Theatre & Arts Foundation of San Diego County
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Playhouses mission is to advance theatre as an art form and as a vital social, moral and political platform by providing unfettered creative opportunities for the leading artists of today and tomorrow.
- Income
- $26.7 million
- Spending
- $23.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 29.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 46%
- Employees
- 595
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $476,856, managing dir
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 29.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, 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 2545 of 45 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 March 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 (1)
- $17.9 million spent. The Theater and Arts Foundation of San Diego County dba La Jolla Playhouse (the Playhouse) is a place where artists and audiences come together to create whats new and next in American Theatre. From Tony Award- winning plays and musicals to imaginative programs for young audiences, to interactive experiences outside our theatre walls, the Playhouse brings people together to inspire discussion and open pathways to new ways of thinking. A visit to the Playhouse is an invitation to harness the transformative power of theatre to explore the here and nowand together, expand our worlds compassion, understanding, and hope.Founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer, the Playhouse was revived in 1983, and is currently led by 2017 Tony Award-winning Artistic Director Christopher Ashley and Managing Director Debby Buchholz. Playhouse artists and audiences have taken part in the development of new plays and musicals, including mounting 120 world premieres, commissioning 70 new works, and sending 37 productions to Broadway, garnering a total of 42 Tony Awards including the 1993 Tony Award forOutstanding Regional Theatre.La Jolla Playhouses mission is to advance theatre as an art form, telling stories that inspire empathy and create a dialogue toward a more just future. With our intrepid spirit and eclectic, artist-driven approach we will continue to cultivate a local, national and global following with an insatiable appetite for audacious work.We provide unfettered creative opportunities for a community of artists of all backgrounds and abilities. We are committed to being a permanent safe harbor for unsafe and surprising work, offering a glimpse of the new and the next in American theatre.Our mission and goals are realized through:- Reaching 100,000+ patrons annually, the Playhouses subscription season is comprised of six productions each year, including world premieres and new works, as well as reimagined classics. Our plays reflect a diverse range of voices, theatrical styles, and subject matter, and involve artists and production staff reflective of San Diegos multicultural communities.- Without Walls (WOW) is the Playhouses acclaimed immersive and site-inspired theatre program designed to break barriers by moving beyond the boundaries of a traditional four-walled theatre space. The Playhouse regularly commissions and presents site-specific works, as well as its popular WOW Festival.- New Play Development is fulfilled by supporting the creation of new work and developing artists and companies through such programs as Page To Stage (a full production that allows input from the audience throughout the run during nightly talkbacks); DNA New Work Series (providing artists with rehearsal time, space, and resources, and holding readings and workshops open to the public); a robust commissioning program, the Artist-in-Residence Program (a multi-month residency where artists can develop new projects); and the Theatre-in-Residence Program (a multi-year residency for San Diego-area companies without a permanent home).- The Playhouse is dedicated to educational enrichment through the arts, reaching 35,000 people annually through Learning & Engagement programs and partnering with San Diego schools/cultural organizations. The Playhouse commissions a new play for students each year and tours it to local schools; places theatre artists into schools for in-school residencies and afterschool programs; invites students to engage in on-site professional theatre experiences; provides training and other educational resources for teachers adhering to standards-based curricula; and provides access opportunities for patrons of all ages. We offer engaging and rigorous summer programming for students in 3rd-12th grade, including technical theatre training and a Conservatory for High School Students. Additionally, the Playhouse invites adult lifelong learners through our Spotlight On program to collaborate in classes in acting, improvisation, musical theatre, and technical theatre.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 November 6, 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 March 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 April 1958.
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 November 4, 2026.
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