White Hall Arts Academy

What White Hall Arts Academy does

White Hall Arts Academy (WHAA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 by Tanisha Hall and headquartered at 2812 W. 54th Street in South Los Angeles. It delivers arts education and workforce development programming across an age-spanning portfolio: Saturday Sessions and HeARTbeats Virtual Arts Program for children ages 4+ at $35 per month, private lessons in voice, piano, guitar, violin, drums, music production, and acting priced at $37 for 30 minutes and $65 for 60 minutes (with 4-packs at $135 and $250 respectively), the free Music Creators Camp for ages 9-17, and the Soundworks 10-week workforce training program for justice-affected and foster youth ages 18-28 in audio, video, and lighting. Additional programming includes H.O.P.E. Choir (ages 7-70), Songwriter Series, My First Job teen employment (ages 14-21), and Rock The Block, an annual community festival engaging 3,000+ community members.

The organization's underlying technology is conventional consumer-grade tooling: Zoom for virtual instruction (including daily private lessons and the Songwriter Series), MindBody Online for scheduling, payments, and booking, YouTube for content hosting and event replay, and music production software acquired through partnerships with Izotope and equipment donations from Native Instruments and BandLab. Distribution is hybrid: direct in-person at headquarters, self-serve Zoom delivery nationwide, and channel partnerships with Crete Academy, Bethune Middle School, Al Wooten Youth Center, Bridges Preparatory Academy, and the LA Clippers Foundation. Marketing relies on organic social (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok), earned media (Kelly Clarkson Show, KTLA, Good Day LA, Disney Princess "Create Your World"), and community events.

WHAA's revenue model blends small-ticket earned revenue from private lessons and subscriptions with grant and donation funding from The Lewis Prize for Music ($25,000 in 2020, $50,000 in 2022, plus a 2024 Infusion Award), NBA Foundation (2026 grant for Soundworks), California Arts Council, LA County Department of Economic Opportunity, D'Addario Foundation, and corporate partners. The organization serves communities throughout South Los Angeles, Inglewood, Watts, and Compton, while expanding access nationally through virtual learning platforms. The team is approximately 20+ staff including 10+ instructors, with no private equity or venture capital involvement.

Name

White Hall Arts Academy

Legal name

White Hall Arts Academy

Website

https://whitehallacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

White Hall Arts Academy is a South Los Angeles-based nonprofit founded in 2011 that delivers arts education and workforce development programming to children, teens, and justice-affected youth through private lessons, group classes, and career-training pathways in music and entertainment production.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE)

Keywords

• Music education programs
• Private music lessons
• Youth arts programs
• Workforce development training
• Community arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Private Lessons: Revenue from 30-minute and 60-minute private lessons offered both in-person and online. Lessons are priced per session or as 4-pack bundles. Payments are processed through MindBody Online platform.
2. Group Class Subscriptions: Monthly subscription revenue from Saturday Sessions program ($35/month) offering unlimited classes for children ages 4+. Also includes HeARTbeats Virtual Arts Program at $35/month.
3. Grants and Donations: Grant funding from organizations including NBA Foundation, California Arts Council, Lewis Prize for Music, and D'Addario Foundation. Donations solicited through website donation page.
4. Workforce Development Programs: Free programs (Soundworks, Music Creators Camp) funded through grants and corporate sponsorships, serving justice-affected youth, foster youth, and veterans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

White Hall Arts Academy is a nonprofit performing arts education organization that delivers private music lessons (voice, piano, guitar, violin, drums, music production, songwriting, acting), group arts classes via Saturday Sessions/HeARTbeats, the Music Creators Camp summer intensive, and the Soundworks workforce development program training justice-affected youth in audio, video, and lighting production. It serves children, teens, and adults in South Los Angeles and nationwide through virtual instruction, with select programs provided free via grants.

Product overview

White Hall Arts Academy is a nonprofit performing arts academy offering a diverse portfolio of arts education programs for students of all ages. The core offerings include private music lessons (voice, piano, guitar, violin, drums, and more) available in-person and online, group Saturday Sessions/HeARTbeats programs for children ages 4+, and specialized camps like the Music Creators Camp for ages 9-17. The academy operates workforce development programs including Soundworks for ages 18-28 and the My First Job teen employment program. Additional offerings include the H.O.P.E. Choir, Songwriter Series, H.O.P.E. Ensemble, Rock The Block community events, and school partnership programs (Jamm-U) serving Crete Academy, Bethune Middle School, Al Wooten Youth Center, and others. The organization serves South Los Angeles, Inglewood, Watts, and Compton communities while expanding access nationally through virtual platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Soundworks: Workforce development program training justice-affected and transitional aged foster youth in audio, video, and lighting production
• HeARTbeats Virtual Arts Program
• Music Creators Camp
• H.O.P.E. Choir
• Songwriter Series
• My First Job
• Saturday Sessions
• Project MuszEd
• Rock The Block
• JAMM-U

Products and services

• Private Lessons One-on-one instruction in voice, piano, guitar, violin, music production, songwriting, acting, drums, and bass available in 30-minute and 60-minute sessions, delivered both in-person and online via Zoom. Open to children and adults; bookings processed through MindBody Online.
• Saturday Sessions (HeARTbeats) Weekly group arts program for children ages 4+ offering unlimited classes in acting, singing, dance, drums, guitar, piano, and music production for $35 per month, with both in-person and virtual delivery options.
• Music Creators Camp Free one-to-two-week intensive summer program for youth ages 9-17 covering music creation, production, songwriting, composing, and the live music industry, with industry-professional mentors and a final showcase.
• Soundworks A free 10-week workforce development program training justice-affected and transitional-aged foster youth ages 18-28 in audio engineering, lighting design, and video production, with internship placement opportunities in the entertainment industry.
• H.O.P.E. Choir Intergenerational community choir for ages 7-70 that performs at public and private events, combining choral performance with community wellness and cultural visibility.
• Songwriter Series Weekly virtual program on Zoom teaching basic songwriting concepts, techniques, and music industry insider tips, led by founder Tanisha Hall with rotating guest speakers from the music industry.
• H.O.P.E. Ensemble Performance ensemble for ages 9 and up that provides collaborative development opportunities through music, meeting on Saturdays.
• Jamm-U (Programs for Schools) On-site program providing guitar, vocal training, and music production instruction at partner schools including Crete Academy, Bethune Middle School, Al Wooten Youth Center, and Bridges Preparatory Academy.
• My First Job Teen work program employing youth ages 14-21 as office assistants, teaching assistants, and media creators to build job skills and workforce readiness within the organization.
• Project MuszEd Music education program providing weekly music instruction and instruments to children in South LA schools and community centers, with components in general music, instrumental music, and music technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• Soundworks graduated second cohort of 30 students, with third cohort launching February 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Crete AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 July 2024WHAA partners with Crete Academy to host the Music Creators Camp, providing music education and mentorship opportunities for youth ages 9-19. The partnership brings together underserved youth with industry professionals including Grammy winners.
• Los Angeles Clippers FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLA Clippers Foundation partners with WHAA for the Mentorship Assist Zone program, hosting 'Intro to Music Creation' workshops where youth learn about music production and songwriting.
• Al Wooten Youth CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHAA has served as Al Wooten Jr. Youth Center's chosen music education provider since 2016, providing instrumental instruction and music programs to youth in South LA.
• Apple Store at The GroveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApple Store at The Grove provided support for Music Creators Camp, hosting a field trip session on July 20, 2024.
• LA County Supervisor (2nd District) - Holly MitchellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLA County 2nd District Supervisor Holly Mitchell's office provided support for the Music Creators Camp through the office's community funding program.
• Tiny Room StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTiny Room Studios in Inglewood, CA hosted the Music Creators Camp finale, providing an enriching environment for young artists to learn and perform.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inner-City Arts: LA nonprofit arts education provider serving underserved youth in Downtown LA/Skid Row area. Comparable in mission (arts education for underserved youth), nonprofit structure, and southern California geographic scope; broader in arts disciplines beyond music.
• Harmony Project: LA-based nonprofit providing free music education to underserved youth. Closest peer to WHAA in mission, demographic focus (underserved LA youth), private and group lesson model, and geographic focus on LA neighborhoods.
• The Colburn School: Premier LA music and performing arts school offering conservatory-level instruction to children through pre-professional programs. Directly comparable to WHAA in instrument offering, private-lesson model, and geography (Downtown LA serving the broader LA market).
• Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock): National nonprofit providing free music education to underserved public school students. Comparable to WHAA in mission, demographic, and school-based delivery; broader national scale and a heavier focus on band/orchestra instruments.
• Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA): Public arts-focused high school in LA County offering conservatory-level music, dance, theater, and visual arts instruction. Comparable in arts training focus, target demographic, and LA market, with a credentialed-school delivery model versus WHAA's nonprofit academy model.
• Musicians Institute: Hollywood-based for-profit music school offering private and group instruction in voice, piano, guitar, drums, violin, and music production. Closest comparable on instrument offering, pricing model ($30–$65 private lessons), and in-person-plus-online delivery for adult and youth learners.
• Education Through Music (ETM): Nonprofit that partners with schools to provide sustained music instruction to students in underserved communities. Directly comparable to WHAA's Jamm-U/Project MuszEd school partnership model and underserved-youth demographic.
• Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) at LA Philharmonic: LA Philharmonic's flagship El Sistema-inspired program providing free instruments and ensemble training to LA youth in underserved communities. Comparable mission, demographic, and LA geographic focus; differentiated by ensemble vs. private-lesson model.

Emerging players

• Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA): LA nonprofit providing arts, education, and recreation programs for underserved youth in the Rampart District. Comparable to WHAA in LA geographic focus, youth demographic, and arts-based programming, with a multi-service center model versus WHAA's music-focused academy model.
• A Place Called Home: LA-based youth development nonprofit in South LA offering arts programming among other services for underserved youth. Overlapping geographic and demographic focus with WHAA, with arts as one of multiple youth services rather than the central offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/whitehallartsacademy
• Facebookfacebook.com/whitehallartsacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/white-hall-arts-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/whitehallartsacademy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 White Hall Arts Academy