named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Europeras 1 & 2
Supports productions of Cage’s operatic works that integrate music, theater, and chance-determined elements independently
John Cage Archive
Curates and provides access to John Cage’s manuscripts, scores, correspondence, and artistic works at Bard College
Mesostics and Writings Through
Publishes and promotes Cage’s experimental poetry and text compositions using structured chance methods
Norton Lectures Publication Project
Prepares and disseminates Cage’s Harvard Norton Lectures, titled "I-VI", using chance operations and philosophical inquiry
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Artist Legacy Preservation and Documentation 3 activities
- Management of art collection and loan requestsManages gallery and museum loan requests from the John Cage Trust’s permanent art collection and facilitates reproduction permissions for visual artworks created at Mountain Lake Workshop and Crown Point Press.
- Preservation and dissemination of John Cage's workOrganizes, preserves, and disseminates the work of John Cage, including maintaining the John Cage Trust archives and providing access to information about his life, music, visual art, and literary works. This includes managing rights and reproduction permissions for visual and literary works not held by other institutions.
- Research on John Cage’s artistic and philosophical legacyConducts and supports research into John Cage’s work, including preserving personal anecdotes and stories about his life and humor, and exploring intersections between his art and Zen Buddhism.
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Live Music Performances & Concerts 1 activity
- Hosting programs, exhibitions, and performancesHosts and co-organizes programs, tours, exhibitions, performances, and scholarly events related to John Cage at Bard College and other venues, including public discussions, lecture performances, concerts, and collaborative workshops using Cage’s chance procedures.
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Musicological Research and Scholarly Editions 1 activity
- Provision of access to annotated music database and archival materialsProvides public, classroom, and research access to a fully annotated database of John Cage’s musical works and offers regular access to the Trust’s archives Monday through Thursday for scholars, educators, and the public.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Digital recreation and public engagement with Cage’s compositionsDeveloped and launched a digital, interactive version of John Cage’s composition "Reunion" using a chessboard interface, made available online and performed live at festivals; also operates a mobile application enabling users to record and share ambient sound performances based on "4'33"," including access to sampled sounds from Cage’s prepared piano works and ambient recordings from his last apartment.
- Publication of scholarly and archival materialsFacilitates and publishes critical editions and collections of John Cage’s writings and correspondence, including the full publication of "Diary: How to Improve the World," "The Selected Letters of John Cage," and "Love Icebox: Letters from John Cage to Merce Cunningham," as well as producing an annual "Book of Days" calendar and maintaining a blog with essays and remembrances from 2009 to 2022.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$130K
Contributions & grants$2650%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$18K14%
Other revenue$112K
expenses
Total expenses$194K
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$162K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.50M
Cash$344K
Investments$112K
Liabilities$0
Net assets$1.50M
Liquid reserves28.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -77.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAURA KUHN | DIRECTOR / TRUSTEE | 0 | $128K |
board members · 6
- FRANK CORLISS — BOARD MEMBER
- LARRY LARSON — BOARD MEMBER
- MELISSA HARRIS — TRUSTEE
- RAY KASS — BOARD MEMBER
- TAN DUN — BOARD MEMBER
- TREVOR CARLSON — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 34
Who they work with
- Alex Ross Partner — Corresponds with the Trust regarding John Cage and related cultural commentary.
- Bard College Government — Hosts the John Cage Trust at its campus
- Bard College Government — Hosts the John Cage Trust on its campus and supports public programs and tours.
- Bard College Government — Resides as a supporting organization at Bard College, hosting programs, performances, and expanding archival and research facilities.
- Bard College Partner — Collaborated on an open curatorial workshop and the CAGECIRCLE exhibition at Stevenson Library.
- Bard College Partner — Hosted the John Cage Trust's Empty Words centennial sleepover event.
- Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center Partner — Hosted a discussion with Executive Director Jeff Arnal on the "Points in Space" exhibition and performance history at Black Mountain College.
- C.F. Peters Partner — Collaborates with C.F. Peters, John Cage's longtime publisher, on the official release of the 4'33" app.
- C.F. Peters Partner — Works with Cage's long-time publisher, now part of Wise Music Group, to promote performances, recordings, licensing, and rights management.
- Columbia University Government — Attended Daisetz Suzuki's classes on Zen Buddhism at Columbia University.
- Crown Point Press Partner — Collaborates in the placement of John Cage's visual artworks in museums and private collections worldwide.
- Crown Point Press Partner — Collaborates on rights related to John Cage's prints and etchings.
- David Tudor Partner — Performed and toured with pianist David Tudor as part of the Merce Cunningham Company's musical ensemble.
- Dr. Harriet Watts Partner — Active participant in the John Cage Organ Project and cultural collaborator with the John Cage Trust.
- Faber Music Partner — Handles reprint and reproduction rights for John Cage scores.
- Harvard University Government — Conducted an experiment in the anechoic chamber at Harvard University and delivered the Norton Lectures there.
- John Cage Trust Network — Primary organization responsible for managing and promoting the legacy of John Cage.
- Martje Hansen Partner — Collaborates with the John Cage Trust on the John Cage Organ Project and hosted Trust representatives during a visit to Halberstadt.
- Merce Cunningham Partner — Collaborated extensively as a composer for Merce Cunningham's choreography and toured with his dance company.
- Merce Cunningham Trust Partner — Co-organized a Cage & Cunningham performance at Churchtown Dairy in Hudson, NY.
- Merce Cunningham Trust Partner — Worked with the Cunningham Dance Foundation and continues collaboration through the Merce Cunningham Trust regarding live music for dance and legacy projects.
- Mode Records Partner — Co-produced audio releases of John Cage's text readings.
- Mountain Lake Workshop Partner — Collaborates on rights related to John Cage's visual artworks created at the workshop.
- New World Symphony Partner — Collaborated on programming or events related to John Cage.
- New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Partner — Partnered in the acquisition and cataloging of the John Cage Music Manuscript Collection.
- Northwestern University Library Government — Holds the John Cage Correspondence Collection and other Cage-related archival materials.
- Northwestern University’s Music Library Partner — Collaborates on the housing and accessibility of the John Cage Correspondence Collection and related materials.
- Rainer Neugebauer Partner — Main organizer of the John Cage Organ Project and Master of Ceremonies for note-change events; collaborates with the John Cage Trust.
- Siglio Press Partner — Partnered in the first publication of all eight parts of John Cage's "Diary: How to Improve the World (You'll Only Make Matters Worse)."
- The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Government — Holds the John Cage Music Manuscript Collection.
+ 4 more
strategies · 5
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.
- Chance-Based Creative Practicemethodology: chance_operationsBy using chance operations and indeterminate structures—derived from sources like the _I Ching_ or chess moves—as generative mechanisms, the Trust produces artistic outcomes that reflect Cage’s philosophy of non-intention and openness, because surrendering control reveals deeper patterns in sound and time.
- Imitating Nature's Processesmethodology: imitate_natureBy aligning creative practices with natural processes—such as randomness, growth, and decay—the Trust embodies Cage’s principle that art should reflect the structure of nature, because authenticity arises from mirroring organic systems rather than imposing human will.
- Living Legacy Stewardshipmethodology: living_legacyBy maintaining and reinterpreting John Cage's work through contemporary engagement rather than static preservation, the Trust ensures ongoing cultural relevance and public connection, because sustained impact arises from active interpretation rather than archival containment.
- Participatory Sound Awarenessmethodology: participatory_sound_awarenessBy inviting public engagement with ambient sound through technology and interactive formats, the Trust extends Cage’s philosophy of non-silence into everyday life, because direct sensory participation fosters deeper understanding of his artistic principles.
- Spiritual Aesthetic of Musicmethodology: spiritual_aestheticBy framing music as a means to quiet the mind and open it to divine influences, the Trust upholds Cage’s core artistic belief, because this spiritual orientation underpins the purpose and reception of his work.