Hands On! Children's Art Museum
Organization Summary
Hands On! is a not-for-profit organization formed to provide a place where children of all ages and abilities are encouraged to develop their full creative potential through the visual and performing arts. We plan to offer a dynamic, unique,and constantly evolving program. Although we will incorporate all of the fine arts into our programs, our focus is on visual art. Most activities will be open-ended and enjoyed on a walk-in basis. The Museum will be staffed by working artists, and all structured activities will be led by master artist-teachers. Hands On! will offer an art experience to children that will increase awareness of the arts, create an audience for the arts, and cannot be duplicated.
Our facility will house nine permanent open-art stations, including the Little People Lounge for our youngest visitors, Art Journey for toddlers, Sunflower Studio, Daisy Doodle-Shop, the Navajo Weaving Loom, I-MAC Imagination Station, the Sculpture Shop, Poppyseed Palace, and the Daily Special. In addition to our permanent stations, we will have a revolving set of installations, including our Shell Grotto, English Garden Light Design Table, City Design Architecture Board, and the Paint-Your-Own Ceramics Studio. We will have three art galleries: the Children’s Gallery, a gallery showcasing the work created by the children who visit Hands On!; the Artworks Gallery, which is dedicated to the presentation of reproductions of work created by famous (and not so famous) grown-up artists; and the Chicago Artists Gallery, which provides a venue for our resident artists, as well as other area artists, to showcase their work.
Our facility will also house an extensive children’s library that contains high quality books about artists, dancers, musicians, and composers and their lives and work. We will also provide a resource library for adults who are interested in furthering their knowledge of the arts. Our Curiosity Shop will sell affordable, high-quality art supplies, handmade toys, and other unique items.
We will offer special artist-led workshops and performances on a daily basis, including a twice daily “Storytime at Poppyseed Palace,” and the Daily Special guided art activity. In addition, we will host the First Friday Concert Series, the Second Sunday Family Workshop, Culture Bugs classes for 18-42 month old children, Art Colony for 4-6 year old children, the Apprentice Workshop for teenagers, the Saturday Film Series, Art Encounters outreach program, monthly docent visits led by representatives of Chicago area galleries and museums, scheduled gallery openings, and seasonal special events.
Hands On! plans to locate in the Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood on the southwest side of the city of Chicago. Although preliminary plans are being made to find a location, we will secure space when approximately fifty percent of our start-up funding has been raised.
Start-up Summary
Start-up expense totals include legal costs, leasehold improvements, rent, and related expenses. Start-up assets required include assets office equipment, furniture, and initial inventory and initial cash to handle the first few months of expenses. The details are included in the following chart and table.
| Start-up Funding | |
| Start-up Expenses to Fund | $35,000 |
| Start-up Assets to Fund | $35,000 |
| Total Funding Required | $70,000 |
| Assets | |
| Non-cash Assets from Start-up | $10,000 |
| Cash Requirements from Start-up | $25,000 |
| Additional Cash Raised | $0 |
| Cash Balance on Starting Date | $25,000 |
| Total Assets | $35,000 |
| Liabilities and Capital | |
| Liabilities | |
| Current Borrowing | $0 |
| Long-term Liabilities | $0 |
| Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills) | $0 |
| Other Current Liabilities (interest-free) | $0 |
| Total Liabilities | $0 |
| Capital | |
| Planned Investment | |
| Founding Directors | $15,000 |
| Private and Corporate Investors | $25,000 |
| Grants | $30,000 |
| Additional Investment Requirement | $0 |
| Total Planned Investment | $70,000 |
| Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) | ($35,000) |
| Total Capital | $35,000 |
| Total Capital and Liabilities | $35,000 |
| Total Funding | $70,000 |
| Start-up | |
| Requirements | |
| Start-up Expenses | |
| Legal (Incorp., Permits, License) | $1,500 |
| Consulting Services | $1,100 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $14,000 |
| Stationery/Office Supplies | $500 |
| Advertising/Promotion | $1,200 |
| Website Design | $1,700 |
| Insurance | $1,000 |
| Rent | $3,500 |
| Security Deposit | $7,000 |
| Utilities (During Buildout) | $1,300 |
| Signage | $1,400 |
| Other | $800 |
| Total Start-up Expenses | $35,000 |
| Start-up Assets | |
| Cash Required | $25,000 |
| Start-up Inventory | $1,500 |
| Other Current Assets | $0 |
| Long-term Assets | $8,500 |
| Total Assets | $35,000 |
| Total Requirements | $70,000 |
Legal Entity
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Locations and Facilities
This topic was not included in the original business plan, but is included here as a placeholder for others using this plan as a guide. Please remember that the default outline is flexible on purpose, because every business plan is unique, so many excellent plans omit topics included in the standard outline and many add additional topics. The outline is a suggestion, not a checklist. You can add and delete topics easily. Make it your plan, not the software’s plan.
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