Arts Connection

City-funded organization

ArtsConnection is a nonprofit arts education organization founded around 1979, in the wake of New York City's 1970s fiscal crisis, that provides free in-school arts classes (theater, dance, music, visual arts, and more) to public school students from pre-K through 12th grade in over 120 NYC schools, plus out-of-school teen programs, discounted tickets to cultural venues, and professional development for teachers. Its city funding runs mainly through the Department of Education, whose two active "Arts Education Services" contracts, together $2.4 million, are both renewals rather than freshly rebid, plus contracts with the Department of Youth and Community Development and Department of Cultural Affairs; it has been awarded $22.2 million across 79 city contracts since 2007, of which 36% of contract value ($8.0 million across 25 contracts) was won without a fresh competitive bid. It has also received $2.7 million in City Council discretionary funding since FY2009. Per its IRS Form 990, its Executive Director, Rachel Watts, was paid $188,942 in FY2023.

Industry (per city contracts)
Human Services
City contracts (active)
$2,435,000 · 2 contracts
Awarded all-time
$22,211,752 · 79 since 2007, incl. expired
Paid to date
$22,050,457
Won without a fresh bid
36% of contract value · $8,016,752 · 25 contracts
Discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2027)
$2,726,764 · 151 awards
Funding history
Funded every year since FY2009 (19 years running)

Holds contracts at

City contracts

Registered city contracts, largest first by current contract value (not amount spent): running now, then registered to start later, then ended. Totals count every registered contract. Each line shows its Checkbook contract ID. The tag on each row is how it was awarded (“no-bid” = non-competitive).

Discretionary funding received

City Council discretionary (member-item) awards, largest first. Covers FY2009-FY2027.

Funded by these council members

City Council members who steered discretionary (member-item) money to this organization, largest first (FY2020 and later, where the sponsoring member is disclosed). Sitting members link to their page.

Federal awards

Federal awards made directly to this organization in fiscal years 2023 through 2026. Each amount is what the federal government has OBLIGATED on that award as recorded on USAspending.gov as of 2026-08-31 — money committed, not money paid out. These are prime awards only: federal money this

Sources