irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $17KLAU EVENT - ON NOVEMBER 1, 2022, NOOR RPRESENTED EXCERPTS FROM TWO ARTISTIC PIECES CREATED BY THE FREEDOM THEATRE IN PALESTINE ENTITLED "THE REVOLUTION'S PROMISEX AND XAND HERE I AM" AT THE LEBANESE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY NEW YORK.
- #2 $13KPEYDAH -IN RESPONSE TO POLITICAL AND SOCIAL UNREST IN IRAN BEGINNING IN FALL 2022, KNOWN AS THE WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM MOVEMENT, NOOR COMMISSIONED IRANIAN ARTISTS FROM THE ANONYMOUS THEATER TO DEVELOP AND PRESENT A WORKSHOP AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF IRANIANS.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort
Year-long program supporting a cohort of writers to develop scripts in various media (theater, film, TV, VR) that increase representation and promote cultural change.
Gaza Monologues
Virtual readings of testimonies written by youth at ASHTAR Theatre in Gaza, amplifying Palestinian voices and resilience in solidarity with Palestinian artists and communities.
Highlight Reading Series
Annual series showcasing new works by MENA/SWANA playwrights through public readings, including commissioned and open-submission pieces, held in New York City.
Noor Commissioning Initiative
Annual commissioning program that funds writers of MENA/SWANA descent to develop new plays or cross-medium works reflecting their experiences and advancing social change.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Professional Theatrical Production 2 activities
- Co-produces theater initiatives and projects with partner organizationsCollaborates on joint productions and initiatives with institutions including New York Theatre Workshop, Rutgers-NJIT Theatre Program, The Foundation for Arab Dramatic Arts (Beirut), Pangea World Theatre, Arab American National Museum, and National Performance Network.
- Produces and develops original theatrical works by MENA/SWANA-descended artistsCreates and stages world premieres of original plays, including full productions such as "Food and Fadwa," "Dead Are My People," and verbatim works like one documenting the Christchurch Muslim community’s experiences after the 2019 mosque shootings. The organization has produced over ten world premieres since 2010.
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New Play Development Programs 2 activities
- Hosts the Highlight Reading Series for new playsOperates an annual festival of new-play readings and workshops now in its 9th season, showcasing plays by playwrights of Middle Eastern, Southwest Asian, and North African descent at TheaterLab in New York City and supporting the development of works that have gone on to be produced nationally.
- Organizes the 48 Hour Forum annual play festivalHosts a yearly 48-hour play festival each May where five playwrights, five directors, and actors create original short plays based on recent Middle Eastern-themed news events; produces approximately fifteen original plays annually through this program.
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Film Production Funding and Fiscal Sponsorship 1 activity
- Commissions new creative works across mediaAwards annual cross-medium commissions to writers developing scripts in film, television, VR, or other mass-audience media; funds playwrights to write and develop new theatrical works, such as Sevan's "First Down" and Iranian artists' workshop "Peydah" responding to the Women Life Freedom Movement.
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Free Expression Defense & Advocacy 1 activity
- Organizes advocacy campaigns in solidarity with oppressed artistsLeads public actions such as the Cultural Resistance March to express solidarity with Palestinian artists and The Freedom Theatre, using performance and collective action to advocate for artistic freedom and human rights.
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Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Supports artist development and capacity buildingHas served over 550 artists since founding by providing platforms for creative expression, developmental opportunities through reading series and festivals, and pathways for commissioned works to reach broader audiences.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Presents solidarity performances and readings with Palestinian and global artistsHosts virtual readings of the Gaza Monologues in collaboration with ASHTAR Theatre, presents excerpts from works by The Freedom Theatre in Palestine, and collects community-submitted video recordings of these monologues to amplify Palestinian youth voices and support cultural resistance.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$157K
Contributions & grants$154K98%
Program service revenue$4K2%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$259K
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$106K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$165K
Cash$165K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$165K
Liquid reserves7.6 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -39.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARIANA SARFARAZI | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 30 | $32K |
| HEATHER RAFFO | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $150 |
board members · 3
- HUSSEIN KHALIFA — BOARD MEMBER
- LAITH NAKLI — BOARD MEMBER
- NILOU SAFINYA — PRESIDENT
relationships · 53
Who they work with
- ASHTAR Theatre Partner — Collaborated with Noor Theatre to host readings of the Gaza Monologues in solidarity with Palestinian youth voices.
- Actors' Equity Association Partner — Collaborates with Actors' Equity Association for actor participation in productions
- Adam Ashraf Elsayigh Partner — Co-writes _MEMORIAL_ with Arianna Stucki.
- Al Límite Collective Coalition — Co-sponsored the Cultural Resistance March in New York City.
- Arab American National Museum Partner — Co-commissioned the project "The Magic Bullet" in partnership with Noor Theatre.
- Arian Moayed Partner — Member of the Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort supported by Noor Theatre
- Arianna Stucki Partner — Co-writes _MEMORIAL_ with Adam Ashraf Elsayigh.
- Betty Shamieh Partner — Member of the Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort supported by Noor Theatre
- Broadway for Arts Education Partner — Ariana Sarfarazi serves on the board of this organization.
- Caveat Partner — Host venue for Noor Theatre's 15th anniversary event.
- Dima Mikhayel Matta Partner — Collaborates as playwright and performer in _THIS IS NOT A MEMORIZED SCRIPT, THIS IS A WELL-REHEARSED STORY_.
- Foundation for Arab Dramatic Arts Partner — Co-produced the "Arab Voices" initiative, most recently "Identities in Translation" in Beirut in 2024.
- Friends of The Freedom Theatre Coalition — Co-sponsored the Cultural Resistance March in solidarity with Palestinian artists.
- Georgetown Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics Partner — Catherine Coray serves on the Creative Core of this research and performance initiative.
- Golden Thread Productions Partner — Catherine Coray serves on the advisory board of this San Francisco-based theater company.
- Hadi Tabbal Partner — Member of the Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort supported by Noor Theatre
- Haleh Roshan Partner — Member of the Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort supported by Noor Theatre
- Haleh Roshan Partner — Writes _OUR MOTHERS, THE GHOST STORY_.
- Heather Raffo Partner — Member of the Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort supported by Noor Theatre
- Jacob Kader Partner — Member of the Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort supported by Noor Theatre
- Kathleen Capdesuñer Partner — Directs _OUR MOTHERS, THE GHOST STORY_.
- Lameece Issaq Partner — Member of the Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort supported by Noor Theatre
- LubDub Theatre Co Partner — Co-presented a work-in-progress sharing of "The Magic Bullet."
- Middle Eastern and North African Theater Makers Alliance (MENATMA) Network — Kate Moore Heaney is a founding board member of this alliance.
- Mike Mosallam Partner — Member of the Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort supported by Noor Theatre
- Mosaic Network and Fund in The New York Community Trust Funder — Co-supported the Artists Advancing Cultural Change Cohort.
- National Performance Network Partner — Co-commissioned the project "The Magic Bullet" in partnership with Noor Theatre.
- National Queer Theater Coalition — Jointly sponsored the Cultural Resistance March in New York City.
- New York Theater Workshop Partner — Collaboration with a well-known theater institution through artistic leadership involvement.
- New York Theatre Workshop Partner — Co-produced the inaugural production "Food and Fadwa" with Noor Theatre in May 2012.
+ 23 more
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 Incubation and Commissioning to Build a Marginalized Canonmethodology: canon-building_through_commissioningBy commissioning and incubating emerging SWANA/MENA artists through residencies and targeted support, we advance a new theatrical canon because sustained investment in marginalized voices produces durable cultural infrastructure and counters systemic exclusion in the arts.
- Culturally Specific Storytelling to Shift Public Perceptionmethodology: cultural_representation_as_perception_changeBy centering nuanced, artist-driven narratives from MENA/SWANA communities in theatre, we counter negative stereotypes and shift public perceptions because authentic representation disrupts dominant, reductive narratives and fosters empathy.
- Rapid-Response Theatre as Public Discourse Interventionmethodology: theatrical_op-edsBy transforming current Middle Eastern-themed news events into timely theatrical performances, we generate critical public discourse because urgent, dramatized responses function like op-eds that make complex socio-political issues emotionally resonant and accessible.
- Transdisciplinary and Verbatim Theatre to Challenge Power Structuresmethodology: transdisciplinary_artistic_inquiryBy combining personal testimony, archival research, ritual, and deconstructive performance, we challenge colonialism and orientalization because multi-modal storytelling resists romanticization and centers lived experience as authoritative knowledge.