Imagine Arts Academy franchise
2026 filing · July 11, 2026Growing
Imagine Arts Academy at a glance
A children's art enrichment business running after-school and preschool programs, workshops, camps and birthday parties for ages 3 to 12. At the end of 2026 there were 29 Imagine Arts Academy locations in the US, all franchised.
The business
- Franchisor
- Imagine Arts Academy Inc
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchising since
- 2018
- 8 years of selling franchises
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $123K–$162K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $39,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 8%
- 8% of gross revenues, paid monthly, plus a technology fee of $900 a month for up to three users
- Brand fund
- Yes
- 2% of the prior year's gross revenue or $2,000 a year, whichever is more
- Renewal fee
- $5,000
- When the agreement ends and you sign again
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2026
- 29
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 29
- Company-owned
- 0
- Change in 3 years
- +9
- Franchised locations, 2024–2026
- States
- 14
- Most in California, Texas and New Jersey
From Imagine Arts Academy Inc’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Imagine Arts Academy among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Imagine Arts Academy | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $142,375 | Costs less than 78% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $39,000 | Lower than 58% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 8% | Higher than 85% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 29 | More than 55% of franchises |
How much a Imagine Arts Academy franchise costs
Opening one Imagine Arts Academy costs an estimated $123,050 to $161,700. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are lease of office/training/party room/warehouse space and leasehold improvements ($33,600 to $56,000) and RANGE initial franchise fee ($39,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| RANGE Initial Franchise Fee | $39,000 | ||
| Equipment Package | $20,000 | ||
| Lease of Office/Training/Party Room/Warehouse Space and Leasehold Improvements | $33,600 | $56,000 | |
| Insurance | $6,000 | $7,500 | |
| Local Advertising | $250 | $1,000 | |
| Office Equipment/Supplies | $3,000 | $6,000 | |
| Technology Access Fee | $5,400 | ||
| Security and Utility Deposits, Business Licenses and other prepaid expenses | $1,000 | $2,500 | |
| Legal and Accounting/Bookkeeping Fees | $1,000 | $3,500 | |
| Additional Funds (3 months) | $13,800 | $20,800 | |
| Total | $123,050 | $161,700 | |
Source: Imagine Arts Academy Inc, 2026 filing, page 20
Imagine Arts Academy franchise fee
The franchise fee is $39,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Imagine Arts Academy Inc, 2026 filing, page 11
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 8% of gross revenues, paid monthly, plus a technology fee of $900 a month for up to three users. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 2% of the prior year's gross revenue or $2,000 a year, whichever is more. |
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 |
| Renewal Fee | $5,000 |
| Service Fee for Additional Training | Currently $500 per day. |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Imagine Arts Academy Inc, 2026 filing, pages 13 and 16
Other fees as filed, from pages 15–17. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Imagine Arts Academy does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: Imagine Arts Academy Inc, 2026 filing, page 56
Growth and closures
Share of franchised locations, 2026 / 2024–2026. Typical means the median: half of brands are above it, half below.
| Measure | Imagine Arts Academy | Typical entertainment brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrowthNet change in franchised locations | +7.4% / +45% | +2.9% / +33% | +1.2% / +10% |
| ClosuresTerminated, not renewed or stopped operating | 3.7% / 30% | 3.2% / 11% | 3.9% / 16% |
| Bought backLocations the franchisor took back | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% |
Typical entertainment brand is the median of the 41 brands in entertainment franchises with three years of counts.
How Imagine Arts Academy compares
Of the 168 entertainment franchises on this site, Imagine Arts Academy is the 44th cheapest to open and the 36th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Imagine Arts Academy | Typical entertainment brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $123K | $286K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $162K | $598K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $39K | $45K | $40K |
| Royalty | 8% | 6% | 6% |
| US locations | 29 | 8 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 113 of 168 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 168 brands in entertainment franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 21 (+1) | 0 | +3 | −2 |
| 2025 | 27 (+6) | 0 | +9 | −3 |
| 2026 | 29 (+2) | 0 | +3 | −1 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating. Years end March 31.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: Imagine Arts Academy Inc, 2026 filing, page 56
Where Imagine Arts Academy locations are
At the end of 2026, Imagine Arts Academy had franchised locations in 14 states. The most are in California, Texas and New Jersey.
- California8
- Texas5
- New Jersey4
- North Carolina2
- Colorado1
- Florida1
| State | Franchised |
|---|---|
| California | 8 |
| Texas | 5 |
| New Jersey | 4 |
| North Carolina | 2 |
| Colorado | 1 |
| Florida | 1 |
| Illinois | 1 |
| Massachusetts | 1 |
| Michigan | 1 |
| Missouri | 1 |
All 14 states
| New York | 1 |
|---|---|
| Ohio | 1 |
| South Carolina | 1 |
| Wisconsin | 1 |
Source: Imagine Arts Academy Inc, 2026 filing, page 57
Who owns Imagine Arts Academy?
Imagine Arts Academy franchises are sold by Imagine Arts Academy Inc.
From Imagine Arts Academy Inc’s 2026 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | Yes. The filing describes past or pending cases involving the franchisor, its affiliates or its executives on page 11. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: Imagine Arts Academy Inc, 2026 filing, litigation on page 11, bankruptcy on page 11
Imagine Arts Academy filings
The figures on this page come from Imagine Arts Academy Inc’s 2026 filing, issued July 11, 2026, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 filing | July 11, 2026 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2024–2026 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other entertainment franchises
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Imagine Arts Academy is also on these lists: education franchises.