By intgrating performing Arts education programs and musical theatre productions, art Express theatre opens up the world of the Arts to all ages. IT serves over 25,000 people annually thorugh a continuum of introductory to advance educational programming and engaging audience experiences. Programs range from youth workshops and camps to large-scale musical threate shows throughout the year.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $11K a year · 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.4 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $8K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$4K
10% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 10% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$300K
Spent
$290K
To programs
86%
Net assets
$30K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$300K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$300K
FY2021$500K
FY2022$619K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.3M
Expenses
$290K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$290K
FY2021$488K
FY2022$632K
FY2023$862K
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$1.3M
Net assets
$30K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$30K
FY2021$96K
FY2022$85K
FY2023$241K
FY2024$35K
FY2025$10K

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending September 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1999.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $249K Management & general 11% · $33K Fundraising 3% · $8K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

8 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director - Nonvoting Director of the Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Benjamin Wiese’s $29K as Managing Director is at the 2nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3925 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2023FY2022
Benjamin Wiese$29,250$25,500
Karen Wiese$27,500—
Michael Dunn$22,575$15,525
Jonathon Crider$11,000$10,800

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Builds character, strengthens community, and celebrates culture through performing arts.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $201K · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Christmas Carol 2019 offered 26 at-risk youth the opportunity to perform in a full-length Broadway musical, working alongside professional actors. Then, over 600 at-risk youth had the opportunity to see the production, many experiencing live theatre for the first time.

$80Kprogram expense
02

This summer, our Monte Awards (National High School Musical Theatre Awards) was a livestream event and our Let Freedom Sing 4th of July event was a broadcast with local artists performing at various sites around Southern Arizona. Combined, those shows had over 2500 viewers!

$61Kprogram expense
03

In Spring 2020, Arts Express Show offered 15 at-risk youth the opportunity to perform in a full-length Broadway production of Carousel, working alongside professional actors. Over 200 at-risk teenagers had the opportunity to see the production, many experiencing live theatre for the first time.

$61Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$8K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$300K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$234K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$66K
Money outPt IX
$290K
Ln 25
Programscol B$249K
Managementcol C$33K
Fundraisingcol D$8K
Owns and owesPt X
$30K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10K
Total assetsLn 16$34K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$66K
Government grantsLn 1e$32K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$234K
Total revenueLn 12$300K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$10K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$10K
Other assetsLn 15$21K
Total assetsLn 16$34K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K
Net assetsLn 32$30K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 6369
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2−$962$10K
Total assetsLn 16$14K$34K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$4K
Net assetsLn 32$14K$30K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$0$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$0$0
Management feesLn 11a$12K$2K$10K$500
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$500$500
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$131K$126K$5K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$7K
Office expensesLn 13$2K$2K$102
Information technologyLn 14$12K$5K$7K
RoyaltiesLn 15$25K$25K
OccupancyLn 16$30K$27K$3K
TravelLn 17$930$930
InsuranceLn 23$5K$4K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$50K$49K$0$455
All other expensesLn 24e$15K$12K$613$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$290K$249K$33K$8K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.3M$1.3M−$25K$10K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.1M$1.3M−$206K$35K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.0M$862K$156K$241K 990 PDF
FY2022 $619K$632K−$13K$85K 990 PDF
FY2021 $500K$488K$12K$96K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $300K$290K$10K$30K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $300,490 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $212,099$66,096
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $143,505$234,394
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $355,604$300,490
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$500
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $342,089$289,639
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $342,089$290,139
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $13,515$10,351
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $300,490 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $29,195 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$32,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$9,037
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$66,096
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $205,199 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$205,199
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $234,394 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$300,490
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $290,139 across 22 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $0$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $0$0
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $0$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $0$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $0$0
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $1,500 · Management $10,000 · Fundraising $500$12,000
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $500$500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $125,836 · Fundraising $4,910$130,746
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $7,000$7,000
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $2,265 · Fundraising $102$2,367
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,962 · Management $6,969$11,931
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $24,581$24,581
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $27,064 · Management $3,402$30,466
IX-17 TravelManagement $930$930
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,665 · Management $1,500$5,165
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $49,438 · Management $0 · Fundraising $455$49,893
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $12,148 · Management $613 · Fundraising $1,799$14,560
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $249,194 · Management $32,679 · Fundraising $8,266$290,139
Part X · Balance sheet $33,912 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year −$962$9,565
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$1,963
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $14,740$1,335
X-15 Other assets$21,049
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $13,778$33,912
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$3,500
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$3,500
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $13,778$30,412
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $13,778$33,912
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $30,412 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$300,490
XI-2 Total expenses$290,139
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$10,351
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$13,778
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$6,283
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$30,412

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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