irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.38MSCIENCES:DESPITE BEING CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR EIGHT MONTHS IN 2024, PIONEER WORKS CONTINUED TO DELIVER SCIENCE PROGRAMMING THROUGH SELECT LIVE EVENTS, ONLINE BROADCASTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ENGAGED WITH LECTURES, HANDS-ON SCIENCE WORKSHOPS, AND EDUCATIONAL CONTENT THAT PROMOTED CURIOSITY, SCIENCE EDUCATION, AND COLLABORATION.
- #2 $724KSIGNATURE PROGRAMS:PIONEER WORKS CONTINUED TO HOST A SELECTION OF FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS THAT CELEBRATE THE INTERSECTION OF ART, SCIENCE, AND COMMUNITY. THESE INCLUDED PRESS PLAY, A WEEKEND FAIR OF BOOKS, RECORDS, AND TALKS, AND SECOND SUNDAYS, OUR MONTHLY OPEN-HOUSE EVENT FEATURING LIVE MUSIC AND OPEN STUDIOS. SELECT SPECIAL EVENTS AND COLLABORATIONS ROUNDED OUT THE YEAR'S PROGRAMMING.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Lunch
Community program providing shared meals and fostering local engagement in Red Hook
Exhibitions
Hosts rotating contemporary art exhibitions featuring local and international artists in its gallery spaces
K–12 School Visits
Educational program offering school groups access to exhibitions and workshops
Press Play
Annual weekend fair celebrating books, records, and talks at the intersection of art and culture
Science Programming
Offers science lectures, hands-on workshops, and educational content that promote science education and public engagement
Second Sundays
Monthly open-house event featuring live music, open artist studios, and family-friendly activities
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 2 activities
- Operates public galleries and garden with regular accessMaintains public galleries and a 20,000-square-foot garden open to the public on a weekly basis, offering space for exhibitions, events, and community gatherings. The facility underwent a $12.7 million renovation in 2025 to ensure full ADA accessibility.
- Produces and hosts public art exhibitionsOrganizes and presents multidisciplinary art exhibitions in public galleries, featuring both emerging and established artists. Exhibitions are designed to create immersive, physical engagement with sound and visual media, and include curated works such as "Bases Loaded," "Shaper of God," and "Sound of the City."
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Hands-On STEM Education Programs 1 activity
- Delivers science programming and public science engagementHosts live science events, lectures, hands-on workshops, and broadcasts that bring science and technology to broad audiences. These programs engage hundreds to thousands of participants annually and are part of a multidisciplinary approach integrating art and science.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Hosts artist residencies and supports artistic productionProvides studio space and resources for artists, musicians, and scientists through an annual open-call residency program, fostering experimentation and new work. Residents have access to specialized facilities including science, design, recording, ceramics, and technology labs, as well as opportunities for public engagement through open studios and performances.
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Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
- Hosts participatory musical and sound-based performancesOrganizes live, immersive sound experiences in the Main Hall, including participatory performances and screenings of silent films with live original orchestration. Also commissions young directors to create new silent films as part of its programming.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Offers continuing education and community workshopsProvides hands-on, discussion-based workshops and continuing education classes for participants of all ages, taught by current and former Artists-in-Residence. Topics include embodied sound practices, experimental instrument building, and other interdisciplinary arts and technology subjects.
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Professional Membership and Association Benefits 1 activity
- Offers membership and private event hosting servicesProvides individual and corporate membership programs that offer access to events and exhibitions, and rents facility spaces for private events such as conferences, dinners, film shoots, and receptions, supporting organizational sustainability.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Produces and broadcasts radio and digital contentHosts a monthly radio residency on The Lot Radio featuring current and past artists-in-residence, and produces live broadcasts of DJ sets and interviews to support underground musicians globally.
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Literary and Cultural Publishing 1 activity
- Produces and publishes multidisciplinary media contentProduces Broadcast, an online magazine of arts and science, and operates Pioneer Works Press, an award-winning imprint that publishes experimental works by artists and writers. The organization also distributes video content and supports a media platform to showcase emerging and established voices.
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Arts Education Access Programs 1 activity
- Provides STEAM and arts education programs for youthOffers in-school, after-school, and workshop-based STEAM and arts education for K–12 students in partnership with Red Hook schools and community organizations. Programs include free guided tours, hands-on art-making, documentary filmmaking, animation, and mural workshops designed to integrate art, science, and technology.
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Alumni Community Building 1 activity
- Provides alumni engagement and professional developmentOffers a structured alumni network for former residents, providing ongoing opportunities for teaching, public programming, and collaborative partnerships to support long-term career development.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Hosts monthly public programs and open-house eventsOrganizes recurring public events such as Second Sundays and Members Night, featuring live music, open studios, artistic experimentation, and community engagement. These free, family-friendly events take place monthly in the Main Hall and garden, and include performances, activations, and opportunities to interact with resident artists.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$9.96M
Contributions & grants$9.06M91%
Program service revenue$607K6%
Investment income$3900%
Other revenue$297K
expenses
Total expenses$8.23M
Program expenses71%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising16%
Salaries & benefits$4.17M
Grants paid out$286K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$30.60M
Cash$1.80M
Investments$0
Liabilities$11.00M
Net assets$19.60M
Liquid reserves2.6 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -25.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARA MANUS | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $305K |
| GABRIEL MOLLIN | FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 40 | $233K |
| STEPHANIE HEMSHROT | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS | 40 | $220K |
| JANNA LEVIN | DIRECTOR/CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER | 40 | $200K |
| BECCA KEATING | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $200K |
board members · 20
- ABBY PUCKER — DIRECTOR
- ALEX BLACK — DIRECTOR
- ALISSANDRA ARONOW — DIRECTOR
- AUSTIN HEARST — CHAIR
- CHARLES MEYER — DIRECTOR
- CULLEN SINCLAIR — DIRECTOR
- DAVID BELT — VICE CHAIR
- DUSTIN YELLIN — FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
- JULIA BATOR — DIRECTOR
- KYRA BARRY — DIRECTOR
- LEYLI ZOHRENEJAD — DIRECTOR
- MARK DALIO — DIRECTOR
- MARY CUNNEY — SECRETARY
- MATTHEW HARRIS — DIRECTOR
- NEAL KATYAL — DIRECTOR
- NICOLE EISENBERG — DIRECTOR
- PEDRO TORRES-MACKIE — DIRECTOR
- RICHARD SARNOFF — DIRECTOR
- RON ELUM — TREASURER
- STEPHANIE INGRASSIA — VICE CHAIR
relationships · 44
Who they work with
- American Artist Partner — Presented the exhibition "Shaper of God" in collaboration with the artist.
- Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Funder — Partial funder of residencies at Pioneer Works
- Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Funder — Supports residencies at Pioneer Works.
- Bloomberg Philanthropies Partner — Collaborates on the digital guide for Pioneer Works available through the Bloomberg Connects app.
- CUNY Brooklyn College Partner — Cooperates with Pioneer Works in offering residencies
- CUNY Brooklyn College Partner — Cooperates with Pioneer Works in offering residencies.
- Corporate Members Partner — Businesses that support Pioneer Works through corporate membership and receive reciprocal benefits.
- Dalio Philanthropies Funder — Primary supporter of residencies at Pioneer Works
- Dalio Philanthropies Funder — Supports residencies at Pioneer Works.
- Dan Deacon Partner — Collaborates with Pioneer Works to present a live musical performance integrating audience participation.
- Daniel Johnston Partner — Hosted the exhibition "I Think I Draw I Am."
- Dustin Yellin Partner — Founder and President who imagined Pioneer Works as a convergence space for artists, scientists, and thinkers.
- Felix Rodriguez Partner — Presented the exhibition "Legendary Looks: My Ballroom Story."
- Finnegan Shannon Partner — Hosted the exhibition "There Is No Me Without You."
- Finnish Cultural Institute New York Partner — Cooperates with Pioneer Works in offering residencies
- Finnish Cultural Institute New York Partner — Cooperates with Pioneer Works in offering residencies.
- Gabriel Florenz Partner — Founding Artistic Director who co-led the renovation and launch of Pioneer Works in 2012.
- Hprizm Partner — Presented the exhibition "Sound of the City" in collaboration with the artist.
- Janna Levin Coalition — Editor-in-chief of Pioneer Works Broadcast.
- Janna Levin Partner — Founding Director of Sciences and astrophysicist who joined the team to lead science programming at Pioneer Works.
- Joshua Jelly-Schapiro Coalition — Editor-in-chief of Pioneer Works Broadcast.
- Lajune McMillian Partner — Hosted the exhibition "Child Ren of the Bloom."
- Lot Radio Partner — Collaborates on the program "Pioneer Works on the Lot Radio."
- MSHR Partner — Collaborates with Pioneer Works to present cybernetic audiovisual environments through handmade electronic instruments and sculptural compositions.
- Macula Dog Partner — Performs at Pioneer Works with immersive electronic art-pop combining sound, performance art, and custom hologram projections.
- Modern Silent Shorts Partner — Collaborates on commissioning and screening silent films with live orchestration.
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Provides partial support for education programs at Pioneer Works.
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Provides public funding support for residencies
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Provides public funds to support residencies at Pioneer Works.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Funder — Supports education programs in partnership with the City Council.
+ 14 more
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.
- Artist Amplification Through Participatory Platformsmethodology: artist_support_platformBy providing underrepresented artists with space, tools, and public platforms—including residencies, exhibitions, and publishing—Pioneer Works increases the reach and impact of their work, because visibility and institutional support enable artistic risk-taking and public engagement.
- Free and Iterative Accessibility Modelmethodology: free_access_modelBy offering all public programs free of charge and treating accessibility as an ongoing, visitor-informed process, Pioneer Works lowers barriers to participation and deepens inclusion, because financial access and responsive design together foster belonging and broaden engagement.
- Interdisciplinary Colocation for Cross-Pollinationmethodology: interdisciplinary_colocationBy colocating artists, scientists, and thinkers across disciplines, Pioneer Works fosters innovation and collaborative practice, because shared physical space enables unexpected idea exchange and interdisciplinary breakthroughs.