named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Artist Commissions and Residencies
Supports the creation of new work through direct artist commissions, fellowships, and residency programs with guaranteed fees
Live Performance Series
Presents approximately 120 experimental music and interdisciplinary performances annually at its Brooklyn theater, featuring emerging and established artists
Media and Livestreaming Initiative
Produces and streams high-quality multi-camera livestreams of nearly all performances, expanding access to a global audience
Roulette Archive
Digitizes and provides free public access to over 4,200 recordings of experimental performances dating back to 1978, including works by Pauline Oliveros, John Cage, and Steve Reich
activities · 7 groups
What they do
-
Digital Music and Performance Archiving 2 activities
- Provides free livestream access and archives performancesOffers free public livestream access to nearly all performances using a 6-camera robotic system, with recordings archived for on-demand viewing; began in September 2020 and continues as a core offering.
- Releases and distributes artist albums and concert filmsReleases and promotes original albums by artists such as Amina Claudine Myers, Andrew Cyrille, and Qasim Naqvi, and hosts world premiere screenings of concert films such as "The Monkathon," documenting complete performances and artistic legacies.
-
-
Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Broadcasts experimental music through radio and podcast programsProduces and broadcasts a monthly radio program "Tracking the Odds," a monthly podcast "The Roulette Tapes," and features concert recordings on Ridgewood Radio and The Lot Radio, including guest DJ sets and interviews with experimental musicians.
-
-
Commissioning New Musical Works 1 activity
- Commissions and produces new original musical worksReceives commissions from organizations such as National Sawdust, JACK Quartet, Gaudeamus Festival, and I&I Foundation, and commissions artists to develop and present new works exploring Black sonic forms, electro-acoustic forms, and experimental music.
-
-
Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Funds artists through grants, commissions, and performance feesHas awarded over $2.3 million to artists through grants and guaranteed performance fees since founding, including over $100,000 in advance commission, residency, and fellowship fees paid in March 2020 during pandemic disruptions.
-
-
Performing Arts Archival Preservation 1 activity
- Maintains and provides access to historical performance archivesMaintains a publicly accessible digital archive of over 4,200 audio and video recordings and ephemera from 1978 onward, including over 2,500 on-demand concert recordings and over 160 episodes of Roulette TV, documenting avant-garde performance in New York and beyond.
-
-
Live Music Performances & Concerts 1 activity
- Organizes and presents live concert performances in New York CityPresents an average of 120 shows per year featuring innovative composers, musicians, and interdisciplinary collaborators at major cultural institutions and performance venues including The Whitney Museum, The Kitchen, and Park Avenue Armory.
-
-
Uncategorized 1 activity
- Upgrades and maintains performance infrastructureInstalled a new stage, upgraded to a digital soundboard, and implemented an energy-efficient LED lighting system in 2024 to enhance production quality and sustainability of performances.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.83M
Contributions & grants$1.64M58%
Program service revenue$1.14M40%
Investment income$34K1%
Other revenue$15K
expenses
Total expenses$2.63M
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$1.51M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.52M
Cash$331K
Investments$685K
Liabilities$3.25M
Net assets$1.26M
Liquid reserves4.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +23.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMIE BURNS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL OCTOBER 2025) | 40 | $90K |
| JAMES S STALEY | VICE CHAIRMAN | 40 | $85K |
| DAVID WEINSTEIN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $50K |
| WILLIAM PARKER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $5K |
| NED ROTHENBERG | CHAIRMAN | 2 | $2K |
board members · 16
- ANNE HEMENWAY — BOARD MEMBER
- BROOKS WILLIAMS — BOARD MEMBER
- CATHERINE PAVLOV — BOARD MEMBER
- DARIUS JONES — BOARD MEMBER
- FREDRICK SHERMAN ESQ — BOARD MEMBER
- GAYLE MORGAN — BOARD MEMBER
- GEORGE LEWIS — BOARD MEMBER
- GORDON KNOX — BOARD MEMBER
- GRYPHON RUE — BOARD MEMBER
- JASON KAO HWANG — BOARD MEMBER
- JENNIFER CHOI — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHN MADSEN — BOARD MEMBER
- JOSEPH WALKER — TREASURER
- MARIO DIAZ DE LEON — BOARD MEMBER
- MIMI JOHNSON — BOARD MEMBER
- PAUL GERTNER — SECRETARY
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- Brooklyn Free Speech Partner — Broadcast partner for Roulette TV
- Chaikin Records Partner — Collaborated with Chaikin Records for the release of Katherine Young's album BIOMES.
- David Weinstein Partner — Co-founder and Director of Special Projects who leads the Roulette Archive.
- Frank Heath Partner — Collaborated with filmmaker Frank Heath on the production and screening of "The Monkathon" concert film.
- Gaudeamus Festival Partner — Commissioned Joy Guidry to create new musical works
- I&I Foundation Partner — Commissioned Joy Guidry to create new musical works
- Ikue Mori Partner — Collaborating artist in performance at Roulette
- JACK Quartet Partner — Commissioned Joy Guidry to create new musical works
- Jim Staley Partner — Co-founder and former Executive and Artistic Director who continues to curate select series and perform at Roulette.
- John Zorn Partner — Recurring collaborating artist whose ensembles, including Simulacrum and the New Masada Quartet, regularly perform at Roulette.
- Leo Chang Partner — Commissioned and Resident Artist at Roulette Intermedium (2023–2025)
- Matt Mehlan Partner — Current Executive and Artistic Director with prior formative role in organizational development and relocation.
- Miles Okazaki Partner — Collaborated with guitarist Miles Okazaki on the presentation of "The Monkathon" concert film.
- National Sawdust Partner — Commissioned Joy Guidry to create new musical works
- Outpost Artists Resources Partner — Cocurates and produces the "Ridgewood Radio" show with David Weinstein.
- Park Avenue Armory Partner — Venue where Joy Guidry has presented original work
- Red Hook Records Partner — Collaborates to present a joint performance event celebrating the label's fifth anniversary.
- Red Hook Records Partner — Collaborates with Roulette Intermedium Inc to present performances and release recordings by affiliated artists.
- Sō Percussion Partner — Presented in partnership with Roulette for the Sō Laboratories event in memory of Tim Thomas
- The Kitchen Partner — Venue where Joy Guidry has presented original work
- The Lot Radio Partner — Hosts Roulette’s monthly radio set livestreaming from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, featuring music from the current season and archives.
- WFMU Partner — Streams the weekly "Ridgewood Radio" show featuring Roulette concert recordings via WFMU’s freeform streaming channel.
- Wave Farm Partner — Broadcasts the monthly radio program "Tracking the Odds" in partnership with Wave Farm’s WGXC 90.7-FM and Standing Wave Radio.
- Whitney Museum for American Art Partner — Venue where Joy Guidry has presented original work
- Yarn/Wire Partner — Engaged Yarn/Wire to perform Katherine Young’s BIOMES 6.0 in a live performance event.
- Zeena Parkins Partner — Collaborating artist in performance at Roulette
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.
- Archival Activism and Artist-Driven Documentationmethodology: cultural_preservation_archivingBy systematically documenting performances and preserving rare experimental recordings through artist-led storytelling, the organization ensures cultural continuity and broadens access because it centers artistic intent and lived process in the historical record.
- Artist-Run, Collaborative Innovation Modelmethodology: artist_run_modelBy operating as an artist-run organization that centers collaboration and risk-taking, the organization fosters deeper artistic discovery and cross-disciplinary innovation because creative control remains with practitioners rather than institutional gatekeepers.
- Cultural Reclamation and Spiritual Expression Through Soundmethodology: prayer_as_musical_formBy using music as prayer and reimagining traditional forms through experimental sound, the organization enables radical self-expression and cultural transformation because sonic practice becomes a medium for spiritual continuity and ancestral dialogue.
- Improvisation as Transformative Artistic Practicemethodology: improvisation_as_artistic_methodBy centering improvisation in performance and composition, the organization enables expansive sonic exploration and authentic self-expression, because spontaneous creation allows for deeper personal, cultural, and collaborative discovery than fixed forms.