named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Exhibitions and Public Programs
Presents curated exhibitions of media art and hosts artist talks, screenings, and public discussions on themes in contemporary media and culture
Workspace Residency
Residency program supporting artists working in film and media art, providing production resources, mentorship, and exhibition opportunities
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Facilitate artist residencies and community artist meetupsManages an artist residency program and hosts regular community gatherings including monthly meetups for digital and media artists to share works in progress, and biweekly A/V Studio days in a shared lab space to support collaborative development and skill-sharing among media artists.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Host exhibitions and public programming for media artistsOrganizes annual and pop-up exhibitions, film screenings, artist talks, public openings, and closing events featuring regional, national, and youth media artists. Programming includes gallery installations, performances, and public recognition events, most of which are free and open to the public.
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Public Access to Digital and Physical Library Collections 1 activity
- Operate equipment access and lending programs for media artistsProvides public access to a digital media lab, professional-grade production equipment, and an equipment lending library, along with an equipment access grant program and affordable video transfer and digitization services to support independent media creation in Western New York.
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Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 1 activity
- Provide media arts education programs for youth and adultsOffers workshops and classes in video production, post-production, audio engineering, sound design, 2D and stop motion animation, digital comics, web scraping as an artistic practice, and paint-on-glass animation for participants of all ages, with small-group instruction and curricula that develop digital literacy, critical thinking, and creative collaboration skills. Programs include youth-specific offerings for grades 6–9 and affordable at-home setup guidance.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$397K
Contributions & grants$331K83%
Program service revenue$50K12%
Investment income$3K1%
Other revenue$13K
expenses
Total expenses$469K
Program expenses90%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$242K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$313K
Cash$205K
Investments$0
Liabilities$210K
Net assets$103K
Liquid reserves5.3 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -15.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZAINAB SALEH | FORMER EXEC DIR | 35 | $50K |
board members · 9
- DONTE MCFADDEN — Director
- DOROTHEA BRAEMER — President
- HARPER BISHOP — Director
- JAMSHID VAFAI — Vice President
- JEFF MACE — Director
- KELLY KHATIB — Director
- LAURA SHEDD — Treasurer
- MEG KNOWLES — Secretary
- MICHAEL QUINNIEY — Director
relationships · 58
Who they work with
- Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts Funder — Supports Squeaky Wheel's events
- Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Funder — Provided financial support for the exhibition
- Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Funder — Provided funding for the Squeaky Wheel’s Workspace Residency session.
- Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Funder — Provided support for the screening event
- Arts Partners for Learning Partner — Community partner in shared programming and resource exchange.
- Aurora Picture Show Partner — Recognized with a special thank you for contributions to the event
- Buffalo Center for Arts & Technology Partner — Community partner in shared programming and resource exchange.
- Buffalo International Film Festival Partner — Meg Knowles serves as Treasurer of the Buffalo International Film Festival.
- Buffalo State University Partner — Dorothea Braemer and Meg Knowles are faculty members in the Communication Department; Jeff Maciejewski earned a BA from the university.
- Burchfield Penney Art Center Partner — Community partner in shared programming and resource exchange.
- Burchfield Penney Art Center Partner — Meg Knowles co-hosts and curates the Beyond Boundaries Film & Discussion Series in collaboration with the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
- CEPA Gallery Partner — Community partner in shared programming and resource exchange.
- Cameron And Jane Baird Foundation Funder — Supports Squeaky Wheel's events
- Children’s Foundation of Erie County Funder — Funder of youth programs at Squeaky Wheel.
- Children’s Guild Foundation Funder — Funder of youth programs at Squeaky Wheel.
- Children’s Guild Foundation Funder — Supports Squeaky Wheel's events
- Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo Funder — Funder of youth programs at Squeaky Wheel.
- County of Erie Funder — Provides support for Squeaky Wheel's events
- County of Erie Government — Supporter of Squeaky Wheel's programs, along with County Executive Mark Poloncarz
- Eastside Projects Partner — Co-commissioned Amy Ching-Yan Lam’s Looty Goes to Heaven
- Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp Partner — Community partner in shared programming and resource exchange.
- Erie County Youth Primetime Funder — Funder of youth programs at Squeaky Wheel.
- Experimental Response Cinema Partner — Ekrem Serdar co-founded Experimental Response Cinema in Austin, TX, and previously served as a programmer there.
- Film Neighbor Network Partner — Robin Lazzara co-founded the Film Neighbor Network to diversify the film workforce in Western New York.
- Filmform – The Art Film & Video Archive Partner — Provided access to Annika Eriksson’s video work for exhibition
- Girl Scouts of America Partner — Community partner in shared programming and resource exchange.
- Icarus Films Partner — Provided film and description for Chris Marker's The Case of the Grinning Cat
- JM McDonald Foundation Funder — Funder of youth programs at Squeaky Wheel.
- Josephine Goodyear Foundation Funder — Supports Squeaky Wheel's events
- Kolya Kishinsky Partner — Instructor for the 2D Animation workshop
+ 28 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.
- Artist-Led, Community-Driven Model 305 orgsmethodology: community-drivenBy centering artists and community input in program design and governance, the organization sustains relevant and inclusive access to media arts, because community ownership increases engagement and cultural resonance.shared approach: Art-Integrated Community Engagement →
- Artistic Access Through Equity-Based Participation Models 305 orgsmethodology: equal-accessBy offering free programming, low-cost admissions, and work-trade opportunities, the organization removes economic barriers to media arts participation, because equitable access enables broader inclusion of underrepresented and marginalized creators.shared approach: Art-Integrated Community Engagement →
- Hybrid Artistic Practice to Bridge Mediums 305 orgsmethodology: hybrid_artistic_practiceBy combining traditional techniques like painting with digital animation, the organization fosters deeper creative engagement across artistic disciplines, because integrating physical and digital processes supports meditative, experimental expression that connects diverse artistic communities.shared approach: Art-Integrated Community Engagement →
- Critical Artistic Practice as Institutional Critique 5 orgsmethodology: institutional-critiqueBy using art forms like speculative narratives, essay films, and web scraping to interrogate institutions such as museums and zoos, the organization fosters critical consciousness around colonialism, capitalism, and ecological harm, because artistic critique makes visible the power structures embedded in cultural representation.shared approach: Art as Critical Inquiry →
- Progressive, Hands-On Skill Development in Youth Educationmethodology: progressive-skill-developmentBy structuring media arts education around iterative, hands-on learning—from basic shapes to complex animation—students build technical proficiency and creative confidence over time, because scaffolded experimentation supports long-term engagement and mastery across skill levels.