irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $67KREENTRY THEATRE PROGRAM: IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, THE REENTRY THEATRE PROGRAM PRODUCED ITS ORIGINAL PLAY "FALLEN BRANCHES PLANT ROOTS" ABOUT FAMILY AND CHOSEN FAMILY IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
- #2 $9KIN OUR THEATRE-IN-EDUCATION PROGRAM, WE PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL GOALS THROUGH THEATRE-BASED ACTIVITIES. PROGRAMMING INCLUDES THE YOUTH FORUM THEATRE TROUPE AND IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES IN LOCAL SCHOOLS.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Beloved Artistic Community Meet Up
Free monthly expressive arts workshops for adults 18+ to build artistic skills and community connections, co-hosted with the Community School of Music and Arts.
Community-Based Plays
Multi-year initiative creating original plays on themes like housing insecurity, grief, and labor, developed through community story circles and workshops.
ReEntry Theatre Program
Weekly theater workshops for individuals impacted by incarceration, culminating in original plays such as "Fallen Branches Plant Roots" and "Delia Divided" to foster personal growth and community reintegration.
Theatre-in-Education Program
Partnership with schools and teachers to deliver in-school residencies and arts-integrated learning experiences focused on social and emotional development.
Youth Forum Theatre Troupe
After-school theater program for youth in grades 7–12 to explore community issues through devised interactive theater and performance.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Youth Theater Arts Education 2 activities
- Delivering theatre-in-education programsConducts in-school residencies and educational theatre programming through the Theatre-in-Education Program, using performance to engage students in dialogue around social and community issues.
- Operating the Youth Forum Theatre TroupeRuns an out-of-school theatre program for youth in grades 7–12 in Tompkins County, NY, that explores community issues and creates interactive plays to address them. The program includes spring and fall sessions and has produced plays such as "Indigo," "Fly Mei to the Moon," "Dungeons & Divergence," "Our Sun Will Rise Again," and "The Voices in My Head."
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Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
- Offering artistic and administrative internshipsProvides internship opportunities in artistic and administrative roles such as social media, marketing, and production assistance to support training and professional development in the arts.
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Theater and Performing Arts in Corrections 1 activity
- Operating the ReEntry Theatre ProgramRuns a theatre program for individuals impacted by the criminal justice system, providing theatre skills training and supporting the collaborative development of original scenes and plays. The program includes weekly sessions and has produced works such as "Delia Divided" and the radio play "Steppin' Into My Shoes," developed from oral history interviews with people who have experienced incarceration.
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Original Music-Theater and Opera Production 1 activity
- Producing community-based theatre productionsCreates and stages original theatre productions developed through multi-year community engagement processes, including story circles, workshops, and collaborations with community members, on themes such as family, criminal justice, labor rights, and social equity. Productions include "Fertile Grounds" (2023), "The Next Storm" (2019), "Climates of Change" (2018), "The Class Divide" (2017), and "Delia Divided," performed for public audiences in Ithaca, NY, and made available via streaming or radio play formats.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Providing community arts workshops and engagement eventsOffers free monthly performative and expressive arts workshops for adults aged 18 and up through the Beloved Artistic Community Meet Up program and hosts Community Soup events combining theatrical performances with community dialogue to foster public engagement.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$245K
Contributions & grants$219K90%
Program service revenue$25K10%
Investment income$510%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$236K
Program expenses46%
Admin / overhead54%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$183K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$106K
Cash$89K
Investments$0
Liabilities$65K
Net assets$41K
Liquid reserves4.5 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +1.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JULIA TAYLOR | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $64K |
board members · 8
- AMY NEWMAN — SECRETARY
- CARRELL JOHNSON — PRESIDENT
- DAEJUAN LAFAVE — TREASURER
- GODFREY SIMMONS JR — BOARD MEMBER
- RJ LAVINE — BOARD MEMBER
- SARAH CHALMERS — BOARD MEMBER
- SHERRON BROWN — BOARD MEMBER
- THOMAS JONES — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 30
Who they work with
- Cayuga Diversity Equity & Inclusion Funder — Provided financial support for the production.
- College Initiative Upstate Partner — Collaborated on the development of the radio play "Steppin' Into My Shoes".
- Community Foundation of Tompkins County Funder — Provides grant support to Civic Ensemble.
- Community Foundation of Tompkins County Funder — Supported the project through grant funding.
- Community School of Music & Arts Partner — Co-hosted the production of Fertile Grounds.
- Community School of Music and Arts Partner — Partner organization collaborating with Civic Ensemble to launch and operate the Beloved Artistic Community Meet Up program.
- DEI, Inc. Funder — Provides grant support to Civic Ensemble.
- Find Your Light Funder — Funder of the Youth Forum Theatre Troupe program.
- Find Your Light Foundation Funder — Provides grant support to Civic Ensemble.
- Humanities New York Funder — Supported the project through grant funding.
- Kitchen Theatre Company Partner — Hosted the performance of "Fallen Branches Plant Roots."
- Kitchen Theatre Company Partner — Venue host and collaborator for the production of "Cafe Utopia."
- Legacy Foundation Funder — Provides grant support to Civic Ensemble.
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Provided grant support for the production.
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Provides grant support to Civic Ensemble.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Funder supporting the production of "Cafe Utopia" with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Provided funding for the program with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Provides grant support to Civic Ensemble.
- Notch Theatre Company Partner — Co-producing partner for the staged reading of "Cafe Utopia."
- Park Foundation Funder — Provided financial support for the project.
- Park Foundation Funder — Provides grant support to Civic Ensemble.
- Sarah Plotkin Partner — Collaborating with theatre artist Sarah Plotkin on the development of a new play about housing and belonging.
- Schools Partner — Partners with schools, teachers, and students in the Theatre-in-Education Program
- Soil Factory Partner — Co-hosted the production of Fertile Grounds.
- Students Partner — Engages students in theatre-based educational programming
- Teachers Partner — Collaborates with teachers in the Theatre-in-Education Program to support educational goals
- Tompkins County Tourism Program Funder — Provided a grant that made the project possible in part.
- United Way of the Southern Tier Funder — Provides grant support to Civic Ensemble.
- Visions Federal Credit Union Funder — Provides sponsorship or financial support to Civic Ensemble.
- WRFI Community Radio Partner — Broadcast partner for the radio play "Steppin' Into My Shoes".
strategies · 4
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.
- Amplifying Impacted Voices to Disrupt Stereotypesmethodology: amplifying-impacted-voicesBy centering the narratives of individuals directly impacted by incarceration in storytelling projects, we challenge harmful stereotypes and shift public perception, because authentic first-person accounts humanize systemic issues and foster deeper community understanding.
- Community-Engaged Theatre for Dialogue and Changemethodology: community-engaged_theatreBy creating theatre with and about communities, we foster dialogue on social issues and advance equity, because shared artistic practice builds empathy, surfaces marginalized voices, and strengthens collective agency for change.
- Reentry Theatre as Transformative Practicemethodology: reentry-theatreBy engaging formerly incarcerated individuals in creating and performing original theatre, we support personal growth and community reintegration, because storytelling through performance restores agency, challenges stigma, and builds bridges between justice-impacted individuals and the broader public.
- Theatre for Education and Civic Learningmethodology: theatre-in-educationBy integrating theatre into educational settings, we advance academic and social learning, because drama-based methods enable experiential exploration of community issues, build creative problem-solving skills, and strengthen collective capacity among students and educators.