Charleston Artist Guild
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CHARLESTON ARTIST GUILD IS DEDICATED TO SERVING THE ARTS COMMUNITY OF CHARLESTON PROVIDING EDUCATION IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE ART WORLD: WORKSHOPS FOR THE PRACTICING ARTIST OR PHOTOGRAPHER, LECTURES FOR THE BURGEONING COLLECTOR, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE GREATER SOCIETY THROUGH ART.
- Income
- $366,336
- Spending
- $387,124
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 17.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 84%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 35
- Highest pay
- $47,454, business manager/director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 27 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 57% 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
0 of 15Reports no 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 April 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)
- $277,971 spent. ART GALLERY: THE GUILD SELLS MEMBER'S WORKS, DISPLAYS FINE ART TO THE PUBLIC AND IS A VENUE FOR ART SHOWS AND MEETINGS. IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR FREE AND USUALLY GETS VISITS FROM ABOUT 3,000 VISITORS PER YEAR. THE GALLERY PROMOTES PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE VISUAL ARTS AND ENCOURAGES MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN THE CREATION AND DISPLAY OF FINE ARTS.
- $40,846 spent. ART EXHIBITIONS: THE GUILD ARRANGES AND MANAGES ART SHOWS DURING THE YEAR. THESE EXHIBITS ARE HELD TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND TO PROMOTE FINE ARTS IN THE CHARLESTON AREA. IN COOPERATION WITH THE CITY OF CHARLESTON, THE EXHIBITS ARE HELD IN PUBLIC SPACES, SUCH AS THE CHARLESTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, TO ASSIST IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT FINE ARTS.
- $11,805 spent. ART CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS: THE GUILD SPONSORED AND MANAGED ART INSTRUCTION CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS FOR BOTH MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC. THESE WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES ARE CONDUCTED BY NATIONALLY KNOWN ARTISTS. THESE DEMONSTRATIONS INCREASE THE SKILLS AND COMPETENCE OF PARTICIPATING ARTISTS IN MANY DIFFERENT STYLES OF PAINTING. EXAMPLES INCLUDE OUTDOOR PLEIN AIR WORK, PHOTOGRAPHY AND PORTRAITURE USING MODELS.
- $1,106 spent. COMMUNITY PROJECTS: THE GUILD REACHES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP LESS FORTUNATE AND YOUNGER ARTISTS IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA. THERE ARE SIX ON-GOING COMMUNITY PROJECTS: 1)THE ART OF ALZHEIMER'S FOR ELDERLY ARTISTS IN NURSING HOMES.2)ART ACTIVITIES AT PATTISON'S ACADEMY FOR CHILDREN WITH SEVERE AND PROFOUND DISABILITIES.3)SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS FOR GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS.4)THE EXTRAORDINARY ARTS EXIBIT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 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 April 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 1995.
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.