St Louis Artworks
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
St. Louis ArtWorks enriches the lives of youth by providing art education, essential job skill training, and exposure to career opportunities through paid apprenticeships.
- Income
- $541,054
- Spending
- $662,281
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 53%
- Employees
- 141
- Volunteers
- 38
- Highest pay
- $98,812, exec.dir.
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
Weak: 25 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 60% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 22% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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 2510 of 10 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
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 (1)
- $534,042 spent. St. Louis ArtWorks is a unique job training program in the arts for youth ages 14 - 19 years old. Apprentices work with professional teaching artists to learn a specific art discipline along with critical life skills and employment training. Youth apply for paid apprenticeships and are paired with professional teaching artists to work in teams for projects through grants and contracts for local, state and federal governments and commissioned works of art for corporate, foundation, and individual clients as well as art for sale, public performance, and display. Artworks offers a wide variety of artistic disciplines including mural design, sculpture, textiles, painting, digital art and technology, photography, graphic arts, videography, and more. Apprentices receive training in workforce development, career preparation, arts education, and life skills training, all while creating art and earning a stipend. Job Training activities include client meetings, open house events and public sales. In Life Skills training, youth learn effective communication skills, environmental stewardship, and fiscal literacy, as well as the importance of nutrition, good health, and personal safety. An art therapist provides group sessions to improve their overall sense of well-being and their feeling of connection to their community and individual sessions, as needed. The art therapist also provided career counseling assessments and sessions for apprentices to assist them in developing career goals. In the six-week summer program, youth work five hours a day, five days a week. Programs offered in the fall and spring are for 13 weeks after school and on Saturdays. . ArtWorks Enterprises (AWE) is our social venture that includes three enterprises - Boomerang Press, BoomerRacks, and BloomWorks. AWE provides revenue to help sustain the organization and to help young people develop life-changing employment skills. Boomerang Press/Media teaches cross disciplinary skills in video, design, layout, and illustration through graphics and media services to clients. BoomerRacks creates bike racks and related works of art using up-cycled bike parts. BloomWorks focuses on sustainable development projects for the garden and public park and urban streetscapes by producing rain barrels, planters, landscape plans, and art from up-cycled materials. . ArtWorks audience is underserved youth (ages 14-19) from the St. Louis region who are at great risk for unemployment, low academic achievement, dropping out of school, and/or not pursuing post-secondary opportunities. In 2024, of 123 participants, 52.9% of the apprentices resided in the City and 24.8% resided in the County Promise Zone. Youth came from 41 different zip codes; 73.86% identified as Black, 13.73% as Caucasian, 4.58% Hispanic or Latino, and 3.9% as two or more races. . ArtWorks is dedicated to helping bridge the learning gap of underserved youth through our unique job training and life skills education program. Our program uses the framework of 21st century skills (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity) to help underserved youth access opportunities in education and careers that might otherwise be missed. . Program Accomplishments: In January 2024, we installed a commissioned mural in the offices of College Bound. In February we hosted a movie night, high- lighting Freedom Summer, the subject of focus for our entire year. For the first time, St. Louis ArtWorks created a float and participated in the 114th Annie Malone parade. During the summer of 2024, apprentices from our Videography Discipline created a documentary to commemorate the 30th anniversary of St. Louis ArtWorks. In the fall of 2024, Sabrina Silvers, Assistant Director, was recognized with a Hospitality Heroes award from Focus St. Louis.
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 February 1997.
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.