named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Artist Residencies
Support for artists through residency opportunities that facilitate创作, research, and collaboration, such as those offered to Ellen Arkbro
Blank Forms Editions
Publishing arm producing books, albums, and printed materials focused on experimental music and sound art, often in collaboration with artists and estates
Curatorial Platform
Production and presentation of live performances, exhibitions, and events centered on time-based and experimental practices
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 2 activities
- Co-release and distribution of artistic recordsCo-releases and distributes artistic records in collaboration with external arts organizations, such as the co-publication of Ellen Arkbro’s Nightclouds with La Becque Editions.
- Production and reissue of experimental music recordingsProduces, reissues, and releases experimental music recordings on vinyl, CD, and other formats, including previously unavailable or out-of-print works by artists such as The Shadow Ring, Catherine Christer Hennix, and Ellen Arkbro.
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Musicological Research and Scholarly Editions 2 activities
- Publishing of critical and archival materials on experimental musicProduces and publishes books, anthologies, and critical compendia that document the work of experimental composers such as Éliane Radigue, Maryanne Amacher, and Catherine Christer Hennix, including newly translated texts, essays, sketches, and performance ephemera.
- Research publication in experimental music and sound artConducts and publishes research in the form of memoirs, biographical studies, and critical histories, such as the first book on jazz saxophonist Sonny Simmons.
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Artist Legacy Preservation and Documentation 1 activity
- Artist collaborations and commissionsCollaborates with artists on commissions, exhibitions, publications, and archival or estate projects, supporting the development and presentation of experimental sound and performance works.
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Performing Arts Archival Preservation 1 activity
- Curatorial platform for time-based performance practicesOperates as a curatorial platform focused on presenting and preserving time-based performance practices, including systematic retrospectives and archival projects.
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Site-Specific Artistic Installations and Performances 1 activity
- Site-specific musical performancesOrganizes and presents site-specific musical performances in non-traditional venues, such as the West 4th Street subway station mezzanine in New York City.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Production and sale of artist merchandiseProduces and sells limited-run merchandise including T-shirts and tote bags featuring artwork by experimental artists such as Akio Suzuki and Ellen Arkbro.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$1.84M
Contributions & grants$1.53M83%
Program service revenue$223K12%
Investment income$4670%
Other revenue$94K
expenses
Total expenses$1.08M
Program expenses75%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising14%
Salaries & benefits$434K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.40M
Cash$123K
Investments$0
Liabilities$275K
Net assets$1.12M
Liquid reserves1.4 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue +99.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Kumpf | Artistic Dir. | 40 | $95K |
board members · 19
- Alexander Lau — Director
- Andros Zins Browne — Board Chair
- Angela Goding — Director
- Arani Bose — Director
- Christian Nyampeta — Director
- David Grubbs — Director
- David Nuss — Director
- Hannah Hoffman — Vice-Chair
- Jacques Vidal — Director
- Joe Grimm — Director
- Josiah McElheny — Director
- Kim Schnaubert — Director
- Louise Neri — Director
- Margo Somma — Director
- Marina Rosenfeld — Director
- Moriah Evans — Secretary
- Nadia Berenstein — Director
- Robert Lee — Vice Chair
- Walker Carpenter — Treasurer
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- Akio Suzuki Partner — Collaborates with sound artist Akio Suzuki on merchandise featuring his artwork.
- Alan Licht Partner — Featured as a contributor reflecting on Dean Roberts.
- Anthony Vine Partner — Participant in a roundtable discussion tracing the ethos of resistance in Radigue’s artistic practice.
- Anton Bruhin Partner — Published a translated interview with artist Anton Bruhin following his exhibition.
- Catherine Christer Hennix Partner — Collaborated on the publication and preservation of her works, including writings, archival recordings, and new compositions.
- Catherine Christer Hennix Partner — Releases and promotes the musical and theoretical work of Catherine Christer Hennix through recordings and publications.
- Charles Curtis Partner — Collaborator contributing an in-depth overview of Éliane Radigue’s early experiments and compositional evolution.
- Charles Curtis Partner — Featured as a contributor reflecting on Dean Roberts.
- Corpus Hermeticum Partner — Collaborated on the release of _Wax-Work Echoes_, originally issued by Bruce Russell’s label.
- Dagmar Schwerk Partner — Religious studies scholar contributing an analysis of Radigue’s Trilogie de la Mort in the context of Tibetan Buddhist thought.
- Daniel Silliman Partner — Musician contributing a technical examination of Radigue’s sound practice.
- Dean Roberts Partner — Published a tribute essay reflecting on the work and life of experimental musician Dean Roberts.
- Everybody.World Partner — Manufactures limited-run T-shirts for Blank Forms Editions in Los Angeles.
- INA GRM/Radio France Partner — Co-presented performances by 7038634357 at the Présences électronique festival.
- La Becque Editions Partner — Co-publisher of Ellen Arkbro's album "Nightclouds."
- La Becque Editions Partner — Collaborates on the release of artistic records.
- Madison Greenstone Partner — Musician contributing an analysis of the technical characteristics of Radigue’s sound practice.
- Marc Chaloin Partner — Jazz historian and biographer who conducted interviews with Sonny Simmons featured in the publication.
- Maryanne Amacher Partner — Organization publishes and promotes the work of composer Maryanne Amacher.
- Maryanne Amacher Partner — Publishes and disseminates the work of Maryanne Amacher through dedicated editions.
- Spencer Gerhardt Partner — Collaborating composer and mathematician whose work is published and promoted by Blank Forms
- The Shadow Ring Partner — Collaborates on the publication of multiple audio releases and archival materials.
- The Shadow Ring Partner — Subject of a multiyear reissue and publication effort by Blank Forms Editions.
- Urbanomic Partner — Collaborated with the British publisher Urbanomic to develop critical essays accompanying the "Resynthese FAVN" publication.
- artists Partner — Collaborates with artists on commissions, exhibitions, publications, and archival projects.
- Éliane Radigue Partner — Features the work of Éliane Radigue in published volumes focusing on sound art and experimental practice.
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.
- Archival Preservation and Contextualization as Cultural Interventionmethodology: archival_preservation_and_contextualizationBy preserving, translating, and critically contextualizing under-recognized experimental music and art, the organization advances understanding and challenges historical and institutional gaps, because access to marginalized cultural narratives transforms public and scholarly engagement with art history.
- Interdisciplinary Synthesis to Expand Artistic Meaningmethodology: interdisciplinary_synthesisBy integrating artistic practices with mathematical, philosophical, and sacred traditions, the organization creates new conceptual frameworks for experimental art, because cross-domain synthesis generates deeper resonance and expands the interpretive possibilities of minimalism and abstraction.
- Listening as Transformative Practicemethodology: listening-as-practiceBy centering listening—through participatory frameworks, site-specific performances, and sonic experimentation—the organization transforms passive reception into active engagement, because deep listening alters perception, fosters intimacy, and enables critical reflection on sound, meaning, and environment.
- Oral History as Legacy Preservationmethodology: oral_historyBy collecting unfiltered, firsthand narratives and personal reflections, the organization preserves the lived experiences of experimental musicians, because oral testimony captures cultural and emotional realities that formal archives often exclude, ensuring intergenerational continuity.