named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Annual Gala and Artist in Industry Award
Annual fundraising event honoring individuals who bridge art and industry, featuring dinner, performances, and recognition of awardees like David Lang and Janet Wong
Artist Residencies and Commissions
Provides time, space, and resources for experimental performance artists to develop new work through structured residencies and commissioning opportunities
Taste of Long Island City
Community and economic development initiative that raised funds for the theater and highlighted local food and culture; ran for 14 years
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Original Dance Performance Production 1 activity
- Co-commissioning new performance worksCo-commissions and supports the creation of new dance and performance works by contemporary artists, such as the premiere of a dance piece by Moriah Evans.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Hosting annual fundraising and community development eventsOrganized and operated the annual Taste of Long Island City, a 14-year-running initiative that combined community engagement and fundraising, and hosts galas such as the Fifth Annual Gala in 2026 to honor contributions to the arts.
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Subsidized Rehearsal and Performance Space 1 activity
- Operating an artist-run incubator for experimental performanceProvides a space and infrastructure for experimental performance through an artist-run, artist-centered model, functioning as a community anchor in Long Island City. The organization supports the development and presentation of innovative performance works by artists.
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Experimental Circus and Immersive Theater Production 1 activity
- Producing and presenting multidisciplinary performance projectsProduces and presents original, multidisciplinary projects that combine live performance, archival installations, digital media, sound, text, and cultural elements to explore intergenerational and regional narratives. These include site-specific installations and ensemble productions presented both at its venue and in other locations such as Houston, TX.
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Cultural Facility Development and Management 1 activity
- Securing and maintaining a permanent performance venueSecured a permanent home for The Chocolate Factory Theater in Long Island City through a collaboration with the City of New York in 2017, enabling sustained operations and programming.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.00M
Contributions & grants$846K84%
Program service revenue$68K7%
Investment income$3K0%
Other revenue$85K
expenses
Total expenses$1.01M
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$685K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.74M
Cash$363K
Investments$0
Liabilities$71K
Net assets$1.66M
Liquid reserves4.3 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -2.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHEILA LEWANDOWSKI | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 60 | $112K |
| BRIAN ROGERS | ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 60 | $110K |
board members · 10
- CHRIS AJEMIAN — TRUSTEE
- DANIEL FISH — TRUSTEE
- DIANA MANALANG — TRUSTEE
- DIANE EISENSTAT — PRESIDENT
- FRANK WU — TREASURER
- JERRY LASPISA — TRUSTEE
- JIMMY VAN BRAMER — VICE PRESIDENT
- MOE YOUSUF — TRUSTEE
- NEIL GREENBERG — SECRETARY
- VALLEJO GANTNER — TRUSTEE
relationships · 10
Who they work with
- City of New York Government — Collaborated with The Chocolate Factory Theater to secure a permanent home in 2017.
- Diana Manalang / Little Chef Little Cafe Partner — Provided catering for the 2026 Gala.
- DiverseWorks Partner — Co-presented Memory Fleet: A Return to Matr in Houston, TX
- Houston MET Dance Partner — Co-presented Memory Fleet: A Return to Matr in Houston, TX
- New York Live Arts Partner — Co-presented performances of Memory Fleet: Beloved, Let’s Cross
- New Yorkers for Culture and the Arts Network — Sheila Lewandowski is a founding board member and returned to the board in 2025.
- Queens Council on the Arts Partner — Sheila Lewandowski served as the first Managing Director from 2004 to 2006, reorganizing operations and expanding programs.
- Vera List Center for Art and Politics Partner — Supported a dance work through a fellowship program.
- Villa Albertine Partner — Provided additional support for a dance work.
- Walker Art Center Partner — Co-commissioned a dance work with The Chocolate Factory Theater.
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.
- Artist-Led Incubationmethodology: artist-led incubationBy placing artists in leadership roles to incubate experimental performance, the organization produces innovation and deeper community engagement because artistic autonomy fosters authentic, risk-taking work that resonates culturally and socially.
- Embodied Knowledge as Political Inquirymethodology: embodied_knowledgeBy using dance and performance to investigate the body as a site of political and existential meaning, the organization produces transformative experiences because engaging interdependence and lived experience through movement deepens individual and collective understanding.
- Intergenerational Cultural Transmission through Performancemethodology: intergenerational cultural preservationBy combining interdisciplinary performance with archival practices, the organization preserves and activates cultural knowledge across generations because ritual, sound, text, and movement together sustain living traditions and foster collective memory.