Danspace Project Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
DANSPACE PROJECT, INC. IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT PRESENTS DANCE WORKS AT ST. MARK'S CHURCH IN-THE-BOWERY AND AT OTHER VENUES IN NEW YORK CITY. FOUNDED BY ARTISTS IN 1974 AT THE HISTORIC LANDMARK OF ST. MARK'S CHURCH, DANSPACE PROJECT IS AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN THE COMMISSIONING AND PRESENTATION OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE. THE MISSION OF THE DANSPACE PROJECT IS TO PRESENT NEW WORKS IN DANCE, SUPPORT A DIVERSE RANGE OF CHOREOGRAPHERS IN DEVELOPING THEIR WORK, ENCOURAGE EXPERIMENTATION AND CONNECT ARTISTS TO AUDIENCES.
- Income
- $682,081
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- 5.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 57%
- Employees
- 31
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $126,124, executive director and chief curator
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
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.6 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 95% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 67% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 36 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 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 14 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 (4)
- $447,928 spent. DANSPACE PROJECT'S 2024-25 50TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON PRESENTED 25 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDING 10 FREE OF CHARGE, ENGAGING OVER 90 ARTISTS AND REACHING A LIVE AUDIENCE OF 2626. DANSPACE COMMISSIONED 5 NEW PREMIERE WORKS BY A NEW GENERATION OF CHOREOGRAPHERS NIALL JONES, AYANO ELSON, WENDELL GRAY II, GLENN POTTER TAKADA, AND JADE MANNS. THESE ARTISTS RECEIVED COMMISSION FEES AND A WEEK-LONG PRODUCTION RESIDENCY LEADING INTO THEIR PERFORMANCE WEEK. DANSPACE ALSO PRESENTED STACY MATTHEW SPENCE'S 2024 COMMISSIONED WORK "I AM, HERE; HERE WITH US; WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES," REMOUNTED AND CO-PRESENTED IN 2025 THROUGH LIVE ARTERY BY NEW YORK LIVE ARTS. IN ADDITION, DANSPACE CO-HOSTED A FREE AFTERNOON OF READINGS, MUSIC, AND PERFORMANCES THROUGH "ENERGIES: REACTIVATION OF GORDON MATTA-CLARK'S ROSEBUSH AT ST. MARK'S CHURCH" IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SWISS INSTITUTE AND THE POETRY PROJECT. AT 50 FORWARD: "THE FUTURE IS" GATHERING, 50 MICRO-COMMISSIONED SHORT FILMS BY INTERGENERATIONAL DANSPACE ARTISTS WERE SCREENED WITH CELEBRATORY ACTIVITIES AROUND ST. MARK'S CHURCH-IN-THE-BOWERY, INCLUDING LIVE OFFERINGS BY SPECIAL GUESTS MAYFIELD BROOKS, SILAS RIENER, ANGIE PITTMAN, ALI ROSA-SALAS AND NAZUK KOCHHAR. FINALLY, DANSPACE PARTNERED WITH THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS TO HONOR DANSPACE'S FOUNDING ARTISTS AND THE FIRST 10 YEARS OF PROGRAMMING WITH ARCHIVAL VIDEOS AND PANEL DISCUSSION FEATURING CYNTHIA HEDSTROM, WENDY PERRON, ISHMAEL HOUSTON-JONES, AND CAROL MULLINS, ORGANIZED AND FACILITATED BY DANSPACE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHIEF CURATOR, JUDY HUSSIE-TAYLOR. "DRAFTWORK", A FREE WORK-IN-PROCESS SERIES WITH PANEL/AUDIENCE DISCUSSIONS, CURATED VIA OPEN APPLICATION AND HOSTED BY ISHMAEL HOUSTON-JONES, THIS YEAR INCLUDED FOUR SHOWINGS FEATURING 8 ARTISTS: AMELIA HEINTZLEMAN, ELLIOT REED, SYMARA JOHNSON, ANH VO, JELANI TAYLOR, NILE HARRIS, ANNA THERESE WITENBERG, AND DOMINICA GREENE. OTHER PUBLIC EVENTS INCLUDED FOUR FREE DRESS REHEARSALS FOR THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, WHICH WERE PRESENTED WITH LIMITED CAPACITY AND FULLY MASKED AUDIENCE AND STAFF.
- $289,681 spent. DANSPACE@50: 50TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVALDANSPACE WAS PROUD TO CELEBRATE A HISTORIC AND RICH 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL ENTITLED DANSPACE@50:"WORK IS NEVER DONE. SANCTUARY ALWAYS NEEDED." THE FESTIVAL CURATED EXTRAORDINARY ARTISTS FROM OUR ILLUSTRIOUS PAST IN CONVERSATION WITH AN EXCITING NEW GENERATION OF ARTISTS AND FEATURED HISTORIC REVIVALS AND RE-IMAGININGS OF WORK BY ISHMAEL HOUSTON-JONES & FRED HOLLAND (SOLD OUT), DONNA UCHIZONO (SOLD OUT), BEBE MILLER (SOLD OUT), AND MARJANI FORTE-SAUNDERS & BLONDELL CUMMINGS; A SCREENING/DISCUSSION OF RARELY SEEN FOOTAGE OF THE LATE DANCE LEGEND STEVE PAXTON WITH HIS PARTNER LISA NELSON AND CATHY WEIS; A REUNION OF CLAUDIA LAROCCO'S 2015 PLATFORM, DANCERS, BUILDINGS AND PEOPLE IN THE STREETS, FEATURING CONVERSATIONS, PERFORMANCES AND SCREENINGS ABOUT THE DANCE LINEAGES OF GEORGE BALANCHINE, MERCE CUNNINGHAM, AND JUDSON DANCE THEATER; AND A REVISITING OF REGGIE WILSON'S GUEST CURATED PLATFORM FROM 2018, DANCING PLATFORM PRAYING GROUNDS: BLACKNESS, CHURCHES, AND DOWNTOWN DANCE, WHICH INCLUDED A PANEL DISCUSSION AND DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENING; AND A CONCLUSORY PANEL CONVERSATION AT THE NYPL FACILITATED BY DANSPACE'S PLATFORM FOUNDER HUSSIE-TAYLOR CELEBRATING THE 15 YEAR HISTORY AND IMPACT OF THE ICONIC SERIES WITH EIKO OTAKE, OKWUI OKPOKWASILI, REGGIE WILSON, AND DANSPACE PROGRAM DIRECTOR/ASSOCIATE CURATOR, SETA MORTON. THE FESTIVAL RECEIVED CRITICAL ACCLAIM WITH TWO FEATURE ARTICLES IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, PLUS ADDITIONAL PRESS COVERAGE IN CULTUREBOT, FJORD REVIEW, BROOKLYN RAIL, DANCE MAGAZINE, AND DANCE ENTHUSIAST.
- $99,958 spent. PARTNERSHIP & RENTAL PROGRAMSTHIS YEAR MARKED THE REVITALIZATION OF OUR PRODUCTION RENTAL PROGRAM, WHICH HAD BEEN DORMANT SINCE 2019 DUE TO COVID-19. AS PART OF OUR 'OFF-SEASON' PROGRAM, DANSPACE OFFERED WEEK-LONG RENTAL PACKAGES TO TWO ARTIST GROUPS, MEGAN WILLIAMS DANCE PROJECT AND AUNTS. THESE ARTISTS PAID DANSPACE PROJECT A FLAT FEE, REHEARSED AND PERFORMED IN OUR SPACE, AND RECEIVED BOX OFFICE SALES AS COMPENSATION. DANSPACE ALSO OFFERED WEEKLY RENTALS OF OUR SPACE TO THE NEW SCHOOL AND TO MOVEMENT RESEARCH FOR THE PURPOSE OF TEACHING CLASS. THIS CONTINUED OUR LONG TRADITION OF PARTNERING WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO HOST DANCE CLASSES THAT BENEFIT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
- $67,210 spent. RESIDENCIES AND REHEARSALSDANSPACE INVITED BEBE MILLER RECEIVED A WEEK-LONG CREATIVE RESIDENCY IN NOVEMBER WITH AN OPEN REHEARSAL SHOWING AND SUPPORTED EMILY JOHNSON/CATALYST FOR A FALL RESIDENCY IN DELAWARE COUNTY, NY ON HAUDENOSAUNEE LANDS THROUGH NYS DANCEFORCE. IN ADDITION, DANSPACE OFFERED OUR SPACE TO SEVERAL ARTISTS FOR SHORTER REHEARSAL PERIODS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, TOTALING 145 HOURS IN THE SPACE.PUBLICATIONSDANSPACE'S FREE ONLINE JOURNAL PUBLISHED ISSUE 18 FEATURING WRITING, IMAGES, AND VIDEO FROM ARTISTS AND WRITERS INCLUDING CLAUDIA LAROCCO, NORA RAINE THOMSON, AND NOA RUI-PIIN WEISS. ISSUE 18 ALSO INCLUDES ARCHIVAL VIDEO OF BEBE MILLER'S "VESPERS" (1982), DONNA UCHIZONO'S "STATE OF HEADS" (1999), AND THE COMPLETE COMPILATION OF "STEVE PAXTON - A VIDEO AMBLE AND "PA RT" (1983). FINALLY, THE JOURNAL FEATURED THE 50 MICROCOMMISSIONED "THE FUTURE IS" VIDEOS IN WHICH 50 ARTISTS REPRESENTING ALL FIVE DECADES OF DANSPACE RECORDED A 50-SECOND DANCE OR PERFORMANCE.
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 October 13, 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 May 1986.
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 October 21, 2026.
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