Prison Performing Arts
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Prison Performing Arts involves incarcerated youth and adults in the performing arts to inspire intellectual curiosity and personal development. We nuture the discipline, teamwork and communication skilils necessary for successful re-entry into society. We encourage members of the larger community to connect personally with program participants, and we offer continuing programs for participants who have been released.
- Income
- $383,939
- Spending
- $371,092
- Spent on programs
- 56%
- Reserves
- 9.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 78%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 40
- Highest pay
- $70,872, artistic 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
Good: 86 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1556% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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
Fair: 66 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
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 (2)
- $117,706 spent. Adult programs - Prison Performing Arts provided multidisciplinary arts programs to 258 incarcerated adults in four state prisons (Northeast Correctional Center, Women's Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center, Missouri Eastern Correctional Center, and Southeast Correctional Center), the Division of Probation and Parole - District 17, the Transition Center of St. Louis, and re-entering citizens through its Alumni Theatre Company members across the country. Incarcerated artists perform plays for an audience of prison inmates, staff, families, and outside guests. Classes explore spoken word, poetry, and examples of short story literature as a doorway to self-expression and personal writing. The Arts & Healing program serves individuals completing their sentences with visual arts, writing, and theatre workshops designed to help participants work through the traumas associated with incarceration while building resilience, self-confidence, and creative skills as a healthy response to the stress of re-entry. The Alumni Theatre Company also provides kinship, stability and a creative outlet as members re-establish themselves in the community. Our programs reach approximately 2,000 audience members both public and incarcerated.
- $89,457 spent. Youth programs - PPA provided year-round after-school and weekend performing arts classes in dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and writing for 286 youth and young people ages 12-24 at St. Louis City Juvenile Detention Center, Hogan Street Regional Youth Center, and St. Louis County Juvenile Detention Center. Classes are designed to help system-impacted youth learn life skills through participation in the arts including collaboration, commitment, responsibility, and self-expression.
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 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 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 March 1987.
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.