Afro-American Cultural Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE HARVEY B. GANTT CENTER FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTS AND CULTURE (FORMERLY THE CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG AFRO-AMERICAN CULTURAL AND SERVICE CENTER) EXISTS TO PRESENT, PRESERVE AND PROMOTE AFRICAN AMERICAN ART, CULTURE AND HISTORY FOR THE EDUCATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT OF ALL.
- Income
- $3.2 million
- Spending
- $4.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 8.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 22
- Volunteers
- 95
- Highest pay
- $195,356, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 2515 of 15 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 June 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 (3)
- $3.0 million spent. INSTITUTIONAL FOCUSMARKING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2024, THE GANTT CENTER IS A PRIVATE, 501C3 NON-PROFIT CULTURAL CENTER FOCUSED ON MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTS. THE 46,500 SQ. FT. CENTER HOUSES THREE GALLERIES: A MULTIPURPOSE THEATER FOR WORKSHOPS, PROGRAMS, AND PRESENTATIONS; A DIGITAL ARTS STUDIO; A ROOFTOP TERRACE; ADMINISTRATION OFFICES; AN ART PREPARATION AREA; AND ON-SITE ART STORAGE. THE BUILDING, LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOOD OF CHARLOTTE, NC, IS A KEY STRUCTURE IN THE LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, A CORPORATE AND CULTURAL CAMPUS FEATURING THREE CULTURAL FACILITIES, WHICH INCLUDE THE GANTT CENTER AND A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, ALL COMPLETED IN 2009-2010.NAMED FOR HARVEY B. GANTT, THE PROMINENT CHARLOTTE ARCHITECT, COMMUNITY LEADER, AND FORMER MAYOR OF CHARLOTTE, THE GANTT CENTER IS HOUSED IN AN AWARD-WINNING STRUCTURE (AIA NORTH CAROLINA HONOR AWARD, 2010). NEARLY 500,000 PEOPLE HAVE VISITED THE CENTER SINCE THE FACILITY OPENED IN 2009, AND APPROXIMATELY 50,000 VISITS (IN-PERSON AND ONLINE) ANNUALLY. FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE AFRO-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, IT BEGAN IN 1974 AS A CULTURAL FESTIVAL. DR. MARY HARPER AND DR. BERTHA MAXWELL RODDEY, FACULTY MEMBERS WITH THE BLACK STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT UNC CHARLOTTE, SAW A NEED TO PRESERVE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY, HERITAGE, AND TRADITIONS THAT WERE BEING LOST TO URBAN RENEWAL. THROUGH THEIR LEADERSHIP AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS, THE GANTT CENTER BECAME A PLACE WHERE AFRICAN AMERICANS COULD CONTINUE TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR HERITAGE AND GAIN AN AWARENESS OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN AMERICAN HISTORY.THE GANTT CENTER IS THE PERMANENT HOME OF THE JOHN AND VIVIAN HEWITT COLLECTION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ART. ACQUIRED BY BANK OF AMERICA AND PLEDGED TO THE CENTER IN 1998, THE HEWITT COLLECTION IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE GANTT CENTER'S PERMANENT COLLECTION. THE GANTT CENTER CURRENTLY MAINTAINS A COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 500 OBJECTS, INCLUDING PAINTINGS, TEXTILES, BOOKS, AND HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS.
- INITIATIVE FOR EQUITY + INNOVATIONIN THE FALL OF 2018, THE GANTT CENTER LAUNCHED ITS INITIATIVE FOR EQUITY AND INNOVATION, OR IEI, AS A STRATEGIC AND PERMANENT RESPONSE TO THE NATIONALLY VIEWED RIOTS THAT ENSUED IN 2016 AS A RESULT OF THE SHOOTING OF KEITH LAMONT SCOTT- A BLACK MAN KILLED BY CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG POLICE. OUR STRATEGY IS TO BE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE IN OUR APPROACHES TO EFFECT CHANGE. THROUGH IEI, WE CREATE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN CONVERSATIONS THAT BUILD AWARENESS ABOUT THE SYSTEMATIC OPPRESSION THAT HAS LONG AFFECTED BLACK PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. ALTHOUGH HISTORICAL CONTEXTS OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ARE EXPLORED, THE PREMISE OF IEI IS PRIMARILY SOLUTION-BASED. HARVARD'S CHETTY STUDY FURTHER SHAPED OUR STRATEGY TO IMPLEMENT THE INITIATIVE, WHICH RANKED CHARLOTTE 50 OUT OF 50 IN ECONOMIC MOBILITY AMONG THE NATION'S LARGEST CITIES. THE CHETTY STUDY, ALONG WITH THE 2016 UPRISING, PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON LONGSTANDING RACIAL DIVIDES AND UNDENIABLE BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY, QUALITY EDUCATION, AND FAIR ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITY.WE ARE CHARLOTTE'S LARGEST AND MOST PROMINENT BLACK-LED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND ONE OF THE REGION'S FOREMOST ARTS INSTITUTIONS. THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT (35%) OF OUR CITY'S POPULATION IDENTIFIES AS BLACK. OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE A PERMANENT INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGY THAT ALLOWS US TO ADAPT TO THE SYSTEMIC NEEDS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THE INITIATIVE ENCOURAGES ALL OF US TO ANSWER THE TOUGH QUESTIONS AND TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT PROMOTE A MORE JUST SOCIETY FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN AMERICA. IEI IS, BUILT UPON SIX PILLARS:1. LEVERAGE THE ARTS TO EXPLORE SOCIAL ISSUES, DIFFUSE TENSIONS, AND INTRODUCE CREATIVE RESPONSES2. HEIGHTEN PUBLIC AWARENESS ON ISSUES OF OPPORTUNITY, FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE;3. ENGAGE THE PUBLIC ON TIMELY TOPICS AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS4. DEEPEN CAPACITY FOR UNDERSTANDING AND NAVIGATING DIFFERENCE5. EQUIP THE NEXT GENERATION WITH KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS6. EMPOWER A BROAD RANGE OF PARTNERS ACROSS DISCIPLINES TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY AS ALLIESCHANGE IS UNACHIEVABLE IF MEMBERS OF THE CHARLOTTE COMMUNITY ARE ILL-INFORMED OR UNEDUCATED ABOUT 1) THE SOCIETAL PROBLEMS THAT THWART MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND 2) THE RESOURCES AND APPROACHES THAT CAN EFFECT CHANGE. WITH IEI, THE GANTT CENTER HAS BOLDLY STEPPED UP TO ADDRESS RACIAL EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY ISSUES THROUGH VARIOUS AFRICAN-AMERICAN ART FORMS AND WITH CREATIVE EXPERIENCES THAT EDUCATE BY CHALLENGING BIASES, REGRESSIVE IDEAS, AND RIGID MINDSETS. IEI HAS PRODUCED MANY OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO CONNECT WITH DIVERSE AUDIENCES REGIONALLY IN A MORE PROFOUND WAY. WITH THE LAUNCH OF IEI, WE CONTINUE TO OFFER EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING SESSIONS- TO CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY GROUPS- ROOTED IN OUR EXHIBITIONS AND FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND UNCONSCIOUS BIASES. THESE LEARNING SESSIONS INCLUDE INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES, GUIDED TOURS, AND Q&A SESSIONS. AN ARRAY OF PROFESSIONAL, COMMUNITY, AND CORPORATE GROUPS SUCH AS NASCAR, LEADERSHIP CHARLOTTE, TURNER CONSTRUCTION, YMCA, CRVA, CHARLOTTE RESCUE MISSION, AND THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE'S CITIZEN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY HAVE PARTICIPATED.
- EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMMINGEXHIBITIONSTHE GANTT CENTER'S ARTISTIC VISION EXEMPLIFIES THE USE OF ART AS ACTIVISM WHILE EMBRACING INNOVATION AND INTELLECTUAL THOUGHT- ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS TO FULFILLING THE CRITICAL NEED FOR A MORE VIBRANT CHARLOTTE. AS AN INNOVATIVE INSTITUTION THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON THE QUALITY OF ARTISTIC WORKS AND PROGRAMS PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY, THE FOUNDATION OF OUR VISION LIES ON THE PREMISE THAT AFRICAN-AMERICAN ART AND CULTURE, ALTHOUGH UNDER-REPRESENTED AND UNDERFUNDED, MUST CLAIM AND OWN ITS PLACE AMONG MAINSTREAM CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS. THE GANTT'S IEI FOCUSES DIRECTLY ON ACCESS, INCLUSION AND EQUITY ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS SERVED TO HEIGHTEN OUR AWARENESS INTERNALLY AND SHIFTED OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES. WE ENSURE THAT OUR EXHIBITIONS ALIGN WITH THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR EDUCATION THROUGH THE LENS OF ARTISTS, AS SEEN IN EXHIBITIONS SUCH AS CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON, VISUAL VANGUARD, WELCOME TO BROOKHILL, JAMEL SHABAZZ: REFLECTIONS OF A PEOPLE AND VISIBLE MAN: ART AND BLACK MALE SUBJECTIVITY.MODAIN MAY 2023, THE GANTT CENTER OPENED THE MECCA OF DIGITAL ARTS (MODA) DIGITAL ARTS STUDIO, WHICH HAS SUCCESSFULLY CULTIVATED AND ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS TO SUPPORT MENTORSHIP, CAREER CHOICES, AND EXPOSURE TO EXISTING AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR LOCAL YOUTH. THIS INITIATIVE ALSO SERVES AS A VALUABLE COMMUNITY ASSET, FOSTERING THE EXPLORATION OF DIGITAL ARTS FOR EMERGING ARTISTS. THE STUDIO SPACE WAS BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE THREE KEY PROGRAMMING AREAS: PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM/VIDEOGRAPHY, AND OTHER RELATED DIGITAL ARTS DISCIPLINES SUCH AS ANIMATION, ILLUSTRATION, CHARACTER DESIGN, MUSIC PRODUCTION, AND AR/VR. A DEDICATED STAFF MEMBER ASSIGNED TO MANAGE THE DIGITAL ARTS STUDIO, SUPPORTING THE CREATIVE FACULTY COLLECTIVE, TEACHING ARTISTS, AND DEVELOPING RELEVANT AND SUBSTANTIVE PROGRAMMING CURRICULA TO ENSURE EQUITABLE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO DIGITAL ART INSTRUCTION AND RESOURCES.FAMILY FIRSTTHE GANTT CENTER OFFERS EDUCATIONAL AND ARTISTIC PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS AND SCHOOLCHILDREN OF ALL AGES. OUR FAMILY FIRST PROGRAM, SPONSORED BY NOVANT HEALTH, HAS ALLOWED US TO DESIGN PROGRAMS PRIMARILY FOR STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5 AND 13. ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH, CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN ENGAGE IN ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS THAT MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE. PAST FAMILY-FIRST ACTIVITIES HAVE INCLUDED THEATRE ARTS, DANCE, MASK MAKING, MUSIC MAKING, SPOKEN WORD, POETRY, PAINTING, COLLAGE-MAKING, AND VARIOUS OTHER ART FORMS.K-12 STUDENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMINGAT THE CORE OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING IS THE NEWLY DEVELOPED ENVISION ME PROGRAM, LAUNCHED IN THE FALL OF 2020 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS. ENVISION ME AIMS TO REACH MORE STUDENTS AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY CREATIVE EXPERIENCES FOR TITLE 1 SCHOOL STUDENTS. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES ACCESS TO INSIGHTFUL EXPERIENCES WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT THAT UTILIZES THE ARTS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE, IMPROVE CRITICAL THINKING, AND IGNITE STUDENTS' PASSION FOR LEARNING ACROSS MULTIPLE SUBJECT AREAS. STUDENTS ENGAGE IN TWELVE (12) WORKSHOPS WITH A SELECTED ARTIST IN RESIDENCE.GANTT TEACHER INSTITUTE: BUILDING EQUITABLE CLASSROOMSIN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS, THE GANTT CENTER'S TEACHER INSTITUTE IS A NOW ONE-DAY ON-SITE EXPERIENCE DESIGNED TO HELP TEACHERS BUILD MORE EQUITABLE CLASSROOMS. RECENTLY, AS A FOUNDATION FOR CULTURAL PROFICIENCY LEARNING, THE GANTT COMMISSIONED A SERIES OF WORKS BY PHOTOGRAPHER AND IMAGE ACTIVIST ALVIN C. JACOBS CALLED "WELCOME TO BROOKHILL". THROUGH THIS AND OTHER THOUGHT-PROVOKING EXHIBITION PROJECTS LIKE "QUESTION BRIDGE: BLACK MALES", TEACHERS EXPLORE THEMES SUCH AS RACISM, GENTRIFICATION, HEALTH, WEALTH, AND EDUCATION TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY THEIR OWN BIASES. THIS PROCESS OF SELF-DISCOVERY SUPPORTS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUES MARGINALIZED STUDENTS OF COLOR COPE WITH OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM AND HOW THOSE ISSUES CAN IMPACT LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR WITHIN THE CLASSROOM. GANTT TEACHER INSTITUTE SESSIONS LEVERAGE EXHIBITIONS TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT AND DISCOURSE BETWEEN EDUCATORS TO DEEPEN THEIR CAPACITY FOR UNDERSTANDING AND NAVIGATING DIFFERENCES IN THE CLASSROOM.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 June 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 1976.
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.
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