Telluride Council for the Arts and Humanities
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TELLURIDE ARTS VITALIZES THE REGION BY ADVANCING THE APPRECIATION AND PARTICIPATION IN THE ARTS THROUGH THREE MAIN PROGRAM AREAS: PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR REGIONAL ARTISTS; CONNECTING DIVERSE AUDIENCES WITH DYNAMIC AND BROARD LOCAL ARTS OFFERINGS; AND ADVOCACY AND PLANNING, ENSURING THE ARTS INFORM LOCAL DECISION MAKING.
- Income
- $993,623
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 1.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 52%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $187,988, executive management
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 45 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 28% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 78% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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, 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)
- $306,755 spent. IN 2025, TELLURIDE ARTS PRESENTED A RANGE OF EXHIBITIONS, PUBLIC PROGRAMS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS DESIGNED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THE ARTS AND CONNECT ARTISTS WITH AUDIENCES. THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED ROTATING GROUP EXHIBITIONS AT ITS WEST PACIFIC STREET GALLERY HEADQUARTERS FEATURING LOCAL AND REGIONAL ARTISTS, AND CONTINUED TO PRODUCE THE TELLURIDE ART WALK, A MONTHLY EVENT ACTIVATING GALLERIES, BUSINESSES, AND PUBLIC SPACES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. TELLURIDE ARTS ALSO PRESENTED ITS ANNUAL HOLIDAY ARTS BAZAAR AND A YEAR-ROUND MAKERS MARKET INSIDE ITS GALLERY HEADQUARTERS, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS TO SHOWCASE AND SELL THEIR WORK. THROUGH ITS ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION CURATED AND INSTALLED EXHIBITIONS IN ACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS SUCH AS THE WILKINSON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND CITIZENS STATE BANK, AND IS WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TOWN OF MOUNTAIN VILLAGE LEADERSHIP TO INSTALL EXHIBITS AND PUBLIC ART IN THE CIVIC CORE, INTEGRATING ART INTO EVERYDAY COMMUNITY SPACES. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING INCLUDED FREE PERFORMANCES, ARTIST TALKS, AND MANY COLLABORATIVE EVENTS WITH LOCAL PARTNERS. THESE EFFORTS SERVED RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE, SUPPORTING A VIBRANT CREATIVE ECONOMY AND FOSTERING MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ARTS ACROSS THE REGION.
- $399,346 spent. IN 2025, TELLURIDE ARTS PROVIDED CRITICAL SUPPORT TO ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS BY OFFERING SPACE, RESOURCES, FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDED FISCAL SPONSORSHIP FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE AUGMENT MUSIC FESTIVAL, ENABLING INDEPENDENT INITIATIVES TO OPERATE AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY.THROUGH ITS SPACE FOR THE ARTS PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION MADE ITS MAIN STREET AND PACIFIC STREET GALLERIES AVAILABLE FOR EXHIBITIONS, REHEARSALS, MEETINGS, AND EVENTS, HOSTING OR CO-HOSTING NUMEROUS FREE AND LOW-COST COMMUNITY PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS, MUSICIANS, AND CULTURAL GROUPS. TELLURIDE ARTS CONTINUED TO OFFER INITIATIVES SUCH AS CREATIVE EXCHANGE AND SALON NIGHTS, WHICH FOSTER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COLLABORATION, AND PEER CONNECTION AMONG ARTISTS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SUPPORTED ARTISTS AND CREATIVE PROJECTS THROUGH FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AND PROVIDED PROMOTION THROUGH ITS WEBSITE, NEWSLETTER, AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, HELPING ARTISTS REACH BROADER AUDIENCES. IN ADDITION, TELLURIDE ARTS MAINTAINED ITS ROLE AS A CONNECTOR WITHIN THE REGIONAL ARTS ECOSYSTEM, FACILITATING A CREATIVE DIRECTORY, PARTNERSHIPS AND INCREASING VISIBILITY FOR LOCAL CREATIVE WORK. THESE EFFORTS STRENGTHENED THE CAPACITY OF ARTISTS AND PARTNERS TO PRODUCE AND PRESENT WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IN 2025, TELLURIDE ARTS CONTINUED STABILIZATION AND PLANNING EFFORTS FOR THE HISTORIC TRANSFER WAREHOUSE AND, IN COLLABORATION WITH TOWN LEADERSHIP WORKED ON A PHASED ACTIVATION STRATEGY AND PARTNERSHIP; THE SITE REMAINED CLOSED TO REGULAR PUBLIC USE DURING THIS PERIOD.
- $357,975 spent. IN 2025, TELLURIDE ARTS CONTINUED ITS COMMITMENT TO DIRECTLY SUPPORTING ARTISTS AND CREATIVE PROJECTS THROUGH ITS GRANTMAKING PROGRAMS. THE TELLURIDE ARTS ARTIST GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDED FUNDING FOR MATERIALS, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, AND PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT FOR ARTISTS ACROSS THE REGION. WE FUND CREATIVE WORK ACROSS DISCIPLINESFROM POETRY AND THEATER TO DANCE, VISUAL AND STUDIO ART, AND MUSIC. GRANT CATEGORIES FOR ALL DISCIPLINES INCLUDE PROJECT-BASED AWARDS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FUNDING, SUPPORTING A WIDE RANGE OF ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES AND INITIATIVES. GRANTEES PRESENT COMPLETED WORK THROUGH EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS AT THE ORGANIZATION'S GALLERY AND OTHER COMMUNITY LOCATIONS, PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE ARTS EXPERIENCES FOR THE PUBLIC. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION ADMINISTERED TARGETED FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS THE SOCIAL JUSTICE ARTIST GRANT, WHICH SUPPORTS THE CREATION OF NEW WORK ADDRESSING RELEVANT SOCIAL ISSUES, WITH SELECTED PROJECTS CONTRIBUTING TO PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND COMMUNITY DIALOGUE. THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS, TELLURIDE ARTS DISTRIBUTED FUNDING TO ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS, ENABLING THE CREATION OF NEW WORK, EXPANDING ACCESS TO CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES, AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE CULTURAL VITALITY OF THE REGION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 September 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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