named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
City that Drinks the Mountain Sky
Puppet theater production tracing New York City’s water supply from the Catskill Mountains, emphasizing watershed protection and climate change challenges
DIRT: The Secret Life of Soil
Educational puppet show exploring soil science, plant-fungi relationships, and microbial ecosystems, designed to engage urban and rural audiences alike
Estuary Tales
Theatrical performance combining large-scale puppetry and live music to explore the history and ecology of the Hudson River, highlighting conservation efforts and community stewardship
One Blue Sky
Original mask and puppet theater production following a young girl’s mythic journey, featuring live music and symbolic visual poetry; performed at multiple venues across New York
Theater Arts Intensive
Training program for students to collaborate with company members on annual productions such as the Esopus Creek Puppet Suite
Waterfront Wednesdays
Weekly summer performance series at the Tidewater Center in Saugerties, NY, featuring puppet theater, live music, and family-friendly pre-show activities
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Deliver artist-in-residence and educational theater workshopsConducts hands-on artist-in-residence programs and immersive theater arts workshops for diverse groups including youth in inner-city schools, immigrant families, adjudicated youth, and hearing-impaired youth. Programs last 5 to 10 days and guide participants in creating theater productions through mask-making, puppetry, sculpture, music, and creative writing, culminating in public performances.
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Free Outdoor & Community Theater Productions 1 activity
- Host free public performances and events at Tidewater CenterHosts free public performances and community events at the Tidewater Center in Saugerties, NY, including the weekly Waterfront Wednesdays series in July and the annual ESOPUS CREEK PUPPET SUITE. The venue operates seasonally from May to September and includes hospitality services such as parking, reception, and merchandise support for up to 12 annual events.
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Puppetry and Improv Theater Programs 1 activity
- Produce and tour mask and puppet theater performancesProduces and presents large-scale mask and puppet theater performances, touring to cultural centers, festivals, parks, schools, and community venues across New York and the Northeast USA. Performances are held on traditional stages, indoors, and in outdoor settings, with a repertoire spanning over 40 years.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Conduct outreach and documentation for public eventsConducts outreach to local businesses for event sponsorships, distributes promotional materials to publicize events, and documents public events at the Tidewater Center through photography and video recording.
- Develop and operate Tidewater Center as a cultural parkTransforms the ruins of a 19th-century papermill into a seasonal waterfront cultural park called the Tidewater Center, operating from May to September. Activities include constructing and improving facilities, installing and dismantling performance infrastructure annually, landscaping, and implementing ecological improvements such as a perennial buffer strip to filter runoff.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$209K
Contributions & grants$146K70%
Program service revenue$63K30%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$71
expenses
Total expenses$162K
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$108K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$430K
Cash$38K
Investments$0
Liabilities$22K
Net assets$408K
Liquid reserves2.8 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -12.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 13
- DEBORAH CONATHAN — MEMBER AT LA
- ELI WINOGRAD — CHAIR
- ELIZA BLUM — MEMBER AT LA
- JOLANDA JANSEN — CO CHAIR
- JOSEPHINE PAGAGNI — TREASURER
- PETER VARNER — MEMBER AT LA
- RAKEL STAMMER — MEMBER AT LA
- SHABAZZ JACKSON — MEMBER AT LA
- SHELLEY WYANT — MEMBER AT LA
- SOYAL SMALLS — MEMBER AT LA
- SUSAN MURPHY — SECRETARY
- VICTORIO DECKER — MEMBER AT LA
- ZACK REDMOND — MEMBER AT LA
relationships · 60
Who they work with
- Adam Pumilio Partner — Volunteer coordinator for Tidewater Education Squad, leading Waterfront Wednesday educational programming.
- Arts Mid-Hudson Government — Administers Ulster County Cultural Services and Promotion Fund grants
- Ashokan Center Partner — Hosts performances of One Blue Sky during Summer Hoot festival
- Bailey Pottery Equipment Partner — Business sponsor of 2025 season
- Beacon Sloop Club Partner — Co-presents events such as the Beacon Pumpkin Festival where DIRT is performed
- Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Partner — Hosts performances of One Blue Sky
- Cantine’s Island Homeowners Association Partner — Sponsor of 2025 season and ongoing supporter
- Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies Partner — Hosted Marlena Marallo and Patrick Wadden as Artists-in-Residence in 2014.
- Catskill Watershed Corporation Partner — 2025 season sponsor
- Coalition for a Fair Game Funder — 2023 foundation supporter
- Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley Funder — 2024 foundation supporter
- FACEBOOK Partner — Platform used for sharing live show updates and organizational news
- Green Feather Foundation Funder — 2025 foundation sponsor
- Grist Mill Real Estate Partner — Business sponsor of 2025 season
- Hudson Valley Foundation for Youth Health Funder — 2025 foundation sponsor
- INSTAGRAM Partner — Platform used for sharing live show updates and organizational news
- Jared Reinmuth Partner — Volunteer coordinator for Hospitality Squad and Documentarian Squad at Tidewater Center.
- Jim Henson Foundation Funder — 2025 foundation sponsor
- Jim Henson Foundation Funder — Provides support for productions including One Blue Sky
- Kingston Klock Foundation Funder — 2025 foundation sponsor
- Kiwanis Club of Saugerties Partner — Sponsor of 2025 season and multi-year supporter
- Klock Kingston Foundation Funder — 2024 and 2023 foundation supporter
- Laura Jane Musser Fund Funder — Multi-year foundation supporter (2024, 2023, 2022)
- Liam King Handyman Partner — 2025 season sponsor
- MJ Smythe Partner — Coordinator for Publicity Squad, managing distribution of promotional materials for Tidewater Center events.
- Malcolm Gordon Charitable Fund Funder — 2025 foundation sponsor and multi-year supporter
- Malcolm Gordon Charitable Trust Funder — Multi-year foundation supporter (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021)
- Mid-Hudson Federal Credit Union Partner — Business sponsor of 2025 season
- NYC DEC Government — Sponsors the Estuary Tales performance
- NYS Council on the Arts Government — Provides partial support for productions including One Blue Sky
+ 30 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.
- Arts-Based Learning for Inclusion and Wellbeingmethodology: arts_for_wellbeingBy using participatory arts and interdisciplinary, theme-based residencies, we strengthen individual and collective wellbeing and support students with academic and language challenges, because creative engagement fosters emotional resilience, builds social cohesion, and offers alternative pathways to learning and expression.
- Community-Engaged Puppet Theater for Ecological Awarenessmethodology: place_based_puppet_theaterBy creating large-scale, handmade puppet and mask theater rooted in local landscapes and ecological themes, we foster public engagement with environmental stewardship and counteract digital alienation, because embodied, place-based storytelling strengthens community connection and makes complex ecological systems tangible and emotionally resonant.
- Free, Adaptable Public Performances to Maximize Accessibilitymethodology: free_public_access_through_partnershipsBy designing performances to be adaptable across physical environments and offering them free through partnerships, we ensure broad public access and community participation, because removing financial and logistical barriers allows diverse audiences to engage with artistic content regardless of age, background, or location.
- Iterative, Community-Rooted Performance Seriesmethodology: iterative_community_performance_seriesBy developing recurring performance series tied to local landscapes and environmental issues, we deepen community investment over time, because ongoing narratives foster sustained engagement, collective memory, and long-term stewardship of place.
- Science Communication Through Visual Storytellingmethodology: science_communication_through_puppetryBy combining scientific content about ecological systems with traditional puppetry and visual storytelling, we make complex environmental processes accessible and engaging, because narrative and imagery can convey abstract or technical knowledge in ways that are emotionally compelling and understandable to general audiences.