KIDSARTS FOREVER HOME 1

Why Now?

The property is secured. We closed in December 2025. The building and playground are ours.
The design is ready. ERiSE Builders and Studio G Architects have the plans.
The momentum is building. We've secured $449,000 toward our $1.5 million Phase One goal. Major donors are stepping up. The community is ready.

The kids are waiting. 90 families on our waitlist want this brave space for their children. Teaching artists are ready to create deeper, richer workshops in permanent spaces. JP's most magical playground is ready to reopen for our programming. We need just over $1 million more to make it happen by February 2027. This is the moment.

***“I love KidsArts because it lets my imagination go crazy and I get to be in a place where nobody judges me no matter how I act or imagine or what things actually look like.”***
**— KidsArts Student**

Our Vision

On December 9th, we officially closed on our merger with Hollow Reed School, acquiring our permanent facilities at 93 Sedgwick Street and the playground at 83 Elm Street in Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA. After four decades of moving between rented and shared spaces, we now own a building and playground that will triple our classroom space, enabling us to expand from 60 to 120 elementary children served daily, in stages. For our Jamaica Plain community, this represents permanence, stability, and arts nonprofit stewardship of space that prevents displacement.

As a trans executive director leading a predominantly queer staff, I'm proud that KidsArts intentionally creates brave spaces where LGBTQ+ families and gender creative kids can show up fully and safely. We create brave space for our immigrant families—always, and especially in this time. We serve economically diverse families: one-third of our current 60 students receive subsidized tuition, with additional families supported through sliding scale and sibling discounts. Our community and staff reflect the multiracial, multilingual character of Jamaica Plain and surrounding neighborhoods. This is who we are and what we do.

Our $3 million capital campaign funds this transformation in phases. Phase One—$1.5 million—completes essential renovations and opens our doors by February 2027, allowing us to roughly double the number of families we serve and provide more hours for our dedicated teaching artists.

60 → 120 Daily Capacity | 10+ Boston Schools | 40 Years Serving Community

Click here for the architectural rendering

The Impact

For Our Children

More than double our capacity to serve families who are already on our waitlists. Children need a brave space to be themselves and connect with caring artists sharing their craft. Permanent studios mean deeper engagement, richer projects, and lasting friendships across 10 Boston schools.

For Our Families

Enriching programming accessible to economically diverse families through no-fee spots via the Boston Childcare Choices voucher program, sliding scale pricing, and sibling discounts. Led by multiracial, multilingual teaching artists who reflect our community.

For Our Teaching Artists

Sustainable careers in permanent creative spaces. Artists can develop workshops without storage constraints, modeling authentic expression while strengthening Boston's creative economy.

For Jamaica Plain and Beyond

Two beloved properties serving the community instead of developers. JP most-magical playground reopens for our programming after years under lock and key preserving our neighborhood's arts-forward identity. Our home is in Jamaica Plain, but we host kids from all over Greater Boston. Finally, our kids will move through the world with the creative tools they learned here at KidsArts.

***“Obviously freaky, unapologetically ME, fully understood by all.”***
**— KidsArts Alumni**

The Timeline

✓ December 2025

Closed on property — Successfully acquired Hollow Reed School at 93 Sedgwick Street and playground at 83 Elm Street

Now – August 2026

Complete Phase One fundraising — Raise remaining funds toward the $1.5M Phase One goal through major gifts, foundation grants, and community support

Spring – Fall 2026

Phase One renovations — Complete essential renovations with ERiSE Builders and Studio G Architects while continuing to serve children in current spaces

2027

Open doors — Welcome kids into their forever home, roughly doubling capacity and providing more hours for teaching artists

Why KidsArts Will Succeed

We have a 40-year track record of resilience and adaptation. We started in a firehouse, moved to a church basement, pivoted to outdoor programming and podded virtual school help during COVID. We've never been defined by our building—we've been defined by our mission.

We have strong organizational infrastructure. Through the Space Readiness Cohort led by Arts & Business Council, we've built financial models, governance structures, and strategic partnerships with TSNE MissionWorks for property management and NonProfit Capital Management for fiscal oversight. We've demonstrated our capacity to manage complex projects—completing a merger, property acquisition, and capital campaign simultaneously.

We have proven community support. We've already secured nearly $450,000 in early Phase One funding. This has been through foresight and financial planning, eager major donors, grant funds, and grassroots supporters. Our waitlists consistently have 60 families. Local foundations and major donors have stepped up because they see the need and trust our ability to deliver.

We have the team to execute. ERiSE Builders and Studio G Architects have completed the building assessment and renovation plans. Our team has the operational capacity to manage expansion thoughtfully while maintaining program quality.

Now we're ready to flourish in our permanent home and spacious tree-canopied playground. Join us in making it happen.

Donate to Our Capital Campaign