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A Contemporary Theatre Inc

EIN 91-0787792 · Seattle, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak25 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
  • It owes more than it owns.

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

What it says it does

ORGANIZATION MISSION: ACT IS A CONTEMPORARY THEATRE WHERE ARTISTIC AMBITION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT UNITE. ORGANIZATION VISION: ACT ENVISIONS A WORLD WHERE THE POWER OF THEATRE EXPANDS OUR COLLECTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY AND OUR OWN HUMANITY. FOUNDED IN 1965, ACT IS A SEATTLE LANDMARK AND HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT AND LASTING CONTRIBUTION TO THE VITALITY OF SEATTLES DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD AND ARTS COMMUNITY. FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS, THE ORGANIZATION HAS VALUED AND ELEVATED THE WORK OF LOCAL ARTISTS, FOSTERED COMMUNITY CONNECTION, AND TRANSFORMED INDIVIDUAL LIVES THROUGH THE POWER OF STORYTELLING. ACT IS COMMITTED TO MAKING THEATRE AN ACT OF CITIZENSHIP BY ENGAGING AUDIENCES IN DIALOGUE ABOUT THE ISSUES OF OUR TIME AND CONNECTING AUTHENTICALLY WITH NEW AUDIENCES, PARTNERS, AND COMMUNITIES. ON JULY 1, 2025, SUBSEQUENT TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, ACT MERGED WITH SEATTLE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY TO FORM UNION ARTS CENTER.

Income
$5.0 million
Spending
$7.8 million
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
-4.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 51%
Employees
270
Volunteers
719
Highest pay
$136,129, general mana

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

Weak: 25 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    0 of 20

    It owes 197% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 58% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 33 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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)
  1. $4.2 million spent. DURING THE 20242025 FISCAL YEAR, ACT PRODUCED A FIVE-PLAY SEASON. THE SEASON INCLUDED POTUS BY SELINA FILLINGER; TWO WORLD PREMIERES, MRS. LOMAN IS LEAVING BY KATIE FORGETTE AND GOLDEN BY ANDREW LEE CREECH; THE LAST FIVE YEARS BY JASON ROBERT BROWN; AND TWELFTH NIGHT BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. TWELFTH NIGHT WAS A CO-PRODUCTION WITH SEATTLE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY AND MARKED THE FIRST JOINT PRODUCTION AS THE ORGANIZATIONS MOVED TOWARD THEIR JULY 1 MERGER. ACT CONTINUED TO FULFILL ITS MISSION OF CAPTIVATING, CHALLENGING, AND INSPIRING AUDIENCES THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY THEATRICAL PROGRAMMING. IN NOVEMBER 2024, ACT STAGED THE SECOND ANNUAL NEW WORKS NORTHWEST FESTIVAL, FEATURING READINGS OF NEW PLAYS BY REGIONAL AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PLAYWRIGHTS, INCLUDING UNDERWATER WEATHER BY HOLLY ARSENAULT; LEGACIES: A GHOST STORY BY AMONTAINE AURORE; HOME BY NAGHMEH SAMINI; UHURU BY GLORIA MAJULE; AND REFUGEE RHAPSODY BY YUSSEF EL GUINDI. TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC ACCESSIBILITY AND REDUCE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION, ACT CONTINUED ITS PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE TICKETING PROGRAM. EVERY PERFORMANCE OFFERED A MINIMUM OF TWENTY (20) PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE SEATS ACROSS ALL SEATING SECTIONS, AVAILABLE FOR ADVANCE PURCHASE. DURING THE 20242025 FISCAL YEAR, 31,908 TICKETS WERE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE OR AT A REDUCED PRICE, FURTHERING ACTS CHARITABLE PURPOSE BY ENSURING ACCESS TO LIVE THEATRE FOR INDIVIDUALS ACROSS DIVERSE ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. DURING THE 20242025 FISCAL YEAR, ACT PRODUCED A FIVE-PLAY SEASON. THE SEASON INCLUDED POTUS BY SELINA FILLINGER; TWO WORLD PREMIERES, MRS. LOMAN IS LEAVING BY KATIE FORGETTE AND GOLDEN BY ANDREW LEE CREECH; THE LAST FIVE YEARS BY JASON ROBERT BROWN; AND TWELFTH NIGHT BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. TWELFTH NIGHT WAS A CO-PRODUCTION WITH SEATTLE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY AND MARKED THE FIRST JOINT PRODUCTION AS THE ORGANIZATIONS MOVED TOWARD THEIR JULY 1 MERGER. ACT CONTINUED TO FULFILL ITS MISSION OF CAPTIVATING, CHALLENGING, AND INSPIRING AUDIENCES THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY THEATRICAL PROGRAMMING. IN NOVEMBER 2024, ACT STAGED THE SECOND ANNUAL NEW WORKS NORTHWEST FESTIVAL, FEATURING READINGS OF NEW PLAYS BY REGIONAL AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PLAYWRIGHTS, INCLUDING UNDERWATER WEATHER BY HOLLY ARSENAULT; LEGACIES: A GHOST STORY BY AMONTAINE AURORE; HOME BY NAGHMEH SAMINI; UHURU BY GLORIA MAJULE; AND REFUGEE RHAPSODY BY YUSSEF EL GUINDI. TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC ACCESSIBILITY AND REDUCE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION, ACT CONTINUED ITS PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE TICKETING PROGRAM. EVERY PERFORMANCE OFFERED A MINIMUM OF TWENTY (20) PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE SEATS ACROSS ALL SEATING SECTIONS, AVAILABLE FOR ADVANCE PURCHASE. DURING THE 20242025 FISCAL YEAR, 31,908 TICKETS WERE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE OR AT A REDUCED PRICE, FURTHERING ACTS CHARITABLE PURPOSE BY ENSURING ACCESS TO LIVE THEATRE FOR INDIVIDUALS ACROSS DIVERSE ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS.
  2. $1.1 million spent. ACT PRODUCED ITS 49TH ANNUAL STAGING OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL, SERVING 10,869 SINGLE-TICKET PATRONS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO MAINTAINED ITS EDUCATION OFFERINGS BY PRODUCING TWO SOLD-OUT STUDENT MATINEES, PROVIDING THEATRICAL EXPERIENCES FOR 850 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
  3. $169,809 spent. ACTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS DEVELOP COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS BOTH ARTISTS AND CIVIC PARTICIPANTS THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL THEATRE TRAINING GROUNDED IN ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. ACTS FLAGSHIP EDUCATION INITIATIVE IS THE YOUNG CORE COMPANY (YCC), A TEEN-FOCUSED PROGRAM DESIGNED TO BE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE FOR PARTICIPANTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS. YCC OPERATES ON A PAY-WHAT-YOU-CHOOSE TUITION MODEL TO ELIMINATE COST AS A BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION. THE PROGRAM IS OFFERED QUARTERLY, ALLOWING STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE YEAR-ROUND OR FOR A SINGLE SESSION BASED ON INDIVIDUAL AVAILABILITY AND INTEREST.

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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1965.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.