named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
Wellness Program
Free mental health and wellness initiative in partnership with Liberation-Based Therapy, offering individual and group therapy, trauma-informed care, and healing-centered engagement for participants and staff
viBeApprentices
Paid year-long internship program offering hands-on experience in theater, arts administration, and nonprofit operations across fall, spring, and summer seasons
viBeCollaB
Advanced conservatory and arts incubator for viBe alumni to develop and produce individual multidisciplinary theater projects with mentorship and professional development support
viBeCompany
Pre-professional ensemble for young artists aged 18-26 that produces and performs an original full-length show annually, with training in theater, choreography, and stage management
viBeLeadership Institute
Training program for early-career femme/gender-expansive teaching artists of color and viBe alumni to develop skills in arts pedagogy, leadership, and community-based practices
viBeSongmakers
Six-month music program where participants write, record, and produce a full-length album with professional musicians and producers, culminating in a live performance and album release
viBeStages
Foundational theater program where 6-12 femme/gender-expansive artists collaborate with professional directors to write and perform an original show; offered in specialized forms including viBePhrases, viBeSolos, and viBeOut for BIPOC LGBTQ+ youth
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Youth Theater Arts Education 2 activities
- Free multidisciplinary arts education and leadership programs for girls and gender-expansive youth of colorProvides free theater, music, academic, and wellness programs to girls, young women, and trans and gender-expansive youth of color ages 13–26 in New York City and nationally, supporting them to create original performances and art centered on their lived experiences. Programs include collaborative theater production, music creation and release, and leadership development.
- Pre-professional ensemble and arts leadership development for young adult artistsRuns a pre-professional ensemble for young artists aged 18–26 that includes training in experimental theater, choreography, design, and stage management, culminating in an annual full-length production and paid performance opportunities, alongside leadership development through the viBeLeadership Institute and paid internships.
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New Play Development Programs 1 activity
- Advanced arts incubator and professional development for alumniOffers an advanced production company and incubator for viBe alumni, providing mentorship, resources, and professional development to support the creation and staging of individual multidisciplinary theater projects.
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Music Education and Training Programs 1 activity
- Music production and release programs for youthOffers a 6-month music program where 6–14 femme and gender-expansive youth create, record, and release a full-length album with professional support, culminating in a live performance and public release, along with independent music projects and international touring.
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Original Music-Theater and Opera Production 1 activity
- Professional production and staging of original youth-created performancesProduces and stages original theater, music, and video performances created by participants, including full-length productions and stage readings, in professional venues across the U.S. such as The Flea Theater, Lincoln Center, and The Public Theater.
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Direct Mental Health Counseling and Support Services 1 activity
- Wellness and mental health support services for youth and staffOperates a free, year-round Wellness Program that provides culturally responsive mental health and wellness services to participants and staff, including individual and group therapy, subsidized counseling, restorative classes in yoga and breathwork, and collaborative reflection sessions.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Arts residencies with a radical healing frameworkConducts artistic residencies that use a radical healing approach to support full self-expression through collaborative ensemble performances, integrating social-emotional learning and creative development for youth of color.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$528K
Contributions & grants$519K98%
Program service revenue$9K2%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$877
expenses
Total expenses$585K
Program expenses45%
Admin / overhead55%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$254K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$211K
Cash$205K
Investments$0
Liabilities$100K
Net assets$111K
Liquid reserves4.2 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -1.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 7
- ALLISON PINCUS — BOARD CHAIR
- BERYL FORD — C0-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- DASHIELL FLYNN — DIRECTOR
- EBONY LIVINGSTON — DIRECTOR
- MICHELAN LEMONIER — C0-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- SIERRA JACKSON — SECRETARY
- TAYLOR ZACHARY — TREASURER
relationships · 37
Who they work with
- African American Policy Forum Partner — Collaborated on the creation of curriculums, performances, and social justice campaigns.
- Aperture Foundation Partner — Organization Beryl Briane Ford contributed to in a professional capacity.
- Betty’s Daughter Arts Collaborative Partner — Collaborating arts and wellness organization led by Ebony Noelle Golden.
- BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Partner — Organization where Beryl Briane Ford formerly served on the inaugural Board of Directors.
- Broadway Advocacy Coalition Partner — Collaborated on the creation of curriculums, performances, and social justice campaigns.
- Broadway at Marist College Partner — Collaborative partnership between viBe Theater Experience and Broadway at Marist College.
- Brooklyn Nets Partner — Collaborative partnership between viBe Theater Experience and the Brooklyn Nets.
- Camille A. Brown & Dancers Partner — Values-aligned wellness program partner collaborating with viBe Theater Experience.
- Colored Girls Hustle Inc. Partner — Partner organization in the Wellness Program, led by Taja Lindley.
- Columbia University Partner — Columbia University graduate students co-founded viBe Theater Experience and directed its first performance.
- HBO Max Partner — Appeared in the series RANDOM ACTS OF FLYNESS
- Instagram Partner — Platform used to share updates and engage with community; referenced as a channel for receiving updates about volunteer and engagement opportunities.
- Liberation-Based Therapy (LBT) LCSW, PLLC Partner — Provides licensed clinicians for group and individual wellness sessions and co-developed the Wellness Program.
- Lincoln Center Partner — Provided sound curation for Dream Machine at Lincoln Center
- NYC Fund for Girls and Young Women of Color Network — Participates in a collaborative philanthropic effort supporting girls and young women of color in NYC.
- New York City Arts in Education Roundtable Network — Part of an affinity group advocating for Black women teaching artists and administrators in the arts education field.
- New York Philharmonic Partner — Collaborated on the world premiere performance of a new arrangement of "We Shall Overcome."
- Oliver Scholars Partner — Engaged in panel discussions during Women's History Month 2024 on issues impacting girls and young women of color.
- Orr Group Partner — Participated in a roundtable discussion on evolving philanthropy for women and girls of color in the New York Metro area.
- Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery Partner — Organization Beryl Briane Ford contributed to in a professional capacity.
- Sounds Like Graffiti Partner — Produced the collaborative mixtape "Elegance through Poverty" with rap collective Sounds Like Graffiti.
- Studio Institute Partner — Partnership through the Bloomberg Arts Internship program, aligned around goals of self-advocacy and cultivating future arts leaders.
- The Circle Keepers Partner — Community-based youth development organization partnering with viBe on wellness initiatives.
- The Flea Theater Partner — Collaborative partnership between viBe Theater Experience and The Flea Theater.
- The Flea Theater Partner — Hosted a stage reading of an original play produced by viBe Theater Experience.
- The Flea Theater Partner — Provided co-sound design and DJ services for me vs, me
- The Museum of Modern Art Partner — Organization Beryl Briane Ford contributed to in a professional capacity.
- The NAP Partner — Co-leading the collaborative Journey To Self program as Co-Artistic Director.
- The NAP Partner — Collaborates with viBe Theater Experience on the program Journey To Self.
- The National Urban League Partner — Collaborated on the creation of curriculums, performances, and social justice campaigns.
+ 7 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-Led Collaborative Productionmethodology: artist_led_collaborationBy using collaborative, artist-led theater creation with professional mentorship — and transitioning leadership to alumni — the organization builds sustainable artistic leadership among femme and gender-expansive youth because peer-driven, ensemble-based ownership increases engagement and long-term impact.
- Arts-Integrated Wellness Modelmethodology: arts_integrated_wellnessBy integrating social-emotional learning, mental wellness, and restorative movement into arts residencies, the organization supports youth in finding their voice through embodied creative practice because emotional and artistic development are interdependent, especially for LGBTQIA+ and gender-expansive youth of color.
- Healing-Centered Arts Frameworkmethodology: healing_centered_engagementBy centering ancestral memory, Black queer femme praxis, and holistic wellness in artistic programming, the organization empowers marginalized youth to reclaim agency over identity, grief, and bodily autonomy because traditional trauma-informed models often re-traumatize — this approach shifts from "what happened to you?" to "what do you need?" to foster resilience.
- Youth-Led Storytelling for Narrative Changemethodology: storytelling_for_narrative_changeBy enabling girls and young women of color to author and share their own stories through original performance, the organization produces empowerment and cultural transformation because self-representation disrupts dominant narratives and positions marginalized voices as central agents of change.