dossier ↑ parent activity group ·

research dossier

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN IN THE ARTS INC

GHENT, NY · EIN 264684064 · Form 990EZ · FY2023 · NTEE A20 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · powarts.org

revenue

$49K

expenses

$107K

net assets

$21K

employees

—

mission · from form 990

TO PROMOTE THE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL ADVANCEMENT OF ITS MEMBERS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, PROFESSIONAL LEVERAGING OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVES INCLUDING, AMONG OTHERS, THE FOLLOWING:I. PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN, AND PUBLICATIONS ON BUSINESS MATTERS, WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON THE ART MARKET, INCLUDING FINANCIAL, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER SPECIALIZED AREAS OF PROFESSIONAL INTEREST,II. CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND EVENTS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AMONG MEMBERS,III. COLLECTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE ART MARKET, INCLUDING STATISTICAL DATA AND OTHER STATISTICAL RESEARCH,IV. ADVOCATING FOR THE PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS, ANDV. ADVOCATING FOR INDUSTRY-WIDE EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

profile · synthesized from sources

Professional Organization for Women in the Arts (POWarts) supports women in the arts through networking events, panel discussions, and professional development opportunities. The organization fosters community among women in the art industry, with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion. It operates primarily in New York City and targets professionals across the arts sector.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Art Fair Pass Program

Provides members with VIP and general admission passes to major New York art fairs including TEFAF, NADA, and 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair.

Colleagues & Friends

Series of panel discussions and networking events featuring women in the arts, focusing on topics such as internships, immigrant experiences, freelancing, and diversity in the industry.

Networking Mixers

Regular in-person and virtual gatherings designed to connect women in the arts for professional support and community building.

POWarts Trailblazer Series

Events highlighting pioneering women in the arts, offering insights into their career paths and contributions to the field.

activities · 4 groups

What they do

Arts Professional Advocacy & Equity Initiatives 3 activities
- Advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in the arts industry
  
  Advances professional equity for women in the arts and promotes diversity, inclusion, and reproductive healthcare access through public campaigns, resource dissemination, and policy-informed advocacy efforts.
- Build and sustain a professional community for women in the arts
  
  Creates and maintains a supportive network where women in the arts can share experiences, offer mentorship, and advance their careers through ongoing engagement and community-building initiatives.
- Conduct research on equity and working conditions in the arts
  
  Carries out industry-wide surveys on critical issues including salary equity, the impact of the pandemic, and reproductive healthcare access post-Dobbs decision. Published findings from the first comprehensive salary survey in the visual arts sector and conducted follow-up studies on abortion legislation impacts and career sustainability.
Professional Membership and Association Benefits 1 activity
- Distribute event access and cultural resources to members
  
  Provides members with VIP and general admission passes to major art fairs and exhibitions, including TEFAF New York, NADA New York, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, and others, to increase access to industry events and foster professional engagement.
Women's Leadership & Career Advancement Networks 1 activity
- Facilitate educational and networking programs for women in the arts
  
  Hosts in-person and virtual events including panel discussions, networking mixers, professional development workshops, and social gatherings to support women at all career stages. Events have included discussions on internships, freelancing, immigration and the arts, and holiday celebrations centered on equity in art, with participation from members and guest speakers.
Member-Exclusive Resource Access 1 activity
- Provide professional development tools and industry resources
  
  Offers members access to data, research, publications, and professional development resources on business matters in the art market such as finance, management, marketing, and career advancement.

financials · form 990EZ · fy2023

revenue

Total revenue$49K

Contributions & grants$31K63%

Program service revenue——

Investment income——

Other revenue$1K

expenses

Total expenses$107K

Program expenses—

Admin / overhead—

Fundraising—

Salaries & benefits$71K

Grants paid out—

balance sheet

Total assets$21K

Cash—

Investments—

Liabilities—

Net assets$21K

3 years on record · 2021–2023 · YoY revenue -58.7%

leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1

Name	Title	Hours/wk	Compensation
SARA KAY	FOUNDER/CHAIR	20	$28K

relationships · 29

Who they work with

ARTnews Partner — Partnered with ARTnews for coverage and distribution of salary survey findings.
Analysis Group, Inc. Partner — Employer of Ging Cee Ng, contributing researcher on the POWarts Salary Survey
Artishouse Partner — Hosted a Colleagues & Friends event at their collaborative art studio in the Garment District.
Artishouse Partner — Hosted an event at Artishouse, a collaborative art studio in Manhattan’s Garment District.
CUNY CulturalCorps Partner — Member of the Host Committee for the NextGen Networking Mixer.
Cecilia Alemani Partner — Curated the Making Their Mark exhibition, which was featured at the POWarts Holiday Party.
Center for Art Law Partner — Co-presented an event featuring Atreya Mathur, its Director of Legal Research, in a discussion on immigrant experiences in the arts.
Center for Art Law Partner — Engaged Atreya Mathur, Director of Legal Research at the Center for Art Law, as a speaker in a discussion on immigrant experiences in the arts.
DreamYard Project Partner — Features a representative from DreamYard Project as a panelist in a discussion on arts internships.
Eventbrite Partner — Platform used for event registration and ticketing for POWarts networking events.
Ging Cee Ng Partner — PhD and Associate at Analysis Group Inc. who co-developed the POWarts Salary Survey
Komal Shah Partner — Delivered a keynote address at the POWarts Holiday Party as founder of the Shah Garg Foundation.
LMCC Partner — Co-hosted a members-only tour of The Arts Center at Governor's Island.
Lisson Gallery Partner — Hosted a Colleagues & Friends event at their gallery space.
Maricar Mabutas Partner — Research Scientist at the NYC Department of Finance who co-developed the POWarts Salary Survey
Museum Hue Partner — Features a representative from Museum Hue as a panelist in a discussion on arts internships.
Museum Hue Partner — Member of the Host Committee for the NextGen Networking Mixer.
NYC Department of Finance Government — Employer of Maricar Mabutas, contributing researcher on the POWarts Salary Survey
New-York Historical Society Partner — Features a representative from New-York Historical Society as a panelist in a discussion on arts internships.
Pelham Communications Partner — Provided support for the POWarts Salary Survey
Pen + Brush Partner — Co-hosts a hybrid book club event with POWarts featuring author William J. Simmons.
Public Art Fund Partner — Engaged Katerina Stathopoulou, Adjunct Curator at Public Art Fund, as a speaker on career challenges for working mothers in the arts.
Shah Garg Foundation Partner — Collaborated on event programming by hosting a member holiday party centered around the exhibition Making Their Mark.
Shah Garg Foundation Partner — Hosted the POWarts Holiday Party at its venue and provided access to its exhibition Making Their Mark for attendees.
Sotheby’s Partner — Featured three of its legal and compliance professionals as speakers in a discussion on gender disparity in crypto and NFT spaces.
Sotheby’s Institute Partner — Member of the Host Committee for the NextGen Networking Mixer.
Whitney Museum Partner — Engaged Nora Gomez-Strauss, Assistant Director of Digital Strategies at the Whitney Museum, as a speaker on working motherhood in the arts.
artnet Partner — Collaborated with artnet for the publication and dissemination of survey results and related commentary.
play:groundNYC Partner — Engaged Zoe Fortin, Executive Director of play:groundNYC, as a speaker on working motherhood and leadership in the arts.

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.

Data-Driven Advocacy for Equity

methodology: data_driven_advocacy
By collecting and publicly reporting salary and professional condition data, the organization advances equity in the arts, because transparency generates accountability and empowers individuals to negotiate better terms and conditions.
Individual Empowerment + Systemic Advocacy

methodology: individual_empowerment_systemic_advocacy
By equipping individual women in the arts with tools to self-advocate while simultaneously pursuing structural reform, the organization produces both immediate personal advancement and long-term industry change, because sustainable equity requires dual action at the individual and systemic levels.
Member-Driven Adaptive Programming

methodology: member_driven_adaptation
By using feedback from women in the arts to shape and adapt programs, the organization ensures relevance and responsiveness, because sustained engagement and impact depend on aligning with the lived experiences and needs of its members.
Peer-Led Dialogue for Community and Change

methodology: peer_led_dialogue
By facilitating peer-led discussions and networking among women and immigrant professionals in the arts, the organization fosters community, knowledge-sharing, and collective advocacy, because peer relationships build trust and amplify marginalized voices to drive cultural and structural transformation.