irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $342KRESIDENCIES, LITERARY PRESENTATION AND OTHER PROGRMAS THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MAKING OF BOOK ARTS IN ITS BROADEST TERMS.
- #2 $123KEXHIBITIONS AND COLLECTIONS RELATED TO THE BOOK ARTS, INCLUDING THE BOOK AS AN ART OBJECT, ARTIST BOOK, PRINTS, OTHER WORKS ON PAPER, AND REFERENCE LIBRARY RELATED TO BOOK ARTS.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Artist Residencies
Program providing opportunities for artists to explore and create works in the field of book arts.
Contemporary Artists’ Book Conference (CABC)
Annual conference featuring panels, talks, and conversations on artists’ books, hosted virtually and in New York City, with themes such as expanded literacy and visibility of artists’ books.
Exhibitions and Collections
Showcases of artists’ books, prints, and works on paper, including a reference library focused on book arts.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Administering artist residencies and commissionsAwards up to six year-long residencies annually to New York-based emerging and mid-career artists, providing studio space, time, financial support, and exhibition opportunities. Also commissions new works, such as a series of fourteen broadsides using the Futura typeface, and supports the creation of artists’ books through residencies and literary presentations.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Curating and presenting book arts exhibitionsPresents over ten curated exhibitions annually focused on the art of the book, including thematic shows exploring graphic design, photography, and the human experience through books. Exhibitions are held in-person and supported by public programs such as tours, artist talks, and workshops.
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Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Hosting public programs and conferencesOrganizes the annual Contemporary Artists’ Book Conference (CABC), featuring panel discussions, keynote events, and virtual programming. Also hosts live public programs including artist talks, poetry readings, and community gatherings, offered in-person and online.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Offering book arts education and workshopsOffers in-person and online workshops in the history, theory, and techniques of book art, with over 150 courses and more than 50 artist talks presented annually. Workshops are taught by experienced artist instructors and complemented by public programming such as poetry readings and community gatherings.
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Museum and Historical Gift Shops 1 activity
- Operating an online bookshopOperates an online Book Shop offering exhibition catalogs, limited-edition artist publications, and other book art materials, with ongoing order fulfillment despite occasional delays.
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Specialized Research Library Access 1 activity
- Operating public collections and archivesMaintains and provides access to a Fine Art Collection of over 3,000 artists' books, prints, and book art objects; a Reference Collection of over 2,000 books and periodicals; and an Archive Collection documenting institutional history. Collections are accessible in person by appointment and searchable via an online catalog, with historical exhibition records available through an online archive (1974–2009).
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Artist and Curatorial Publications 1 activity
- Producing and publishing exhibition catalogsProduces limited-edition, fully illustrated exhibition catalogs with commissioned essays, such as Performing Documents: Modes of Assembling (500 copies, 2022), Beyond Codex: Living Archives (200 copies, 2022), and Craft & Conceptual Art: Reshaping the Legacy of Artists’ Books (500 copies, 2023). Catalogs are available for sale through the online bookshop.
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Community Makerspace Access and Training 1 activity
- Providing studio access and equipment rentalsOperates a fully equipped bindery and printshop studio with historic and modern tools, offering hourly, monthly, and annual rental options for certified users. Provides mandatory safety training, technical support via Studio Ambassadors, and optional storage rentals. Access is managed through an online reservation system.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.00M
Contributions & grants$611K61%
Program service revenue$390K39%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.11M
Program expenses73%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$657K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$831K
Cash$206K
Investments$0
Liabilities$182K
Net assets$649K
Liquid reserves2.2 mo
4 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -7.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CORINA REYNOLDS | Executive Dir. | 40 | $113K |
board members · 12
- ALEKSANDRA GRINSHTEYN — Director
- ASHER SCHLUSSELBERG — Vice Chair
- GAIL COLEMAN — Treasurer
- JESSE ERICKSON — Director
- MARIA FREDERICKS — Vice Chair
- MILAN HUGHSTON — Director
- MIRIAM SCHAER — Director
- NEAL GRENLEY — Secretary
- SHEILA BRATHWAITE — Committee Chair
- STEPHEN BURY — Board Chair
- SZILVIA SZMUK-TANENBAUM — Director
- TOM FREUDENHEIM — Committee Chair
relationships · 34
Who they work with
- Anthony Tino Partner — Co-curated the group exhibition Beyond Codex: Living Archives
- Austin Book Arts Center Partner — Reciprocal membership benefits including discounts on classes, merchandise, and studio time
- Bibliographical Society of America Partner — Reciprocal membership benefits including discounts on classes, merchandise, and studio time
- Camilo Otero Partner — Co-curator of the after futura exhibition
- Center for Book Arts Network — Oldest nonprofit dedicated to uplifting the book arts
- EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop Partner — Reciprocal membership benefits including discounts on classes, merchandise, and studio time; CBA members may join at no additional fee
- Eva Parra Partner — Co-curator of the after futura exhibition
- Golnar Adili Partner — Presented in the solo exhibition Father Gave Water/Baabaa Aab Daad
- Google Partner — Uses Google Calendar to publish Studio Ambassador schedules.
- Grolier Club Partner — Co-hosted the 2024 CABC keynote event and provided additional support for the conference.
- International Council Network — Global network of book arts professionals advising and supporting CBA's international engagement.
- Manhattan Graphics Center Partner — Reciprocal membership benefits including discounts on classes, merchandise, and studio time
- Megan N. Liberty Partner — Curated the group exhibition Craft & Conceptual Art: Reshaping the Legacy of Artists’ Books
- Metropolitan Museum of Art Network — Holds Sarah Plimpton's artist's books in its public collection.
- Morcos Key Partner — Presented in the solo exhibition Makes/Reads
- Morgan Library Network — Holds Sarah Plimpton's artist's books in its public collection.
- National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Provides award funding for Center for Book Arts' programs
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Federal funder providing an award to support Center for Book Arts' programs
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Provides award funding for CBA’s visual arts programming.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provides public funds for CBA’s visual arts programming in partnership with the City Council.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provides public funds for Center for Book Arts' programs in partnership with the City Council
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Public funder supporting Center for Book Arts' programs in partnership with the City Council
- New York Public Library Network — Holds Sarah Plimpton's artist's books in its public collection.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Provides support for Center for Book Arts' programs
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Provides partial support for CBA’s visual arts programming with support from the New York State Legislature.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Public funder supporting Center for Book Arts' programs
- Paige Landesberg Partner — Curated the group exhibition Performing Documents: Modes of Assembling
- Printed Matter Partner — Longtime programming partner for the Contemporary Artists’ Book Conference, linked to Printed Matter’s Art Book Fairs.
- Q-Reserve Partner — Platform used for studio reservations and account management by Center for Book Arts members.
- Richard Minsky Collection Partner — Finding aid available for the Richard Minsky Collection, containing correspondence, photographs, and ephemera from CBA's early years.
+ 4 more
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.
- Book as Dynamic Cultural and Exhibition Spacemethodology: living_archivesBy treating the book and printed page as living exhibition spaces and circulation networks, the organization situates book arts within broader cultural conversations, because this dual function enables artistic dialogue across time and communities while re-animating historical forms.
- Democratization of Publishing and Artistic Accessmethodology: democratization_of_publishingBy using book arts as a medium outside commercial publishing and gallery systems, the organization empowers individuals to create and distribute work, because removing institutional gatekeeping expands who can participate in cultural production. This is reinforced through fee assistance, scholarships, and inclusive programming that centers non-dominant voices.
- Expanded and Participatory Literacy Through Artists' Booksmethodology: expanded-literacyBy engaging with artists’ books as multi-sensory, non-linear objects, participants develop literacy beyond reading and writing—because visual, material, and interactive engagement fosters active, participatory meaning-making that challenges dominant educational models.