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JLSC EDUCATIONAL TOUR BUS INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 134085631 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B90 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · lennonbus.org
revenue
$601K
expenses
$286K
net assets
$374K
employees
0
program ratio
84%
mission · from form 990

TO STIMULATE, ENCOURAGE & PROMOTE STUDENTS' INTEREST AND APPERECIATION IN MUSIC.

profile · synthesized from sources

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a nonprofit mobile production studio that provides free hands-on music and media education programs to students across the United States and Europe. Since 1998, it has offered workshops in songwriting, audio and video production, and digital media creation, primarily targeting K-12 and college students, with a focus on underserved communities. The organization honors John Lennon’s legacy by fostering creativity, peace, and artistic expression through immersive, project-based learning experiences.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

John Lennon Songwriting Contest
Annual competition encouraging youth songwriting, with winners recognized during live events and virtual celebrations
Lennon Bus Europe
International extension of the program offering mobile media education across European countries
Studio Sessions
Full-day immersive programs where students create original songs, music videos, short films, or documentaries with guidance from onboard producer/engineers
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 4 activities
    • Facilitating event-based engagements and hosting opportunities
      Offers organizations and events the opportunity to host the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus for on-site programs, workshops, and demonstrations, enabling local student participation in media production and technical learning experiences.
    • Operating mobile music and media production studios for student engagement
      Operates mobile production studios, including the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, staffed by producer/engineers or producer-educators, that travel to schools, community events, festivals, and artist tours to provide hands-on music and media production experiences for students of all ages. These programs enable students to create original songs, music videos, short films, and documentaries, with a focus on underserved populations and themes like peace and social justice.
    • Producing original student-created content and media
      Facilitates the creation of original music, videos, and films by students during on-board and on-site programs, producing over 400 original songs and videos annually and premiering student works at culminating events held at schools, museums, and other venues.
    • Providing studio tours and technical education
      Offers public and educational tours of the mobile recording facility and studio spaces to demonstrate capabilities, educate visitors about career opportunities, and teach the technical aspects of audio, video, and broadcast production using current music gear and immersive technologies like Dolby Atmos playback.
  • Live Music Performances & Concerts 1 activity
    • Hosting live events and collaborations with artists and industry partners
      Participates in concerts, festivals, trade shows, and conferences such as NAMM and A3E events, delivering immersive studio experiences, live recordings, video production, jam sessions with professional musicians (e.g., Bootsy Collins), and access to industry panels and emerging technology demonstrations for students and attendees.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Generating broad media exposure through outreach and programming
      Generates over 5 billion annual media exposures across TV, radio, print, web, social media, outdoor, and internet platforms through its programs, events, and outreach initiatives.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$601K
Contributions & grants$600K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$9480%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$286K
Program expenses84%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$386K
Cash$375K
Investments$0
Liabilities$11K
Net assets$374K
Liquid reserves15.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +395.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 3
  • ANDREA TIMPONE — TREASURER
  • BRIAN ROTHSCHILD — EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
  • DAVID SONENBERG — PRESIDENT & CEO
relationships · 38

Who they work with

  • A3E Partner — Collaborates on a panel exploring the future of creativity, education, and innovation.
  • Apogee Partner — Provider of digital audio interfaces and recording equipment.
  • Apogee Electronics Partner — Collaborates with Apogee Electronics to host the bus for public tours and demonstrations in Santa Monica.
  • Apple, Inc. Partner — Corporate supporter providing resources or technology for the Lennon Bus programs.
  • Audio-Technica Partner — Supplier of audio equipment used in the bus’s production programs.
  • Avid Partner — Technology provider supporting digital media production on the bus.
  • Baker & McKenzie Partner — Legal services firm providing pro bono or sponsored support to the organization.
  • Battle Born Partner — Supporter providing power solutions for mobile operations.
  • Blackmagic Design Partner — Equipment or software donor enabling video production activities.
  • Brian Rothschild Partner — Co-founder of the Lennon Bus, instrumental in launching the organization in 1998.
  • Dolby Partner — Corporate supporter contributing expertise or equipment for sound and media production.
  • Dolby Partner — Hosts a session on music creation in Dolby Atmos, with demonstrations on the Lennon Bus.
  • Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center Partner — Collaborates on student arts programming and events
  • Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center Partner — Collaborates with the Lennon Bus on student video productions and arts education initiatives.
  • Genelec Partner — Collaborates with Genelec to support the bus’s mission of inspiring the next generation of musicians.
  • Genelec Partner — Technology partner supporting the audio production capabilities of the bus.
  • Gibson Gives Partner — Partners with Gibson Gives to support music education and songwriting through virtual events.
  • Grace Design Partner — Supporting partner providing audio technology or engineering solutions.
  • LANDR Partner — Engages in discussions on AI as a creative co-pilot for musicians and audio engineers.
  • NAMM Partner — Appears at NAMM trade show events to showcase music technology and engage students with industry demonstrations.
  • NAMM Partner — Collaborates with NAMM for scheduled events.
  • NVIDIA Partner — Participates in panels on AI audio technologies and ethical creative innovation.
  • National Association of Music Merchants Partner — Collaborates with NAMM through scheduled event participation.
  • National Association of Music Merchants Partner — Participates in NAMM events as part of its outreach and educational programming.
  • Native Instruments Partner — Music software and instrument developer supporting creative programming.
  • Neutrik Partner — Supplier of connectivity components for audio and video systems.
  • PRS Partner — Corporate supporter of the educational tour bus initiatives.
  • RennerVation Foundation Partner — Collaborated on production of student video "Everything Changes" featuring Jeremy Renner
  • RennerVation Foundation Partner — Partnered with the Lennon Bus on the student video production "Everything Changes" featuring Jeremy Renner.
  • Roland Partner — Music technology company supporting instrument and production needs.
+ 8 more
strategies · 5

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.

  • Civic Engagement Through Art and Storytelling
    methodology: civic_engagement_through_art
    By integrating themes of empathy, equality, truth, immigration, and peace into student creative projects and community events, we promote unity across social divides, because embedding civic values in artistic expression fosters deeper understanding and collective action.
  • Community-Partnered Outreach for Equitable Access
    methodology: community-partnered outreach
    By partnering with local community leaders to identify and engage student populations, we ensure access to media arts education for youth from underserved backgrounds, because trusted local relationships increase participation and relevance.
  • Mobile Hands-On Creative Education
    methodology: mobile-education-outreach
    By bringing mobile music and media production studios directly to diverse communities, we enable youth to engage in hands-on creation of audio, video, and broadcast content, because experiential access increases engagement and creative development among underserved populations.
  • Project-Based Learning with Professional Mentorship
    methodology: project-based_learning
    By guiding students through structured creative workflows led by professional producer-engineers, we produce finished media projects regardless of skill level, because real-world mentorship and tangible outcomes foster confidence, learning, and artistic ownership.
  • Responsible Innovation in Creative Education
    methodology: responsible innovation in creative education
    By promoting the imaginative and ethical use of AI and artificial creativity tools among emerging artists and educators, we foster responsible next-generation innovation, because early exposure to emerging technologies within a values-based framework shapes constructive adoption.