brooklyn arts council

What brooklyn arts council does

Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded in 1966 by Charlene Victor and headquartered at 10 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. It operates a multi-program platform serving Brooklyn's creative ecosystem through eight interconnected program lines: Grants (Brooklyn Arts Fund, Local Arts Support, Creative Equations Fund, Social Innovation Fellowship, and the Charlene Victor & Ella J. Weiss Cultural Entrepreneur Fund), Arts in Education (in-school residencies, creative aging programs, and Global Rhythms cultural programming), the Brooklyn Innovation Institute (professional development and the recently launched Brooklyn Innovation Portal), Cultural Heritage programming, the Wellness Studio, Arts Consultancy, On-Demand virtual programming, and the annual Brooklyn Arts Awards. The organization operates as both a regranting intermediary for New York City and State cultural agencies (since 1980) and a direct service provider to artists, schools, senior centers, and corporate/real estate clients seeking public art curation.

BAC's revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit structure combining public agency funding (National Endowment for the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department for the Aging, NY State Education Department), foundation and corporate support (Bloomberg Philanthropies, Altman Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Con Edison, TD Bank, BRIC), individual donations channeled through the GiveLively platform, and fee-based Arts Consultancy services to real estate developers and corporate clients. Grant award amounts are modest and distributed: 2026 Creative Cohort awards ranged from $3,500 to $10,000 per recipient, with $1.16 million distributed across 222 awards. The organization is governed by an independent board chaired by Christine Osuji and led by President & Executive Director Rasu Jilani, who became the fourth executive director in 2023. Underlying technology infrastructure consists of standard nonprofit SaaS tooling including Submittable for grant application processing, Vimeo for virtual programming distribution, Mailchimp for newsletter outreach, and Squarespace for web presence, with no proprietary technology platform.

Name

brooklyn arts council

Legal name

Brooklyn Arts Council

Website

https://brooklynartscouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brooklyn Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1966 that supports Brooklyn's artists and arts organizations through grantmaking, arts-in-education residencies, professional development, cultural heritage preservation, wellness programming, and fee-based arts consultancy for real estate and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Culture Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAH

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAHAI

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAHAC

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGALAO

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

Keywords

• Arts grantmaking services
• Arts education programming
• Professional development for artists
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Arts consultancy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants & Public Funding: BAC receives significant public funding from National Endowment for the Arts, New York City Department for the Aging, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NY State Council on the Arts, NY State Education Department, and NY State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. These funds support grantmaking, programming, and operations.
2. Foundation & Corporate Support: Major foundation and corporate partners including Altman Foundation, Avery Arts Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, BRIC Arts Media, Con Edison, Howard Gilman Foundation, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Open Society Foundations, TD Bank, and others provide programmatic and operational support.
3. Individual Donations: Brooklyn Empower Fund receives individual contributions from supporters including Cey Adams, Audrey Anastasi, and many others. Donations are accepted via GiveLively platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Brooklyn Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts council that supports Brooklyn-based artists and small arts organizations through grantmaking (Brooklyn Arts Fund, Local Arts Support, Creative Equations Fund, Social Innovation Fellowship, Cultural Entrepreneur Fund), Arts in Education residencies in schools and senior centers, professional development via the Brooklyn Innovation Institute, cultural heritage preservation, artist wellness programs through the BAC Wellness Studio, fee-based Arts Consultancy for public agencies and real estate developers, and on-demand virtual programming. Founded in 1966, it operates as a community-centered intermediary connecting artists with funding, training, audiences, and institutional partners across Brooklyn.

Product overview

Brooklyn Arts Council operates as a multi-program arts support organization rather than a single unified software product. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including Grants (Brooklyn Arts Fund, Local Arts Support, Creative Equations Fund, Social Innovation Fellowship, Cultural Entrepreneur Fund), Arts in Education (in-school residencies, creative aging, Global Rhythms), Brooklyn Innovation Institute (professional development including Thrive Fest and Brooklyn Innovation Portal), Cultural Heritage, Wellness Studio, Arts Consultancy, On-Demand Programming, and Brooklyn Arts Awards. These programs work together to support Brooklyn artists at every stage of their careers through funding, education, professional development, and community building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brooklyn Innovation Institute: A multi-modular professional development series that nurtures and equips today's creatives and cultural entrepreneurs.
• BAC Wellness Studio
• Brooklyn Arts Fund
• Creative Equations Fund
• Local Arts Support

Products and services

• Grants Grant programs that support local Brooklyn artists and small arts organizations through multiple funding streams including Brooklyn Arts Fund, Local Arts Support, Creative Equations Fund, Social Innovation Fellowship, and the Charlene Victor and Ella J. Weiss Cultural Entrepreneur Fund. 2026 Creative Cohort awards ranged from $3,500 to $10,000, totaling over $1.16 million across 222 awards.
• Arts in Education Sequential arts residencies (8-25 weeks), Global Rhythms cultural programs, creative aging programs, and summer programs delivered in K-12 schools, senior centers, and community venues across Brooklyn. Programs span dance, digital media, theater, visual, and literary arts.
• Brooklyn Innovation Institute Multi-modular professional development platform delivered virtually and in-person, including Thrive Fest symposium, coaching sessions, and the Brooklyn Innovation Portal. Nurtures and equips creatives and cultural entrepreneurs with skills related to making, teaching, sharing, and experiencing art.
• Cultural Heritage Program working with traditional artists and communities to preserve and present folk song, storytelling, social dance, foodways, and material culture expressive of Brooklyn's diverse living heritage. Supported by a Cultural Heritage Advisory Group (CHAG). Three decades of cultural heritage preservation documented.
• Wellness Studio
• Arts Consultancy
• On-Demand Programming
• Brooklyn Arts Awards
• Brooklyn Innovation Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.16M+ awarded across 222 grants in 2026 Creative Cohort
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 core and notable.

• Brooklyn Arts and Culture Kollective (BACK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025BAC participates as member of BACK alongside 651 ARTS, BRIC, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Prospect Park Alliance, Recess Art, Ifetayo Cultural Arts, and Drive Change NYC, working collectively on cultural equity initiatives.
• William Vale HotelnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Arts consultancy client that awarded Marela Zacarias the lobby commission for 'Mannahatta' installation in 2015.
• Brooklyn Borough President (Antonio Reynoso)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServes as Honorary Chairman of BAC's Board of Directors, providing borough-level support and advocacy.
• Brooklyn Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for Project FireFly and other educational programming, providing spaces and resources for arts education.
• Brookfield PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner for Dan Funderburgh's 'Regarding Connection' installation at 2 MetroTech Center, creating public art experiences.
• Gateway CenternotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts consultancy client for art placement in private commercial spaces.
• MetroTech BIDnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness improvement district partner for public art activation at MetroTech Center.
• JMH DevelopmentnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate developer client for arts consultancy services.
• BRIC Arts MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVital institutional partner supporting Brooklyn's arts ecosystem alongside BAC.
• Brooklyn Borough President Elected OfficialscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYC Council Members including Alexa Avilés, Justin Brannan, Crystal Hudson, and others provide public funding support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BRIC Arts Media: Major Brooklyn-based arts nonprofit and media organization. Listed as a vital institutional partner supporting Brooklyn's arts ecosystem alongside BAC and a member of the Brooklyn Arts and Culture Kollective (BACK). Operates complementary programs in arts presentation, education, and media.
• Lower Manhattan Cultural Council: Manhattan-based arts council providing grants, residencies, and programming to artists. Most structurally analogous NYC borough arts council with similar grantmaking, residency, and community programs serving local artists.
• New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA): Statewide nonprofit that supports NY artists and arts organizations across all disciplines through grants, fiscal sponsorship, and professional development — closely mirroring BAC's portfolio at a larger statewide scale.
• Bronx Council on the Arts: Borough arts council providing grants, arts education, and cultural programming to Bronx artists and communities. Direct borough-level peer with the same grantmaking-plus-programming structure.
• Queens Council on the Arts: Borough arts council serving Queens with grantmaking, arts education, and community programming. Operates as a borough-level peer with very similar services and constituency structure.
• Staten Island Arts: Borough arts council serving Staten Island artists and organizations through grants, programming, and cultural events. Direct borough-level peer in the NYC arts council ecosystem.
• Creative Capital: National nonprofit that provides grants and advisory services to individual artists. Directly comparable in grantmaking-focused support to working artists at every career stage.
• City Lore: NYC-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving and presenting folk arts, cultural heritage, and community traditions. Directly comparable to BAC's Cultural Heritage program with overlapping folk arts documentation mission.
• 651 ARTS: Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to presenting performing arts of the African Diaspora. Member of the Brooklyn Arts and Culture Kollective (BACK) alongside BAC, with overlapping Brooklyn-based arts programming.

Broad incumbents

• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit providing research, advocacy, and capacity-building services for the arts sector. Larger, established national-level organization that overlaps with BAC's mission around arts advocacy and community development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brooklyn-arts-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 brooklyn arts council