named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Finger Lakes Film Trail
Tourism and education initiative highlighting the Finger Lakes Region’s contributions to early filmmaking, co-founded by Wharton Studio Museum, George Eastman Museum, and Cayuga Museum
Permanent Exhibit at Tompkins Center for History and Culture
Ongoing exhibit on Ithaca’s role in silent film history, including the Wharton Studio and regional film legacy
Quiet on the Set! Youth Film Festival
Festival showcasing short films created by local youth, including awards and public screenings
Silent Movie Month
Annual series of events and screenings celebrating silent film heritage
Silent Movie Under the Stars
Annual outdoor screening of silent films with live musical accompaniment at Robert Treman State Park, ongoing since 2011
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Film Festival and Screening Programming 2 activities
- Public programming celebrating silent cinemaProduces annual and recurring public events including Silent Movie Under the Stars (hosted since 2011, ongoing for 16 years), Silent Movie Month each October, and screenings with live musical accompaniment to engage new audiences with silent films. Co-presents silent films with live music and has screened titles such as Ella Cinders (1926) with improvised piano.
- Youth and community film festivalsOrganizes the Quiet on the Set! Youth Film Festival and maintains a YouTube channel showcasing films from past festivals. Recognizes award-winning submissions annually, including first place and Audience Choice awards for youth-created films such as 'Ship Shape' (2026), 'On the Company’s Dime' (2024), 'YOU'VE DONE IT THIS TIME' (2022), and 'GRASS ISN'T GREENER ACROSS THE ROAD' (2021).
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Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
- Guided tours and educational outreachOffers guided Silent Film Tours of the Wharton Studio site and produces educational workshops, presentations, and outreach programs to broaden awareness of Ithaca’s and the Finger Lakes region’s motion picture history at local, regional, and national levels.
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Cultural Facility Development and Management 1 activity
- Wharton Studio site and Stewart Park cultural developmentDeveloped part of the historic Wharton Studio Building in Stewart Park to include the Wharton Studio & Cafe, featuring exhibits on studio and park history and a terrace overlooking Cayuga Lake. Participates in the Stewart Park revitalization project and co-hosts fundraising events there to support both the museum and park improvements.
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Uncategorized 6 activities
- Academic collaboration and teachingCo-taught a Cornell University course titled “Serial Style and Ithaca Silent Film History” in fall 2021 through the Learn Where You Live initiative, combining museum resources with academic instruction.
- Curated multimedia exhibitionsCurates and presents thematic multimedia exhibits such as _Serial Style: The Business of Being Irene Castle_, which explored Irene Castle’s influence in silent film, fashion, and philanthropy, including display of her personal photo albums and dresses from her fashion line _Irene Castle Corticelli Fashions_. Also produced a multimedia installation with video editing contributions from board member John Rockwell.
- Finger Lakes Film Trail developmentCo-founded and launched the Finger Lakes Film Trail in 2018–2019 as an inter-county tourism initiative highlighting the region’s contributions to early American filmmaking. Developed in partnership with the George Eastman Museum and the Cayuga Museum of History and Art/Case Research Lab.
- Historical film production legacy documentationDocuments and highlights the historical output of the Wharton Studio, which produced hundreds of films and serials between 1915 and 1920, distributed nationally and internationally under titles such as The Great White Trail, A Romance of the Air, and The Lottery Man, and featured prominent silent-era actors.
- Local workforce engagement in early film productionHired local residents of Ithaca for roles in early film production, including cinematography, costume design, and as extras during the operation of the Wharton Studio in the 1910s.
- Preservation and exhibition of Ithaca's silent film historyMaintains permanent and rotating exhibits on the history of American silent film and the Wharton Studio's role in early filmmaking, including the permanent exhibit Off the Rails at the Tompkins Center for History and Culture and window displays at the State Theatre in downtown Ithaca. Oversaw the installation of a permanent exhibit on Ithaca’s early movie history at the Tompkins Center, opened in 2018.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$135K
Contributions & grants$131K97%
Program service revenue$2K2%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$97K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$94K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$94K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +41.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIANA RIESMAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / CO FOUNDER | 40 | $30K |
board members · 6
- AMINA AHMAD — TREASURER/TRUSTEE
- ANNE GOSSEN — SECRETARY/TRUSTEE
- CONSTANCE BRUCE — TRUSTEE
- JOHN TILITZ — TRUSTEE
- NIGAR HALE — PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE
- PETER LITTMAN — TRUSTEE
relationships · 39
Who they work with
- Case Research Lab Partner — Collaborating partner in the launch of the Finger Lakes Film Trail.
- Case Research Lab Partner — Partner in launching and operating the Finger Lakes Film Trail.
- Cayuga Museum Partner — Partner in launching and operating the Finger Lakes Film Trail.
- Cayuga Museum of History & Art Partner — Collaborating partner in the launch of the Finger Lakes Film Trail.
- Cayuga Museum of History and Art/Case Research Lab Partner — Co-founded the Finger Lakes Film Trail with Wharton Studio Museum to promote regional film history.
- Cinemapolis Partner — Collaborates with Wharton Studio Museum on programming such as film screenings and educational events.
- Cinemapolis Partner — Hosts Silent Movie Month screenings and events in collaboration with Wharton Studio Museum.
- City of Ithaca Government — Government partner that owns Stewart Park and collaborates with Wharton Studio Museum on site development.
- City of Ithaca Government — Partnering on the Stewart Park revitalization project.
- Cornell Cinema Partner — Collaborates with Wharton Studio Museum on programming such as film screenings and educational events.
- Cornell Cinema Partner — Collaborates with Wharton Studio Museum on the presentation of silent films with live musical accompaniment.
- Cornell Cinema Partner — Hosts Silent Movie Month screenings and events in collaboration with Wharton Studio Museum.
- Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection Partner — Co-curated the exhibit _Serial Style: The Business of Being Irene Castle_
- Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection Partner — Collaborates with Wharton Studio Museum on exhibits and programming.
- Cornell University Partner — Academic partner in the “Learn Where You Live” initiative, co-teaching a course on Ithaca’s silent film history.
- Cornell University Partner — Provided support for the exhibit _Serial Style: The Business of Being Irene Castle_
- Cornell University Press Partner — Publisher of a recommended historical book on the Wharton Studio.
- Finger Lakes Film Trail Network — Member of the Finger Lakes Film Trail network promoting regional film heritage.
- Finger Lakes Film Trail Partner — Collaborating organization for the Silent Movie Under the Stars event
- Friends of Stewart Park Partner — Co-hosts an annual fundraiser with Wharton Studio Museum to support revitalization projects in Stewart Park.
- Friends of Stewart Park Partner — Collaborating on the Stewart Park revitalization project.
- Friends of Stewart Park Partner — Partner in the development of the historic Wharton Studio building located in Stewart Park, Ithaca.
- Friends of Stewart Park Partner — Partners with Wharton Studio Museum in developing the Wharton Studio & Cafe in Stewart Park.
- George Eastman Museum Partner — Co-founded the Finger Lakes Film Trail with Wharton Studio Museum to promote regional film history.
- George Eastman Museum Partner — Collaborating partner in the launch of the Finger Lakes Film Trail.
- George Eastman Museum Partner — Partner in launching and operating the Finger Lakes Film Trail.
- Howard Hanna Real Estate Properties Partner — Supporter that helped make the event possible
- Humanities New York Funder — Provides grant funding that supports the Finger Lakes Film Trail and its programming.
- Ithaca College’s Park School Partner — Collaborates with Wharton Studio Museum on programming and educational outreach.
- Ithaca High School Partner — Collaborates with student filmmakers from Ithaca High School who have participated in the Quiet on the Set! film festival.
+ 9 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.
- Cultural Reclamation through Adaptive Reuse 310 orgsmethodology: cultural_reclamationBy restoring and repurposing the historic Wharton Studio building, we create a living cultural site that educates the public about early American filmmaking and strengthens community identity, because physical preservation paired with public programming transforms neglected heritage into accessible, meaningful civic space.shared approach: Community-Engaged Preservation →
- Community-Engaged Cultural Programmingmethodology: community-engaged_programmingBy co-producing film-related events and exhibitions with local institutions and community partners, we expand public engagement with silent film and regional history, because collaborative programming increases reach, authenticity, and local ownership of cultural narratives.
- Immersive Historical Storytellingmethodology: immersive_storytellingBy combining silent film screenings with live music and multimedia exhibits in historically resonant locations, we deepen public connection to regional film history, because sensory-rich, place-based experiences make historical content more engaging and memorable than passive viewing alone.
- Youth Engagement through Creative Recognitionmethodology: youth_engagementBy hosting an annual youth film festival with juried and audience awards, we encourage student creativity and introduce young audiences to film as an art form, because recognition and public exhibition validate youth voices and inspire continued participation in media arts.