair in Art and Activism and The Keith Haring Wing at CCS Bard (opening October 2025)
• Whitney Museum of American ArtflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed program: The Keith Haring Foundation Exhibition Fund supporting exhibitions and programming
• Mount SinainotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed programs: The Keith Haring Youth Gender Center at the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WildBrain: Large publicly-traded entertainment company that manages IP licensing (e.g., Peanuts, Strawberry Shortcake) — comparable as a broader IP-rights management and licensing business operating across categories.
• Beanstalk (now Beyond the Moon): Global brand licensing agency managing IP for corporate brands and artist estates. Comparable as a peer-licensing-services provider for visual IP rights.

Emerging players

• Gladstone Gallery: Commercial gallery that represents the Keith Haring Foundation for primary artwork sales. Comparable as a channel partner for selling/licensing a major artist's body of work.
• Artestar: Licensing agency that manages commercial licensing for the Keith Haring Foundation (and many other artist estates). Comparable as a peer-licensing partner managing brand rights and licensing on behalf of artist estates.

Direct peers

• Fondation Joan Miró: Museum and foundation that administers the legacy, exhibitions, and licensing of Joan Miró — comparable in operating model and scale of a major deceased artist's estate.
• Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts: Closest comparable peer — a non-profit foundation that controls the copyright and licensing rights to a single iconic deceased American artist's (Andy Warhol) visual body of work and uses licensing revenue to fund grants to cultural institutions. Same artist-estate licensing model.
• Robert Rauschenberg Foundation: Foundation that administers the legacy and copyright of Robert Rauschenberg, including licensing of his visual work and grant-making through a related foundation — directly analogous operating model.
• Pollock-Krasner Foundation: Artist-endowed foundation providing grants to working artists and managing legacy rights for Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner — comparable single-artist estate with grantmaking as the primary mission.
• Roy Lichtenstein Foundation: Foundation managing the artistic legacy, copyright, and licensing of a deceased pop artist (Roy Lichtenstein), with a similar art-estate licensing and grant-making mission profile to the Keith Haring Foundation.
• Calder Foundation: Family foundation that owns and licenses the visual work of Alexander Calder and operates licensing, authentication, and exhibition programs for a deceased major 20th-century artist — closely analogous single-artist estate model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Keith Haring Foundation