Association for Public Art
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 231367631
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2009–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Phone
- 2155467550
- Rating
- 76
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Visual Arts Organizations
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $2,327,218
- Expenses
- $1,429,779
- Assets
- $28,461,452
- Liabilities
- $0
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
15 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- JENNIFER RODRIGUEZ (PRESIDENT)
- BARBARA B ARONSON (VICE PRESIDENT)
- CHARLOTTE COHEN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
Highest reported compensation
- CHARLOTTE COHEN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $216,140 total reported compensation
- LAURA GRIFFITH (DEPUTY DIRECTOR): $117,569 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
The association for public art (apa) collaborates with artists and communities to make public art accessible to all and create an enduring legacy for future generations. Dedicated to creating a museum without walls that inspires diverse audiences, the apa commissions, preserves, interprets and promotes public art in philadelphia. Since its establishment in 1872 as the nation's first private non-profit public art organization, the apa has been a model of public art creation, conservation, and community engagement that thrives on continuity distinguished by a commitment to permanent and temporary artworks. The apa supports the integration of public art and urban design through exemplary projects, programs, digital content, and advocacy efforts that connect people with public art.
What it reported doing in 2024
Acquire and commission public art: the association for public art (apa) is dedicated to creating opportunities for artists to respond to the issues of our time, while redefining public space and encouraging public engagement and interaction. A recipient of the national public art network award from the americans for the arts (afta), the apa is recognized for its innovative contributions, enduring commitment, and leadership in public art.fy 2025 highlights included an exhibition of edward h. Schwartz's collection of public art and architecture images at the photolounge, and the second year of "art on the parkway" featuring an open call, jury artist selection, and installation of nicolo gentile's "bar none" in maja park. Developments advanced regarding bringing paul ramirez jonas' "let freedom ring" to philadelphia, and on a strategic plan incorporating ideas for the future direction for the apa.the apa's award winning outdoor sculpture conservation maintenance program celebrated forty-three years of continuous operation for 30+ artworks around the city in fy 2025. Additional special conservation projects included the surface passivation of roxy paine's "symbiosis" (2011), a structural integrity assessment of martin puryear's "pavilion in the trees" (1993), and planning for the exhibition and repatriation of a kwakwaka'waka kwaku'l "house post" (c. 1850) to the u'mista cultural centre in british columbia.interpretive efforts included the launch of the "public art decoded" in-person walking tour series, "material matters" behind-the-scenes conservation series, an artist talk and panel discussion for "bar none, and civic engagement efforts around philadelphia, including service on the board of the parkway council."art on the parkway": 2025 was the second year for "art on the parkway," a public art competition co-organized by the apa and the parkway council, in partnership with philadelphia parks and recreation (ppr). The open call invited philadelphia-area artists, designers, and other creatives to propose a temporary public art installation in maja park on the benjamin franklin parkway as part of the oval annual summer festival. "bar none" by philadelphia-based artist nicolo gentile was selected by a jury of three local public art related professionals, and was on view from july to october, 2025. "bar none" honored the parkway's legacy as a site of collective assembly, action, overlapping movements, and voices in pursuit of justice, celebration, and change. Colored acrylic panels etched with images sourced from historic archives reflected moments of protest, pride, and public gathering. "let freedom ring": planning efforts continued to bring paul ramirez jonas' sculpture "let freedom ring" to philadelphia, initially exhibited by monument lab in 2023 on the national mall in Washington, dc. In 2025 the apa met with the artist and local stakeholders at various potential sites, and identified the cherry street pier as the location for the installation. Additionally, apa received grant awards for this 250th semi-quincentennial project, arranged contracts with the artist and fabricator/installer, and met with programming partners for the 2026 philadelphia installation. "public art decoded" tours: in fy 2025 apa launched its first annual series of walking tours that provide in-depth perspectives on sculptures and installations sited in popular philadelphia locations. "public art decoded" explores artwork backgrounds, artists, and untold stories within a historical and contemporary context. In fy 2025 the series included "horticulture center: art meets nature in an urban park" with the shofuso japanese cultural center, "ellen phillips samuel memorial: icons & myths" led by curator brittany webb, "rittenhouse square: urban design & visual art" with the friends of rittenhouse square, and "old city: public art in the birthplace of america" with old city district executive director job itzkowitz."material matters": the apa's popular "coffee
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Investment-supported. 69% of the money available for current operations came from recurring investment income.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and program spending has declined or grown slowly.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 67
- Transparency & Controls: 79
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 82
- Growth: 20
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 73.8%; rating input score 74
- Program expense ratio: 73.9%; rating input score 74
- Fundraising efficiency: $3.95 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
- Compensation committee: Pass
- Independent consultant: Missing
- Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
- Written employment contract: Missing
- Compensation survey or study: Pass
- Board or committee approval: Pass
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: Limited
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: Pass
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 38.6%; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 19.91; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 23.3%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -3.7% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -13.8% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 1.6% per year; rating input score 100; 18th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 73.8% of revenue deployed · 73.9% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
- Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.1M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $216K · 15 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
- Consistency: 23 of 23 current checks pass
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
- Filing history: 14 filing years from 2009 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
- Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 12/100.
- High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 9/100.