Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning

What it reported doing in 2024

Founded in 1972, jcal is a multidisciplinary arts center serving the communities of southeast queens in New York city. Jcal is the only member of the cultural institutions group - the historic public-private partnership with the city of New York - located in our community. Our mission is to offer quality visual and performing arts, and to provide accessible education programs to encourage participation in the arts. We do this through showcasing emerging and established local artists and performers, and through pioneering multicultural initiatives that have served four generations in queens - where 2.4 million african-american, caribbean-american, indo-asian, african, latinx, caucasian, native american and indigenous artists and audiences live, work and learn. Each year, jcal engages more than 53,000 visitors through offering visual art, dance, music, and theater programs.our cultural campus begins at our 45,000 square-foot headquarters, the jamaica arts center (jac). Located in a 19th century landmark (the former queens registry of titles and deeds), jac offers two art galleries and five dance studios; studios for music, ceramics and animation; and a 99-seat studio theater and office spaces. Two blocks away is our 400-seat jamaica performing arts center (jpac). Also located in a 19th century landmark (a former first dutch reformed church), jpac accommodates performances, conferences, and events.jcal's visual arts programs include visual voices, a three-year residency for emerging curators; artworks, a six-month fellowship for emerging artists; an annual open call for artists that offers visibility and financial support to artists who have never shown professionally (or haven't shown at jcal in the last five years); and a site-specific community-engaging triennial, jamaica flux. Jcal's performing arts programs include two types of music concerts, thursday night jazz and riddim section, each which connect emerging local and established talent; meet the playwright, which spotlights emerging writers, directors, actors, and producers; and the making moves dance festival every september, now entering its 15th year. Mmdf is just one of six tentpole festivals on our yearly calendar; we also produce a weekend of west african dance each february, a women's history month event each march, the queens international children's festival every may, and a pride celebration and a juneteenth event every june.jcal's year-round, economically accessible arts education classes cover all of the disciplines described above.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 68.3%; rating input score 68
• Program expense ratio: 65.4%; rating input score 65
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.51 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• 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: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Fail
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -4.3%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.04; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.4%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 8.1% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 9.2% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 21.8% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings