Spoleto Festival USA

Charleston, SC · EIN 57-0660848 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
Latest filing: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Spoleto Festival USA reported $11.3 million in revenue and $11.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $73.17 went to program services, $18.47 to management and general costs and $8.36 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 54.6% of the total. Government grants made up 11.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $287,806 (GENERAL DIRECTOR). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 104% 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 $12M

Program services$73.17 $8.5M
Management & general$18.47 $2.2M
Fundraising$8.36 $974K

For 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 $11M

Contributions & grants (non-government)$42.73 $4.8M
Government grants$11.91 $1.3M
Program service revenue$27.53 $3.1M
Investment income$14.10 $1.6M
Other revenue$3.73 $421K

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

FY2025 filing. Median across 876 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure	FY2025	Median
Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)	73.2%	78.5%
Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)	18.5%	13.6%
Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)	8.4%	6.0%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h	$0.16	$0.10
Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12	54.6%	57.5%
Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12	11.9%	1.7%
Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12	27.5%	20.8%
Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F	$287,806	$385,706
Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)	2.47%	2.03%
People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2	6	8
Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses	18.7	36.6
Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b	26 of 26	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 expense

$7.7M expenses · 89.9% of program spending · revenue $277K

For 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills charleston, south carolina's historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces with performances by renowned artists, as well as emerging performers in dance, music, opera, and theater. Spoleto Festival is internationally recognized as america's premier performing arts festival. The 2025 festival included over 120 performances enjoyed by over 40,000 attendees

$639K expenses · 7.5% of program spending · revenue $341K

Each year the festival develops a festival chorus and orchestra with more than 100 musicians. Through nationwide auditions, a talented group of young professionals and students are selected for a resident ensemble. The festival orchestra has proven to be one of the finest opportunities for young musicians to gain extensive performance experience. Alumni of the Spoleto Festival orchestra can be found in almost every professional orchestra in the united states and many abroad

$118K expenses · 1.4% of program spending

Annually the festival provides an apprenticeship program for short-term intensive and exciting learning opportunities about the world of performing arts. Fifty college students acquired hands-on experience under the guidance of professional arts administrators and technicians

$102K all other programs (line 4d)

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
GENERAL DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$280,171	$0	$7,635	$287,806
CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$197,226	$0	$20,799	$218,025
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$143,956	$0	$21,416	$165,372
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER (THRU 9/20/24) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$131,968	$0	$16,594	$148,562
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$128,764	$0	$16,617	$145,381
DIRECTOR OF ARTISTIC PLANN Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$126,665	$0	$16,104	$142,769

6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Spoleto Festival USA (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $481K (Part IX, line 5).

6 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked

RevenueExpenses

Filing	Revenue	Expenses	Programs	Net assets	Top pay
FY2025 ⓘ	$11M	$12M	73.2%	$18M	$287,806
FY2024 ⓘ	$11M	$11M	67.6%	$18M	$309,770
FY2023 ⓘ	$9.6M	$11M	68.4%	$16M	$273,644
FY2022 ⓘ	$9.9M	$11M	73.5%	$17M	$323,350
FY2021 ⓘ	$7.3M	$5.9M	56.5%	$20M	$287,720
FY2020 ⓘ	$5.5M	$4.7M	48.4%	$17M	$287,821

Governance 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–1b26 · 26 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 11aYes
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 4No
Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
Employees Part I, line 5365
Volunteers Part I, line 6276

Largest outside contractors

FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON Facility rentals	$617,639
4WALL ENTERTAINMENT INC Entertainment	$172,999
OPUS 3 ARTISTS LLC Entertainment	$145,956
ONLINE COMPUTERS Technology	$145,436
TTS STUDIOS LLC Scenic work	$131,493

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 15 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

32 private foundations reported grants to Spoleto Festival USA totaling $811K 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 Spoleto Festival USA's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Spoleto Festival USA, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

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Similar-sized charities in this cause

Storyville Center for the Spoken Word
New York, NY · revenue $11M · programs 79.1% · 2024
Crocker Art Museum Association
Sacramento, CA · revenue $11M · programs 77.9% · FY2025
Ballet Austin
Austin, TX · revenue $11M · programs 72.1% · FY2025
Kanu O Ka Aina Learning Ohana
Kamuela, HI · revenue $11M · programs 93.8% · FY2025
Mid-South Public Communications Foundation
Cordova, TN · revenue $11M · programs 72.6% · FY2025

All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in South Carolina

Questions people ask

How much of Spoleto Festival USA's spending goes to programs?

In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Spoleto Festival USA reported that 73.2% of its $11.6 million in expenses went to program services, 18.5% to management and general and 8.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Spoleto Festival USA pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Spoleto Festival USA reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $287,806, for the role of GENERAL DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Spoleto Festival USA get its money?

Of $11.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 54.6% came from contributions and grants (including 11.9% from government grants) and 27.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Spoleto Festival USA a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 57-0660848 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202631959349301163 · read the filing · XML
FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202541969349300129 · read the filing
FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202441979349301179 · read the filing
FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202311989349301526 · read the filing
FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202201579349301305 · read the filing
FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202140649349300144 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 57-0660848: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.