named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Dance Series
Series of dance events including themed dances and lessons, often serving as fundraisers for the conservatory
Draw-A-Thon Cafe
Free public drawing event affiliated with The Big Draw, an international festival celebrating drawing
Fall Guitar Concert Series
Seasonal concert series featuring professional guitarists and string musicians in ticketed performances
Handmade Holiday Market
Annual artisan market featuring local crafts, artwork, and seasonal music in partnership with Trumansburg’s WinterFest
Musical Theatre Arts Workshop
Annual 11-day immersive theatrical experience for students, culminating in a full performance
Student Holiday Recital
Annual performance showcasing student work across dance, music, visual art, and theatre disciplines
activities · 7 groups
What they do
-
Arts Education Scholarships 1 activity
- Administering need-based and foundation-funded scholarships for arts programsOffers need-based scholarships for dance programs and funds theatre program scholarships through the Delavan Foundation, ensuring access to arts education regardless of financial means.
-
-
Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Hosting community art exhibitions and eventsHosts annual and recurring art exhibitions such as the Cayuga Arts Collective Show, the 42nd Annual Fall Invitational, and themed exhibits, along with free public events like the Draw-a-thon Cafe during The Big Draw festival, providing inclusive opportunities for emerging and established artists.
-
-
Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Offering arts education classes and workshopsProvides creative dance, music, theatre, and visual art classes for children and adults of all ages and experience levels, including individual music lessons, group dance instruction, acting classes, and art workshops that emphasize exploration, personal expression, and hands-on learning.
-
-
Youth Musical Theater Productions 1 activity
- Producing and hosting public performances and theatrical productionsOrganizes and hosts performances including an annual 11-day Musical Theatre Arts Workshop culminating in a full theatrical production for students ages 7–15, as well as dance recitals and other live performances throughout the year.
-
-
Performing Arts Venue Rental 1 activity
- Providing performance and rehearsal space to local arts groupsOffers year-round access to performance and rehearsal space for local arts organizations such as the Encore Players, supporting community-based artistic activity.
-
-
Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
- Restoring and maintaining the historic conservatory buildingConducted an 18-month capital campaign and restoration project involving structural repairs, ADA-compliant upgrades, and preservation of historic features to reopen and maintain the conservatory’s historic building for community use.
-
-
Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Supporting artist professional development through grantsProvides the Paddle Grant, a $500 award that supports professional growth in the arts for members of the Cayuga Arts Collective.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$453K
Contributions & grants$317K70%
Program service revenue$99K22%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$37K
expenses
Total expenses$254K
Program expenses61%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising13%
Salaries & benefits$100K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$742K
Cash$178K
Investments$0
Liabilities$16K
Net assets$726K
Liquid reserves8.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -26.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 11
- ANDREA BEESING — Trustee
- ANDREA MURRAY — Trustee
- ANGIE NICHOLSON — Trustee
- CHRISTINE CARSTENSEN — Secretary
- EILEEN HEPTIG — Treasurer
- ELLEN CHASE — Vice President
- EZRA DELANEY — Trustee
- GEORGE COOK — President
- MARY OCHS — Trustee
- ROBERT CASSETTI — Trustee
- TAMIS KAPLAN — Trustee
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- Bouley Associates Partner — General contractor leading the restoration project, including installation of protective fencing and exterior work.
- Cayuga Arts Collective Partner — Collaborates on the annual Cayuga Arts Collective Show, co-hosting a themed exhibit celebrating its 10th anniversary and the conservatory's re-opening.
- Cornell University Partner — Multiple board members and staff have affiliations with Cornell University, indicating institutional collaboration.
- Delavan Foundation Funder — Provides funding that enables TCFA to offer scholarships for students in theatre programs.
- Encore Players Community Theatre Partner — Provides performance space for Encore Players during the winter months and supports their productions through shared use of Conservatory facilities.
- Finger Lakes Chapter of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Partner — Collaborates to host the annual exhibit opening reception and gallery display at the Conservatory.
- First Baptist Church of Trumansburg Government — Historic building housing the Conservatory, originally built as Second Baptist Society of Ulysses and later known as First Baptist Church of Trumansburg.
- Ithaca Drawing Group Partner — Holds weekly figure drawing sessions at Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts’ downstairs studio in partnership with Cayuga Arts Collective.
- Ithaca Reuse Partner — Partner organization collaborating with Cayuga Arts Collective.
- Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University Partner — Collaboration with staff and programs from Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, including board members and educators affiliated with the institution.
- New York State Legislature Government — Provides support for programming at the Conservatory.
- Petrune Gallery Partner — Collaborates with Cayuga Arts Collective on arts programming and events.
- The Big Draw Network — Cayuga Arts Collective participates in this international festival through its annual Draw-a-thon Cafe event.
- Tompkins County Community Arts Partnership (CAP) Funder — Provides program support for The Ageless Jazz Band concert event.
- Trumansburg Partner — Primary community served and engaged in arts programming
- Trumansburg Central School District Government — Follows the school district's decisions on closures due to inclement weather.
- office of the Governor Government — Provides support for programming at the Conservatory.
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.
- Individualized Arts Instruction for Confidence and Long-Term Engagementmethodology: individualized_instructionBy providing personalized, one-on-one instruction in music and dance, the Conservatory builds technical skills and personal confidence, fostering long-term engagement with the arts because tailored learning supports individual goals, interests, and developmental needs.
- Integrated Arts Pathways Model for Community Access and Enrichmentmethodology: arts-access-through-multiple-pathwaysBy combining education, collaboration, performance, and exhibition into interconnected programmatic pathways, the Conservatory increases access to the arts and enriches community quality of life because multiple points of entry support inclusive and sustained participation.
- Performance-Integrated Arts Training with Structured Progressionmethodology: performance-integrated_trainingBy embedding performance opportunities and structured curricula—such as year-long programs culminating in recitals or intensive workshops leading to productions—into training, the Conservatory fosters student motivation, confidence, and skill development because goal-oriented progression enhances engagement and achievement.