Spacetaker
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To empower Houston artists through programs that build knowledge, amplify local resources, and connect communities through art.
- Income
- $966,873
- Spending
- $799,514
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 7.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 57%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 90
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 54% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
- $232,028 spent. Fiscal Sponsorship: Fresh Arts offers a Model C fiscal sponsorship program that provides fiduciary oversight & other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable arts projects. Fiscal sponsorship allows Houston-area small arts organizations & artist-led community projects to receive support for their work through otherwise inaccessible grants, corporate contributions, & individual donations. In 2024, Fresh Arts distributed $169,111 to 18 projects across multiple disciplines.
- $329,828 spent. Community Programs: Fresh Arts supports the local arts ecosystem through management of Arts District Houston (ADHou), the Space Taking Artist Residency (STAR), & Art on Tap. Our programming in ADHou, a state-designated cultural district & home to 500+ local artists, creates opportunities for artists to showcase their work & for the public to participate in arts activities outside of traditional institutions. STAR is an ongoing six-week opportunity for underrepresented local artists to utilize public space in innovative ways. STAR & ADHou provide more equality of opportunity for the citys diverse artist community & free, high-quality arts experiences for 330,000 residents & visitors annually. Art on Tap, our arts events newsletter, has 6,000+ subscribers & provides free listings for 15,000 local events annually.
- $89,907 spent. Skill Building Programs: Fresh Arts skill-building programs for creatives include in-person workshops; the eight-week Artist INC intensive seminar, artist-centric events; a career-focused podcast, & free online resources including an artist registry, downloadable toolkits, video workshops, artist opportunity board, & more. These programs support artists & arts collectives in cultivating audiences, fostering artistic growth, & building financial sustainability.
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? 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 December 2024.
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 June 2004.
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.