named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
Artists-at-Home
Program providing subsidized rehearsal and performance space and equipment at MITU580 for Brooklyn-based artists, including a Technical Residency for technology-intensive projects.
Education
Training initiatives based on the "Whole Theater" methodology, combining physical, intellectual, and spiritual practices to develop sustainable artistic disciplines.
Expansion Works
Interdisciplinary live performance projects developed with guest artists, integrating theater with dance, film, sculpture, and interactive technology at MITU580.
Hybrid Arts Lab
A fellowship program for BIPOC women, trans, and non-binary artists working at the intersection of performance and technology, offering mentorship, studio space, equipment, a $3,000 award, and public studio showings.
International Intensives
Long-form training programs hosted globally, bringing together international participants and master artists for immersive performance research and practice.
New Work
Company-created, research-driven performance projects that engage socio-political themes; over 40 productions developed to date.
Research
Curated investigations into global performance traditions, ritual, and spiritual practices that inform and expand theatrical form and company methodology.
University Programs
Curriculum-based classes in "Whole Theater" methodology offered at institutions including NYU, Bard College, UNAM, and DuocUC in Chile.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Subsidized Rehearsal and Performance Space 2 activities
- Operates MITU580, a multidisciplinary arts space in BrooklynRuns MITU580, a 2,400-square-foot interdisciplinary arts space in Gowanus, Brooklyn, repurposed from a former glass recycling facility in 2018. The space serves as a venue for performances, artist residencies, public programs, and community engagement, hosting over 100 artists annually and reaching more than 8,000 audience members each year.
- Provides subsidized space and technical resources to Brooklyn-based artistsOffers the Artists-at-Home program and Technical Residency program at MITU580, providing subsidized rehearsal and performance space, developmental support, confirmed production dates, and access to technological equipment for Brooklyn-based artists.
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Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Convenes international artist intensives and training programsHosts annual international artistic intensives in locations such as India, Thailand, and Japan, bringing together global artists, Mitu teaching artists, and performance masters for three-week long-form training focused on personal mythology and contemporary practice. Also offers the South India Artist Intensive and conducts month-long, semester-long, and core curriculum classes in its WHOLE THEATER methodology at institutions including NYU Tisch, Bard College, Juilliard, and universities in Chile and the UAE.
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Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
- Offers internships and apprenticeships in theater production and operationsProvides hands-on internships and apprenticeships that offer practical experience in production support, administrative assistance, and company operations, tailored to individual participants' interests and development.
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Experimental Circus and Immersive Theater Production 1 activity
- Produces and presents original hybrid performance worksCreates and presents new theatrical and hybrid performances that respond to urgent social and cultural questions, using formats such as live theater, telephone hotlines, vinyl records, planetarium experiences, and multi-screen video projections. The company has created over 40 research-driven, original productions, including works like "Utopias" and (holy) BLOOD, presented nationally and internationally at venues including The Public Theater, Lincoln Center, Sundance, and institutions in Bahrain, India, Mexico, and Thailand.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Runs Hybrid Arts Lab fellowship for BIPOC artists at the intersection of performance and technologyOffers an annual eight-month fellowship through the Hybrid Arts Lab for three early-career BIPOC women, trans, and non-binary artists working at the intersection of performance and technology. The program provides $3,000 stipends, five weeks of studio access at MITU580, mentorship, technical training, materials support, and culminates in public studio presentations and community dialogue.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Conducts global performance research and maintains cultural archiveEngages in cross-continental, cross-temporal performance research through curated teams, building a global archive of ritual, spiritual, and artistic traditions that informs creative development and company productions.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$695K
Contributions & grants$409K59%
Program service revenue$244K35%
Investment income$6K1%
Other revenue$37K
expenses
Total expenses$589K
Program expenses74%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$222K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.36M
Cash$479K
Investments$0
Liabilities$766K
Net assets$592K
Liquid reserves9.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +35.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUSTIN NESTOR | CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 40 | $62K |
board members · 6
- JIMMY WALDEN — CHAIRMAN
- JUDITH MILLER — DIRECTOR
- MARJORIE GART — DIRECTOR
- RUBEN POLENDO — PRESIDENT/FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
- RYAN WEST — TREASURER
- THOMAS PEARSON — SECRETARY
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- Alejandro Jodorowsky Partner — Reinterprets and incorporates manipulated footage from his film _Santa Sangre_ in the performance piece (holy) BLOOD.
- Ariane Mnouchkine Partner — Inspired by mentorship and artistic influence from Ariane Mnouchkine.
- Bard College Partner — Hosts Theater Mitu's WHOLE THEATER classes and production collaborations.
- DuocUC Partner — Hosts Theater Mitu's WHOLE THEATER classes in Santiago, Chile.
- Indian masters Partner — Collaborates with accomplished South Indian artists and masters in the delivery of the South India Artist Intensive.
- Lincoln Center Partner — Presented and developed work with Theater Mitu.
- NYU Abu Dhabi Partner — Hosts Theater Mitu's WHOLE THEATER classes.
- NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center Partner — Hosted residencies and presented work with Theater Mitu.
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Funded the Hybrid Arts Lab through its Media Arts Discipline program
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Funder — Funder of the Hybrid Arts Lab
- New York Theatre Workshop Partner — Presented and developed work with Theater Mitu.
- Peter Brook Partner — Inspired by mentorship and artistic influence from Peter Brook.
- Ryan West Partner — Company member and board trustee, indicating dual involvement in artistic and governance roles.
- Sundance Partner — Presented and developed work with Theater Mitu.
- The Juilliard School Partner — Hosts Theater Mitu's production collaboration residencies.
- The Kennedy Center Partner — Presented and developed work with Theater Mitu.
- The National University of Mexico Partner — Hosts Theater Mitu's WHOLE THEATER classes.
- The New York Community Trust Funder — Funder of the Hybrid Arts Lab through its Van Lier Fellowship
- The New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Funder of the Hybrid Arts Lab with support from Governor Kathy Hochul
- The Public Theater Partner — Presented and developed work with Theater Mitu.
- The Rockefeller Brothers Fund Funder — Funder of the Hybrid Arts Lab
- Tisch School of the Arts Partner — Hosts Theater Mitu's WHOLE THEATER classes and production collaborations.
- Watermill Center Partner — Hosted residencies for Theater Mitu.
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.
- Disruptive Audience Engagement via Non-Traditional Media and Spacesmethodology: contextual_disorientationBy creating performances in found spaces and using non-traditional media such as telephone hotlines and vinyl records, THEATER MITU re-imagines audience engagement because disorientation from familiar contexts provokes deeper artistic and perceptual transformation.
- Interdisciplinary Inquiry Through Transdisciplinary Experimentationmethodology: interdisciplinary_inquiryBy combining scientific, technological, and artistic practices in methodical experimentation, THEATER MITU generates new theatrical forms because transdisciplinary approaches disrupt conventional boundaries and catalyze innovation in performance and community engagement.
- Theater as Responsive Engagement with Cultural Questionsmethodology: theater-as-engagementBy developing theatrical works in response to urgent social and cultural questions, THEATER MITU uses performance as a tool for reflection and engagement because live, embodied storytelling creates a shared space for critical dialogue and collective meaning-making.
- WHOLE THEATER Methodologymethodology: whole_theaterBy integrating global performance traditions and engaging the visual, aural, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of artists, THEATER MITU fosters critical investigation and innovation in theater-making because holistic artistic engagement deepens creative inquiry and expands the boundaries of theatrical form.