St Louis Shakespeare Festival
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOSTERING COMMUNITY AND JOY ACROSS THE ST. LOUIS REGION THROUGH THE SHAKESPEAREAN TRADITION OF ART FOR ALL.
- Income
- $3.3 million
- Spending
- $2.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 111
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $127,105, producing artistic directo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 2523 of 23 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 September 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 (4)
- $884,168 spent. A "GRITTY, GUTSY AND GLORIOUS" MID-CENTURY RETELLING OF HAMLET, WHOSE SET AND DESIGN WITHSTOOD AN F3 TORNADO AND NUMEROUS RAIN SHOWERS DURING THE RUN OF SHOW TO REACH NEARLY 25,000+ FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. THANKS TO THE COMMITMENT OF A LOYAL AUDIENCE, CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FESTIVAL COLLECTED IN THE PARK WERE AT A RECORD HIGH IN 2025.
- $163,454 spent. SHAKESPEARE IN THE STREETS - ST. LOUISANS SHARE THEIR STORIES THROUGH AN IMMERSIVE, YEAR-LONG COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THEATER RESIDENCY. THOSE STORIES ARE INCORPORATED INTO A NEW PLAY BASED ON THE COMMUNITY, INSPIRED BY SHAKESPEARE, AND PERFORMED FOR FREE IN THE CITY STREETS. IN FY24 THE FESTIVAL PREPARED FOR ITS NEXT INSTALLMENT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EAST ST. LOUIS, SET FOR SEPTEMBER 2025.
- $198,949 spent. EDUCATION - IN COLLABORATION WITH 4THEVILLE AND ST. LOUIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE FESTIVAL LEADS AN INNOVATIVE IN-SCHOOL ARTS RESIDENCY AT SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL. SUMNER WAS RECOMMENDED FOR CLOSURE IN FALL 2020 A MOVE THAT WOULD FURTHER DISINVESTMENT IN ONE OF THE NATION'S MOST HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BLACK COMMUNITIES. THE FESTIVAL AND ITS PARTNERS DEVELOPED A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY RECOVERY PLAN TO INCREASE STUDENT ENROLLMENT AT SUMNER HIGH. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO ADOPT THE PROGRAM AND KEEP THE SCHOOL OPEN IN 2021; YEAR 4 BEGAN AUGUST 2024. SEVENTEEN ARTS AND CULTURE INSTITUTIONS DELIVER DAILY ARTS AND ADVOCACY COURSES AT NORTH ST. LOUIS' HISTORIC HIGH SCHOOL.
- $793,848 spent. TOURCO - TOURCO PRESENTS FREE SHAKESPEARE IN 20+ PUBLIC PARKS ACROSS MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS. THIS TOUR IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN OUR REGION: NO OTHER ORGANIZATION PROVIDES FREE LIVE THEATER FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RIGHT IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD. IN AUGUST 2024, A 90-MINUTE PERFORMANCE OF THE TEMPEST WAS DELIVERED TO PUBLIC PARKS AND PLAZAS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 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 September 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 December 1999.
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.