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AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LES ARTS FLORISSANTS INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 453630514 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A68 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Medium ($1M-$10M) · arts-florissants.org
revenue
$2.2M
expenses
$2.5M
net assets
$2.2M
employees
0
volunteers
9
program ratio
95%
mission · from form 990

THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO SUPPORT THE PERFORMANCE AND EDUCATIONAL (continued on Schd O) ACTIVITIES OF LES ARTS FLORISSANTS(LAF)AND TO STRENGTHEN THE TIES BETWEEN LAF AND AMERICAN AUDIENCES, MUSICIANS AND SINGERS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Les Arts Florissants is a French cultural organization centered around the artistic legacy of William Christie, based in Thiré, France. It operates the Jardins de William Christie, a historic garden open to the public, and produces music performances, festivals, and educational programs in early music and baroque repertoire. The organization runs seasonal public events, guided tours, and masterclasses in music and gardening.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Ateliers jardinage Arts Flo
Gardening workshops held in the Jardins de William Christie, combining horticulture with artistic practice.
Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie
Annual summer festival featuring concerts and performances in the gardens, showcasing baroque and early music.
Jardins de William Christie
Public gardens in Thiré, France, designed by William Christie and open seasonally for self-guided and guided visits.
Masterclasses
Educational programs in voice, violin, and gesture led by artists including William Christie and Emmanuelle de Negri.
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Music Education and Training Programs 2 activities
    • Conducting educational outreach for children, families, and rural communities
      Conducts educational workshops to introduce children and families to baroque music and culture, and provides educational programs to over 1,000 beneficiaries in rural areas of Vendée – Pays de la Loire.
    • Providing professional development and performance opportunities for young artists through Arts Flo Juniors
      Supports Arts Flo Juniors, a program enabling students from conservatories in the U.S., Europe, and Asia to participate in selected performances with the Orchestra or Chorus each season. Also runs masterclasses and training programs at Quartier des Artistes.
  • Opera and Vocal Arts Training Programs 2 activities
    • Hosting masterclasses in music, dance, and interpretation
      Hosts masterclasses on violin, vocal performance, gesture and dance movements, and interpretation led by William Christie, Emmanuel Resche-Caserta, Christophe Robert, and Emmanuelle de Negri at its site in the Vendée region.
    • Training and mentoring young professional singers through Le Jardin des Voix
      Develops new generations of singers through Le Jardin des Voix, an international academy and professional artist training program that provides annual training, mentorship, and first major performing opportunities. Since 2002, 69 singers from 16 countries have participated. The program is also known as the Académie du Jardin des Voix.
  • Classical and Chamber Music Performances 2 activities
    • Organizing the annual Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie
      Organizes the annual Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie each summer, bringing together Les Arts Florissants, Juilliard students, Arts Flo Juniors, and Le Jardin des Voix. The first edition was hosted in 2012.
    • Supporting performances and educational activities of Les Arts Florissants for American audiences
      Strengthens ties between Les Arts Florissants and American audiences, musicians, and singers by supporting international and U.S. tours, concerts, recitals, and recordings. Organizes over 120 concerts and performances annually, including public concert events at the Jardins de William Christie in Thiré, France.
  • Performing Arts Production Support 1 activity
    • Funding international and U.S. tours, performances, recordings, and artistic venue development
      Raises funds in the United States to support the activities of Les Arts Florissants, including international and U.S. tours, concerts, recitals, recordings, and the development of a permanent artistic venue in the Vendée region of France.
  • Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
    • Hosting artist, gardener, and researcher residencies
      Hosts nearly 200 artists, gardeners, and researchers annually in residence programs at its site in the Vendée region of France, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in music, horticulture, and heritage.
  • Public Garden Tours and Events 1 activity
    • Operating the Jardins de William Christie and public access programs
      Operates the Jardins de William Christie to the public during the summer season (March 18 to August 2 and September 9 to September 27, 2026), offering guided tours by request and introducing an annual "Pass Jardins" for unlimited access in 2026.
  • Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 1 activity
    • Producing and distributing recorded performances
      Produces and distributes recordings of performances, including Joseph Haydn's Harmoniemesse and Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo, and makes performances available for on-demand viewing through Arte Concert. Recorded a performance at the Nuits de Fourvière on June 18, 2026.
  • Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
    • Supporting heritage preservation and public engagement through site programming
      Supports heritage preservation through interdisciplinary projects and participates in European Heritage Days with public programming. Hosts gardening workshops and cultural events at its site in the Vendée region.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.15M
Contributions & grants$2.15M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$8100%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$2.49M
Program expenses95%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$2.29M
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$2.25M
Cash$255K
Investments$0
Liabilities$32K
Net assets$2.22M
Liquid reserves1.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -47.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 8
  • BERNARD SELZ — BOARD MEMBER
  • CHARLES PRICE — BOARD MEMBER
  • FRANCOISE GIRARD — CHAIR
  • HELEN LITTLE — BOARD MEMBER
  • NIZAM P KETTANEH — BOARD MEMBER
  • PAUL LECLERC — BOARD MEMBER
  • SUSAN BAKER — TREASURER
  • SYDNEY HOUGHTON WEINBERG — SECRETARY
relationships · 22

Who they work with

  • Arte Concert Partner — Partnership to provide on-demand streaming of recorded performances.
  • Crédit Agricole Atlantique Vendée Partner — Partner of the Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie.
  • Fondation d'entreprise Société Générale Partner — Supports the collaboration with The Juilliard School in New York.
  • Fondation du patrimoine Partner — Partner through which donations for the Quartier des Artistes project were collected.
  • Fondazione Anawim Partner — Supporter of Les Arts Florissants and contributor to project funding.
  • Imagemusique Partner — Partner organization handling press relations for Les Arts Florissants
  • Juilliard School Partner — Collaborates closely with Juilliard School in New York since 2007.
  • Les Arts Florissants Network — Manages the Jardins de William Christie as part of its cultural programming.
  • Les Arts Florissants Partner — Primary artistic and operational partner; the organization exists to support its performance and educational activities.
  • Mailchimp Partner — Uses Mailchimp as a marketing platform to process donor information and send communications.
  • Paul Agnew Government — Co-leader of Les Arts Florissants alongside William Christie.
  • Philharmonie de Paris Partner — Co-presents concerts and performances as part of touring and residency programs.
  • Philharmonie de Paris Partner — Has been in artistic residence at Philharmonie de Paris since 2015.
  • Sidney J. Weinberg, Jr. Foundation Partner — Supports the collaboration with The Juilliard School in New York and is a founding patron of the Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie.
  • Stavros Niarchos Foundation Partner — Supporter of Les Arts Florissants.
  • The Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation Partner — Founding patron of the Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie and project supporter.
  • The Florence Gould Foundation Partner — Supporter of Les Arts Florissants.
  • The Juilliard School Partner — Collaborates with Les Arts Florissants on artistic and educational programs.
  • The Juilliard School Partner — Collaborates with The Juilliard School to train young singers and build cultural bridges between Europe and the United States.
  • The Versailles Foundation, Inc. Partner — Project supporter of Les Arts Florissants.
  • William Christie Government — Founder and artistic leader of Les Arts Florissants.
  • harmonia mundi Partner — Label responsible for the release of the recording of Haydn's Harmoniemesse and Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo.
strategies · 3

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.

  • Cultural Campus Model for Integrated Artistic Ecosystems
    methodology: cultural_campus_model
    By integrating artistic creation, training, public engagement, and heritage spaces—such as historical gardens—within a shared cultural campus, the organization fosters a living baroque spirit because immersive, multidimensional environments deepen public connection and sustain cultural continuity.
  • Interdisciplinary Cultural Transmission through Education and Immersive Practice
    methodology: cultural_transmission_through_immersion
    By integrating interdisciplinary programming—spanning music, education, mentorship, and heritage—with immersive ensemble training and masterclasses, the organization sustains baroque music because it enables intergenerational transmission of historically informed practices and deepens artistic vitality through experiential learning.
  • Transatlantic Cultural Collaboration for Artistic Exchange
    methodology: transatlantic_cultural_exchange
    By maintaining institutional and geographic anchoring in France and the U.S.—including through partnerships with The Juilliard School—the organization strengthens cultural ties and broadens audience engagement because transatlantic collaboration enables mutual artistic development and wider dissemination of baroque traditions.