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New York Shakespeare Festival
Also known as The Public Theater Joe's Pub
New York Shakespeare Festival reported $71.9 million in revenue and $54.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $72.41 went to program services, $15.02 to management and general costs and $12.57 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 68.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,125,625 (ARTISTIC DIRECTOR). 47 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 29% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $55MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $72MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 72.4% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.0% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 12.6% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 68.9% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 3.4% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 13.3% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,125,625 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.06% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 47 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 32.9 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 46 of 48 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseAnnual seasonthe public theater's flagship season at 425 lafayette street and astor place features a diverse lineup of new plays, musicals, shakespeare, and other classics across five theaters. Programming engages audiences, both onstage and off, with some of today's most important ideas and social issues. Highlights of the 2024-25 season include three north american premieres: counting and cracking written by s. Shakthidharan and presented in partnership with nyu skirball; deep history by david finnigan; and glass. Kill. What if if only. Imp. By caryl churchill. The season also featured two…
Free shakespeare in the parkfree shakespeare in the park at the delacorte theater exemplifies the public's mission to provide world-class productions at no cost. Since its launch, more than 6 million people have attended over 160 productions, featuring performances by both rising and renowned artists. Tickets are distributed free of charge across all five boroughs through a variety of access-focused methods. In 2025, following an 18-month hiatus for a complete revitalization of the delacorte theater, free shakespeare in the park returned to central park with an all-star production of twelfth…
Joe's pubjoe's pub reflects the diversity of its community through a wide range of performances in music, film, and dance. The venue presents approximately 700 shows annually to more than 100,000 people and has hosted over 18,000 performances by grammy award winners, broadway stars, and emerging artists across numerous genres. The 24/25 season featured nightly performances by both returning and new artists, including patti smith, cameron winter, tanya tagaq, justin vivian bond, sarah jones, mathis picard, gianmarco soresi, charlene kaye, youngmi mayer, and sandra bernhard. In 2024, joe's pub…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $898,137 | $0 | $227,488 | $1,125,625 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $687,758 | $0 | $48,459 | $736,217 |
| SENIOR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $278,181 | $0 | $54,107 | $332,288 |
| ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/RESIDENT DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $278,192 | $0 | $49,942 | $328,134 |
| DIRECTOR OF ARTISTIC PROGRAMS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $270,922 | $0 | $18,345 | $289,267 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $250,338 | $0 | $9,459 | $259,797 |
| DIRECTOR, ANTI-RACISM, EQUITY AND BELONGING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $208,036 | $0 | $44,997 | $253,033 |
| CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $211,209 | $0 | $30,427 | $241,636 |
47 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from New York Shakespeare Festival (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.5M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b48 · 46 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5884
- Volunteers Part I, line 646
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| YORKE CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION Construction management and services | $33,935,330 |
| ENNEAD ARCHITECTS LLP Architectural design and consultation | $670,326 |
| COMMUNITY COUNSELLING SERVICE Capital projects fundraising consultants | $553,321 |
| JIXAW TECHNOLOGIES Online fundraising support and website d | $478,245 |
| VENABLE LLP Legal services | $420,261 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 34 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
40 private foundations reported grants to New York Shakespeare Festival totaling $3.8M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from New York Shakespeare Festival's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for New York Shakespeare Festival, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 New York Shakespeare Festival spent in FY2025, $72.41 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Academy Museum FoundationBeverly Hills, CA · revenue $71M · programs 92.5% · FY2025
- Country Music FoundationNashville, TN · revenue $73M · programs 90.7% · 2024
- The Vivian Beaumont TheaterincNew York, NY · revenue $71M · programs 85.2% · FY2025
- Crosswater CanyonHebron, KY · revenue $74M · programs 70.1% · 2024
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts FoundationRichmond, VA · revenue $71M · programs 87.3% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of New York Shakespeare Festival's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, New York Shakespeare Festival reported that 72.4% of its $54.5 million in expenses went to program services, 15.0% to management and general and 12.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does New York Shakespeare Festival pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation New York Shakespeare Festival reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $1,125,625, for the role of ARTISTIC DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does New York Shakespeare Festival get its money?
Of $71.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 68.9% came from contributions and grants (including 3.4% from government grants) and 13.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is New York Shakespeare Festival a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-1844852 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, object 202641699349300144 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202521849349300317 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202431779349301813 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202321449349301307 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021 (amended), object 202203419349301455 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202101889349300035 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-1844852: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.