Dirt Palace Public Projects
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ENHANCE THE CULTURAL LIFE OF THE OLNEYVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD OF PROVIDENCE RHODE ISLAND BY PRODUCING PUBLIC ARTS EXHIBITIONS FACILITATING ARTIST RESIDENCIES AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ARTISTS EDUCATORS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE THROUGH EDUCATIONAL EVENTS FOCUSED ON STREET-SIDE PUBLIC DISPLAYS AS WELL AS LECTURES ARTIST TALKS AND WORKSHOPS. TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEMALE-IDENTIFIED ARTISTS AND OTHER PEOPLE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED WITHIN THE ARTS.
- Income
- $485,962
- Spending
- $624,348
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 2.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 47%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $49,658, co-executive 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
Weak: 41 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 28% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 44% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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.
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 (7)
- $72,085 spent. DIRT PALACE PUBLIC PROJECTS RUNS AN ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM AT 14 OLNEYVILLE SQUARE IN PROVIDENCE. DIRT PALACE CLASSIC RESIDENCIES OFFER ARTISTS AFFORDABLE LIVE WORK STUDIO SPACE WITH ACCESS TO OUR MEDIA BASED FACILITIES - PRINTSHOP WOOD SHOP SCULPTURE STUDIO MUSIC PERFORMANCE PRACTICE SPACE. RESIDENT ARTISTS PAY RENTS AND PERFORM ABOUT 20 HOURS PER MONTH IN STUDIO MANAGEMENT DUTIES IN EXCHANGE FOR A MINIMUM 1 YEAR ARTIST RESIDENCY. 5 ARTISTS PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM IN 2024.
- $80,704 spent. DIRT PALACE PUBLIC PROJECTS FACILITATES ITS WEDDING CAKE HOUSE RESIDENCIES PROGRAM AT 514 BROADWAY. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS PROJECT BASED RESIDENCIES WITH A FOCUS ON MIDCAREER ARTISTS. RESIDENCIES GIVE ARTISTS THE SPACE AND TIME TO WORK ON PROJECTS. EACH RESIDENCY HAS A PUBLIC COMPONENT. THERE ARE NO FEES FOR ARTISTS TO ATTEND AND SOME MEALS ARE COVERED. IN 2024 ONE OF THESE RESIDENCIES WAS FOCUSED ON ARTISTS WHO ARE PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN AND ONE RESIDENCY WAS FOCUSED ON ARTISTS WHO ARE CAREGIVERS. THIS PROGRAM HOSTED 43 ARTISTS AND 6 YOUTH AND THE PUBLIC COMPONENTS SHOWCASED THEIR WORK TO 200 AUDIENCE MEMBERS.
- $302,175 spent. IN 2020 DIRT PALACE PUBLIC PROJECTS PARTNERED WITH PROVIDENCE COLLEGE GALLERIES TO LAUNCH THE INTERLACE GRANT FUND A RE-GRANTING PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY THE ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION. IN 2024 INTERLACE AWARDED $10,550 IN EMERGENCY RELIEF GRANTS TO 42 PROVIDENCE AREA ARTISTS. INTERLACE ALSO CONTINUED ITS PROJECT GRANT FUND WHICH AWARDED 9 $6000 ARTIST PROJECT GRANTS FOR A TOTAL OF $54,000.
- $14,453 spent. DIRT PALACE PUBLIC PROJECTS FACILITATES EXHIBITIONS AT THE WEDDING CAKE HOUSE WCH LOCATED AT 514 BROADWAY WHICH ARE ACCESSIBLE VIA PUBLIC EVENTS AND TOURS AS WELL AS PUBLIC ARTWORKS ON THE GROUNDS WHICH ARE VIEWABLE 24 HOURS A DAY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. IN 2021 WE LAUNCHED AN EXHIBITION IN 514 BROADWAY WITH 3 ARTISTS WHO HAD PHOTOGRAPHED THE WEDDING CAKE HOUSE BEFORE OUR RENOVATION. THIS EXHIBITION CONTINUED TO BE ON VIEW IN 2024. PUBLIC SCULPTURES INSTALLED BETWEEN 2019 - 2023 CONTINUED TO BE VIEWABLE FROM THE GROUNDS AND STREET. 8 POETS WERE FEATURED ON OUR WORD SHELTER SIGN OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. THIS SIGN SHOWCASES THE POETRY OF A DIFFERENT POET EVERY 6 WEEKS ON THE GROUNDS OF 514 BROADWAY FACING THE BUS STOP.
- $8,279 spent. DIRT PALACE PUBLIC PROJECTS FACILITATES THE STOREFRONT WINDOW GALLERY LOCATED AT 14 OLNEYVILLE SQUARE PROVIDENCE. THE STOREFRONT WINDOW GALLERY IS A PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION SPACE WITH A 6 WEEK ROTATION OF ARTIST INSTALLATIONS. 8 ARTISTS EXHIBITED IN THE GALLERY IN 2024. THE EXHIBITION IS VISIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN OLNEYVILLE SQUARE 24 HOURS A DAY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH ART INSTALLATION WE PRODUCED AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST FOR OUR BLOG.
- $109,762 spent. DIRT PALACE PUBLIC OPERATED ITS WEDDING CAKE HOUSE BNB AUDIENCE PROGRAM WHICH ALLOWS TRAVELERS TO CONNECT WITH ARTISTS AND EXHIBITIONS THROUGH SHORT TERM RENTALS AT 514 BROADWAY.
- $164 spent. DIRT PALACE PUBLIC PROJECTS FACILITATES THE PRINT SHOP AT 14 OLNEYVILLE SQUARE. THE PRINT SHOP INCLUDES SCREEN PRINT AND LETTERPRESS FACILITIES. THE SHOP IS RUN IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DIRT PALACE COLLABORATIVE. MEMBERS OF THE COLLABORATIVE HAVE FREE ACCESS TO THE SHOP. OUTSIDE ARTISTS PAY A FEE TO USE THE PRINT SHOP.
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 January 2015.
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.