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STATEMENT ARTS INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 205198657 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE A20 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · statementarts.org
revenue
$428K
expenses
$404K
net assets
$310K
employees
7
volunteers
25
program ratio
72%
mission · from form 990

Statement Arts believe in the power of an integrated arts education to cultivate the next generation of leaders who can inspire social and cultural change. Our holistic approach supports young people and offers the space for them to find their voices and add their statements.

profile · synthesized from sources

Statement Arts is a New York City-based nonprofit founded in 2003 that provides integrated arts education and mentoring programs for marginalized urban youth. Through musical theater training, creative writing, and performance, the organization supports young people in developing self-confidence and leadership skills. Its programs, including START YOUNG and START DREAMING, serve students from elementary through high school, with a focus on empowering them to express themselves and succeed in college and beyond.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $145K
    START YOUNG (SY) IS A SUMMER CAMP THAT PROVIDES ITS PARTICIPANTS (GRADES 3-6 & 7-11) MUSICAL THEATER TRAINING INCLUDING CHOIR, DANCE/CHOREOGRAPHY, ACTING, AND SCRIPT/CREATIVE WRITING ABOUT ISSUES THAT MATTER TO THEM. WITH THE HELP OF PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ARTISTS, STUDENTS' WORK IS CRAFTED INTO AN ORGINAL MINI-MUSICAL TO BE PERFORMED AT THE PROGRAM'S END. MANY SY PARTCIPANTS GROW UP WITH US AND ENTER OUR OTHER PROGRAM, SD, AFTER THEIR JUNIOR YEAR.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

START DREAMING
Year-long program for rising high school seniors featuring an arts intensive, mentorship, college application support, and a 100% college acceptance rate among participants.
START Design Lab & Studio
Free program for START DREAMING alumni providing workshops in artistic development, career management, and performance projects to bridge college education and professional experience.
START YOUNG
Free summer performing arts program for students in grades 3–11 in Washington Heights, offering musical theater training in choir, dance, acting, and creative writing, culminating in a student-created performance.
activities · 10 groups

What they do

  • Youth Theater Arts Education 2 activities
    • Free summer performing arts program for youth in Washington Heights
      Operates a free three-week summer program for students in grades 3–11 in Washington Heights, providing instruction in choir, dance, acting, and creative writing, culminating in an original student-written and student-created performance open to the public at no cost. The program served 25 students per session in grades 3–6 and 7–11.
    • Year-long arts and college readiness program for rising high school seniors
      Offers a free year-long program for rising high school seniors that includes a four-week summer arts intensive with daily instruction in voice, dance, acting, and creative writing; private lessons; masterclasses; and support in developing college entrance essays. The program culminates in two free public performances.
  • Alumni Leadership and Career Support Programs 1 activity
    • Alumni professional development and career bridge programs
      Offers continuing education, internships, and professional development opportunities for alumni of the StART Dreaming and StART Young programs through initiatives such as the StART Design Lab, paid fellowships, and support in creating professional portfolios, including production of an original YouTube series.
  • Arts Education Access Programs 1 activity
    • Arts education and mentoring for marginalized urban youth in New York City
      Provides comprehensive performing arts education and mentoring programs to youth from under-resourced and underrepresented communities in New York City, including instruction in songwriting, photography, financial literacy, and audition technique, with the goal of building self-confidence and resiliency.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Arts festival and relief performances in hurricane-affected areas
      Co-organized IMPACT on the GULF, an arts festival featuring theatrical performances, panel discussions, and film screenings, and deployed professional performers to present concerts in emergency shelters, feeding stations, and public spaces in hurricane-affected areas of the Gulf Coast, concluding with a public concert in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
  • College Access and Success Support 1 activity
    • College mentorship and application support for high school seniors
      Provides one-on-one mentorship, workshops, and financial aid guidance to rising high school seniors throughout the year, supporting college application completion, FAFSA submission, and college decision-making. The program has achieved a 100% college admissions rate among participants, with most receiving substantial scholarships.
  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Cultural and educational enrichment activities
      Organizes field trips to cultural and educational sites in New York City, provides free tickets to Broadway shows, museums, concerts, and films, and offers free performance masterclasses and industry talk-backs to expand participants’ exposure to the arts and professional development opportunities.
  • Photography and Creative Arts Competitions 1 activity
    • International photography competition
      Produces an international photography competition that received over 2,000 submissions from 53 countries, distributing $5,000 in cash prizes and awarding new cameras to winners in the People's Choice and Youth/Under 25 categories.
  • Youth Photography Education 1 activity
    • International photography workshops for youth and social workers
      Conducts annual photography workshops in Luang Prabang, Laos, and previously in Yangon, Myanmar, providing technical and narrative training in photography to approximately 30 youth annually and training social workers to document civil rights issues. Each participant receives a personal camera upon completion.
  • Youth Musical Theater Productions 1 activity
    • Production of original musicals and student performances
      Produces full-scale original musicals and student-led performances, including at partner schools and national music festivals, and has presented virtual performances during the pandemic through filmed productions presented via Zoom.
  • Child & Youth Meal Programs 1 activity
    • Support services for program participants
      Provides free lunch daily, free MetroCards upon request based on need, free professional headshots, and on-site social work support during summer programs to ensure accessibility and holistic support for participants.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$428K
Contributions & grants$233K54%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$195K
expenses
Total expenses$404K
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead21%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$177K
Grants paid out$6K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$314K
Cash$313K
Investments$0
Liabilities$5K
Net assets$310K
Liquid reserves9.3 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +12.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
AIDAN DAVIS Secretary 30 $62K
board members · 9
  • ALEXIS TENER PETRUS — Director
  • ASHLEY GARRETT — President
  • CHERYL LEWIS — Vice President
  • KEITH PETRUS — Director
  • KRISTIE LESLIE — BOARD MEMBER
  • LIZA POLITI — Treasurer
  • MARCIA GONZALES — BOARD MEMBER
  • NARINE MALCOLM-JOSEPH — BOARD MEMBER
  • PALLAVI NAIDU — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 22

Who they work with

  • @My Library Partner — Received donated photography equipment from Statement Arts for use in programs in Luang Prabang, Laos.
  • High School for Environmental Studies Partner — Initial site of program development and inspiration for current youth programming.
  • Manhattan Borough President’s Office Funder — Grant funder of Statement Arts
  • Morgan Stanley Funder — Grant funder of Statement Arts
  • My Library Partner — Receives donated photography equipment and collaborates on photography education initiatives in Laos.
  • Myanmar Deitta Gallery Partner — Co-hosted photography workshops in Yangon, Myanmar, including programs for social workers and women photographers.
  • Myanmar Deitta Gallery Partner — Partnered with Statement Arts to host photography workshops in Yangon, Myanmar.
  • NY Department of Cultural Affairs Funder — Grant funder of Statement Arts
  • New York Department of Cultural Affairs Funder — Grant funder of Statement Arts
  • New York Stock Exchange Partner — Honored Statement Arts by inviting its founder to ring the Closing Bell on January 2, 2025
  • Northern Manhattan Artist Alliance (NoMAA) Partner — Hosts the StART Young program at the United Palace Theater.
  • Northern Manhattan Artist Alliance (NoMAA) Partner — Hosts the StART Young summer program at the United Palace in Washington Heights.
  • Rudin Foundation Funder — Grant funder of Statement Arts
  • SpotCo Partner — Partner organization offering a six-month paid fellowship to Statement Arts alumni through the Partnerships & Promotions Fellowship Program.
  • Squarespace Partner — Third-party service provider used for website analytics and site traffic monitoring
  • Stripe Partner — Third-party payment processor used to safely complete online donations and transactions
  • THUMA Women’s Photographic Collective Partner — Participated in a women-only photography workshop in Yangon, Myanmar focused on visual storytelling.
  • The Culture Project Partner — Collaborated with Statement Arts on the IMPACT on the GULF festival in 2006.
  • The Disney Corporation Funder — Grant funder of Statement Arts
  • The Triad Theater Partner — Hosted filmed performances by StART Design Lab & Studio alumni in 2020 and 2021.
  • The Triad Theater Partner — Hosts the Summer Arts Intensive program at its venue in New York, NY.
  • Yu Yu Myint Than Partner — Collaborated with Statement Arts on photography workshops in Yangon, Myanmar.
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-Integrated College Readiness
    methodology: arts_integrated_college_readiness
    By embedding college readiness support within a multi-phase, year-long arts education program, we increase access to higher education for underrepresented youth, because integrating academic preparation with creative engagement sustains motivation and deepens investment in future planning.
  • Integrated Arts and Youth Development
    methodology: arts_based_youth_development
    By combining rigorous arts education with mentoring and personal development, we build self-confidence and resiliency in marginalized youth, because creative expression and skill mastery foster agency and leadership necessary for social change.
  • Participatory Documentation for Community Empowerment
    methodology: participatory_documentation
    By training frontline workers and community members in photography and visual storytelling, we amplify marginalized voices and strengthen advocacy, because equipping individuals with tools to document their realities increases visibility and impact of social issues.
  • Youth-Led Creative Expression for Civic Engagement
    methodology: youth_led_creative_expression
    By centering student-created performances and original scripts based on personal and social issues, we cultivate civic engagement and self-expression, because ownership of narrative content enables youth to process lived experiences and advocate for change.