named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Laughter in the Park
Free summer comedy series held in NYC parks, featuring professional comedians and open mics, designed to build community through shared laughter.
NYLaughsFest
Annual multi-day comedy festival in Union Square featuring free outdoor shows and ticketed late-night performances with nationally recognized comedians.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Free Outdoor & Community Theater Productions 1 activity
- Producing free stand-up comedy performances in public spaces across New York CityOrganizes and presents free stand-up comedy shows in parks, plazas, libraries, museums, and cultural institutions throughout New York City to build community, celebrate diverse comedic voices, and promote laughter as a civic right. Since 2007, has produced over 100 such performances in 18 parks and greenspaces, with recent events held at locations including Battery Park City, Lincoln Center, Union Square Park, and the New York Public Library.
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Digital Visitor Engagement via Mobile App 1 activity
- Providing digital access to comedy programming and impact storiesOffers a digital guide through the Bloomberg Connects app that shares audio, video, photos, and narratives about its comedy events and their community impact, expanding access beyond live audiences.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Hosting an annual multi-day comedy festival in Union SquareProduces a 4-day comedy festival in Union Square each June featuring both free outdoor headliner shows and ticketed late-night performances. The 2025 festival included a free community event called Local Citizen with major comedians and indoor shows with performers such as Michael Che and Vinny Guadagnino.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$92K
Contributions & grants$52K57%
Program service revenue$40K43%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$109K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$43K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$5K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +15.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 9
- Aaron Zhang — Boardmember
- Alex Lauren — Boardmember
- Cris Italia — Boardmember & Chair, Talent Acquisition
- Douglas Doneson — Board Member
- Kunal Verma — Board Chair
- Mike Pannacciulli — Boardmember & Chair, Strategic Value
- Ryan Wells — Boardmember
- Suzette Brown — Founder & Artistic Director
- Tiffany Roget — Boardmember & Chair, Grants
relationships · 31
Who they work with
- BET Partner — Collaborated with NYLaughs founder Suzette Simon on talent casting for programming.
- Bloomberg Philanthropies Partner — Partnership to feature NYLaughs on the Bloomberg Connects app, a global cultural platform.
- Brooklyn Museum Partner — Collaborates on events bringing free comedy to public audiences.
- CBS Government — Former employer of advisory ally Esther Saka, who contributes operational expertise to NYLaughs.
- Councilmember Carlina Rivera Government — Provided funding and support for NYLaughsFest 2025.
- Discovery Partner — Collaborated with NYLaughs founder Suzette Simon on talent casting for programming.
- GFP Real Estate Partner — Recognized as a USP board member supporting efforts to keep Union Square funny through NYLaughsFest.
- Lincoln Center Partner — Co-hosts comedy shows at multiple Lincoln Center locations including Jaffe Drive, Damrosch Park, and the David Rubenstein Atrium.
- Lincoln Center Partner — Collaborates on events bringing free comedy to public audiences.
- Lincoln Center Partner — Collaborates with NYLaughs to use public spaces such as lobbies and plazas as performance venues.
- MTV Partner — Collaborated with NYLaughs founder Suzette Simon on talent casting for programming.
- Mount Sinai Partner — Recognized as a USP board member supporting efforts to keep Union Square funny through NYLaughsFest.
- NYC City Council Government — Provided funding and support for NYLaughsFest 2025.
- NYC City Council Partner — Collaborates on events bringing free comedy to public audiences.
- NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provided funding and support for NYLaughsFest 2025.
- NYLaughs Partner — Production partner in delivering comedy programming to enhance lives in New York
- NYPL Partner — Collaborates on events bringing free comedy to public audiences.
- NYSCA Government — Provided funding and support for NYLaughsFest 2025.
- New York City Council Partner — Held a comedy show at New York City Hall in the Council Chambers.
- Pier 57 Partner — Collaborates on events bringing free comedy to public audiences.
- Pix11 Partner — Media partner that has covered NYLaughs events and audiences.
- Revolt TV Partner — Collaborated with NYLaughs founder Suzette Simon during its launch phase on talent casting.
- Sony Government — Former employer of advisory ally Esther Saka, who contributes operational expertise to NYLaughs.
- The New York Public Library Partner — Collaborates with NYLaughs to transform library spaces into comedy performance venues.
- The New York Times Government — Current employer of advisory ally Esther Saka, who supports NYLaughs operations.
- The New York Times Partner — Media partner that has covered NYLaughs events and audiences.
- The Stand Restaurant & Comedy Club Partner — Partnered to co-present the NYLaughsFest 2025 comedy festival in Union Square.
- Union Square Partnership Partner — Collaborated to bring the NYLaughsFest 2025 comedy festival to Union Square.
- WABC-TV Partner — Served as media sponsor for NYLaughsFest 2025, promoting the festival and hosting interactive elements like the Gratitude Wall and Joke Wall.
- WABC7NY Partner — Media partner that has covered NYLaughs events and audiences.
+ 1 more
strategies · 2
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.
- Comedy as Civic Wellnessmethodology: comedy-for-wellnessBy producing free stand-up comedy in public spaces, we reduce urban stress and social isolation, because shared laughter creates visceral, inclusive experiences that foster community connection and mental resilience.
- Inclusive Access to Public Culturemethodology: inclusive-public-arts-engagementBy removing financial, spatial, and cultural barriers to comedy through free public events and diverse voices, we strengthen community engagement, because equitable access to joy fosters belonging and civic identity.