named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Clara Lemlich Awards for Social Activism
Annual awards honoring women whose lifelong activism has created lasting change in labor and social justice movements
Debra E. Bernhardt Labor Journalism Prize
Annual $1,000 award for an article that advances public understanding of labor history, with a focus on insightful writing and historical context for current labor issues
LaborArts Online Exhibits
Curated digital exhibits featuring labor-related art, photographs, and cultural artifacts, including works on union banners, women in trades, and historical strikes
Making Work Visible Contest
Annual contest for CUNY undergraduates in fiction, non-fiction, and visual art that explore themes of work, workers, and the labor movement
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 3 activities
- Curate and host labor-themed exhibitionsCurates and hosts physical and online exhibitions highlighting labor history and culture, including pop-up and traveling exhibits such as "Memory in Cloth," "We Are One – Honoring Immigrant Garment Workers," "Labor in Crisis; Memory, Art and Race, 1911–1929," and "The ILGWU: Social Unionism in Action." Exhibits have been hosted at institutions including NYU’s Tamiment Library, the American Labor Museum/Botto House, and The Puffin Foundation.
- Document and celebrate labor arts and cultural heritageDocuments and celebrates the artistic and cultural heritage of working people and the labor movement through curated collections, public programs, and digital exhibits to promote public understanding of their contributions. Maintains a virtual museum and online searchable image collection focused on labor-related art and history.
- Publish and display May Day historical materialsCurates and presents a collection of posters, photographs, and historical images—primarily from New York City—documenting twentieth-century May Day celebrations, sourced from institutions such as the Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives and the Tamiment Library at NYU.
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Youth Writing Contests & Recognition Programs 1 activity
- Administer CUNY student writing and art contestOrganizes the annual "Making Work Visible" contest inviting CUNY undergraduates to submit original creative works exploring themes of work, workers, unpaid labor, immigration, family, and community. Awards monetary prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250 to first, second, and third place winners in Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Art categories. Hosted the 2025 awards ceremony on December 11, 2025.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Award labor history writing prizeProvides funding through the award of $1,000 to an article that exemplifies excellent writing for a general audience and advances understanding of labor history.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Present Clara Lemlich AwardsPresents the annual Clara Lemlich Awards to honor women with long-standing records of social activism. Ceremonies have been held at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, including in 2025 and 2026.
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Performing Arts Archival Preservation 1 activity
- Promote labor music heritageMakes historical labor movement songs from the 1930s and 1940s accessible to the public as part of its cultural preservation efforts.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Host Debra E. Bernhardt Forum and Labor Journalism PrizeHosts the annual Debra E. Bernhardt Forum to highlight labor history and its relevance to contemporary issues, and sponsors the Debra E. Bernhardt Labor Journalism Prize in collaboration with NYU’s Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives to promote public-facing labor journalism.
- Host Union Square labor history plaquesCommemorates the history of labor in New York’s Union Square through six illustrated brass plaques that highlight key moments and figures in the labor movement.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$50K
Contributions & grants$37K75%
Program service revenue$13K25%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$33K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$122K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$121K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +21.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 3
- Evelyn Jones Rich — Board Member
- May Ying Chen — Board Member
- Rachel Bernstein — Board Member / Executive D
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- AFL-CIO Partner — Endorsed Labor Arts through then-president John J. Sweeney, who called for union cooperation
- American Labor Museum/Botto House Partner — Co-hosted the "We Are One – Honoring Immigrant Garment Workers" exhibit in 2024.
- Bread and Roses Funder — Founding sponsor and cultural arm of SEIU Local 1199
- Bread and Roses Partner — Contact point for copyright information on certain images used in the website.
- CUNY Partner — Collaborates with CUNY through the "Making Work Visible" writing contest for students.
- CUNY Partner — Collaborates with CUNY to engage undergraduate students in a themed creative contest focused on labor and work.
- Cornell University Kheel Center Partner — Contact point for copyright information on certain images used in the website.
- Exhibits Network — Curated thematic displays integrated with the main image collection
- NYU’s Tamiment Library Partner — Hosted LaborArts' pop-up exhibit "Memory in Cloth" during fall 2023.
- NYU’s Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives Partner — Co-sponsors the Debra E. Bernhardt Labor Journalism Prize and hosts related events at NYU.
- New York City Central Labor Council Partner — LaborArts created the "New York City Works – Jobs, Advocacy, Action" exhibition for the New York City Central Labor Council.
- New York Labor History Association Partner — Co-sponsors the Debra E. Bernhardt Labor Journalism Prize and co-hosts the annual forum.
- New York Labor History Association Partner — Collaborates on promoting labor history events during May 2024.
- New York Society for Ethical Culture Partner — Hosted the 2026 Clara Lemlich Awards ceremony.
- Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives Partner — Founding sponsor and institutional collaborator at New York University
- Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives Partner — Provides historical images for exhibition and educational use.
- Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives/Tamiment Institute Library Partner — Contact point for copyright information on certain images used in the website.
- Service Employees International Union Partner — Union whose cultural arm (Bread and Roses) co-sponsored Labor Arts
- Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation Funder — Founding sponsor of Labor Arts
- Tamiment Library Partner — Founding sponsor at New York University, affiliated with the Wagner Labor Archives
- Tamiment Library at New York University Partner — Provides historical images for exhibition and educational use.
- The Puffin Foundation Partner — Co-hosted the "We Are One – Honoring Immigrant Garment Workers" exhibit in 2023.
- Union Square Partner — Collaborates on commemorative plaques documenting labor history in Union Square.
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.
- Cultural Documentation and Celebration to Advance Public Understandingmethodology: cultural-documentation-and-celebrationBy documenting and celebrating the artistic and cultural heritage of working people, the organization increases public recognition of the labor movement's societal contributions, because visibility and cultural affirmation foster broader public empathy and understanding of labor's role in social progress.
- Historical Contextualization to Deepen Public Engagementmethodology: historical_contextualizationBy connecting historical labor struggles and cultural traditions with contemporary issues, the organization deepens public understanding and relevance of labor advocacy, because anchoring current activism in historical narrative strengthens legitimacy and continuity of movement goals.
- Oral History Documentation to Highlight Individual Labor Impactmethodology: oral-history-documentationBy conducting in-depth audio and video interviews with labor pioneers—especially women in skilled trades—the organization preserves marginalized narratives and amplifies their societal impact, because personal storytelling humanizes systemic struggles and inspires future advocacy.