Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE THE BRONX & SURROUNDING AREAS WITH ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE LOCAL, NATIONAL, & INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES THAT EDUCATE & CELEBRATE THE TRADITIONS OF A MULTI-CULTURAL COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 82%
- Employees
- 131
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $541,965, board member
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
Fair: 58 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 40 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (1)
- $2.5 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O:LEHMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS PROVIDES THE RESIDENTS OF THE BRONX AND SURROUNDING AREA WITH ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES THAT ENTERTAIN, EDUCATE, AND CELEBRATE THE TRADITIONS OF A MULTI-CULTURAL COMMUNITY. OVER THE PAST 45 YEARS, THE CENTER HAS PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN THE CULTURAL LIFE OF THE BRONX WHILE EMPHASIZING NEW YORK CITY'S REPUTATION AS A WORLDWIDE HUB FOR THE ARTS.THE LEHMAN CENTER CONCERT HALL BOASTS A TECHNICALLY EQUIPPED 2,265 SEAT VENUE WHICH IS THE ONLY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER OF ITS SIZE IN THE BRONX. OVER THE PAST DECADE, NUMEROUS SOUND AND LIGHTING UPGRADES HAVE MADE THIS THEATER THE "LINCOLN CENTER" OF THE BRONX. ALL PRODUCTIONS ARE ORGANIZED BY A PROFESSIONAL BACKSTAGE IATSE TECHNICAL STAFF TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL EMPLOYEES, ARTISTS, AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS THAT COME TO OUR VENUE. DURING THE 2024-2025 SEASON LEHMAN CENTER SERVICED UPWARDS OF 80,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS WITH PROGRAMMED SHOWS, RENTAL EVENTS, GRADUATIONS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCES.THE CENTER HAS PLAYED A PRECIOUS ROLE IN THE BOROUGH'S CULTURAL LIFE AND CONTRIBUTED TO NEW YORK CITY'S REPUTATION AS AN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR THE ARTS. LEHMAN CENTER IS THE ONLY ORGANIZATION IN THE BRONX PROVIDING A BROAD ARRAY OF INTERNATIONAL PERFORMING ARTS ALONGSIDE EVENTS THAT DIRECTLY REFLECT THE COMMUNITY'S DIVERSITY. AT THE INTERSECTION IS A GREATER LEVEL OF CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, BROADER WORLDVIEW,AND ENHANCED CIVIC PARTICIPATION AMONG PATRONS. THE COMMUNITY BREAKDOWN OF THE BRONX IS ROUGHLY 40% BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN, WITH 56% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION IDENTIFYING AS HISPANIC. BY PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WANTS AND NEEDS OF THIS POPULATION WHEN CHOOSING PERFORMANCES, THE LEHMAN CENTER HAS WELCOMED THE RESIDENTS OF THE BRONX TO A PLACE THAT FEELS FAMILIAR AND MEMORABLE. THIS GOAL HAS CULMINATED INTO THREE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE SERIES: LATIN MUSIC, INTERNATIONAL, AND CELEBRITY.THE LATIN MUSIC SERIES, IN ITS TENURE, HAS PRESENTED SOME OF THE GREATEST NAMES IN LATIN MUSIC, INCLUDING CELIA CRUZ, EL GRAN COMBO, RUBEN BLADES, VICTOR MANUEL, EDDIE PALMIERI, WILLIE COLON OSCAR D'LEON AND VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE "HOME GROWN" FAMILY OF FANIA RECORDS. THIS ANNUAL SERIES IS A CELEBRATION OF ONE OF NEW YORK'S MOST BELOVED CONTRIBUTIONS TO WORLD MUSIC -SALSA! THE LINEUP OF POPULAR LATIN MUSIC PERFORMANCES IS CHERISHED BY THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND WITHOUT IT THE RESIDENTS WOULD BE DEPRIVED OF THEIR CULTURAL TRADITIONS. DURING THE 2024-2025 SEASON, THE LATIN MUSIC SERIES SHOWED: FERNANDO VILLALONA, KINITO MENDEZ, MANNY MANUEL, TRIBUTE TO SELENA, PUERTO RICAN POWER 45TH ANNIVERSARY, EL PARRANDN DE NEW YORK, MERENGUE CON AMOR 3, EL DOMINICANO ES UN CHISTE, EDDY HERRERA, PAVEL GRAN GALA, LA INDIA, AND JOS LUIS RODRGUEZ "EL PUMA."THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES PRESENTS A BROAD ARRAY OF TALENT FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE, THE PURPOSE OF WHICH IS TO REACH MORE UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN THE BRONX, WHILE PROVIDING EVERYONE WITH AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO PERFORMANCES THEY MAY NOT OFTEN SEE IN THE BRONX. IN ITS LIFETIME, THIS SERIES HAS SHOWCASED CHINESE ACROBATICS, AFRICAN GOSPEL CHOIRS, JAPANESE TAIKO DRUMMING, MEXICAN FOLKLORIC BALLET, UKRAINIAN DANCE COMPANIES, GIGANTIC PUPPETS, THEATRICAL CLOWNS, AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN. IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE MISSION OF LEHMAN CENTER THAT EVENTS LIKE THESE ARE OFFERED AT A REASONABLE COST. IN 2024-2025 THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES INCLUDED: ENCANTO IN CONCERT, RHYTHM INDIA, WESTCHESTER BALLET COMPANY NUTCRACKER, AND THE PEKING ACROBATS.THE CELEBRITY SERIES IS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON SUPPORTING BLACK ARTISTS AND CATERING TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN THE BRONX BY BOOKING WELL KNOWN BLACK PERFORMERS THAT ARE RESPECTED AND REVERED. SOME NOTABLE PERFORMERS IN THE 40+ YEARS OF THIS SERIES INCLUDE STEPHANIE MILLS, HOWARD HEWETT, RUBEN STUDDARD, MARVIN SAPP, DIONNE WARWICK, GLADYS KNIGHT, SMOKEY ROBINSON, RAY CHARLES, B.B. KING, NATALIE COLE, AND CHAKA KHAN. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE CENTER CONTINUES THIS TREND OF PRESENTING BLACK ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE IN THE SEASONS TO COME. IN 2024-2025 THE CELEBRITY SERIES INCLUDED: DRUMLINE, FOREVER FREESTYLE 17, MCDONALD'S GOSPELFEST 2025, AND GOLDEN OLDIES DOO WOP.LEHMAN CENTER ACCOMPLISHES ITS GOALS WITH SIX FULL TIME STAFF MEMBERS: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GENERAL MANAGER, BOX OFFICE MANAGER, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AND MARKETING DIRECTOR. PART-TIME STAFF IS HIRED TO MANAGE EACH EVENT SUCH AS, SECURITY, MAINTENANCE, USHERS, STAGE HANDS AND HOUSE MANAGER.ADDITIONALLY, THE CENTER OFFERED $10 TICKETS FOR CHILDREN AND DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS, STUDENTS, BRONX CULTURE CARD HOLDERS, AND MEMBERS OF THE THEATER DEVELOPMENT FUND. AS THE ONLY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER OF ITS SIZE (2,265 SEATS) IN THE BRONX PRESENTING INTERNATIONAL ATTRACTIONS, LEHMAN CENTER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CULTURAL OASIS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. SINCE 2019 THE CENTER HAS DEVELOPED EXTENSIVE MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS TO ANNOUNCE THE COMPLETION OF A $15.4 MILLION RENOVATION TO BECOME TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED AND FULLY COMPLIANT WITH ADA STANDARDS. PROGRAMMING SUCCESS WAS MEASURED BY TICKET SALES, AUDIENCE RECEPTION, PRESS COVERAGE (NEW YORK TIMES, ASSOCIATED PRESS, DAILY NEWS, EL DIARIO, ETC.) AND COMMUNITY PERCEPTION OF THE CONCERT HALL. EVENTS REFLECTED GRATITUDE OF THE CLASSICS BY BOOKING FAN FAVORITES FROM PAST SEASONS WHILE ENRICHING AUDIENCES WITH BRAND NEW TALENT THAT WILL BE REQUESTED FOR YEARS TO COME.
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
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.
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 November 6, 2026.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1981.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 November 4, 2026.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc (New York, NY), EIN 13-1847137. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.