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RPGA STUDIO INC

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 472589237 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE P20 · Human Services · Small ($100K-$1M) · rpgastudio.org
revenue
$121K
expenses
$128K
net assets
$105K
employees
mission · from form 990

Use creativity (art, technology, design, sustainability) to address community issues.

profile · synthesized from sources

RPGA Studio is a Queens-based nonprofit that uses art, design, technology, and education to address community issues and expand economic opportunity. The organization partners with communities across New York City to co-create public art, workshops, and installations that promote safety, resilience, and equity. Projects often center women, youth, and survivors of domestic violence, integrating creative practice with activism and community development.

named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

A Net of Resilience
Collaborative workshop where dancers and community members create rope nets while discussing resilience, supported by the Mayor’s Office initiative to end domestic violence.
Be The Museum
Public art framework that empowers artists, especially women, to create inclusive community spaces in parks and public areas, fostering creativity and dialogue.
Empowering Youth through Art and Technology
After-school and in-school programs teaching 3D design, fabrication, and social innovation to students, impacting over 10,000 families in Queens.
Rooted and Replicated Artist Open Call
Artist-led initiative investigating institutional frameworks and scarcity mindsets in the art world, supported by public cultural funds.
Safety and Community Investment Mural Program
Transforms neglected urban spaces through murals, improved lighting, and infrastructure advocacy in collaboration with NYC agencies.
Sanctuary
Community-built sculptural installations at Socrates Sculpture Park and the Underground Railroad Education Center that explore identity, race, and safety through personal narratives.
Women Who Build
Program that teaches construction and design skills to women aged 17–65+ across NYC, culminating in building a tiny home; promotes equity and representation in the construction industry.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 2 activities
    • Public space revitalization through art and infrastructure improvements
      Revitalizes underused public spaces by integrating mural art, improved sidewalks, lighting, and placemaking design to enhance safety and community engagement, such as the transformation of an underpass and the "Be The Museum" project in Forest Park.
    • Youth-led public art and garden co-design projects
      Co-designs and implements public art and green space projects with youth, including a mural and vegetable garden created with 40 elementary school girls and a 2,000 square foot garden space developed in collaboration with young girls and NYC Parks.
  • Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Education 1 activity
    • Creative community programs addressing domestic violence and bullying
      Partners with New York City’s Domestic Violence and Empowerment (DOVE) Initiative to address bullying and the root causes of domestic violence through creative practices, including programs such as Women Who Build, youth workshops, public art campaigns, and art sessions with survivors and their children in confidential residential settings.
  • Community Makerspace Access and Training 1 activity
    • Hands-on technical training in construction and sculpting for youth
      Provides local community students with hands-on training in construction and sculpting techniques, including the use of tools such as levels, circular saws, mortar, and porcelain clay.
  • Arts Education Access Programs 1 activity
    • School-based mural program development
      Develops and implements mural programs in schools in collaboration with teachers and girls, integrating creative expression into educational environments.
  • Union-Affiliated Trade Apprenticeship & Training 1 activity
    • Skill-building framework for women in construction-related fields
      Provides a structured framework for approximately 250 women to learn and share skills, with a focus on construction-related trades and hands-on technical knowledge.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$121K
Contributions & grants$121K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$128K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$59K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$105K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$105K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -17.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Yvonne Shortt Executive Director 50 $24K
board members · 5
  • Abigail Simon — Board Member
  • Carmen Shortt — Board Member
  • Diana Casseus — Board Member
  • Elsie Chapman — Board Member
  • Rasheedat Badejo — Board President
relationships · 6

Who they work with

  • Long Island Rail Road Partner — Collaborated on public art and infrastructure projects beneath rail lines to improve community safety and access.
  • NYC Parks Partner — Co-designed and built a 2,000 square foot garden space with young girls.
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provided public funding support for programs in partnership with the City Council.
  • New York City Department of Transportation Partner — Collaborated on mural and infrastructure improvement projects to enhance safety in public underpass areas.
  • New York City’s Domestic Violence and Empowerment (DOVE) Initiative Partner — Partnered to address bullying and root causes of domestic violence through creative practice, including workshops and art sessions with survivors.
  • Safe Horizon Government — Administered funding for the Collaborative Net-making Workshop through a Mayor’s Office initiative to end Domestic Violence.
strategies · 2

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Creative Practice Integration
    methodology: creative-practice-integration
    By integrating art, technology, design, and sustainability, the organization addresses community challenges through interdisciplinary creative practices, because combining these fields fosters innovative, locally rooted solutions that traditional sector-specific approaches may miss.
  • Public Art for Safety and Community Investment
    methodology: public art for safety and community investment
    By placing public art—especially murals—in neglected spaces, the organization improves safety and reduces risks of harassment and violence, because increased visibility and community ownership fostered through art lead to greater collective stewardship and social cohesion, particularly benefiting women.