Upstream Arts is sharing some difficult and pivotal news: the executive leadership, in consultation with the organization’s Board of Directors, has reached the decision to sunset the organization in the next fiscal year. After 20 years of incredible and impactful work, we are choosing to close this chapter with dignity and care for our community of participants, artists, educators, staff, families, contributors, and wider community.
The demand, need, and impact of our work have not changed—what we do works. We see the results every day in classrooms, in our day programs, and through our partnerships. However, the resources to continue our work in the way we have been operating are simply not there. The economic landscape of running a business that exists at the intersection of education, arts and disability services was never fully funded to meet the true costs of our work. Even before recent federal policies and actions, we were seeing signs of disinvestment—trends that began emerging in the aftermath of the pandemic.
We cannot, once again, be expected to do more with less. And while this moment is painful, we believe we’ve earned the right to end well. To bring our organization to a close, not because others decided it for us, but because we made this decision with care, clarity, and self-determination.
We deeply love this work, this community, and our mission. We are committed to sunsetting well and in alignment with our organizational values. We’re especially grateful to count you as part of our community and to count on you as we move side-by-side through this next phase. Current classes and trainings will continue through the end of this spring season, and we have a number of commitments, particularly around our prevention and self-advocacy work, that we plan to carry out and complete in the remainder of 2025. We’ll continue to share news and developments in our newsletter as they unfold.
Thank you for all the ways you have contributed to and intersected with Upstream Arts. We are looking forward to finding a time to celebrate and have a final farewell gathering when we can reflect on and honor the past 20 years with our community. We hope it will be a joyful, playful celebration – one that reminds us that our impact and our efforts will carry on well beyond this iteration of work.
In the meantime, we invite you to leave comments here sharing what Upstream Arts has meant to you over the last 20 years.
I am so sad to hear this news! I remember the first meeting I had with Julie that resulted in several successful partnerships. Thank you for all you have done. You and your teaching artists made an impact every single day. Thank you!
Upstream Arts has been a pivotal force in the lives of so many, creating spaces where individuals can live, express, and experience joy in ways that are deeply meaningful to them. This news is truly heartbreaking, but I know it’s not the end of the vital work, Upstream continues to do with the impact they’ve made will carry forward! Thank you for everything! ❤️
I have loved watching your team lead classes in Minneapolis schools. Thank you for bringing so many smiles and so much confidence to my students! And tell Caleb that Shelly says hi! 💜
It was truly an honor to have worked with you, Matt and your amazing team at UA. The world is a better place because of you and your inspiring work. UA has positively touched the lives of those who have been both directly and indirectly impacted by your outstanding programs. Thank you for all that you’ve accomplished and I know that you will continue to make a positive impact. As they say “ Pictures speak louder than words “ We still have our self portraits , and memories to last a lifetime. XOXO
Upstream Arts visited us twice in Charlotte NC and was an enormous inspiration, causing a pivotal and seismic shift in the way we approached all of our work in the arts. We count Julie as one of our greatest teachers and mentors, and we would not be doing what we are doing now with our own company if we had not had the opportunity to learn from her and her incredible staff. So much love and gratitude to your entire team.
Attending one of your trainings was the first time I ever learned about universal design for learning, and it has stuck with me and is something I advocate for in every role I have in
MPS. I have been part of the magic and mastery your organization and the artists within it bring to students at Hale and at Andersen middle school. What you do is transformative and necessary and foundational for students to not only feel joy and connection, but also build skills for advocacy and Justice . Thank you so much for your work, vision, and impact.
Thank you Upstream Arts and Artists for showing up in incredibly beautiful and important ways all these years. MPS is going to miss your partnership. Know that you and your work that was done with great love and care was so important to me and our students. I am grateful for all ways the arts provided a space for our shared interactions, connections and joyful communication.