named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
1000 Islands Art & Craft Festival
Juried outdoor festival showcasing regional artisans in fiber arts, woodworking, pottery, jewelry, and more
Elves' Fair
Juried holiday craft market featuring local vendors selling handmade gifts, art, and artisanal treats
Weave Across America
A commemorative project inviting 50 fiber artists, one from each U.S. state, to create an 8”x8” woven interpretation of the American flag; selected works will be assembled into a coverlet for the permanent collection and exhibited
Weaving History Conference
An annual virtual conference bringing together historians, artists, and scholars to explore the cultural and historical significance of handweaving and fiber arts
Year-Round Arts Curriculum
Offers over 75 annual classes in weaving, pottery, and heritage arts for adults, teens, and children
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Delivering art education programs for adults, teens, and childrenOffers more than 75 annual art education classes for adults, teens, and children, taught by professional artists and focused on heritage arts techniques. These programs are part of a year-round curriculum and serve over 500 students annually.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Hosting public exhibitions and rotating gallery showsHosts multiple public exhibitions annually in two galleries, featuring handwoven textiles from its permanent collection, individual artist spotlights, and community-curated, multi-media juried shows.
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Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Organizing an annual Weaving History ConferenceHosts the Weaving History Conference annually, which has run for 28 consecutive years as of 2025. The conference includes virtual presentations on the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of handweaving and related fiber arts, with selected presenters receiving a $50 honorarium.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Producing juried art and craft festivals and marketsOrganizes a juried art and craft festival and a juried holiday art and craft market, both featuring regional artisans and handmade goods including gifts, decor, and artisanal food items.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Commissioning and collecting collaborative fiber art projectsInvites weavers and fiber artists to submit handwoven interpretations of the American flag; selects works for inclusion in a collaborative coverlet displayed in the museum and preserved in the permanent collection. Artists whose work is selected receive a $250 honorarium, and non-selected submissions are compiled into a book that travels with the coverlet and is preserved in the collection.
- Digitizing and preserving textile collections for public accessDigitized its entire textile collection between 2009 and 2010, producing over 11,000 photographs to create a searchable online database that supports public and scholarly access.
- Operating a handweaving museum and arts center with permanent collections and dedicated studio spacesOperates a year-round arts center featuring a permanent, climate-controlled collection of 20,000 handwoven textiles, a library, and two dedicated studios for weaving and pottery. The organization maintains this collection and provides expanded gallery and classroom space in a 13,000 sq. ft. facility.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.81M
Contributions & grants$2.60M93%
Program service revenue$73K3%
Investment income$39K1%
Other revenue$97K
expenses
Total expenses$399K
Program expenses50%
Admin / overhead30%
Fundraising20%
Salaries & benefits$235K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.30M
Cash$834K
Investments$912K
Liabilities$257K
Net assets$3.04M
Liquid reserves52.5 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +578.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARAH RIDDOCH | EXEC DIRECTO | 40 | $45K |
| KATHLEEN FURGUSON | EXEC DIRECTO | 40 | $7K |
board members · 17
- AMY PHELPS — MEMBER
- CAROLINE LARSON — MEMBER
- CHRIS MURRAY — PAST VICE CH
- CINDY MCLEAN — MEMBER
- DOREEN GARRETT WILLIAMS — MEMBER
- HARRIET BURRIS — MEMBER
- JAN HAMPTON — CHAIR
- JESSICA MURRAY — ASSISTANT SE
- JOY RHINEBECK — TREASURER
- KATHY ELLIOTT — MEMBER
- KATHY HANNA — MEMBER
- MARGOT MILLER — MEMBER
- MARTY YENAWINE — MEMBER
- MEG CADDICK — MEMBER
- ROBIN GEDNEY LUCAS — MEMBER
- SALLIE LAKE — SECRETARY
- SARAH ELLEN SMITH — MEMBER
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- Cerow Recreation Park Arena Partner — Hosts the 1000 Islands Art & Craft Festival at its venue.
- Hot Kogan Partner — Provided live music for the Summer Arts Send-Off event.
- Institute of Museum and Library Services Funder — Provided a federal grant to support the digitization of the Arts Center's textile collection.
- Lynn Thompson Partner — Events & Membership Coordinator who manages the Dine-Around program.
- Marina Partner — Staff contact for exhibition proposals and artist outreach.
- Mary and Ted Mascott Children’s Art Fund Funder — Funds children's access to the arts through the Thousand Islands Arts Center.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Provided funding support for the new facility project, with additional backing from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Provides state-supported funding for arts programming at the Thousand Islands Arts Center.
- RBC Foundation USA Funder — Provides funding support for arts programming at the Thousand Islands Arts Center.
- The Coby Foundation, Ltd. Funder — Provides funding for the Weave Across America project.
- Thousand Islands Arts Center Network — Hosts the Weaving History Conference under its organizational umbrella.
- Thousand Islands Arts Center Partner — Hosts the Elves' Fair event at its facility and promotes it as part of its programming.
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.
- Heritage Arts Preservation through Education and Stewardship 55 orgsmethodology: heritage-arts-preservationBy combining education, exhibition, and institutional stewardship, the organization advances and preserves traditional artistic skills and textile arts, because engaging the public through curated experiences reinforces cultural continuity and ensures intergenerational transmission of craft knowledge.shared approach: Cultural Preservation Through Artistic Practice →
- Art-Based Public Engagement for Contemporary Meaning-Makingmethodology: art-as-public-engagementBy inviting public participation in symbolic textile creation, the organization fosters personal and collective reflection on cultural identity, because hands-on artistic contribution enables deeper emotional and civic engagement with national and social themes.
- Inclusive Curation as a Driver of Artistic Innovation and Representationmethodology: inclusive_artist_programmingBy using juried selection processes and intentionally incorporating new artists and diverse mediums into programming, the organization fosters artistic innovation and broader representation, because structured inclusivity in curation elevates underrepresented voices and strengthens community relevance.