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TAIWANESE AMERICAN ARTS COUNCIL CORP

FLUSHING, NY · EIN 471031066 · Form 990EZ · FY2025 · NTEE A23 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · taac-us.org
revenue
$142K
expenses
$121K
net assets
$55K
employees
profile · synthesized from sources

The Taiwanese American Arts Council (TAAC) is a nonprofit organization that presents contemporary art exhibitions and public programs centered on Taiwanese American identity, ecology, and cultural exchange. Based at House 17 on Governors Island in New York City, it supports artists through residencies, open studios, workshops, and performances. The organization uses art as a platform to explore themes of migration, environmental resilience, and collective memory within island communities.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Eco Art on Island
Seasonal exhibition series highlighting ecological themes through visual art, sculpture, and installation using recycled and natural materials, presented at TAAC House 17.
Island Residency
Annual artist residency program at House 17 on Governors Island, featuring open studios, exhibitions, and public engagement around themes of ecology, identity, and community.
Island Reverence: Art, Ecology, and Community
2026 thematic exhibition and public art program exploring relationships between humanity, environment, and cultural memory through interdisciplinary artworks and community events.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Asian and Asian American Art Support 1 activity
    • Advocating for recognition of Taiwanese artists
      Facilitated official recognition of Taiwanese artists through a proclamation presented by Senator Toby Stavinsky, highlighting contributions to the arts and cultural dialogue.
  • Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
    • Conducting educational and community art workshops
      Offers hands-on art workshops such as mask-making and mask painting inspired by Taiwanese traditions, as well as educational programs that engage the public in artistic expression and cultural dialogue. These include recurring programs like "The Language of Masks" and other community-based creative activities.
  • Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
    • Curating and hosting art exhibitions
      Organizes and hosts thematic art exhibitions that explore cultural identity, social justice, and environmental issues, such as "Walking in the Cosmos," "Urban Divergence," and "Rewoven," across multiple venues in New York City, including museums, galleries, and public spaces. Exhibitions often include performances, artist talks, and scholarly documentation.
  • Artist and Curatorial Publications 1 activity
    • Documenting organizational and artistic history
      Published a 190-page book documenting the first ten years of TAAC's history, including key activities and an essay by Executive Director Luchia Meihua Lee. Also produced a 150-page color exhibition catalogue featuring scholarly essays on migration, cultural identity, and environmental symbiosis.
  • Benefit Events for Arts and Culture 1 activity
    • Hosting annual galas and benefit events
      Organizes annual Art Benefit Galas, including events held in 2014, 2015, and 2016 at the Taiwan Center in Flushing, Queens, to support programming and community engagement.
  • Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
    • Operating NYC Art Bridge: Wellness through Art
      Runs the NYC Art Bridge initiative, which connects art and mental health professionals to facilitate culturally informed dialogues about emotional wellness through art. The 2023 program included exhibitions, seminars, workshops, and interviews in collaboration with Yale University Medical School and Ivy League psychiatric groups.
  • Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
    • Operating artist residency programs
      Runs an annual artist residency program on Governors Island, now in its fourth year as of 2025, providing studio space and public engagement opportunities for artists. The program includes open studios, performances, and public conversations, supporting over 80 artists and reaching more than 700,000 visitors from 2023 to 2025.
  • Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
    • Producing public art performances and musical events
      Hosts live performances, including classical music concerts, visual art performances, and opening receptions featuring artists from Taiwan and New York, as part of exhibition programming. Events have featured musicians like Pei-Wen Liao and Yadi Liang, and visual performers like Julia Hsiao-Chu Hsia.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Supporting cultural exchange and international collaboration
      Facilitates cultural exchange between artists in New York and Taiwan, including reciprocal residencies and joint exhibitions such as "Fully Loaded," which resulted from a 2017 partnership between COPE-NYC and the Soulangh Cultural Center in Tainan, Taiwan.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$142K
Contributions & grants$142K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$121K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$14K
Grants paid out$20K
balance sheet
Total assets$55K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$55K
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +22.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
LUCIA LEE-HOWELL EXECUTIVE DIR/SECRETARY 20 $14K
relationships · 39

Who they work with

  • Art Benefit Gala Partner — Collaborates on organizing annual fundraising galas.
  • COPE-NYC Partner — Partnered with TAAC on a 2017 artist exchange with the Soulangh Cultural Center in Tainan, Taiwan.
  • Chia-Che Tsou Partner — Led mask painting workshops at TAAC events in June 2026.
  • Chih-Hui Chuang Partner — Created the sculpture "Forest Resonance" unveiled at TAAC's event on June 6, 2026.
  • Crystal Park Partner — Collaborated with TAAC to present a public sculpture installation at House 17 on Governors Island.
  • El Museo de los Sures Partner — Hosted the Rewoven exhibition in 2017.
  • El Taller Latino Americano Partner — Collaborated on curatorial programming through the involvement of Jennifer Pliego, Director of Special Programs and Head of the House of Art.
  • El Taller Latino Americano Partner — Collaborated on curatorial work for the Urban Tribes-II Urban Reverence exhibition.
  • El Taller Latino Americano Partner — Hosted the Urban Tribes-Urban Caravan exhibition in 2019–2020.
  • El Taller Latino Americano Art Center Partner — Co-organized the "URBAN TRIBES" exhibition with TAAC.
  • Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook for outreach and engagement under the handle @Taiwanese American Arts Council (TAAC)
  • IW Gallery Partner — Co-presented the exhibition at the old Pfizer building in Williamsburg.
  • Instagram Partner — Uses Instagram for outreach and engagement under the handle @taac2014
  • Martha Wilson Partner — Participated as a special guest alongside artist Chinchih Yang at TAAC's annual gala.
  • Mike Lin Partner — Presented music and dance programs at TAAC events on August 8 and August 15, 2026.
  • NYC Art Bridge Partner — Collaborative initiative co-organized with art and mental health professionals to explore emotional wellness through art.
  • New York Foundation for the Arts Partner — Co-organized the "URBAN TRIBES" exhibition with TAAC.
  • New York Foundation for the Arts Partner — Hosted the Urban Tribes-Urban Caravan exhibition in 2019–2020.
  • New York Hall of Science Partner — Hosted TAAC's "The Moment" exhibition featuring contemporary art that blends natural and industrial materials with interactive technology.
  • Queens Botanical Garden Partner — Hosted TAAC programs in 2015.
  • Queens College Partner — Hosted the Rewoven exhibition in 2017.
  • Queens Museum Partner — Hosted TAAC events and exhibitions, including The Moment in 2015–16 and supported the founding of TAAC.
  • Queens Museum Partner — Hosted TAAC programs including interactive projects, performances, concerts, and film events.
  • Queensborough Community College Partner — Hosted the Rewoven exhibition in 2017.
  • Ricardo Woo Partner — Presented interactive performance "E.T. XYZ ENCOUNTERS HUMAN KIND" and live portrait sessions at TAAC events.
  • Senator Toby Stavinsky Government — Provided official recognition to Taiwanese artists through a proclamation at TAAC's annual gala.
  • Shining Sung Collections Partner — Provided support for the Urban Reverence exhibition, acknowledged in special thanks.
  • Shu-Wei Tseng Music Group Partner — Performed classical music at TAAC's event on July 18, 2026.
  • Soulangh Cultural Center Partner — Engaged in a reciprocal artist residency exchange with TAAC in 2017.
  • Taiwan Center Partner — Hosted TAAC's annual gala and multiple art installations in Flushing, Queens, NY.
+ 9 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.

  • Advancing Visibility Through Scholarship and Publication
    methodology: arts_scholarship_and_publication
    By commissioning research and publishing scholarly materials, we elevate the status and reach of Taiwanese American art, because academic and public documentation strengthens cultural legitimacy and enables international recognition.
  • Art as Culturally Resonant Mental Health Practice
    methodology: culturally_resonant_alternative
    By using artistic expression as an alternative to traditional mental health treatment, we support emotional wellness in Asian communities, because art transcends linguistic and cultural barriers and aligns with cultural values where psychiatric stigma may limit care access.
  • Cultural Bridging Through Art
    methodology: cultural-bridging-through-art
    By using art as a medium for cross-cultural dialogue, we foster empathy and interconnectedness across national and cultural boundaries, because shared artistic experiences create mutual understanding and challenge insular identities.
  • Ecological and Reverent Curation
    methodology: ecological_collaboration
    By treating the natural environment as a collaborator and curating with reverence, we produce art that reflects deep interdependence between culture and ecology, because honoring land and history fosters awareness of interconnected systems and regenerative cultural practices.
  • Interdisciplinary Art for Social Discourse
    methodology: art-for-social-discourse
    By organizing interdisciplinary art exhibitions around themes like migration and sustainability, we generate public discourse on pressing social and environmental issues, because art creates accessible, emotionally resonant entry points to complex topics.