Art Matters Inc
Art Matters Inc is a private foundation based in New York, NY, established in 1985. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity and functions primarily as a grantmaking foundation dedicated to supporting artists and artistic creation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$101K
-1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$297K
+28.3% YoY
Grant Count
35
+12.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
+13.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Art Matters Inc reported a distributable amount of $7K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Art Matters focuses on funding fellowships to create artwork. The foundation's primary grantmaking activity centers on providing financial support to artists for the creation and development of their work.
Grantmaking
Art Matters operates a fellowship program that provides grants to artists. Recent grantmaking activity includes:
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (Fiscal Year Ending December 2024):
- Total Revenue: $516,167
- Total Expenses: $516,994
- Net Income: -$827
- Total Assets: $93,859
- Total Liabilities: $7,500
Prior Year Data (Fiscal Year Ending December 2023):
- Total Revenue: $398,798
- Total Expenses: $426,377
- Total Assets: $103,106
Revenue Sources: The foundation's revenue is derived entirely from contributions received, with no investment income or dividends reported.
Staffing: The organization operates with 1 employee.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $101,361 | $103,106 | $126,624 |
| Revenue | $516,167 | $398,798 | $415,905 |
| Expenses | $516,994 | $426,377 | $429,483 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $515,995 | $417,847 | $427,660 |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $6,609 | $9,342 | $11,842 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
182 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Xaveria Simmons ($24,000), Gelare Khoshgozaran ($16,000), Cameron Rowland ($16,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MIA RITTER-WHITTLE NEW YORK, NY | FELLOWSHIP TO CREATE ARTWORK | $1,200 |
| RECESS ACTIVITIES INC BROOKLYN, NY | OPERATING SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| BROOKE RICHIE-BABBAGE NEW YORK, NY | PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT | $141 |
| BASEL ABBAS NEW YORK, NY | FELLOWSHIP TO CREATE ARTWORK | $8,000 |
| RUANNE ABOU-RAHME NEW YORK, NY | FELLOWSHIP TO CREATE ARTWORK | $8,000 |
| LARA ABURAMADAN NEW YORK, NY | FELLOWSHIP TO CREATE ARTWORK | $8,000 |
| MOHAMED ABUSAL NEW YORK, NY | FELLOWSHIP TO CREATE ARTWORK | $8,000 |
| MAHMOUD M ALSHAER NEW YORK, NY | FELLOWSHIP TO CREATE ARTWORK | $8,000 |
| LEILA AWADALLAH NEW YORK, NY | FELLOWSHIP TO CREATE ARTWORK | $8,000 |
| JIBZ CAMERON NEW YORK, NY | FELLOWSHIP TO CREATE ARTWORK | $8,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAURA DONNELLEY | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| GAI GHERARDI | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| ALEXANDER GRAY | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MARIANNE WEEMS | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LINDA EARLE | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| SACHA YANOW | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| RUJEKO HOCKLEY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| REGINE BASHA | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARY BEEBE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DEMIAN DINEYAZHI | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CATHERINE GUND | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| VIET LE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LAURENCE MILLER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JULIO CESAR MORALES | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CLAIRE MORTON | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CEE SCOTT BROWN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LOWERY SIMS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MIMI WHEELER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| PHILIP YENAWINE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BRUCE YONEMOTO | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ABBEY WILLIAMS | DIRECTOR | 40 | $97,155 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Art Matters has announced cohorts for its Artist2Artist Fellows program in multiple years, including announcements for 2022, 2023, and 2025 fellowship recipients.
Announcing the 2025 Artist2Artist Fellows | Art MattersFrequently Asked Questions
What does Art Matters Inc fund?
Art Matters focuses on funding fellowships to create artwork. The foundation's primary grantmaking activity centers on providing financial support to artists for the creation and development of their work.
How do I apply for a grant from Art Matters Inc?
Art Matters operates a fellowship program that provides grants to artists. Recent grantmaking activity includes: • **Grant Volume**: The foundation made 30 grants in 2023 • **Grant Types**: Fellowships for artwork creation and operating support • **Recent Grants**: Notable 2023 grants included $7,500 to Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon for a Fellowship to Create Artwork and $7,500 to Recess Activities for operating support • **Program**: The foundation administers an "Artist2Artist Fellows" …
What size grants does Art Matters Inc award?
In 2024, Art Matters Inc awarded 35 grants totaling $297K — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Art Matters Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Art Matters Inc reported a distributable amount of $7K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Art Matters Inc's EIN?
Art Matters Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3271577. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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