Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BEMIS CENTER FACILITATES THE CREATION, PRESENTATION, AND UNDERSTANDING OF CONTEMPORARY ART THROUGH AN INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCY PROGRAM, EXHIBITIONS, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.
- Income
- $3.5 million
- Spending
- $2.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 3.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 51
- Highest pay
- $181,940, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 85% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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
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 December 31, 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 (3)
- $1.1 million spent. RESIDENCY:SINCE 1981, BEMIS HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN 1,000 ARTISTS DEDICATED TIME, SPACE, AND RESOURCES TO CONDUCT RESEARCH AND CREATE NEW WORK. BEMIS OFFERS ARTISTS PRIVATE LIVE/WORK STUDIOS, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, TECHNICAL/ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE ABOUT CONTEMPORARY ART. THE SOUND ART + EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM IS A SPECIAL TRACK FOR ARTISTS WORKING IN SOUND, COMPOSITION, VOICE, AND MUSIC OF ALL GENRES. PARTICIPATING ARTISTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL, TECHNICAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, ALONG WITH DEDICATED FACILITIES FOR REHEARSING, RECORDING, AND PERFORMING. THE CURATOR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM PROVIDES NATIONAL CURATORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BEMIS RESIDENCY PROGRAM AND ORGANIZE EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS AT BEMIS CENTER.
- $789,188 spent. EXHIBITIONS:BEMIS CENTER'S EXHIBITION PROGRAM FEATURES SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS OF ARTWORK IN ALL MEDIA BY LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS. EXHIBITIONS ARE ALWAYS FREE, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND FREQUENTLY INTRODUCE THE COMMUNITY OF OMAHA TO THE MOST EXPERIMENTAL AND PROVOCATIVE ART FORMS TODAY. ARTIST-DRIVEN, COMMUNITY-RESPONSIVE PROGRAMS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO LEARN ABOUT AND BE INSPIRED BY THE VISUAL ARTS. THROUGH ARTIST-LED WORKSHOPS, ARTALKS, OPEN STUDIOS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, FILM SCREENINGS, AND PERFORMANCES, THE COMMUNITY HAS DIRECT ACCESS TO ARTISTS AND TO THEIR DIVERSE APPROACHES TO ART-MAKING AND INTERPRETING THE WORLD AROUND US.
- OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROGRAM SERVICES
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 November 1983.
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.