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EXPLORING THE METROPOLIS INC
New York, NY · EIN 133164931 · Form 990EZ · FY2021 · Micro (<$100K)
revenue
$796
expenses
$26K
net assets
$0
employees
—
program ratio
41%
mission · from form 990

The mission of Exploring the Metropolis (EtM) is to study, analyze and resolve the workspace needs of the cultural and performing arts community in the New York City area. EtM achieves this mission through 1) Artist residency programs matching performing artists in need of workspace with facilities that have underutilized space 2) Research studies assessing workspace issues affecting the arts industry in all five boroughs of NYC, and 3) Consulting work, assisting facility managers with better management and utilization of their existing spaces.

profile · synthesized from sources

Exploring the Metropolis (EtM) addresses workspace challenges for the cultural and performing arts community in New York City. The organization runs artist residency programs that provide rehearsal space and stipends, conducts research on arts-sector workspace needs across the five boroughs, and offers consulting services to cultural facilities. EtM partners with institutions like the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning to support choreographers, composers, and other performing artists.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2020

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $29K
    ETM CHOREOGRAPHER + COMPOSER RESIDENCIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JAMAICA CENTER FOR ARTS & LEARNING - ETM INITIATED THE QUEENS WORKSPACE INITIATIVE IN 2013. THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF THIS PROJECT INVOLVED SURVEYING PERFORMING ARTISTS, CULTURAL FACILITIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS; MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO STAKEHOLDERS AND POLICYMAKERS AND CONDUCTING PILOT PROGRAMS. BASED ON THESE FINDINGS AND WITH FUNDING FROM MERTZ GILMORE FOUNDATION AND THE GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, IN 2015 WE LAUNCHED THE CHOREOGRAPHER + COMPOSER RESIDENCIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JAMAICA CENTER FOR ARTS & LEARNING (JCAL). THIS PROGRAM MATCHES FOUR ARTIST TEAMS (EIGHT INDIVIDUALS TOTAL) WITH SPACE AT THE JAMAICA CENTER FOR ARTS & LEARNING IN JAMAICA, QUEENS. EACH TEAM RECEIVES THREE MONTHS OF FREE REHEARSAL SPACE PLUS A STIPEND, AND PERFORMS ONE PUBLIC PROGRAM IN COOPERATION WITH JCAL. DUE TO COVID-19, THE SPRING 2020 PUBLIC PROGRAMS FOR THIS RESIDENCY WERE CANCELLED. TWO PROGRAMS TOOK PLACE AS SCHEDULED IN DECEMBER 2019.
  2. #2 $1K
    CONSULTING/RESEARCH - ETM HAS A LONG HISTORY OF EXPERTISE AND CONSULTANCIES ON SHARED SPACE, ADAPTIVE USE, LAYOUTS AND HOW TO MAKE SPACE WORK BETTER. ETM COLLECTS, ANALYZES AND PROVIDES DATA AND ADVICE TO BOTH THE GOVERNMENT, FUNDERS AND CULTURAL COMMUNITY CENTERS TO ADDRESS WORKSPACE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE MUSIC, DANCE AND THEATRE COMMUNITIES IN THE FIVE BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK CITY. ETM WAS NOT ENGAGED IN ANY MAJOR CONSULTING OR RESEARCH PROJECTS IN 2020.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Choreographer + Composer Residencies
Eight artists (four teams) receive three months of free rehearsal space at the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning, a stipend, and present a public performance in collaboration with JCAL. Program launched in 2015 as part of the Queens Workspace Initiative.
Consulting/Research on Shared Space
Provides data analysis and advisory services to government agencies, funders, and cultural facilities on adaptive reuse, space layout, and improved utilization of arts workspaces across NYC’s five boroughs.
Queens Workspace Initiative
Research and pilot program launched in 2013 to assess workspace needs of performing artists in Queens. Included stakeholder surveys, policy recommendations, and led to the development of artist residency programs.
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • Arts Professional Advocacy & Equity Initiatives 1 activity
    • Conducts research on performing arts workspace issues
      Conducted surveys of performing artists, cultural facilities, and stakeholders, and produced actionable recommendations for workspace challenges shared with stakeholders and policymakers.
  • Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
    • Hosts choreographer and composer residencies
      Operates artist residencies in partnership with the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning, providing eight artists annually with three months of free rehearsal space, a stipend, and opportunities to present public performances.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$796
Contributions & grants$51%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$791
expenses
Total expenses$26K
Program expenses41%
Admin / overhead44%
Fundraising14%
Salaries & benefits$4K
Grants paid out$20K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$0
Cash$27K
Investments$0
Liabilities$3K
Net assets$0
Liquid reserves12.8 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2021 · YoY revenue -99.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
David Johnston Executive Director 1 $1K
board members · 3
  • Earl Carlyss — Director
  • Eugenie C Cowan — Board Chairwoman
  • Kirsten Nordine — Director
relationships · 3

Who they work with

  • Greater Jamaica Development Corporation Funder — Funder supporting the launch of the Choreographer + Composer Residencies program.
  • Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning Partner — Partner organization hosting artist residencies and co-presenting public programs.
  • Mertz Gilmore Foundation Funder — Funder supporting the launch of the Choreographer + Composer Residencies program.
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.

  • Artist-Facility Space Matching
    methodology: artist_facility_matching
    By connecting performing artists with underutilized facility spaces, we increase access to affordable artistic workspaces and optimize use of existing infrastructure, because matching supply and demand directly reduces resource inefficiencies in the arts sector.
  • Research-to-Practice Consultation for Cultural Workspaces
    methodology: research_to_practice_consultation
    By translating research into actionable consulting guidance, we improve the management and utilization of cultural workspaces, because evidence-informed decision-making leads to more sustainable and effective use of space across NYC’s arts ecosystem.