irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $268KFOUR-YEAR PLAN - PROVIDES FUNDING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR YEARS TO HELP PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS IMPLEMENT STRATEGIC PLANS FOR BUILDING RIGOROUS, SCHOOL-DAY ARTS PROGRAMS AND CURRICULA THAT LEAD TO MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN STUDENT LEARNING, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, AND PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY.
- #2 $286KLANG ARTS SCHOLARS PROGRAM - PROVIDES 15 STUDENTS FROM ETAS NYC PARTNER SCHOOLS WITH FULLY-FUNDED, INTENSIVE TRAINING IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, COUPLED WITH A WRAP-AROUND, COLLEGE AND CAREER PREPARATORY CURRICULUM.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Arts Internship Program (AIP)
Two-year program placing high school juniors from Title I schools in paid internships at arts organizations in New York City and Los Angeles, combined with college readiness and professional development workshops.
Four-Year Plan
Provides funding and technical assistance over four years to help principals and teachers in underserved public schools develop rigorous, sustainable arts programs and curricula.
Lang Arts Scholars Program
Three-year program providing 15 NYC public high school students with fully-funded performing arts training, college prep curriculum, and cultural exposure through after-school, weekend, and summer programming.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Student Career Readiness and Internship Placement 1 activity
- Administer paid arts internship and career readiness programOperates a two-year, paid internship program placing juniors and seniors from public Title I high schools in creative organizations, combined with career exploration, college readiness, and personal development programming. Served 26 students across 26 partner organizations in New York, Los Angeles, and Pasadena during 2022–2023, with structured hours of approximately 12 per month during the school year and 48 during summer; includes mentorship, career panels, field trips, networking, Adobe Creative Cloud access, and professional skills training.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Deliver arts education programming to public high schoolsPartners with 62 public high schools across New York and Los Angeles to deliver arts education programs, reaching over 30,000 students annually. Provides funding and technical assistance to principals and teachers over four years to implement rigorous, school-day arts curricula that improve student learning and program sustainability.
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Public School Support Fundraising 1 activity
- Fund capital campaign for Frank Sinatra School of the ArtsFunds the capital campaign for the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, an award-winning public high school in Astoria, Queens, providing financial support for construction and development of the school building.
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Comprehensive K–12 Arts Education 1 activity
- Operate the Lang Arts Scholars ProgramProvides 15 high school students from NYC partner schools each year with fully-funded, intensive performing arts training and a comprehensive college and career preparatory curriculum over three consecutive years. Includes a summer intensive at NYU Tisch School of the Arts after 10th grade, paid project-based internships after 11th grade, monthly Saturday programming, and ongoing mentorship; had 30 total students enrolled across two cohorts during 2021–2023.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.42M
Contributions & grants$1.35M95%
Program service revenue$43K3%
Investment income$13K1%
Other revenue$14K
expenses
Total expenses$1.91M
Program expenses75%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$972K
Grants paid out$148K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.90M
Cash$124K
Investments$582K
Liabilities$181K
Net assets$1.72M
Liquid reserves4.4 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -11.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RUBI FREGOSO | LA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $143K |
| TOBY BOSHAK | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $137K |
board members · 10
- CHERI WALSH — PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR
- DANIEL ALCOTT — DIRECTOR
- DANNY BENNETT — DIRECTOR
- ED WELBURN — VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR
- HAL ROSENBLUTH — DIRECTOR
- HOLLY CAO — SECRETARY/DIRECTOR
- IRIS CANTOR — DIRECTOR
- JOHN DESIDERIO — DIRECTOR
- SUSAN BENEDETTO — DIRECTOR
- TED SARANDOS — TREASURER/DIRECTOR
relationships · 43
Who they work with
- 62 Public High Schools Partner — Partner schools collaborating to deliver arts education programs.
- ASCAP Funder — Funder supporting music education initiatives through the capital campaign.
- AXA Equitable Funder — Corporate funder contributing to Exploring the Arts’ initiatives.
- All City Leadership Secondary School Partner — Partner school in Brooklyn receiving arts education support from ETA.
- Ballet Hispanico Partner — Hosts performances and post-show engagements for Lang Arts Scholars at New York City Center.
- CBS Corporation Funder — Corporate funder supporting Exploring the Arts' initiatives.
- Classic Stage Company Partner — Hosts talkback panels with cast members for Lang Arts Scholars.
- Columbia Records, division of Sony Music Entertainment Funder — Music industry partner providing support for the arts school capital campaign.
- Creative Artists Agency Funder — Talent agency providing financial support for the arts school.
- Disney Theatrical Partner — Conducts creative workshops for Lang Arts Scholars at Pearl Studios.
- Downtown Community Television Partner — Host organization for ETA's Arts Internship Program, providing mentorship and professional experience to teens.
- ETA Partner Schools Partner — Collaborates with partner schools in New York City to recruit and support students in the Arts Internship Program.
- EUGENE M. LANG FOUNDATION Funder — Multi-year funder of the Lang Arts Scholars Program
- Eugene M. Lang Foundation Funder — Provides financial support for the Lang Arts Scholars program.
- Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Partner — Flagship Partner School founded in collaboration with Exploring the Arts.
- Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Partner — Flagship partner school co-founded by Exploring the Arts in partnership with the NYC Department of Education.
- Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Partner — Founding partner school co-created and supported by EXPLORING THE ARTS INC.
- Hearst Corporation Funder — Corporate supporter of the capital campaign for Frank Sinatra School of the Arts.
- Hunter College Partner — Hosts college tours and admissions panels for Lang Arts Scholars.
- LA Commons Partner — Collaborates on programming involving students, parents, and mentors.
- LA Plaza Partner — Collaborates on programming involving students, parents, and mentors.
- LACMA Partner — Hosts field trips for Arts Internship Program students.
- Los Angeles Partner Schools Partner — Network of 18 public schools in Los Angeles collaborating with Exploring the Arts to implement arts-integrated education programs.
- Margaritaville Apparel Partner — Mentor site for ETA's Arts Internship Program in fashion and graphic design.
- Museum of Arts and Design Partner — Hosts exhibition tours and arts-based workshops for Lang Arts Scholars.
- NYC Department of Education Partner — Co-founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts and collaborates on arts education initiatives.
- Netflix Funder — Corporate contributor to the capital campaign for Frank Sinatra School of the Arts.
- Netflix Partner — Hosts tours and career engagement activities for program participants.
- New York City Council Government — Government entity that provided funding for the capital campaign.
- New York City Department of Education Government — Government agency supporting the capital campaign for Frank Sinatra School of the Arts.
+ 13 more
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.
- Arts-Integrated Youth Developmentmethodology: arts-based_youth_developmentBy combining intensive arts training with academic rigor, mentorship, and wellness support, students develop identity, skills, and ambition that improve educational and post-secondary outcomes, because the arts serve as a catalyst for holistic growth—especially for those facing structural barriers.
- Long-Term Paid Internship with Integrated College and Career Preparationmethodology: long-term_paid_internshipBy engaging students in a two-year paid internship model integrated with college and career preparation, they gain professional experience, build networks, and develop post-secondary readiness, because sustained, real-world involvement in the arts increases ambition and access to opportunity.
- Mentorship-Informed Network and Career Exposuremethodology: mentorship_network_buildingBy connecting students with mentors and trusted adults from college-educated backgrounds and creative industries, they expand their social capital and self-confidence, because exposure to role models and professional pathways makes college and careers feel attainable and navigable.
- School Partnership Model for Sustainable Arts Integrationmethodology: school-partnership_modelBy forming long-term partnerships with under-resourced public schools—starting incrementally in one school or city at a time—the organization builds sustainable, equity-focused models of arts integration, because deep collaboration with school leaders ensures institutional buy-in and lasting change.