named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Advocacy
Engages in policy and systems change, including representation on the Mayor’s Council for Live Theater and Performing Arts and through The League of Independent Theater.
Funding Programs
Provides equity-focused grants to individual artists, theater companies, and indie venues in New York City.
Professional Development
Supports the growth of independent theater artists through training, capacity-building, and career advancement opportunities.
Real Estate Programs
Offers free real estate consulting services and helps secure rehearsal and performance spaces for indie theater makers.
Venue.ly Project
Consulting initiative focused on venue development and sustainable use of performance spaces, led by consultant Van Pham.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Artist Support Grants 5 activities
- Administer grant programs for indie theater venues and artistsAdministers the Pay Your People Grant, Space Grant, and The Little Venue That Could Grant Program, providing financial support for artist stipends, subsidized rehearsal space, and unrestricted operating support of $10,000 per year for two years to small indie venues.
- Deliver emergency and cost-of-living microgrants to artists and cultural workersProvides $500 emergency microgrants to individual artists and small theater companies, including through the Cultural Solidarity Fund which distributed over $1 million in $500 grants to more than 2,000 recipients; also offers $250 microgrants for groceries, housing, and bills affected by inflation.
- Fund mental health support for individual artistsAwards $500 mental health grants to indie performing artists for therapy, medication, and related costs, distributing at least 20 grants monthly; also launched the Mental Health Micro Grants Program, awarding over 400 grants totaling $200,000.
- Fund transportation safety for AAPI artistsLaunched the AAPI Transportation Fund in partnership with AAPAC and American Theatre Wing to provide transportation stipends for AAPI artists to safely travel to rehearsals and performances.
- Support artist sustainability through guaranteed income and savings grantsProvides a monthly $1,000 guaranteed income and an annual $3,000 savings grant to NYC indie theater artists through a 3-year pilot program, with four participants as of 2026.
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Arts Professional Advocacy & Equity Initiatives 1 activity
- Develop and distribute resource guides for artist supportAssembled comprehensive resource guides including mental health support for LGBTQIA+ and Black artists, and practical tools for indie theater companies to prepare for climate-related emergencies.
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Inclusive Social & Recreational Events 1 activity
- Host community events and workshops for indie artistsOrganizes in-person events such as the IndieSpace Together Paperwork Party and provides access to free mental health classes and workshops in NYC boroughs and online.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Provide professional development and funder connection programsOperates the "A Seat at the Table" program, which connects small arts organizations with major funders through facilitated meetings, and offers broader professional development opportunities to thousands of artists.
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Community Space Provision 1 activity
- Provide real estate advisory and transition support to indie theatersOffers consulting and advising services on real estate challenges, supports lease negotiations, space acquisition, and property purchases for nonprofit theaters and indie venues, helping over 150 organizations secure new spaces or complete purchases.
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Subsidized Rehearsal and Performance Space 1 activity
- Provide subsidized rehearsal and co-working spaces for indie theater artistsOperates the West Village Rehearsal Co-Op and a 5,500-square-foot facility offering low-cost rehearsal spaces, co-working areas, and a lending library to independent theater and performance artists in New York City.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.16M
Contributions & grants$2.10M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$37K2%
Other revenue$20K
expenses
Total expenses$1.24M
Program expenses69%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$408K
Grants paid out$276K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.67M
Cash$140K
Investments$886K
Liabilities$16K
Net assets$1.65M
Liquid reserves9.9 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +74.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RANDI BERRY | BOARD MEMBER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $134K |
| VESHONTE BROWN | BOARD MEMBER/PROGRAMS MANAGER | 40 | $71K |
board members · 14
- ANDREW CLARKE — BOARD MEMBER
- BREA CLEMONS — BOARD MEMBER
- BRIAN BERK — TREASURER
- CANDACE JACKSON — BOARD MEMBER
- DECHELLE DAMIEN — BOARD MEMBER
- EREZ ZIV — BOARD MEMBER
- JOSEPH AULD — BOARD MEMBER
- MARTY LINSKY — BOARD EMERITUS
- MAYA QUETZALI GONZALEZ — BOARD MEMBER
- PAMELA CHISLING — BOARD MEMBER
- PAUL LELBOWITZ — BOARD EMERITUS
- RAQUEL ALMAZAN — PRESIDENT
- SAMUEL MORALES — SECRETARY
- SIOBHAN O'NEILL — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 77
Who they work with
- AAPAC Partner — Partnered to provide transportation stipends for AAPI artists during periods of increased anti-AAPI violence.
- Actors Fund Housing Development Corporation Partner — Partner in promoting affordable housing and cultural space at Rialto West in Hell’s Kitchen.
- American Theatre Wing Partner — Collaborated to launch the AAPI Transportation Fund.
- Asian American Performers Action Coalition Partner — Collaborated to launch the AAPI Transportation Fund.
- Astoria Performing Arts Center Partner — Advised on lease negotiations and provided financial support for taking over The Secret Theater.
- Austin Community Foundation Funder — Supports IndieSpace’s mission
- Booth Ferris Foundation Funder — Supports IndieSpace’s mission
- Bricks and Mortars Partner — Partners to develop Venuely, a database for artists to search for rehearsal and performance spaces.
- Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS Funder — Supports IndieSpace’s mission
- Bushwick Starr Partner — Received guidance and network support from IndieSpace in acquiring a new theater space.
- Classical Theatre of Harlem Partner — Received professional counsel and support from IndieSpace in navigating the process of securing a new theater home.
- Clinton Management Partner — Collaborates with IndieSpace through partnership on the Rialto West affordable housing project in Hell’s Kitchen.
- Clinton Management Partner — Development partner in the Rialto West project, which includes IndieSpace Hell’s Kitchen.
- Clinton Management Partner — Management partner for the Rialto West project in Hell’s Kitchen.
- Creatives Rebuild New York Funder — Supports IndieSpace’s mission
- Creatives Rebuild New York Partner — Randi Berry participates in the Guaranteed Income for Artists Working Group under this initiative.
- Dance/NYC Partner — Partners to develop Venuely, a database for artists to search for rehearsal and performance spaces.
- Development partners Partner — Seeks collaboration with development partners to support indie theater spaces in New York City.
- Donors with a passion for promoting the arts in NYC Funder — Engages individual donors who are passionate about supporting the arts in New York City.
- Doris Duke Foundation Funder — Supports IndieSpace’s mission
- Douglaston Development Partner — Collaborates with IndieSpace through partnership on the Rialto West affordable housing project in Hell’s Kitchen.
- Douglaston Development Partner — Development partner for the Rialto West project in Hell’s Kitchen.
- Douglaston Development Partner — Development partner in the Rialto West project, which includes IndieSpace Hell’s Kitchen.
- Dyalekt Partner — Co-host of the Paperwork Party event hosted under the IndieSpace Together program.
- Entertainment Community Fund Partner — Collaborates by listing and directing artists to the Entertainment Community Fund’s services for housing and health insurance.
- First Kiss Theatre Partner — Abby Davis completed a community-organizing residency with this theater company in 2025.
- Fresh Fruit Festival Partner — Abby Davis has collaborated with this festival focused on LGBTQ+ and underrepresented artists.
- Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts Partner — References the Friedman Health Center as a provider of primary and specialist care for performing artists, indicating a referral or collaborative relationship.
- Fund for the City of New York Funder — Supports IndieSpace’s mission
- HERE Partner — Partners to operate the West Village Rehearsal Co-Op, offering low-cost rehearsal space to the indie theater community.
+ 47 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.
- Artist-Centered Governance and Self-Determinationmethodology: artist_centered_decision_makingBy structuring governance around working artists and community members through co-op and committee models, we ensure programs meet real needs because those closest to the work are best positioned to guide it, enhancing relevance and sustainability.
- Equity-Centered Funding with Transparent Allocationmethodology: equity-centered_fundingBy using a weighted lottery system and prioritizing historically excluded artists in grant distribution, we increase access and participation in the arts ecosystem because equitable resource allocation corrects systemic underfunding and builds trust through radical transparency.
- Grassroots Innovation Through Targeted Ecosystem Supportmethodology: grassroots_artist_supportBy focusing on low-budget, grassroots theater artists and designing responsive programs based on direct feedback, we foster artistic innovation because small-scale, community-rooted work drives cultural evolution and fills systemic gaps in traditional arts infrastructure.
- Integrated Support Removing Systemic Barriersmethodology: barrier_removalBy combining real estate access, professional development, financial support, and advocacy with attention to non-work challenges like housing and mental health, we enable artistic sustainability because stable, supported artists are better able to create and innovate.