irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $2.16MCOLLECTION MANAGEMENT: IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CURATORIAL TEAM, COLLECTION MANAGEMENT ALSO SPENT MOST OF FY25 PREPARING FOR THE NOVEMBER 2025 BUILDING OPENING, PROVIDING LABOR AND LOGISTICS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE INAUGURAL EXHIBITIONS INCLUDING TOM LLOYD, FROM NOW: A COLLECTION IN CONTEXT, AND TO BE A PLACE, IN ADDITION TO NEWLY-COMMISSIONED WORKS BY CAMILLE NORMENT, CHRISTOPHER MYERS AND KAPWANI KIWANGA. COLLECTION MANAGEMENT ALSO CONTINUED ITS LONG-TERM PROJECT OF INVENTORYING WORKS, PHOTOGRAPHING THEM, CONDUCTING CONDITION REPORTS, AND SHIPPING OBJECTS TO CONSERVATORS AND FRAMERS. THIS ENABLED THE TEAM TO CONSERVE AND RESTORE VULNERABLE WORKS IN THE COLLECTION.
- #2 $2.02MLEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT: IN FY25, THE LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT CONTINUED TO DEEPEN CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ART AND COMMUNITY THROUGH PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO NURTURE CREATIVITY, EXPAND ACCESS, AND SUPPORT AUDIENCES ACROSS GENERATIONS. SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS TRANSFORMED LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS INTO COLLABORATIVE ART SPACES WHERE ARTIST EDUCATORS LED HANDS-ON PROJECTS ROOTED IN INQUIRY-BASED METHODS OF EXPLORATION, STRENGTHENING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH ARTISTS OF AFRICAN DESCENT AND THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION WHILE SUPPORTING TEACHERS WITH TAILORED ART-BASED CURRICULUM.COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROVIDED SUSTAINED CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT FOR ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS HARLEM AND NEW YORK CITY, OFFERING ARTMAKING WORKSHOPS, ARTIST VISITS, AND COLLABORATIVE INSTALLATIONS THAT CENTERED WELLNESS, REFLECTION, AND COMMUNITY STORYTELLING. THESE PARTNERSHIPS ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS INCLUDING OLDER ADULTS, YOUTH IMPACTED BY THE JUVENILE COURT AND FOSTER CARE SYSTEMS, AND INDIVIDUALS NAVIGATING REENTRY, REINFORCING THE MUSEUM'S COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBLE, COMMUNITY-CENTERED ARTS EDUCATION.TEEN PROGRAMS FOSTERED A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXPLORE IDENTITY, DEVELOP ARTISTIC AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND CONNECT WITH PRACTICING ARTISTS. THE STUDIO MUSEUM'S SIGNATURE YOUTH PROGRAM, EXPANDING THE WALLS: MAKING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PHOTOGRAPHY, HISTORY AND COMMUNITY CELEBRATED ITS 25TH YEAR, WITH AN INTENSIVE PHOTOGRAPHY-BASED CURRICULUM, COMPLEMENTED BY FIELD EXCURSIONS, ARTIST TALKS, AND INTERGENERATIONAL COLLABORATIONS THAT NURTURED CONFIDENCE, CREATIVITY, AND A SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG PARTICIPANTS. FAMILY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING MONTHLY LIL' STUDIO SESSIONS, PROVIDED PATHWAYS FOR FAMILIES TO EXPLORE ART TOGETHER AND CONTINUED TO EXTEND THE MUSEUM'S CONNECTION WITH FAMILIES IN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS LOCAL LIBRARIES. STUDIO MUSEUM INSTITUTE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FELLOWSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, MUSEUM EDUCATION PRACTICUM AND ARTS LEADERSHIP PRAXIS CONTINUED TO CULTIVATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ARTS CULTURAL WORKERS AND LEADERS IN THE FIELD. PUBLIC PROGRAMS ORGANIZED FREE PUBLIC EVENTS OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUDIENCES TO ENGAGE WITH THE STUDIO MUSEUM'S ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE AND TO CONNECT WITH EXHIBITIONS THROUGH PROGRAMMING FEATURING ARTISTS, CURATORS, AND SCHOLARS.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Artist-in-Residence Program
Supports early-career artists of African and Afro-Latinx descent through studio space and professional development; has supported over 150 artists since inception.
Expanding the Walls
Youth program for NYC teens that combines photography, history, and community, culminating in an annual exhibition.
Learning and Engagement
Provides arts education through school and community partnerships, family programs, and intergenerational workshops.
Permanent Collection Exhibitions
Rotating exhibitions from the museum’s collection of over 800 artists, including thematic and legacy-focused presentations.
Public Programs
Free events featuring artists, curators, and scholars in connection with exhibition programming.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 2 activities
- Cultivating emerging arts leaders through training programsThe Studio Museum Institute offers professional development opportunities including fellowships, internships, a museum education practicum, and arts leadership praxis to train and cultivate the next generation of leaders in the arts, particularly those focused on Black artistic practice and institutional innovation.
- Running an Artist-in-Residence programThe museum offers an eleven-month annual residency for three artists of African and Afro-Latinx descent working in any media, providing studio space, a stipend, institutional guidance, professional development, and research support. Since its founding in 1969, the program has supported over 150 artists, culminating in a public exhibition and publication of the residents’ work.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 2 activities
- Managing and exhibiting a permanent art collectionThe museum holds a permanent collection of nearly 9,000 works by over 800 artists of African descent spanning more than 200 years, including major gifts such as over 400 artworks from Peggy Cooper Cafritz in 2018. It displays works from this collection through rotating installations and inaugural exhibitions such as Tom Lloyd, From Now: A Collection in Context, and To Be a Place, with plans to display nearly 500 works annually.
- Presenting temporary and commissioned exhibitionsThe museum presents temporary exhibitions and commissions site-specific works by contemporary artists, including Kapwani Kiwanga’s BLEED (2026), David Hammons: Untitled (2025), and sound and sculptural installations like Camille Norment’s Untitled (heliotrope) for the terrace staircase. It also organizes influential group exhibitions such as the “F” shows series, beginning with Freestyle in 2001.
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Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
- Conducting guided and self-guided toursThe museum offers 45- to 60-minute guided tours for groups of all ages, 90-minute guided tours with art-making workshops for Pre-K to 12th grade students, and fifteen-minute gallery talks led by Museum Educators each Sunday. Self-guided tours are available for adult groups of 10–25 with advance reservation via mobile ticketing during regular museum hours.
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Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
- Offering accessible and inclusive visitor experiencesThe museum provides accessibility resources including monthly verbal description tours for blind and low-vision visitors, ASL-led tours for Deaf visitors, art engagement tours for adults with memory disorders, sensory kits, ear defenders, manual wheelchairs, rollators, assistive listening devices, tactile elements, and CART captioning upon request. Detailed verbal descriptions of artworks are also available via the website and Bloomberg Connects app.
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Cultural Facility Development and Management 1 activity
- Operating a new museum building in HarlemThe Studio Museum in Harlem constructed and operates an 82,000-square-foot purpose-built facility on West 125th Street, designed by Adjaye Associates with Cooper Robertson, to expand exhibition space, enable simultaneous display of permanent collection installations, and increase educational and public programming capacity. The building opened in November 2025 as a cultural anchor in the community through a public-private partnership with the City of New York.
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Youth Photography Education 1 activity
- Providing educational and youth programsThe museum runs Expanding the Walls, a signature 25-year youth photography program offering an intensive curriculum, field excursions, artist talks, and intergenerational collaborations for teens. It also partners with local public schools to transform classrooms into collaborative art spaces using inquiry-based methods and offers Lil’ Studio and monthly family art-making sessions in collaboration with community organizations like the NYPL Harlem Library.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Delivering public programs and community eventsThe museum hosts Uptown Fridays, an ongoing summer event series since 2000 that activates multiple spaces—including the Stoop, fifth floor, and Rooftop Terrace—with music, dance, gallery access, and one free cocktail or mocktail for guests aged 21+. It also provides family-centered programming every Sunday with free admission, including tours, workshops, Storytime, and drop-in art-making activities.
- Producing digital and archival contentThe museum preserves and provides access to its historical records through its Archives program and produces the web-based series Collection in Context, which offers thematic interpretations of artworks in the permanent collection to provide new perspectives on Black artistic production since the early nineteenth century. It also launched a new website featuring expanded digital access to collections and programs as part of an institutional rebrand.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$61.75M
Contributions & grants$58.72M95%
Program service revenue$25K0%
Investment income$2.01M3%
Other revenue$995K
expenses
Total expenses$18.90M
Program expenses65%
Admin / overhead21%
Fundraising15%
Salaries & benefits$8.99M
Grants paid out$118K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$327.70M
Cash$19.52M
Investments$52.71M
Liabilities$40.13M
Net assets$287.57M
Liquid reserves45.9 mo
7 years on record · 2018–2024 · YoY revenue +42.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 10
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THELMA GOLDEN | DIRECTOR AND CHIEF CURATOR | 40 | $354K |
| CHAKSHU PATEL | CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER | 40 | $304K |
| DEBRA WHITE GENERAL | COUNSEL AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $295K |
| JODI HANEL FERNANDEZ | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $214K |
| TONY WONG | SENIOR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $207K |
| TERRENCE PHEARSE II | CHIEF OF STAFF | 40 | $199K |
| ISATA YANSANEH | DIRECTOR OF MARKETING | 40 | $196K |
| FEDERICO MORROBEL | DIRECTOR OF BUILDING OPERATIONS | 40 | $191K |
| SHANTA LAWSON SENIOR | DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT | 40 | $178K |
| NATASHA LOGAN | CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $139K |
board members · 15
- ANDREW MARKS — TRUSTEE
- ANN G TENENBAUM — TRUSTEE
- ARTHUR J HUMPHREY JR — TRUSTEE
- BERNARD I LUMPKIN — TRUSTEE
- CAROL SUTTON LEWIS — VICE-CHAIR
- CC MELVIN IKE — TRUSTEE
- DAMIEN R DWIN — VICE-CHAIR
- DANIELLE COOPER WILLIAMS — TRUSTEE
- DR AMELIA OGUNLESI — TRUSTEE
- DR ANITA BLANCHARD — TRUSTEE
- DR HENRY LOUIS GATES JR — TRUSTEE
- DR MICHAEL L LOMAX — TRUSTEE
- GEORGE L KNOX — TRUSTEE
- GORDON J DAVIS ESQ — TRUSTEE
- HOLLY PETERSON — TRUSTEE
relationships · 31
Who they work with
- Adjaye Associates Partner — Lead architectural firm, in collaboration with Cooper Robertson, for the design of the Studio Museum’s new building.
- Albert Vecerka/Esto Partner — Photographic partner documenting exhibitions at the Studio Museum in Harlem.
- American Express Kenneth and Kathryn Chenault Sponsorship Fund Funder — Provides additional support for the Artist-in-Residence program
- Andrea Frank Foundation Funder — Established an endowment supporting the Artist-in-Residence program
- Arts & Minds Partner — Collaborates with the Studio Museum in Harlem to host monthly art engagement tours for adults with memory disorders and their caregivers.
- Bloomberg Connects Partner — Partnership to host and distribute audio content related to exhibitions.
- City of New York Government — Public-private partner in the construction of the Studio Museum’s new building on West 125th Street.
- Cooper Robertson Partner — Architectural collaborator with Adjaye Associates on the design of the Studio Museum’s new building.
- Duke Ellington School of the Arts Partner — Co-beneficiary of Peggy Cooper Cafritz's art collection bequest.
- Glenstone Foundation Funder — Primary funder of the Artist-in-Residence program
- Harlem Cycle Partner — Participating business in the Harlem Neighborhood Discount Program offering discounts to Studio Museum Members.
- Harlem Shake Partner — Participating business in the Harlem Neighborhood Discount Program offering discounts to Studio Museum Members.
- Harlem Yoga Studio Partner — Participating business in the Harlem Neighborhood Discount Program offering discounts to Studio Museum Members.
- Hennessy Partner — Provided sponsorship for Uptown Fridays' signature cocktail.
- Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Trust Funder — Established an endowment supporting the Artist-in-Residence program
- Jerome Foundation Funder — Provides additional support for the Artist-in-Residence program
- Joy of Giving Something Funder — Provides additional support for the Artist-in-Residence program
- Juicery Harlem Partner — Participating business in the Harlem Neighborhood Discount Program offering discounts to Studio Museum Members.
- Kris Graves Partner — Photographer documenting installations at the Studio Museum in Harlem.
- MoMA PS1 Partner — Collaborated on the opening of the 2021–22 Artist in Residence exhibition.
- MoMA PS1 Partner — Presented the Artist-in-Residence exhibition off-site during the Studio Museum's construction period.
- NYPL Harlem Library Partner — Collaborates to host the Lil' Studio program for young children and caregivers.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provides additional funding for the Artist-in-Residence program
- New York Public Library Harlem Library Partner — Community partner for the Lil’ Studio program, hosting monthly story time and artmaking sessions for early-childhood families.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Provides additional funding for the Artist-in-Residence program with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature
- North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Program Network — Provides reciprocal admission benefits to Members at Activist level and above at over 1,400 museums and institutions.
- OTH Songs Partner — Collaborated with the Studio Museum in Harlem to co-develop a special edition of Uptown Fridays.
- Pacific Partner — Collaborated with the Studio Museum to reimagine its identity system.
- Rockefeller Brothers Fund Funder — Established an endowment supporting the Artist-in-Residence program
- Sugar Monk Partner — Participating business in the Harlem Neighborhood Discount Program offering discounts to Studio Museum Members.
+ 1 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.
- Artist-Centered Community Development 46 orgsmethodology: artist-centered_communityBy fostering an intimate, collaborative community where artists of African descent work and learn from each other—especially through long-term residencies and career-spanning support—the museum strengthens artistic production and public connection to Black art, because sustained peer and institutional support enables creative risk-taking and deeper cultural impact.shared approach: Artist-Centered Empowerment →
- Community-Integrated Cultural Programmingmethodology: community-outreachBy integrating educational and artistic programming with community partnerships, wellness initiatives, and cross-sector collaborations, the museum builds long-term engagement rooted in local context, because programs that reflect community life and enable intergenerational, inclusive participation deepen public investment in art and culture.
- Inquiry-Based Art Interpretationmethodology: inquiry-based_learningBy using an inquiry-based, discussion-centered approach that prioritizes participants' perspectives, the museum fosters deeper personal and collective interpretation of art, because open dialogue enhances engagement and critical thinking around artistic works.