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Vivian Beaumont Theater Inc

EIN 13-3004747 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE OTHE ORGANIZATION'S FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE, AS ADOPTED IN ITS BY-LAWS, IS(1) TO PRESENT, DEVELOP, AND ENCOURAGE THE HIGHEST EXCELLENCE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS; (2) TO ENCOURAGE AND ADVANCE THE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION OF DRAMA AND CLASSICAL, ARTISTIC, MUSICAL, LITERARY AND SOCIAL TRADITION BY THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES AVAILABLE TO THE LARGEST POSSIBLE AUDIENCES, ENCOMPASSING THE FULL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SPECTRUM; (3) TO MAINTAIN ACCESSIBILITY TO LINCOLN CENTER THEATER BY MAINTAINING THE LOWEST PRACTICABLE TICKET PRICES; (4) TO PROMOTE INTEREST IN THE STUDY OF THEATER ARTS AND DRAMA IN PARTICULAR BY PROVIDING THE ORGANIZATION'S ARTISTS, PERFORMERS, MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES WITH AN ATMOSPHERE OF FREEDOM TO PURSUE CREATIVE OBJECTIVES AND WITH WORKING CONDITIONS ALTOGETHER ENCOURAGING EXCELLENCE IN THE ARTS, HUMAN DIGNITY, AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM; AND (5) TO PROVIDE THE PREMISES, ATMOSPHERE AND SUPPORT FOR GROUPS OF PERFORMERS WHO SHARE THE ARTISTIC STANDARDS, PURPOSES AND ASP

Income
$71.3 million
Spending
$58.8 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
5.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 37%
Employees
778
Volunteers
60
Highest pay
$984,502, producing artistic directo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    49 of 50 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $47.1 million spent. THEATRICAL PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS, INCLUDING ARTISTIC STAFF AND FACILITIESTHE ORGANIZATION PRESENTS NOT-FOR-PROFIT THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT THE VIVIAN BEAUMONT AND MITZI E. NEWHOUSE THEATERS AT LINCOLN CENTER, AS WELL AS WORKS BY YOUNG AND EMERGING ARTISTS (THE LCT3 PROGRAM) AT THE CLAIRE TOW THEATER AT LINCOLN CENTER. THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTIONS WERE PRESENTED: "MCNEAL" (BEAUMONT THEATER, 76 PERFS., ATTENDANCE 83,220);"FLOYD COLLINS" (BEAUMONT THEATER, 98 PERFS., ATTENDANCE 81,700);"THE BLOOD QUILT" (NEWHOUSE THEATER, 65 PERFS., ATTENDANCE 16,779);"GHOSTS" (NEWHOUSE THEATER, 82 PERFS., ATTENDANCE 22,697);"SIX CHARACTERS" (TOW THEATER, 50 PERFS., ATTENDANCE 5,224);"FIVE MODELS IN RUINS, 1981" (TOW THEATER, 50 PERFS., ATTENDANCE 5,267).
  2. $2.5 million spent. MARKETING, EDUCATION & OUTREACHTHE EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH THOUSANDS OF NEW YORKERS EACH YEAR IN SCHOOLS AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS AT LINCOLN CENTER THEATER (LCT). OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS CONNECT THE ARTISTRY ON OUR STAGES TO NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN PARTNERSHIPS THAT SUPPORT CREATIVE TEACHING AND IMAGINATIVE STUDENT LEARNING THROUGH THEATER. OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS USE THEATER AS A TOOL TO SPARK CURIOSITY, FOSTER COMPASSION, AND EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITIES. LCT HAS FIVE MAIN EDUCATION INITIATIVES THAT SERVE BOTH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN NEW YORK CITY'S PUBLIC MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDES IN-SCHOOL WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED BY TEACHING ARTISTS AS WELL AS FREE TICKETS FOR OUR PRODUCTIONS. THE SHAKESPEARE PROGRAM PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAYWRIGHT BY APPROACHING HIS LANGUAGE AS ACTORS. THE LEAD (LEARNING ENGLISH AND DRAMA) PROJECT HELPS MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IMPROVE THEIR ENGLISH-LANGUAGE SPEAKING SKILLS BY UTILIZING THEATER TECHNIQUES. THE SONGWRITING IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM BRINGS PROFESSIONAL LYRICISTS AND COMPOSERS INTO CLASSROOMS TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO WRITE SONGS FROM A CHARACTER'S POINT OF VIEW. AFTER-SCHOOL INITIATIVES INCLUDE PERFORMANCE PROJECTS AND PROFESSIONAL MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. LCT'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS REACH A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 4,700 STUDENTS AND 80 TEACHERS EACH YEAR. LCT'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS INVITE PEOPLE INTO OUR BUILDING TO FIND COMMUNITY AND TAP INTO THEIR CREATIVITY THROUGH PROGRAMMING IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES. WE ALSO SUPPORT MUNICIPAL RESIDENCIES, WHICH BRING TEACHING ARTISTS INTO COMMUNITIES ACROSS NYC TO ENGAGE IN STORYTELLING, PLAY, AND CREATIVE EXPLORATION WITH PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS. THE THEATER'S MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM IS AN AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SERVICING APPROXIMATELY 20,000 LINCOLN CENTER THEATER MEMBERS, EACH OF WHOM, AFTER PAYMENT OF AN ANNUAL FEE, IS ENTITLED TO PURCHASE ONE TICKET TO EACH OF THE THEATER'S PRODUCTIONS AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISCOUNT (SUBJECT IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES TO AVAILABILITY) AND TO RECEIVE SPECIAL INFORMATION AND SERVICE IN THE ORDERING OF TICKETS. OVER 45,000 YOUNGER MEMBERS, UNDER THE LINCTIX PROGRAM, ARE ENTITLED TO MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS AND DISCOUNTS WITHOUT THE PAYMENT OF AN ANNUAL FEE.
  3. $444,866 spent. SPECIAL ARTISTIC PROJECTS.SPECIAL ARTISTIC PROJECTS INCLUDE DEVELOPMENTAL WORKSHOPS AND READINGS OF NEW PLAYS AND MUSICALS (THE PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM), COMMISSIONS FOR NEW PLAYS AND OPERAS, AND THE PUBLICATION OF THE LINCOLN CENTER THEATER REVIEW, A JOURNAL OF THE DRAMA. GRANTS AND AWARDS WITHIN THIS PROGRAM SERVICE ARE THE CULLMAN AWARD FOR CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1979.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.