irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.49MRENTALSSYMPHONY SPACE FOSTERS COMMUNITY AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION BEYOND OUR OWN PROGRAMMING, FROM TOWN HALLS TO MUSIC PERFORMANCES, FROM SCHOOL GRADUATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL DANCE COMPETITIONS. BY OFFERING FULLY-EQUIPPED THEATERS, AS WELL AS BOX OFFICE, MARKETING, AND HOUSE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AT RENTAL RATES LOWER THAN COMPARABLE VENUES, WE PROVIDE AN AFFORDABLE HOME TO MORE THAN 170 COMMUNITY AND PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY, INCLUDING THE WORLD MUSIC INSTITUTE, THE NEW AMSTERDAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, THE AFRO-LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA, AND MANY, MANY MORE.
- #2 $719KARTS EDUCATIONOUR GLOBAL ARTS: CULTURAL LITERACY AND HERITAGE ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM TAKES CHILDREN ON A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION TO CELEBRATE THE BEAUTY OF THE ART AND HISTORY OF DIVERSE CULTURES - ASIAN, AFRICAN, LATIN AMERICAN, NATIVE AMERICAN, AND EARLY AMERICAN. GLOBAL ARTS USES THE ARTS TO HELP PRE-K-12 STUDENTS OPEN A WINDOW ON A NEW CULTURE, SEE THEIR OWN CULTURE REFLECTED ON STAGE, AND OFFER THEM A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. OUR CURRICULUM-BASED ARTS EDUCATION BRINGS ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ARTS OF GLOBAL CULTURES INTO THE CLASSROOM. FOR SOME, THESE WORKSHOPS, AND THE FIELD TRIPS TO OUR THEATER FOR VIBRANT AND INTERACTIVE LIVE PERFORMANCES, ARE A WINDOW ONTO UNFAMILIAR CULTURES. FOR OTHERS, THEY PROVIDE A MIRROR IN WHICH THEY SEE THEIR OWN HISTORIES REPRESENTED, SOMETHING THEY DO NOT TYPICALLY EXPERIENCE IN THEIR SCHOOLS.SINCE 1993, SYMPHONY SPACE HAS PARTNERED WITH COLLEGES, LIBRARIES, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO OPEN A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE THAN 30,000 ADULT LITERACY LEARNERS - COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE. ALL WRITE! CELEBRATES THE WRITTEN WORD WHILE AMPLIFYING ADULT VOICES THROUGH IMPROVED WRITTEN AND VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS. PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE ADULT BASIC EDUCATION (ABE), ENGLISH SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL), AND HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY (HSE) STUDENTS; MORE THAN 50% OF THESE LEARNERS IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES AND CONFRONT LANGUAGE BARRIERS ON A DAILY BASIS.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
All Write!
Literacy program for adult learners, including ABE, ESOL, and HSE students, that improves written and verbal communication skills through creative writing and public readings, offered free in partnership with colleges, libraries, and community organizations.
Global Arts: Cultural Literacy & Heritage
Arts education program for Pre-K–12 students that uses music, dance, and storytelling to explore diverse cultures including African, Asian, Latin American, Native American, and Early American traditions through in-school workshops and field trips.
Selected Shorts
Literary performance series featuring actors reading short stories live on stage, recorded for national public radio broadcast and podcast distribution.
SpaceMakers
Community engagement initiative that expands access to Symphony Space programs by offering discounted or subsidized tickets and experiences to broader audiences.
Uptown Showdown
Comedy debate series featuring stand-up and television comedians arguing humorous pop-culture topics, with audience-decided winners.
activities · 11 groups
What they do
-
Virtual Education Continuity Programs 1 activity
- Delivers remote arts education programs to students and teachersDelivered remote arts education experiences to more than 15,000 students and teachers across over 50 schools during the pandemic, providing accessible creative learning opportunities.
-
-
Post-Performance Audience Engagement 1 activity
- Hosts audience engagement events with Q&A and singalongsHosts events that include audience singalongs, post-screening Q&A sessions with directors and performers, and comedy debate series on pop culture topics, with winners determined by audience vote.
-
-
Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Hosts literary and storytelling eventsProduces live literature performances and storytelling events featuring established and emerging writers from across New York City, including author conversations and readings performed by actors, with themes centered on identity, memory, and cultural belonging.
-
-
Community-Engaged Theater Production 1 activity
- Offers community access to performing arts through SpaceMakersOffers community access to performing arts experiences and opportunities through the SpaceMakers program, which supports inclusive and accessible arts engagement.
-
-
Arts Education Access Programs 1 activity
- Offers creative and restorative educational experiences in NYC schoolsProvided creative and restorative educational experiences to 15,000 students across 40 New York City schools through the Global Arts program.
-
-
Professional Theatrical Production 1 activity
- Presents live and filmed theater productionsPresents live and filmed performances of theater productions, including works by Arthur Miller, Molière, and Sophocles, often featuring prominent actors and directors. These include US premieres and encore screenings as part of the NT Live series.
-
-
Art Appreciation and Public Engagement 1 activity
- Produces and commissions arts programming and conversationsProduces original programming, commissions new works, and hosts conversations that engage audiences through the arts, including collaborations with prominent artists like Kwame Alexander.
-
-
Performing Arts Venue Rental 1 activity
- Provides affordable theater space and support services to arts organizationsProvides affordable theater space and operational support to more than 170 community and performing arts organizations in New York City, hosting over 80 visiting presenters and nearly 100 rental events annually.
-
-
Adult Literacy and ESL Tutoring 1 activity
- Provides free literacy programming for adult learnersHas provided free literacy programming to more than 30,000 adult learners since 1993 through partnerships with colleges, libraries, and community-based organizations, including the All Write! program which served 1,400 learners.
-
-
Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Records and broadcasts live events for national radio and podcast distributionRecords live literary and performing arts events for broadcast on national public radio and for distribution via the Selected Shorts podcast.
-
-
Uncategorized 1 activity
- Distributes books and personalizes copies for event attendeesDistributes a signed copy of R.F. Kuang's book _Taipei Story_ to each ticketed attendee at select literary events and offers personalization of one book per attendee.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$5.58M
Contributions & grants$1.84M33%
Program service revenue$2.96M53%
Investment income$517K9%
Other revenue$267K
expenses
Total expenses$7.36M
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$4.01M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$19.27M
Cash$899K
Investments$8.77M
Liabilities$695K
Net assets$18.57M
Liquid reserves15.8 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue +1.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KATHY LANDAU | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $208K |
| MARGARET WREEN | MANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $151K |
| JOHANNA THOMSEN | DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY & ENGAGEMENT | 40 | $133K |
| BRENDA MURAD | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $129K |
| MOUHAMADOU DJITE | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $117K |
board members · 20
- ALLISON FINE MISHKIN — DIRECTOR
- AMY FRIEDNER — DIRECTOR
- BENJAMIN FRIED — DIRECTOR
- CARMEN DE LAVALLADE — DIRECTOR
- CHRISTOPHER P DIXON — DIRECTOR
- DAVID DISHY — DIRECTOR
- ELAINE HOCHBERG — VICE CHAIR
- ELIZABETH R REA — DIRECTOR
- HOWARD KAILES — SECRETARY
- JAMES NAUGHTON — DIRECTOR
- JOEL MARCUS — DIRECTOR
- JOSHUA T GOLDSTEIN — DIRECTOR
- JUDITH SAFFER — DIRECTOR
- KAY CATTARULLA — DIRECTOR
- KHARY BARNES — DIRECTOR
- LENORE DAVIS — CHAIR
- LOUIS B BERNSTEIN — DIRECTOR
- PETER FRANCIS JAMES — DIRECTOR
- RICHARD MITTENTHAL — VICE CHAIR
- ROBERT S KRICHEFF — DIRECTOR
relationships · 20
Who they work with
- Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra Partner — Partner organization hosted at Symphony Space for performances and events
- Barnes & Noble Partner — Collaborates with Symphony Space to produce literary events.
- Brooklyn Book Festival Partner — Co-presents Selected Shorts events as official Bookend events of the Brooklyn Book Festival.
- Colleges Partner — Partnership to deliver free literacy programming for adult learners
- Community-based organizations Partner — Partnership to deliver free literacy programming for adult learners
- Dimitri Tarlow Partner — Collaborated with director Dimitri Tarlow on a production of Sophocles' Electra.
- Eric Idle Partner — Collaborates with Eric Idle for a live event celebrating his book
- Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook Page for updates, photos, and video related to the Uptown Showdown event series.
- Ivo Van Hove Partner — Collaborated with director Ivo Van Hove on a production of All My Sons.
- Kwame Alexander Partner — Collaborative relationship with poet, educator, and author Kwame Alexander.
- Libraries Partner — Partnership to deliver free literacy programming for adult learners
- National Theatre Partner — Collaborates with National Theatre to present a filmed live performance of The Misanthrope.
- National Theatre Partner — Collaborates with National Theatre to present filmed live performances.
- National Theatre Partner — Collaborates with the National Theatre to present NT Live productions, including screenings of plays filmed live on stage.
- New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra Partner — Partner organization hosted at Symphony Space for performances and events
- SelectedShorts.org Network — Official website for the Selected Shorts series, co-produced and distributed in partnership with Symphony Space.
- Strand Bookstore Partner — Collaborates with Strand Bookstore to produce the event.
- Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition Partner — Partner organization hosted at Symphony Space for performances and events
- World Music Institute Partner — Partner organization hosted at Symphony Space for performances and events
- YouTube Partner — Hosts a YouTube channel for the Uptown Showdown event series to share updates, photos, and video content.
strategies · 3
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 a Bridge for Connection and Inclusionmethodology: arts-for-connection-and-inclusionBy using the arts to bring people together, we transcend social and cultural barriers and foster shared human experiences, because collective artistic engagement builds empathy, belonging, and mutual understanding across diverse communities.
- Contemporary Artistic Narratives to Provoke Reflectionmethodology: contemporary_reinterpretationBy reinterpreting classic works and presenting contemporary theatrical narratives, we engage audiences in critical reflection on truth, justice, and power, because modern storytelling reframes enduring social questions in relatable, emotionally resonant ways.
- Literature and Performance as Engaged Cultural Practicemethodology: literature-in-performanceBy combining literature with professional performance and discussion, we create immersive cultural experiences that deepen audience engagement with ideas, because live interpretation and dialogue make literary content more accessible and impactful.