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Contemporary Austin Museum Inc

EIN 74-1233816 · Austin, TX

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 43% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN ASPIRES TO BE THE CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM FOR AUSTIN AND AN ESSENTIAL PART OF CITY LIFE. THROUGH ITS UNIQUE COMBINATION OF URBAN AND OUTDOOR SITES, THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN WILL EMBODY AN ECLECTIC AND COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT.

Income
$8.6 million
Spending
$10.3 million
Spent on programs
43%
Reserves
15.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 50%
Employees
102
Volunteers
175
Highest pay
$283,471, 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

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    43% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 27 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    31 of 31 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (4)
  1. $2.4 million spent. AS AUSTIN'S ONLY MUSEUM DEDICATED TO COMMISSIONING AND EXHIBITING WORK BY LEADING CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS, THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN OCCUPIES AN IMPORTANT POSITION IN THE REGION'S CULTURAL LANDSCAPE. EACH YEAR, THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN WELCOMES 60,000 VISITORS TO THE MUSEUM'S TWO UNIQUE SITES-LAGUNA GLORIA ON THE SHORES OF LAKE AUSTIN AND THE JONES CENTER IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN. THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN IS CURRENTLY DESIGNING A MASTER PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BETTY AND EDWARD MARCUS SCULPTURE PARK AT LAGUNA GLORIA, A SPACE FOR THE PUBLIC TO EXPERIENCE EXCEPTIONAL WORKS OF ART FRAMED BY THE VIBRANT TEXAS LANDSCAPE AND THE SITE'S DISTINCTIVE CULTURAL HERITAGE.THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN'S CORE PROGRAMS INCLUDE AN ANNUAL ROSTER OF EXHIBITIONS FEATURING NEW, SITE-RESPONSIVE WORK BY TODAY'S MOST INNOVATIVE AND AMBITIOUS ARTISTS. RECENT EXHIBITIONS HAVE FEATURED INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ARTISTS AI WEIWEI, DO HO SUH, JIM HODGES, WANGECHI MUTU, TOM FRIEDMAN, TOM SACHS, ROBERT THIERRIEN, MONIKA SOSNOWSKA, ROGER HIORNS, NANCY HOLT, BRUCE NAUMAN, ANYA GALLACIO,SUPERFLEX, RYAN GANDER, CAROL BOVE AND TRISHA BAGA ATTRACTING COVERAGE IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS SUCH AS ARTFORUM, THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.
  2. $964,294 spent. OFFERING MORE THAN 500 CLASSES TO 4,700 STUDENTS ANNUALLY, THE ART SCHOOL AT LAGUNA GLORIA IS ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST MUSEUM-AFFILIATED ART SCHOOLS. FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS, THE ART SCHOOL HAS ENABLED STUDENTS TO EXPAND THEIR CREATIVITY, ENHANCE VISUAL AWARENESS, AND CULTIVATE TECHNICAL SKILLS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF MEDIA. DISTINGUISHED FACULTY PROVIDE INSTRUCTION IN PAINTING, DRAWING, CERAMICS, PHOTOGRAPHY, COLLAGE, AND SCULPTURE TO STUDENTS RANGING IN AGES FOUR THROUGH ADULT. SINCE 1980, THE ART SCHOOL HAS AWARDED MORE THAN $425,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
  3. $476,147 spent. MISSION TO INTEGRATE CONTEMPORARY ART INTO THE FABRIC OF CITY LIFE. DELIBERATELY DIVERSE IN SCOPE AND CONTENT, PUBLIC PROGRAMMING INCLUDES ARTIST'S TALKS, FILM SCREENINGS, AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCES THAT ACTIVATE THE EXHIBITIONS ON VIEW. THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN ALSO SERVES AS AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR ART EDUCATION IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGION THROUGH TOURS, FAMILY PROGRAMS, AND SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS. EACH YEAR, MORE THAN 10,000 CHILDREN IN GRADES K-12 PARTICIPATE IN DOCENT-LED TOURS, AND MORE THAN 6,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTEND FREE FAMILY DAYS AT THE MUSEUM. THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN ACTIVELY COLLABORATES WITH NUMEROUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDING, THE AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY, DEPARTMENT OF ART AND ART HISTORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, FUSEBOX FESTIVAL, TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL, AND TITLE I SCHOOLS IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
  4. $609,180 spent. GROUNDS RENTAL AND RETAIL, EDUCATION.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1963.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.