Crosstown Arts
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CROSSTOWN ARTS IS A CONTEMPORARY ARTS ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO FURTHER CULTIVATING THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY IN MEMPHIS. MANAGING A VARIETY OF EXHIBITION, PERFORMANCE, AND PRODUCTION SPACES, CROSSTOWN ARTS SUPPORTS ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, AND AUDIENCES WITH A WIDE RANGE OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS. CROSSTOWN ARTS FOUNDED AND MANAGED THE RENOVATION OF CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE, A ONE-MILLION-SQUARE-FOOT MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT IN THE FORMER SEARS BUILDING. OVER 40,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE IN CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE IS DEDICATED TO THE NON-PROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATION'S ARTS AND MUSIC PROGRAMMING.
- Income
- $5.1 million
- Spending
- $4.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 54.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 45%
- Employees
- 31
- Volunteers
- 167
- Highest pay
- $106,891, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 54.6 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 65% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 April 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 (6)
- $1.9 million spent. CROSSTOWN ARTS CREATES A WIDE RANGE OF PUBLIC PROGRAMMING IN AND AROUND CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE TO HELP REVITALIZE MEMPHIS' CROSSTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS PUBLIC PROGRAMMING INCLUDES ONGOING FREE, LARGE-SCALE PUBLIC EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE'S OUTDOOR PUBLIC PLAZA AND INDOOR PUBLIC ATRIUM SPACES.
- $932,559 spent. CROSSTOWN ARTS MANAGES A VARIETY OF EXHIBITION SPACES THAT INCLUDE OVER 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF GALLERY SPACE IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. THE EXHIBITION PROGRAM HOSTS A DIVERSE RANGE OF MEMPHIS-BASED AND NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL VISUAL ARTISTS, AND INCLUDES A DELIBERATE MIX OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SHOWS CURATED AND ORGANIZED BY INDIVIDUALS AND/OR OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, OFTEN WITH A FOCUS ON INTERCONNECTING ARTISTS AND CONTENT FROM VARIED BACKGROUNDS. EXHIBITIONS RANGE FROM HIGHLY CURATED SHOWS BY PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS WHO WORK IN COMPLEX AND COMPELLING SUBJECT MATTER TO OPEN-CALL SHOWS THAT WELCOME A BROAD SCOPE OF PARTICIPANTS WORKING AT ANY LEVEL OF EXPERTISE. ALL VISUAL ART EXHIBITIONS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH 100% OF ALL ART SALES GOING DIRECTLY TO THE EXHIBITING ARTIST(S). CROSSTOWN ARTS MANAGES A VARIETY OF PERFORMANCE SPACES FOR LIVE MUSIC THAT INCLUDE A SMALL, INTIMATE VENUE FOR AUDIENCES OF UP TO 125 PEOPLE, AS WELL AS A BLACK-BOX THEATER FOR AUDIENCES OF UP TO 400 PEOPLE. CROSSTOWN ARTS' MUSIC PROGRAMMING FOCUSES ON LIVE PERFORMANCES BY MEMPHIS-BASED MUSICIANS, AS WELL AS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED TOURING MUSICIANS SEEKING TO PERFORM IN THESE EXTRAORDINARILY INTIMATE VENUES, WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A PREMIERE SONIC EXPERIENCE FOR THE AUDIENCE. THE THEATER IS EQUIPPED WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART AUDIO AND A DCP DIGITAL PROJECTION SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS CROSSTOWN ARTS' ARTHOUSE FILM PROGRAMMING, WHICH INCLUDES COLLABORATIVE LIVE MUSIC SCORES FOR FILM SCREENINGS.
- $166,974 spent. CROSSTOWN ARTS MANAGES A VARIETY OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND COLLABORATIVE PRODUCTION SPACES THAT ARE THE CORE ELEMENTS OF THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM, WHICH HOSTS OVER 60 MEMPHIS-BASED AND VISITING ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS, WORKING IN ANY MEDIUM, EACH YEAR. THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM OFFERS ACCEPTED RESIDENTS THE GIFT OF UNINTERRUPTED TIME AND SPACE TO WORK ON THEIR CREATIVE PROJECTS BY PROVIDING STUDIO WORK SPACES, SEPARATE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOUSING VIA ON-SITE APARTMENTS, AND MEALS, AT NO COST TO RESIDENTS. THESE ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, COMPOSERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, FILMMAKERS, WRITERS, AND DANCERS ARE ABLE TO SPEND DEDICATED TIME ON THEIR WORK, IN WHATEVER CAPACITY THEY CHOOSE, WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM. NO EXHIBITIONS OR PERFORMANCES ARE REQUIRED OF THE RESIDENTS, BUT THEY ARE INVITED TO SHARE THEIR WORK THROUGH ARTIST TALKS AND A PUBLIC OPEN STUDIO NIGHT DURING EACH RESIDENCY SESSION.PARTICIPANTS IN THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM HAVE ACCESS TO PRODUCTION RESOURCES AND FACILITIES THAT INCLUDE A FULL-SCALE WOODSHOP, A CNC MACHINE, A LASER CUTTER, LARGE-FORMAT DIGITAL PRINTERS, HIGH-END SCANNERS, DIGITAL LABS WITH ALL MAJOR MUSIC/SOUND/DESIGN/VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE, SCREEN PRINTING, AND MORE. THESE PRODUCTION RESOURCES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO ANY NON-RESIDENT ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS IN MEMPHIS FOR A LOW MONTHLY FEE.
- $1.2 million spent. DEPRECIATION, RENT, MUSICIAN SERVICES, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
- DEPRECIATION, RENT, MUSICIAN SERVICES, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
- (Expenses $ 1,198,794 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 28,155) DEPRECIATION, RENT, MUSICIAN SERVICES, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 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 April 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 2010.
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.
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.