Daisy Wilson Artist Community Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CELEBRATE AND PROMOTE THE CULTURAL, ARTISTIC AND PERSONAL LEGACY OF AUGUST WILSON AND TO NURTURE BLACK ARTISTS AT ALL LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE HILL DISTRICT, AND THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH.
- Income
- $777,184
- Spending
- $882,076
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $112,200, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 32% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 255 of 6 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 December 31, 2024, 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)
- $628,956 spent. DWAC EXISTS TO INSPIRE AND EMPOWER KEY AUDIENCES, YOUTH, ARTISTS, FAMILIES, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY THROUGH VIBRANT PROGRAMMING THAT IS FOCUSED ON ARTS EDUCATION, LITERARY ARTS, AND AFRO CENTERED ACTIVISM. THIS PROGRAMMING FOSTERS AND PROMOTES A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR AND UNDERSTANDING OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE AND THE PERFORMING ARTS BY EXPLORING THE CULTURAL NARRATIVE OF AUGUST WILSON'S WRITINGS AND INSPIRING CREATIVITY AND CONFIDENCE AMONG PLAYWRIGHTS, ACTORS AND OTHER ARTISTS THROUGH A NUMBER OF INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS BY ENGAGING IN AND SUPPORTING OTHER CHARITABLE, ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES THAT ENRICH THE HILL DISTRICT AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. DWAC'S PROGRAM PORTFOLIO CONSISTS OF ORAL HISTORIES, PERFORMANCES, EVENTS, GALLERY SHOWS, ARTMAKING, ARTIST TALKS, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS INCLUDING HOUSE TOURS AND OTHER SHARED UPLIFTING EXPERIENCES.MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS BOTH LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY COME TO THE ARTS CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. DWAC THROUGH ITS TEACHING ARTISTS ALSO FACILITATES AN IN-SCHOOL PROGRAM CALLED AUGUST IN THE SCHOOLS WHICH TARGETS MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND IS DESIGNED TO BRING AUGUST WILSON'S WORK INTO LOCAL SCHOOLS TO ENHANCE THE EXISTING LITERARY AND PERFORMANCE ARTS CURRICULUM AND FOSTER A MULTI-GENERATIONAL DIALOGUE THAT UNDERSCORES THE POWER OF A SHARED COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE. DWAC HOSTS A PLAYWRIGHT RESIDENCY WHICH SUPPORTS A BLACK PLAYWRIGHT WHO HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO PLAYWRITING BUT HAS YET TO REALIZE BROAD PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION. THE PROGRAM GOAL WAS TO CREATE A FLUID, NURTURING ENVIRONMENT WITH AMPLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THAT ALLOW FOR ARTISTIC SELF-DEVELOPMENT.DWAC HAS ALSO SUPPORTED MORE LOCAL PITTSBURGH ARTISTS THROUGH A PROGRAM CALLED "ART FOR AUGUST," WHERE IT ENGAGED TEN (10) ARTISTS TO COMMISSION ART PIECES INSPIRED BY AUGUST WILSON WHICH WERE UNVEILED AND PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY. THE EXHIBITION WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT IT BECAME A TRAVELING EXHIBIT AND RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SOME NEW, DISPLAYING THE ARTWORK ON DISPLAY IN THEIR SPACES. ALSO, THROUGH AN EMPHASIS ON ARTIST DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR IN PARTNERSHIPS, DWAC HAS LAUNCHED INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE AUGUST WILSON HOUSE FELLOWSHIP AND ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMS WITH BOTH DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. EACH YEAR, OVER A SIX-MONTH PERIOD, FOUR WRITING WORKSHOPS (POETRY, CREATIVE NON-FICTION, PLAYWRITING AND WRITING OUR NARRATIVES) ARE OFFERED AS WELL.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on May 15, 2011 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2011.
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 December 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 September 2014.
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.
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.