Austin Theatre Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE'RE HERE TO INSPIRE GENERATIONS. WE CONNECT PEOPLE AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY BY SHOWCASING UNFORGETTABLE PERFORMANCES ACROSS GENRES, PROVIDING LIFE-CHANGING ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND DREAMING UP MAGICAL EXPERIENCES IN ICONIC VENUES THAT ANCHOR AND DEFINE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
- Income
- $32.5 million
- Spending
- $19.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- -3.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 61%
- Employees
- 253
- Volunteers
- 300
- Highest pay
- $390,295, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 46% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 39% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 24 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 September 30, 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 (3)
- $12.6 million spent. PROGRAMMING: AFTER MORE THAN A CENTURY, THE PARAMOUNT AND STATESIDE THEATRES REMAIN PREMIER HISTORIC VENUES FOR AUSTINITES AND TOURISTS ALIKE TO FIND CONNECTION AND ENTERTAINMENT IN THE WIDE BREADTH OF TALENTED ARTISTS AND ENTERTAINERS WHO GRACE OUR STAGES ALL YEAR LONG. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON CELEBRATING BEAUTY AND HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT WHEREVER IT IS FOUND, AND OUR DIVERSE LINEUPS SHOWCASE THESE LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL SENSATIONS NIGHTLY. THROUGHOUT THESE EVENTS AND PROGRAMS, THE ATA PRIORITIZES BUILDING IMPACTFUL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, OFFERS REDUCED VENUE AND EQUIPMENT RENTAL RATES FOR OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND STRIVES TO FACILITATE A WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS. THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, WE PARTNER WITH 100+ LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS ANNUALLY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS THE ARTS AT NOT COST TO THEM, ALLEVIATING THE ECONOMIC BARRIERS SO MANY ARE FACING. WE ARE TIGHTLY WOVEN INTO THE LIVE MUSIC, SPOKEN WORD, AND FILM COMMUNITIES THAT AUSTIN IS RENOWNED FOR, BEING PRINCIPAL VENUES FOR THE SXSW FILM FESTIVAL, THE AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL, AND THE SUMMER CLASSIC FILM SERIES. THE ATA HAS ALSO ELEVATED THE COMEDY SCENE IN AUSTIN TO THE NATIONALLY NOTEWORTHY WITH THE PRODUCTION OF OUR MOONTOWER JUST FOR LAUGHS COMEDY FESTIVAL.
- $1.6 million spent. EDUCATION: ATA'S PARAMOUNT EDUCATION IS ONE OF AUSTIN'S LARGEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE ARTS EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS, EXPERTLY DELIVERING FOUR PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON EQUITABLE ACCESS AND CONNECTION TO THE ARTS FOR CENTRAL TEXAS YOUTH. OUR PROGRAMS HAVE PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT IMPROVING LITERACY RATES IN SOME OF AUSTIN'S MOST UNDERSERVED SCHOOLS, CONSISTENTLY CLOSING PERFORMANCE GAPS BETWEEN TITLE 1 STUDENTS AND THEIR NON-TITLE 1 PEERS. THE PARAMOUNT ITSELF PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS, AS MORE THAN 15,000 STUDENTS ANNUALLY ATTEND HIGH-CALIBER PERFORMING ARTS EVENTS IN OUR CULTURALLY AND HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT VENUES. WITH THESE EFFORTS, STUDENTS STRENGTHEN THEIR CREATIVE CONFIDENCE, IMPROVE CURRICULUM RETENTION, AND GAIN VALUABLE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS. EACH PROGRAM OFFERS COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS, REDUCED FEES, OR SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATING IN THESE IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCES.
- $1.2 million spent. PRESERVATION: CONSTRUCTED IN 1915 AND LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S FEW SURVIVING EXAMPLES OF A FULLY OPERATIONAL, EARLY TWENTIETH-CENTURY VAUDEVILLE THEATRE AND WORKING HEMP-HOUSE SYSTEM. STANDING NEXT DOOR IS THE STATESIDE THEATRE, AN ART DECO BUILDING CONSTRUCTED IN 1935 THAT WAS THE FIRST IN AUSTIN BUILT SPECIFICALLY TO SHOW MOTION PICTURES. THE THEATRES CONTINUE TO HONOR THE VAUDEVILLE VISION BY BEING HOME TO A VARIETY OF PERFORMANCES; IN A TYPICAL YEAR BRINGING IN 250,000 GUESTS TO ATTEND EVENTS FROM CONCERTS, FILMS, COMEDY, LIVE PODCASTS, MAGIC SHOWS, SPOKEN WORD, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND MORE. WE WORK TO PRESERVE THE SPIRIT OF THE THEATRES AS WELL AS THE PHYSICAL BUILDINGS; RESTORATION PROJECTS ARE ONGOING TO ENSURE THESE LANDMARKS REMAIN INTACT AND AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENJOY FOR ANOTHER CENTURY. THE AUSTIN THEATRE ALLIANCE MANAGES ALL PRESERVATION WORK AT THE PARAMOUNT AND STATESIDE THEATRES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.