named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
CityWide Initiatives
Programs led by the Director of Citywide Initiatives to expand art access across New York City, centering BIPOC experiences and resistance through storytelling, art-making, and political education.
Liberatory Education Initiatives
Collaborative programs that promote dignity and justice in education, developed in partnership with community organizations, schools, and universities in the U.S. and globally.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Arts Professional Advocacy & Equity Initiatives 1 activity
- Cultural Equity Research and ReportingConducts research to examine patterns in cultural funding and access, including commissioning analysis of ten years of DCLA spending data by IBO and publishing community-led reports such as the Parent Power for Cultural Equity (PP4CE) Creative Pathways In Bed-Stuy Report, which features strategies for equitable cultural participation.
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Cultural Exchange and Community Integration Events 1 activity
- Distribution of Multilingual Educational and Cultural ResourcesProduces and distributes multilingual (English, Spanish, Chinese) resources including the Family Guide, Art Exploration Cards, DIY activity instructions (e.g., Abayomi doll-making, windchime-making), and virtual museum tours to support family engagement with art and culture. These materials affirm connections to African diasporic heritage and promote sound-based and spiritual wellness practices.
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Arts Education Professional Development 1 activity
- Educator Training and Professional DevelopmentOffers workshops, seminars, and professional development programs for educators on using arts and culture to support family engagement, wellbeing, and activism. Provides session resources including presentations, recordings, and activity sheets through online platforms and hosts trainings at partner institutions like Poster House and Bronx Children’s Museum.
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Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
- Family Leader Training and Peer OutreachTrains community Family Leaders through a multi-path series who then conduct peer-to-peer outreach and support Neighborhood-based Action Projects, strengthening grassroots engagement and community leadership in cultural equity initiatives.
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Equitable Access Admission Programs 1 activity
- Family Pass Program for Cultural AccessProvides free, unlimited general admission for up to five family members to nearly 90 cultural institutions in New York City for one year through the Family Pass, distributed via schools and childcare centers serving Pre-K and Kindergarten students. The program reaches over 70,000 families annually and facilitates more than 180,000 cultural institution visits.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Free Family-Friendly Cultural Festivals and EventsHosts citywide, free public events such as Bring the Cool Family Festivals and Wellbeing Jamborees in partnership with cultural institutions, engaging up to 2,600 children and caregivers per event. These festivals include art-making, children's reading activities, community mapping, wellness resources, and "Ask a Doctor" sessions.
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Library-Provided Cultural Access Passes 1 activity
- Support for School and Childcare Center PartnershipsPartners with 470+ early childhood centers and public elementary schools to distribute Family Passes and registration materials to eligible families, facilitating broad access to cultural institutions across New York City.
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Trauma-Informed Community Resilience Initiatives 1 activity
- Wellbeing Toolkits and Healing-Centered ProgrammingDevelops and distributes four themed Wellbeing Toolkits—Mental, Physical, Civic, and Spiritual—that use art-making, storytelling, and cultural practices to support family discussions on health, collective power, body positivity, and spiritual care. Also produces videos on family yoga and breathwork and hosts Kundalini Yoga sessions for children and caregivers.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.75M
Contributions & grants$1.10M63%
Program service revenue$654K37%
Investment income$1K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.50M
Program expenses71%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising17%
Salaries & benefits$806K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$961K
Cash$417K
Investments$96K
Liabilities$87K
Net assets$873K
Liquid reserves4.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +8.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CANDICE ANDERSON | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $130K |
| TRACEY GREENIDGE | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $123K |
| DONIZETTI GONZALEZ | DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND INNOVATION | 40 | $115K |
board members · 9
- AHMED YEARWOOD — DIRECTOR/CHAIR
- CATHY ELKIES — DIRECTOR/VICE CHAIR
- DR CHRISTOPHER GODFREY — DIRECTOR
- EDWINA MEYERS — DIRECTOR/CHAIR EMERITUS
- JARED COOPER — DIRECTOR
- JONATHAN VANANTWERPEN — DIRECTOR
- RISA MEYER — DIRECTOR/SECRETARY
- ROB KRULAK — DIRECTOR/TREASURER
- SUBHAS KIM KANDASAMY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 40
Who they work with
- 450 Early Childhood Centers and Title 1 Department of Education schools Partner — Partners with 450+ schools and early childhood centers to distribute Family Passes and engage families in cultural access programs.
- 90 New York City cultural institution partners Partner — Collaborates with 90 NYC cultural institutions to provide free access via the Cool Culture Family Pass and co-create programming.
- 90 cultural partners Partner — Collaborates with 90 cultural institutions to provide free admission to families
- Baba OluDarė Partner — Provides breathwork content for restorative healing programming.
- Bronx Children’s Museum Partner — Hosted a Cool Culture professional development workshop for educators on family engagement.
- Brooklyn Network — Geographic area included in the Cultural Partners network
- Brooklyn Partner — Cultural partner location offering access through the Family Pass program.
- Brooklyn Museum Partner — Collaborates with Cool Culture on cultural access and community engagement initiatives
- Brooklyn Museum Partner — Hosted Cool Culture’s in-person professional development workshop featuring art-making, reflection, and exhibition tour.
- Brooklyn Museum Partner — Partnership indicated through endorsement by former director Arnold Lehman
- Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York Partner — Candice Anderson formerly served as Senior Policy Associate at Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, a child advocacy organization, indicating a professional and likely collaborative relationship.
- Department of Education (NYC DOE) Government — Partners with public schools enrolled in Universal Pre-K and Title I programs to distribute the Family Pass.
- Dr. 'Simbo Ige Partner — Participates in "Ask a Doctor" sessions to address community health questions.
- Facebook Partner — Hosts a family community on Facebook for families to connect, share resources, and engage with the organization.
- Head Start Partner — Collaborates with Head Start programs to enroll families in the Family Pass initiative.
- IBO (Independent Budget Office) Government — Analyzed DCLA spending data at the request of Cool Culture’s Executive Director.
- Instagram Partner — Uses Instagram to share family adventures using the hashtag #WeAreAllCurators and promote engagement.
- Luz Emma Cañas Partner — Collaborates on family yoga programming as part of the Health + Wellbeing Initiative.
- Luz Emma Cañas Partner — Collaborates with Cool Culture to lead family yoga sessions focused on wellbeing.
- Manhattan Network — Geographic area included in the Cultural Partners network
- Manhattan Partner — Cultural partner location offering access through the Family Pass program.
- NYC Administration for Children’s Services Partner — Candice Anderson previously served as Director of Child Care and Head Start Collaboration at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, suggesting an institutional connection.
- NYC Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission Government — Candice Anderson was appointed by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio to the Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission, indicating formal city government affiliation.
- NYC Department of Education Government — Candice Anderson sits on the NYC Department of Education’s Arts Committee to the Panel of Educational Policy, indicating an official advisory role.
- NYC Public Libraries Partner — Referenced in comparison to NYC Culture Pass, indicating a parallel access pathway through public libraries.
- Poster House Partner — Hosted a Cool Culture educator workshop on activism through art and culture.
- Public libraries in NYC Partner — References NYC public library system's Culture Pass as a complementary access program for cultural institutions.
- Queens Network — Geographic area included in the Cultural Partners network
- Queens Partner — Cultural partner location offering access through the Family Pass program.
- Staten Island Network — Geographic area included in the Cultural Partners network
+ 10 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.
- Art as a Vehicle for Transformationmethodology: art-as-vehicle-for-transformationBy engaging families in art and culture, we foster personal, family, and community change because artistic experiences activate emotional, intellectual, and political imaginations, creating pathways for empowerment and social transformation.
- Cultural Access as a Tool for Equity in Early Childhoodmethodology: cultural_access_for_early_childhoodBy increasing access to cultural institutions for early childhood families through free passes and institutional partnerships, we advance equity in cultural participation because early exposure builds lifelong engagement and counters systemic exclusion.
- Culture as a Bridge for Dialogue and Civic Wellbeingmethodology: cultural-bridge-for-dialogueBy using art as a human right and bridge across cultural boundaries, we build community, increase understanding, and advance civic engagement because shared cultural practices create space for dialogue, healing, and collective action.
- Family-Centered Co-Design for Community Powermethodology: family-centered-co-designBy centering families as experts and co-designers of cultural experiences, we increase their influence on cultural, economic, and political systems because participatory design builds agency, relevance, and collective power.
- Holistic Wellness Through Cultural and Community Practicesmethodology: holistic_wellness_integrationBy integrating cultural engagement with BIPOC artists and healers, we support holistic wellness and community-led healing because ancestral and restorative practices address trauma and promote wellbeing beyond Western clinical models.