named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Architecture Series
Explores 21st-century American architecture through profiles of prominent architects including Steven Holl, Daniel Libeskind, and Jean Nouvel, and landmark projects like Cornell Tech.
Lit / Music / Dance Series
Covers cultural figures in literature, music, and dance, including poet Billy Collins, jazz pianist Barry Harris, and choreographer Bart Cook.
Painting & Sculpture Series
Documentary series profiling major American painters and sculptors such as Vija Celmins, Martin Puryear, Julie Mehretu, and James Rosenquist, often tied to major museum retrospectives.
Photography Series
Profiles influential photographers such as Harry Callahan, Duane Michals, John Szarkowski, and Carrie Mae Weems, focusing on their artistic processes and legacies.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Artist Legacy Preservation and Documentation 1 activity
- Creation of archival film profiles for research and educationCreates archival-quality film profiles of American artists that serve as visual time capsules and are used by libraries, museums, art historians, collectors, and researchers for educational and scholarly purposes.
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Film Distribution and Screening Programs 1 activity
- Distribution of films to educational and cultural institutionsDistributes documentary films to museums, libraries, universities, academic institutions, media outlets, and individuals for educational use, research, and public screening. Films are provided as educational gifts and used as teaching tools in the U.S. and internationally.
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Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
- Organization of film screenings in collaboration with museums and festivalsOrganizes and facilitates film screenings in partnership with museums worldwide, often aligned with exhibitions of the featured artists, as well as at film festivals and on public and cable television.
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Documentary Film Production 1 activity
- Production of documentary films on American artistsProduces documentary films that document the lives, creative processes, and artistic contributions of significant American artists across various disciplines, including visual art, literature, and poetry. Since 1979, the organization has produced over 70 films, featuring artists such as Jack Youngerman, Martin Puryear, Julie Mehretu, Vija Celmins, James Rosenquist, Billy Collins, and Carrie Mae Weems.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$75K
Contributions & grants$54K71%
Program service revenue$22K29%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$234K
Program expenses5%
Admin / overhead95%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$120K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.45M
Cash$92K
Investments$0
Liabilities$247K
Net assets$4.20M
Liquid reserves4.7 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -77.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 10
- AVID NELSON — TREASURER
- CHARLES HOWARD — TRUSTEE
- CHRISTOHER HOWARD — TRUSTEE
- EDGAR B HOWARD — CHAIRMAN & PRESIDENT
- ELISABETH CLARK — TRUSTEE
- FRANCES BETTY ADLER — TRUSTEE
- LEIGH SEIPPEL — TRUSTEE
- LEORA ARMSTRONG — TRUSTEE
- SUSAN WALD — TRUSTEE
- THOMAS ZACHARIAS — VICE PRESIDENT
relationships · 29
Who they work with
- Acquavella Galleries Partner — Collaborated to feature James Rosenquist's Multiverse exhibition in the documentary film.
- Amazon Prime Video Partner — Platform for distributing the documentary film "Vladimir Kagan: A Life of Design".
- Brice Marden Partner — Profiled in a Checkerboard film.
- Duane Michals Partner — Profiled in a Checkerboard film.
- Educational Institutions Partner — Distributes produced films to educational institutions for instructional and cultural use.
- Ellsworth Kelly Partner — Profiled in a Checkerboard film.
- Frank Stella Partner — Featured artist in a 2019 video production
- Institute of Classical Architecture and Art Partner — Co-produced a film on Reconsidering Postmodernism.
- James Rosenquist Partner — Featured artist in a 2019 video production
- Julie Mehretu Partner — Profiled in a Checkerboard film.
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art Partner — Co-organized Julie Mehretu's mid-career retrospective documented in the foundation's film.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art Partner — Collaborated on documenting Vija Celmins' 2019-20 retrospective exhibition.
- Museum of Modern Art Partner — Collaborated on the production of a film for an exhibition on Roy Lichtenstein's drawings.
- Museum of Modern Art Partner — Featured Starr Figura, Curator of Drawings and Prints, in the film.
- Sir John Soane Partner — Subject of a Checkerboard film.
- Storm King Art Center Partner — Collaborated on the documentation of Martin Puryear's commissioned sculpture.
- Studio Gang Partner — Featured in a Checkerboard film production.
- The Phillips Collection Partner — Featured in a film produced by Checkerboard Film Foundation.
- Vimeo On Demand Partner — Platform for distributing the documentary film "Vladimir Kagan: A Life of Design".
- Whitney Museum of American Art Partner — Co-organized Julie Mehretu's mid-career retrospective documented in the foundation's film.
- Whitney Museum of American Art Partner — Subject of a film documenting the Jeff Koons retrospective exhibition.
- alma mater Partner — Recipients of Checkerboard films for educational and archival purposes
- art historians Partner — Provides film profiles for research and educational purposes
- collectors Partner — Provides film profiles for archival and reference use
- libraries Partner — Provides film profiles for educational and archival use
- libraries Partner — Recipients of Checkerboard films for educational and archival purposes
- museums Partner — Provides film profiles for educational and archival use
- museums Partner — Recipients of Checkerboard films for educational and archival purposes
- universities Partner — Provides film profiles for educational and archival use
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.
- Checkerboard Method as Artistic Frameworkmethodology: checkerboard_methodBy using the checkerboard as a structural and artistic metaphor in documentary development, the organization shapes narrative and visual form to reflect the complexity and interplay of artistic influence and legacy, because this conceptual framework enhances thematic coherence and depth in storytelling.
- Documentary as Educational Preservationmethodology: documentary-as-educationBy producing documentary films on significant American artists, the organization advances public understanding and preserves artistic legacies for educational and archival use, because film provides an accessible, durable medium that captures both creative processes and cultural context.
- Exhibition-Integrated Documentationmethodology: exhibition-adjacent documentationBy producing films in conjunction with major art exhibitions, the organization creates comprehensive, context-rich documentation of artists’ work, because aligning film production with curatorial milestones ensures deeper institutional engagement and broader public access to artistic processes.
- Oral History in Artist Documentationmethodology: oral historyBy capturing firsthand interviews and conversations with artists and their clients, the organization preserves authentic, subjective accounts of creative processes, because oral history provides intimate access to artistic intent and evolution that observational methods alone cannot convey.