named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Artist Residencies
Provides residency opportunities for interdisciplinary artists, particularly from Black, diasporic, and marginalized communities, to develop work in a rural, sustainable environment
Collaborative Partnerships
Co-presents programs with organizations such as ICI, Eyebeam, and The Laundromat Project to expand reach and interdisciplinary engagement
Public Forums & Lectures
Hosts public events in NYC and Sullivan County that bring together artists, scholars, and activists to discuss pressing social issues through lectures, conversations, and performances
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 2 activities
- Artist and cultural practitioner residency programOperates an annual residency program on a 200-acre campus in Sullivan County, NY, providing artists, scholars, and cultural practitioners with free room and board, private studio space, travel support, a modest stipend, and access to facilities such as a woodshop and community garden. The program supports interdisciplinary inquiry, experimentation, and environmental stewardship through communal living and land-based practices.
- Collaborative residency partnershipsCo-supports artist residencies through partnerships with organizations such as YoungArts, The Laundromat Project, Kaya Press, Photosynthesis, RISE Residency, and the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance, enabling selected artists to participate in its residency program.
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Experimental Circus and Immersive Theater Production 1 activity
- Commissioning and presentation of new performance worksCommissions alumni artists with performance-based practices to create new live-art works, which are presented at partner institutions in New York City and on its campus in Sullivan County, including performances such as Carlos Martiel’s eight-hour piece in stocks made from a dying pear tree.
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Theatre Awards and Honors Administration 1 activity
- Distinguished Performance Artist Award programAwarded from 2016 to 2020, this program recognized multidisciplinary performance artists with a cash prize, a one-month residency, and the opportunity to lead a workshop culminating in a public performance at the annual Open House event.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Exhibition production and co-organizationFacilitates the development and presentation of art installations through on-site exhibitions and collaborations with external institutions. The organization has co-organized major exhibitions such as 'As Land Remembers' and 'Downbeat' at the Marian Goodman Gallery, featuring alumni and collaborators from its residency program.
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Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
- On-site land stewardship and communal programmingManages on-site gardens and engages residency participants in environmental stewardship and communal care practices, including gardening, shared meals, and land walks, as part of its commitment to land-based practices rooted in care, accountability, and imagination.
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Literary and Cultural Publishing 1 activity
- Publication of SWERVE journalProduces and publishes SWERVE, a print and digital journal featuring critical and creative writing, print conversations with artists and thinkers, and ideas emerging from the Denniston Hill community.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Public programming and eventsCommissions, produces, and presents public events—including live performances, lectures, conversations, and forums—in New York City and Sullivan County, featuring artists, scholars, and cultural leaders. Events are held both in person and virtually via platforms such as Instagram Live, and often address urgent social issues through interdisciplinary dialogue.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.11M
Contributions & grants$1.11M100%
Program service revenue$1K0%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$1K
expenses
Total expenses$517K
Program expenses54%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising19%
Salaries & benefits$244K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$884K
Cash$446K
Investments$0
Liabilities$233K
Net assets$651K
Liquid reserves10.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +305.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEGAN STEINMAN | EXECUTIVE DI | 80 | $128K |
board members · 4
- CHRISTINE Y KIM — BOARD MEMBER
- MARCUS HU — BOARD MEMBER
- SARAH WORKNEH — BOARD MEMBER
- YONA BACKER — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- Africa’s OUT! Partner — Co-supported a residency for Maxwell Mutanda.
- Antica Terra Partner — Collaborates on the creation and release of the limited edition box set "Vol 1. SWERVE: Exquisite Corpse".
- Bobolink Farm Partner — Partner organization involved in campus maintenance and agricultural programming.
- Dedalus Foundation Partner — Hosted a live event in collaboration with the Dedalus Foundation.
- Esopus people of Lenapehoking Partner — Recognized as the original stewards of the land where Denniston Hill's campus is located; relationship framed through acknowledgment and responsibility.
- Eyebeam Partner — Co-organized a public event featuring artists Pelenakeke Brown and Yo-Yo Lin.
- Independent Curators International Partner — Co-presented a public program featuring Morehshin Allahyari as part of the New Media Intimacies series.
- Independent Curators International (ICI) Network — Curator of the "Downbeat" exhibition was a 2022 Curatorial Research Fellow at ICI, indicating a professional affiliation.
- Independent Curators International (ICI) Network — Hosted the curatorial research fellowship of Ariana Faye Allensworth, whose work informed the exhibition As Land Remembers.
- Kaya Press Partner — Co-supported residencies for Shailja Patel, Sita Kuratomi Bhaumik, and Truong Tran.
- Lawrence Chua Partner — Served as guest curator for the magazine included in the limited edition box set.
- Marian Goodman Gallery Partner — Co-organized exhibitions including 'As Land Remembers' and 'Downbeat'.
- Marian Goodman Gallery Partner — Co-presented the exhibition As Land Remembers featuring Denniston Hill residency alumni and collaborators.
- Marian Goodman Gallery Partner — Hosted the exhibition "Downbeat" featuring artists from Denniston Hill's residency program.
- Photosynthesis Partner — Co-supported a residency for Himali Singh Soin.
- RISE Residency Partner — Partnered to support residencies for Amethyst Ganaway and Klancy Miller.
- Studio Safar Partner — Designed the custom valise for the limited edition box set.
- The Laundromat Project Partner — Co-organized a public event featuring artists Pelenakeke Brown and Yo-Yo Lin.
- The Laundromat Project Partner — Co-supported residencies for Pelenekeke Brown and Chloë Bass.
- The Laundromat Project Partner — Collaborated on the production of Iván Gaete’s installation _Muddy Waters_.
- The Laundromat Project Partner — Partnered with Denniston Hill in supporting Chloë Bass’s work through the Create Change Residency Program.
- The Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance Partner — Co-supported a residency for Shiloh Maples.
- Triangle Arts Association Partner — Co-presented performances including Clifford Owens' "Unpacking" and hosted joint events with Denniston Hill.
- Wilder Grain Partner — Partner organization involved in campus maintenance and agricultural programming.
- YoungArts Partner — Co-supported artist residencies for Asia Stewart and Lee Pivnik.
- growing network of artists, thinkers, and local neighbors Partner — Network provides community support to resident artists during their stay.
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.
- Alumni-Integrated Artistic Ecosystemmethodology: alumni_commissioning_modelBy commissioning alumni to create new works and requiring public engagement through workshops and performances, we sustain a dynamic artistic ecosystem because ongoing participation reinforces mentorship, expands reach, and deepens community impact.
- Equity-Centered Liberation Praxismethodology: liberation_praxisBy centering queer artists and artists of color and addressing systemic inequities, we advance liberation because creative power is amplified when structural barriers are named and countered through representation, hospitality, and translocal solidarity.
- Interdisciplinary Exchange as Generative Practicemethodology: interdisciplinary_exchangeBy fostering curated interdisciplinary exchange among artists, scholars, and the public, we produce cumulative innovation and collective intelligence because diverse knowledge systems and collaborative critique catalyze new forms of creative and intellectual work.
- Land-and-Community-Centered Creative Developmentmethodology: land_and_community_centered_residencyBy situating artistic residencies within a context of land stewardship, historical reckoning, and communal interdependence, we deepen creative work because connection to place, history, and community grounds and transforms artistic practice.
- Restorative Retreat Modelmethodology: restorative_retreat_modelBy offering a slower, contemplative rhythm that resists productivity-driven culture, we support sustained artistic renewal and deep creative work because rest and reflection are necessary conditions for generative practice.