In the February/March 2026 special issues of Forbes and Fortune magazines, Fresh Artists was invited to participate in a special publishing opportunity highlighting the organization’s innovative approach to arts education and philanthropy. As a nonprofit connecting young artists in under-resourced public schools with leading corporations to support arts education, Fresh Artists had the opportunity to introduce its mission to a national audience of corporate readers.
The feature introduced readers to Fresh Artists’ unique model, transforming children’s original artwork into museum-quality installations for businesses and organizations, including more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies. This generates support that funds art supplies, classroom resources, and creative programming for under-resourced public schools.
The feature highlighted that as of 2025, more than 4,300 young artists/philanthropists in underfunded public schools have donated and licensed their artwork to Fresh Artists to save art education and an estimated 6.5 million children have been impacted by the quality art supplies and innovative art programs the nonprofit delivers. The stunning scaled-up, high-resolution reproductions of their art are thank-you gifts from the children to their new friends in America’s prominent corporate workspaces, and the children's original art is returned to them to keep, along with its copyright.
Founded in 2008 by Barbara Chandler Allen and Roger Allen in response to the severe decline of arts funding in Philadelphia schools, Fresh Artists has spent nearly two decades connecting young artists with meaningful opportunities to make an impact. By licensing children’s artwork for large-scale installations in corporate headquarters, nonprofit organizations, healthcare facilities, and other public spaces, the organization has built a model that benefits both students and communities. Every installation helps expand access to quality art education while recognizing the creativity, talent, and generosity of the young artists whose work makes it possible.
Fresh Artists’ work extends beyond the classroom, creating opportunities for young artists to see their creativity make an impact in unexpected places. Students see their artwork displayed in places they may never have imagined, gaining confidence and a deeper understanding of the value of their creative voice. Through Fresh Artists’ initiative Kids Who Print programs like Cool Jobs and WrapLab, Fresh Artists continues to build on that foundation by introducing students to careers in design, printing, and graphic installation. They demonstrate that creativity can become a pathway to meaningful, sustainable work. In the ’24 and ’25 elections, Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County polling places distributed more than 440,000 “I VOTED!” stickers featuring K-12 children’s artwork. The work is not only a fixture at all future elections but will be permanently installed throughout the new 325,000 SF Justice Center. The impact Fresh Artists’ young philanthropists make is felt beyond corporate walls.
Appearing in both Forbes and Fortune provided Fresh Artists with a valuable opportunity to share its mission with a national audience of corporate leaders and decision-makers. As the organization continues to expand its partnerships across industries, this exposure supports its ongoing efforts to connect young artists with new opportunities, strengthen arts education, and demonstrate the lasting impact of children’s creativity.