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FIRST STREET GALLERY INC

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133102950 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A51 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · firststreetgallery.org
revenue
$100K
expenses
$103K
net assets
$25K
employees
mission · from form 990

PROVIDE MEMBERS AND OUTSIDE ARTISTS WITH EXHIBITIONS AND THE PUBLIC WITH ACCESS TO ENHANCED LEARNING EXPERIENCES ABOUT CONTEMPORARY ARTWORK.

profile · synthesized from sources

First Street Gallery is a nonprofit artist-run gallery in New York City’s Chelsea district, founded in 1969. It supports emerging and mid-career artists by providing exhibition opportunities, both for member artists and nonmembers through juried shows. The gallery fosters artistic development and public engagement with contemporary art through innovative programming and community outreach.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Internship Program
Unpaid internship offering hands-on experience in gallery operations including curatorial, administrative, and publicity activities, with option for academic credit.
Member Exhibitions
Exhibition opportunities for member artists, including solo and group shows, supported by gallery publicity and promotion.
National Juried Exhibition
Annual open call for U.S.-based nonmember artists working in two- and three-dimensional media, juried by prominent artists, critics, or curators, providing exposure to the New York art community.
SELECTS Juried Exhibition
Annual juried exhibition offering nonmember artists the opportunity to display a small body of work in the Chelsea gallery, with promotional and publicity support from the gallery.
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 5 activities
    • Host affiliate and invited artist exhibitions
      Hosts annual four-week exhibitions for up to eight affiliate artists selected from within and outside the United States, and presents special invited exhibitions such as "Close to Home," featuring curated bodies of work in the gallery space.
    • Host juried exhibitions for nonmember artists
      Hosts annual juried exhibitions open to U.S. resident nonmember artists, including the long-running National Juried Exhibition and “SELECTS 2026,” providing exposure to the New York City art community through curated display in the Chelsea gallery space.
    • Operate public contemporary art gallery
      Operates a physical gallery space in Chelsea, New York City, open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 11am to 6pm, hosting solo and group exhibitions for member and nonmember artists, with robust publicity through online listings, social media, e-blasts, press releases, and Artsy.net.
    • Provide exhibition opportunities for member artists
      Offers member artists regular solo exhibitions averaging four weeks every 2.5 to 3 years, participation in annual group shows, and promotion through gallery displays, social media, and nationwide networks.
    • Support artist career development
      Has launched and nurtured careers of emerging and mid-career contemporary artists since 1969 by showcasing their work to curators, collectors, critics, and the public, and recognizing major professional achievements such as awards and inclusion in major museum collections.
  • Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
    • Offer internship programs in nonprofit art gallery operations
      Provides hands-on internship experience in nonprofit art gallery operations, including art-handling, publicity, administration, curatorial work, exhibitions, and research, to support professional development in the arts.
  • Art Appreciation and Public Engagement 1 activity
    • Provide educational access to contemporary art
      Offers the public access to enhanced learning experiences about contemporary artwork through exhibitions and by making archival lectures, such as those from Wendy Gittler of the New York Studio School, available via YouTube.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$100K
Contributions & grants$3770%
Program service revenue$41K41%
Investment income
Other revenue$49
expenses
Total expenses$103K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$29K
Grants paid out
balance sheet
Total assets$29K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$25K
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +8.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 3
  • KATHLEEN J PACKER — DIRECTOR
  • MICHELE LIEBLER — DIRECTOR
  • WENDY GITTLER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 21

Who they work with

  • ARTnews Partner — Featured reviews of Gallery artists' work.
  • Art in America Partner — Featured reviews of Gallery artists' work.
  • Artsy.net Partner — Partners with Artsy.net to market exhibitions by posting them on the art-marketing platform.
  • Bennett Prize Partner — Partnership through member artist participation in the Bennett Prize competition.
  • Chelsea Partner — Located in the Chelsea arts district to participate in and benefit from the neighborhood's established art community and gallery scene.
  • Gillian Wainwright Partner — Artist invited to exhibit in the "Close to Home" summer invitational exhibition.
  • John Harms Partner — Artist invited to exhibit in the "Close to Home" summer invitational exhibition.
  • Ken Carbone Partner — Artist invited to exhibit in the "Close to Home" summer invitational exhibition.
  • Leslie Adler Partner — Artist invited to exhibit in the "Close to Home" summer invitational exhibition.
  • Marianne Barcellona Partner — Artist invited to exhibit in the "Close to Home" summer invitational exhibition.
  • Marion Held Partner — Artist invited to exhibit in the "Close to Home" summer invitational exhibition.
  • New York Studio School Partner — Collaborates with the New York Studio School to present and share archived lectures by Wendy Gittler.
  • New York Studio School Partner — Recognizes member artist Wendy Gittler’s participation in the Evening Lecture Series at the New York Studio School.
  • New York Times Partner — Featured reviews of Gallery artists' work.
  • Scott Noel Partner — Selected as the juror for the 2026 National Juried Exhibition
  • Susan MacMurdy Partner — Artist invited to exhibit in the "Close to Home" summer invitational exhibition.
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art Partner — Recognizes member artist John Rohlfing’s inclusion in The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s permanent collection and associated exhibition.
  • The Wall Street Journal Partner — Featured reviews of Gallery artists' work.
  • White Columns Partner — Collaborates by having member artists featured in White Columns' online exhibitions.
  • White Columns Partner — Collaborates by promoting member artists' participation in White Columns’ curated online exhibitions.
  • William and Mary Government — Tenured professorship affiliation of featured artist Nicole Santiago.
strategies · 4

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 Exhibition and Promotion
    methodology: artist_centered_promotion
    By providing curated exhibition opportunities and promoting artists through juried shows, online platforms, and external recognition, the organization increases visibility and career advancement for underrepresented artists because structured exposure is critical to integration into the broader art community.
  • Artist-Run Collective Model
    methodology: artist_run_collective
    By operating as a collectively governed, artist-run gallery, the organization ensures that artists lead curatorial and operational decisions, fostering creative autonomy and professional development because artists are best positioned to guide their own practices.
  • Experiential Learning in Art Management
    methodology: experiential_education
    By offering internships focused on nonprofit art gallery operations, the organization trains emerging professionals through hands-on experience because immersive, practical education produces deeper understanding and sector capacity.
  • No-Commission Financial Model
    methodology: no_commission_model
    By not taking commission on artwork sales, the organization supports artist financial independence and creative freedom, because retaining full proceeds from sales empowers artists economically and strengthens their long-term sustainability.