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NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER INC
JAMESTOWN, NY · EIN 412030241 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A51 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Medium ($1M-$10M) · lucy-desi.com
revenue
$3.6M
expenses
$3.3M
net assets
$-2.2M
employees
53
volunteers
300
program ratio
78%
mission · from form 990

THE MISSION OF THE LUCILLE BALL DESI ARNAZ MUSEUM, A NON-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, IS TO CELEBRATE THE INSPIRING LIVES AND ENDURING LEGACIES OF PIONEERING ARTISTS, INNOVATORS, AND LEADERS LUCILLE BALL AND DESI ARNAZ, WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE SHAPED OUR SHARED CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CHARTED A COURSE FOR AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY. THE MUSEUM, LOCATED IN BALL'S HOMETOWN OF JAMESTOWN, NY, HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY ANCHOR AND ENGINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMEDIC ARTS FOR OVER 25 YEARS.IN 2018, THE LUCY DESI MUSEUM'S MISSION WAS BROADENED WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEARBY NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER, WHICH OPERATES IN FULFILLMENT OF LUCILLE BALL'S VISION THAT HER HOMETOWN BECOME A DESTINATION FOR THE CELEBRATION OF COMEDY --IN ALL ITS FORMS. VISITORS TO JAMESTOWN, NY ARE INSPIRED, EDUCATED, AND ENTERTAINED BY BOTH OF THESE ATTRACTIONS, AS WELL AS THE ANNUAL LUCILLE BALL COMEDY FESTIVAL, WHICH PRESENTS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND PERFORMANCES BY RISING ARTISTS AND COMEDY LEGENDS ALIKE.

profile · synthesized from sources

The National Comedy Center is a nonprofit cultural institution in Jamestown, NY, dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history and art of comedy. It operates alongside the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, honoring the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz while promoting education in the comedic arts. The organization runs the National Comedy Center, the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, and maintains multiple comedy-related attractions and exhibits in Ball's hometown.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $1.35M
    THE LUCY DESI MUSEUM OFFICIAL SHOP: EVERY PURCHASE DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE LEGACIES OF LUCILLE BALL AND DESI ARNAZ.
  2. #2 $68K
    LUCILLE BALL COMEDY FESTIVAL. THE PROGRAM CELEBRATES THE COMEDIC ARTS AND SHOWCASES TALENT FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. VISITORS COME TOGETHER TO SHARE LAUGHTER WHILE HONORING THE CRAFT AND COMEDIC TALENT SHOWCASED.
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Comedy Center Park
Public park space associated with the comedy campus, contributing to the cultural and recreational offerings in Jamestown
Lucille Ball Comedy Festival
Annual festival featuring performances and educational programming by emerging and legendary comedians, held in Jamestown, NY
Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum
Museum celebrating the lives and legacies of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, housing artifacts and exhibits related to their careers and impact on American entertainment
National Comedy Center
Interactive museum and cultural institution dedicated to the history of comedy, featuring exhibits from vaudeville to modern digital humor, located in a restored art deco train station in Jamestown, NY
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Host the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival
      Organizes and hosts the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival featuring over 50 live events, including comedy performances, museum tours, and community celebrations that showcase comedic talent from across the country.
  • Event Venue Rental Services 1 activity
    • Operate event spaces and host private events
      Offers multiple event spaces for rent, including an 80-seat theater, a full-service “Comedy Karaoke” bar, and an outdoor river-front park, and hosts private events such as parties, family gatherings, weddings, and reunions at its Jamestown, NY venue.
  • Museum and Historical Gift Shops 1 activity
    • Operate museum shop and auctions
      Operates an official museum shop and conducts auctions of rare Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz collectibles, with proceeds supporting the organization’s non-profit mission and the preservation of comedic legacies.
  • Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
    • Operate the National Comedy Center museum
      Operates the United States' official cultural institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of comedy, from vaudeville to viral memes, through interactive exhibits and artifact displays in a restored historic art deco building in Jamestown, NY. The facility includes a physical museum dedicated to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and exact re-creations of I Love Lucy studio sets, including the Ricardos' apartment and Hollywood hotel suite.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Offer interactive comedy exhibits and experiences
      Provides visitors with interactive experiences such as performing in a recreation of the Vitameatavegamin commercial, participating in an online trivia game about Lucille Ball and I Love Lucy, and engaging with self-guided tours like the LucyTown Driving Tour highlighting historic locations in Jamestown, NY.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.55M
Contributions & grants$2.22M63%
Program service revenue$926K26%
Investment income$172K5%
Other revenue$233K
expenses
Total expenses$3.33M
Program expenses78%
Admin / overhead20%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$551K
Grants paid out$1.35M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.82M
Cash$481K
Investments$1.94M
Liabilities$6.97M
Net assets$-2.15M
Liquid reserves8.7 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +33.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
JOURNEY GUNDERSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 8 $215K
board members · 9
  • CINDY ARONSON — SECRETARY
  • GEORGE PANEBIANCO — MEMBER
  • HOLLY SULLIVAN — VICE PRESIDENT
  • JEROME LEE YAW — MEMBER
  • JON ALBRO — MEMBER
  • LOUIS DEPPAS — MEMBER
  • MICHAEL LATONE — TREASURER
  • SARAH DEMINK — MEMBER
  • TOM BENSON — PRESIDENT
relationships · 8

Who they work with

  • GalaBid Partner — Platform partner for hosting the online auction.
  • Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum Network — Operates in alignment with the museum's mission to celebrate Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
  • Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum Partner — Collaborates on cultural programming and regional tourism initiatives related to Lucille Ball and comedy history.
  • Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum Partner — Collaborates on event hosting, offering combined venue options in downtown Jamestown, NY.
  • Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum Partner — Operates the trivia game and museum dedicated to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
  • National Comedy Center Partner — Offers dual admission with the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, providing combined access to both institutions.
  • National Comedy Center Partner — Partners to offer dual admission and shared visitor services, including joint ticketing and shared parking facilities.
  • National Comedy Center Partner — Partners to offer joint admission for visitors to both the Lucy Desi Museum and the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY.
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.