The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts
The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts is a public charitable trust established in 1979 and based in Houston, Texas. Operating as a supporting organization, it was created to benefit performing arts institutions throughout the State of Texas, with particular emphasis on organizations within the Greater Metropolitan Houston area. The trust functions as a subordinate organization under the Houston Ballet Foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$132.4M
+27.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.9M
+0.6% YoY
Grant Count
43
+4.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$91K
-4.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts operates for the benefit of performing arts institutions within the State of Texas, primarily those in the Greater Metropolitan Houston area. The trust supports the disciplines of music, dance, singing, and theatre, with a priority focus on organizations that have a primary emphasis on community performances.
As a matter of policy, the trust does not make grants to organizations that are supporting organizations. All beneficiary organizations must be described as 501(c)(3) entities and cannot be private foundations within the meaning of section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Grantmaking
The trust supports a diverse network of performing arts organizations in the Houston area, including Alley Theatre, American Festival for the Arts, ARS Lyrica Houston, Children's Museum of Houston, DaCamera of Houston, Diverse Works, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, The Ensemble Theatre, Express Children's Theater, Foundation for Modern Music, Gilbert & Sullivan Society, HITS Unicorn Theater, Houston Ballet Foundation, Houston Chamber Choir, Houston Early Music, Houston Friends of Music, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Masterworks Chorus, Houston Repertoire Ballet, Houston Symphony Society, Houston Young Artists Concerts, Houston Youth Symphony & Ballet, James Dick Foundation for the Performing Arts, Main Street Theatre at Autry House, Mercury Baroque, and 22 additional organizations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust primarily funds performing arts institutions within the Greater Metropolitan Houston area and the State of Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $132,390,547
- Total revenues: $32,863,579
- Total expenses: $4,753,507
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $132,390,547 | $104,280,475 | $99,363,815 |
| Revenue | $32,863,579 | $9,784,297 | $18,721,495 |
| Expenses | $4,753,507 | $4,867,637 | $4,092,087 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $32,863,579 | $9,784,297 | $18,721,495 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
188 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer:
- Cornelia Zilkha
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornelia Zilkha | Chair | 1 | — |
| Carroll R Ray | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Louisa Sarofim | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Daniel Zilkha | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Chris Joseph | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Kathryn Ketelson | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Cornelia C Long | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Isabel Lummis | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rose Hochner Nelson | Trustee | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 515 Post Oak Blvd Houston, TX 77027-9482
Phone: 713-333-2239
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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