named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Artist-in-Residence Program
Biennial residency for socially engaged artists working with children ages 3–8, fostering direct interaction between artists and young audiences to explore creativity and artistic process
Interactive Exhibitions
Rotating exhibitions such as "Order / Reorder" and "When the Children Come Home" that engage children and families with contemporary art through curated installations, art-making, and thematic exploration
Saturday Story Hour
Weekly storytelling program featuring cultural figures and artists, promoting literacy and intergenerational connection through narrative
Storytelling Festival
Annual event celebrating oral storytelling traditions with guest performers, authors, and artists, encouraging family participation and cultural expression
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 2 activities
- Hosting artist-in-residence programs for professional artistsRuns a biennial, site-specific artist-in-residence program that engages professional artists such as Natalie Collette Wood and David Antonio Cruz in direct interaction with children aged 3 to 8, integrating artistic practice with community engagement and offering the public opportunities to observe and explore the artistic process through guided activities.
- Running a site-specific artist residency program to support artist developmentAdministers an artist-in-residence program that supports professional artists’ creative growth, with alumni whose works have been exhibited or acquired by major institutions including the Brooklyn Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Play-Based Early Childhood Education 1 activity
- Fostering creative and cognitive development in young childrenDesigns and delivers museum programming to foster creative intelligence, cognitive skills, and social development in young children, supporting their academic success through participatory experiences in art, storytelling, and intergenerational learning.
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Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Hosting storytelling programs and events with cultural figuresHosts storytelling sessions and events featuring prominent cultural figures such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Faith Ringgold, Fyütch, and Nina Crews, including the annual Storytelling Festival and weekly Saturday Story Hour, to engage children and families in narrative arts.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Operating interactive exhibitions and public programming for children and familiesOperates a contemporary art museum with 14,000 square feet of galleries, artmaking studios, and community spaces that host interactive exhibitions, storytelling, and art-making programs designed for children ages 3–8 and their families. Exhibitions include curated displays such as David Antonio Cruz’s "When the Children Come Home" and collaborative installations like "Home/_other Nature - Cicadas," with some reconfigured in phases to create new interpretive connections.
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Equitable Access Admission Programs 1 activity
- Providing free access to museum programs and exhibitionsOffers free admission to all exhibitions, storytelling events, and art-making programs, ensuring equitable access for visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Operating digital access to archival materialsMakes digital reproductions of working manuscripts from children's books available to the public via tablets, enhancing accessibility and engagement with literary and artistic creation processes.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$573K
Contributions & grants$398K69%
Program service revenue$29K5%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$147K
expenses
Total expenses$1.60M
Program expenses76%
Admin / overhead24%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$562K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$427K
Cash$3K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.57M
Net assets$-1.14M
Liquid reserves0.0 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -30.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLENE MELVILLE | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 2 | $289K |
| DAVID NATHANSON | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 2 | $245K |
| JAN PETRIGAN | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS | 2 | $177K |
board members · 2
- MIRIAM RACCAH — VICE PRESIDENT
- NEIL BHARGAVA — PRESIDENT & TREASURER
relationships · 52
Who they work with
- Aperture Foundation Partner — Cultural partner supporting museum programming in art and visual literacy.
- ArtPlace America Funder — Provided leadership support for the museum's planning and programming.
- Bank Street College of Education Partner — Educational partner collaborating on child-centered learning initiatives.
- Broadway Housing Communities Government — Umbrella nonprofit organization for the Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art and Storytelling
- Broadway Housing Communities Partner — Collaborates closely with the Museum, sharing leadership and facilities; the Museum is embedded within a site designed to integrate affordable housing, early childhood education, and art experiences.
- Broadway Housing Communities Partner — Community partner involved in integrated arts and housing initiatives.
- Broadway Housing Communities Partner — Founded the Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling in collaboration with the community.
- Broadway Housing Communities Partner — Lead organizational partner in developing the Sugar Hill Project, which includes the museum.
- Broadway Housing Communities Partner — The Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling is a program of Broadway Housing Communities, a nonprofit with a community-based housing model in West Harlem and Washington Heights.
- Capital One Bank Funder — Provided capital and financial support for the museum's development and operations.
- Children's Museum of the Arts Partner — Arts education partner focused on creative experiences for children.
- Cool Culture Partner — Partner organization advancing equity in museum access and family engagement.
- Cre8tive YouTH*nk Partner — Youth arts partner engaging young people in creative expression.
- Dance Theater of Harlem Partner — Performing arts partner offering dance and movement programs.
- Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation Funder — Provided capital and operational support for the museum.
- Dominican York Proyecto Grafica Partner — Cultural partner promoting Dominican-American art and identity.
- Dorothy Day Early Childhood Center Partner — Early childhood education partner serving young families.
- El Museo del Barrio Partner — Cultural institution partner focused on Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American art and culture.
- El Museo del Barrio Partner — Provided a loan of the artwork "Puerto Rican Pieta en la calle de la Fortaleza" (2006) for the exhibition "When the Children Come Home"
- Giraffe Path / Hike the Heights Partner — Outdoor and wellness-focused partner promoting physical activity and exploration in Upper Manhattan.
- Harlem Arts Alliance Partner — Regional arts coalition partner supporting local artists and cultural organizations.
- Harlem Opera Theatre Partner — Performing arts partner providing opera and vocal music experiences.
- Hispanic Society of America Partner — Cultural heritage partner offering resources on Spanish and Latin American history and art.
- Hudson River Museum Partner — Collaborates on the co-presentation of the exhibition Order / Reorder: Experiments with Collections.
- Jose Limon Dance Foundation Partner — Dance education partner promoting modern dance and choreography.
- Kathryn Markel Fine Art Partner — Hosted the artist-in-residence’s work in "The Hot House" exhibition in Chelsea
- La Casa Azul Bookstore Partner — Literary partner specializing in Latinx and bilingual children’s literature.
- Lehman College Partner — Institution where the artist-in-residence earned an MFA, indicating educational partnership or affiliation
- Lit World Partner — Literacy-focused partner supporting storytelling and reading programs.
- Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders Partner — Cultural organization partner promoting Mexican traditions and arts.
+ 22 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 as Essential Community Infrastructuremethodology: arts-as-essential-infrastructureBy co-locating arts programming within mixed-use, supportive housing developments and partnering with social service organizations, the museum advances community well-being because integrating the arts into everyday life reinforces cultural belonging and supports holistic child and family development.
- Dialogic and Perspective-Shifting Exhibition Designmethodology: dialogic exhibition designBy curating exhibitions that juxtapose diverse artworks and reconfigure displays over time, the museum cultivates critical thinking in young audiences because exposure to multiple perspectives and open-ended interpretations encourages inquiry, discussion, and nuanced understanding of complex themes.
- Intergenerational and Community-Rooted Cultural Programmingmethodology: community-rooted storytellingBy grounding exhibitions and programs in local heritage and Harlem’s community identity, the museum strengthens engagement because culturally relevant, intergenerational storytelling increases resonance, continuity, and collective ownership of learning experiences.
- Participatory Art and Storytelling for Dual Engagementmethodology: participatory_art_and_storytellingBy engaging children and families as both creators and observers in artmaking and storytelling, the museum fosters deeper cognitive and creative development because active participation strengthens ownership, interpretation, and intergenerational dialogue.