irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2021
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $148KRESEARCH CENTER: ARCHIVES IN BOOKS, MAGAZINES, FILMS AND PHOTOGRAPHS USED FOR RESEARCH. IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND ALL EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Exhibition Program
Hosts rotating exhibitions in photography, film, video, and artists' books at its Rochester location, including historical surveys and contemporary works.
Research Center
Archival collection of books, magazines, films, and photographs open to the public and educational institutions worldwide for research.
Traveling Exhibitions Program
Organizes and rents out curated exhibitions of photography, artists' books, and interdisciplinary art to institutions across the country, some touring for decades.
Visual Studies Workshop Press
Publishes artists' books and portfolios, including works by John Wood and others, supporting experimental and interdisciplinary media.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 2 activities
- Hosting exhibitions and public events in media artsOrganizes and hosts exhibitions in photography, film, video, artists' books, and interdisciplinary art in a fully accessible facility with a gallery, theater, and workrooms; also hosts public lectures, gallery conversations, film screenings, performances, and special events such as opening and closing receptions.
- Operating a traveling exhibitions programOrganizes, curates, and rents exhibitions to other institutions nationally and internationally; has made available over 50 traveling exhibitions, with historical records indicating 4 in 1970 and 16 by 1978/1979.
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Archival Digitization and Preservation 2 activities
- Operating a public research center with media archivesOperates a research center with extensive archives in books, magazines, films, photographs, and other media-related materials, maintaining a collection of over one million photography and film-related objects available for public and global educational use.
- Operating media preservation and digitization servicesOperates an on-site digitization lab to preserve and provide access to magnetic tapes and film media; has preserved and digitized over 200 video recordings from the 1970s by Portable Channel.
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Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
- Delivering hands-on training and educational programsProvides hands-on training in exhibition management, marketing, promotion, and handling of analog and photographic materials; offers internships to students and emerging professionals and has educated over 1,000 students through workshops and degree programs between 1969 and 2022.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Operating artist residency programsOffers multiple artist residency programs, including 4-week residencies for national and international photo, film, and media artists and a 3-month program for emerging photographers in the Rochester region, providing studio access, equipment, stipends, housing support, and mentorship; has hosted over 500 artists and more than 100 Project Space residents since 2017.
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Artist and Curatorial Publications 1 activity
- Producing and publishing artists’ books and periodicalsOperates VSW Press to publish artists’ books, having produced more than 500–600 titles, with 2–3 new books published annually; also founded and published the journal Afterimage: The Journal of Media Arts and Cultural Criticism from 1972 to 2018.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Producing public-facing media contentProduces a podcast series featuring conversations with artists about their residency experiences and creative processes, expanding public engagement with media arts.
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Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
- Providing community-curated film screening programsInvites community group representatives from the Rochester region to research, curate, and present film programs using VSW’s collection of over 10,000 film and video titles; hosts these curated screenings in the VSW Theater and streams them via the VSW Twitch channel.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$935K
Contributions & grants$172K18%
Program service revenue$14K2%
Investment income$732K78%
Other revenue$17K
expenses
Total expenses$573K
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$262K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.91M
Cash$28K
Investments$437K
Liabilities$15K
Net assets$1.89M
Liquid reserves9.7 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +72.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JESSICA JOHNSTON | DIRECTOR, EX OFFICIO | 40 | $34K |
board members · 9
- ALMUDENA ESCOBAR LOPEZ — MEMBER
- COLLEN BUZZARD — MEMBER
- EVELYNE LEBLANC ROBERGE — MEMBER
- JENNIFER BURGER — SECRETARY
- JOAN LYONS — PRESIDENT
- MIJIN SHIN — MEMBER
- RICHARD M LEICHT — TREASURER
- SONU JOHAR — MEMBER
- STEPHEN STEFANO — MEMBER
relationships · 35
Who they work with
- ArtsBloom Government — Local government arts program providing support through the City of Rochester’s Percent for the Arts Program
- Bilingual Academy of Fine Arts and Cultural Development Partner — Co-sponsored the "Impressions of Cuba 1977" exhibition and related "Photography and Community" program.
- Community Education Center Partner — Co-sponsored the "Impressions of Cuba 1977" exhibition and related "Photography and Community" program.
- Dr. Jeffrey Kosiorek Partner — Environmental historian who co-led a field study along the Genesee River as part of the exhibition programming.
- Dr. Solon Morse Partner — Conservation ecologist who participated in a gallery conversation about art, science, and ecological care.
- Empire State College Partner — Co-sponsored the "Impressions of Cuba 1977" exhibition and related "Photography and Community" program.
- George Eastman Museum Government — Former institutional affiliate where Nathan Lyons developed a graduate program before founding VSW
- Joy of Giving Something Funder — Supports the VSW Project Space Residency program.
- Joy of Giving Something Foundation Funder — Supports the Regional Workspace Residency program
- Karla McManus Partner — Art historian and visual theorist who presented on bird photography and conservation, followed by a discussion with exhibition artists.
- Liz Wells Partner — Invited photography scholar to present research on botanical photography in connection with the exhibition.
- Mary Lewandowski Partner — Curator and projectionist of the SLUDGE film series who mined the VSW archive for a thematic screening.
- Metro Justice Partner — Rochester-based citizen activist group whose video archives are preserved by VSW
- Monroe County Funder — Funds the VSW Project Space Residency program.
- Monroe County, NY Government — Public funder of Visual Studies Workshop programs
- Nathan Lyons Partner — Founded VSW in 1969 as a photographer, educator, and curator.
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Provided support for the VSW Film Series (Salon Series)
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Provides partial support for the Community Curator program.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Provides partial support for the Community Curator program with funding from the New York State Legislature.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Supports VSW Project Space Residencies with funding from the New York State Legislature.
- Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation Funder — Foundation supporter of Visual Studies Workshop programs
- Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation Funder — Provides support specifically for photography-based artists in the Project Space Residency program.
- Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation Funder — Supports the Regional Workspace Residency program
- Portable Channel Partner — Donated video tape collection to VSW and collaborated on preservation efforts
- Puerto Rican Cultural Center Partner — Co-sponsored the "Impressions of Cuba 1977" exhibition and related "Photography and Community" program.
- Rochester Institute of Technology Partner — Co-sponsored the "Impressions of Cuba 1977" exhibition and related "Photography and Community" program.
- SUNY Buffalo Network — Sponsored the first official cohort of VSW students through a graduate program
- SoundCloud Network — Hosts the Project Space Residency podcast feed and makes episodes available through its platform.
- Squeaky Wheel Partner — Artist video organization whose tape archives are preserved by VSW
- The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Funder — Foundation supporter of Visual Studies Workshop programs
+ 5 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.
- Amplifying Artists and Ideas Through Digital and Public Programmingmethodology: cultural_dialogue_through_mediaBy using podcasts and public screenings paired with archival materials, we extend the reach of experimental media artists and foster transnational cultural dialogue because digital dissemination and curated public events connect local artistic practices to global audiences and deepen public understanding of media art.
- Community and Artist Co-Creation Through Participatory and Place-Based Engagementmethodology: community-led_curationBy integrating community-led curation, participatory art distribution, and place-based artistic research, we strengthen cultural and ecological awareness because involving the public directly in artistic processes fosters deeper engagement, shared ownership, and connection to local environmental and social contexts.
- Preserving At-Risk Media to Ensure Long-Term Cultural and Educational Accessmethodology: urgent_media_preservationBy digitizing aging analog media formats before playback technology disappears, we safeguard fragile cultural materials for future public and scholarly use because urgent preservation prevents irreversible loss of historically significant media art and ensures ongoing educational engagement.
- Supporting Experimental Artistic Practice to Advance Media Artsmethodology: experimental-artistic-practiceBy providing time, space, and resources specifically for experimental work in photography, film, and media arts, we foster innovation and artist development because such support enables risk-taking and deep creative exploration that is not possible under conventional production constraints.