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ALWUN HOUSE FOUNDATION

PHOENIX, AZ · EIN 860691113 · Form 990 · FY2020 · NTEE A51Z · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · www.alwunhouse.org
revenue
$83K
expenses
$63K
net assets
$474K
employees
0
volunteers
47
program ratio
79%
mission · from form 990

ALWUN HOUSE FOUNDATION ADVOCATES FOR THE POWER OF ART TO TRANSFORM, STRENGTHEN AND ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY.

profile · synthesized from sources

Alwun House Foundation is a nonprofit arts organization based in Phoenix, Arizona, founded in 1971 to support artists across all media through exhibitions, performances, and community events. Housed in a historic 1912 building in the Garfield Neighborhood, it operates as an alternative art gallery and cultural hub, fostering creative expression and neighborhood engagement. The organization runs signature programs including youth art shows, themed exhibitions, and public art park events.

named programs · 5 · from sources

what they call their work

Alwun House Art Park
Community-use space developed from acquired adjacent properties, serving as a venue for pop-up events including skate nights, roller derby, community yard sales, First Fridays markets, quinceañeras, and neighborhood gatherings.
Exotic
Themed art exhibition held each year featuring provocative and boundary-pushing works, including 2D and 3D art, performance pieces, dance, and erotic poetry, providing a platform for experimental and controversial expression.
Monster’s Menagerie
Annual October exhibition showcasing dark, macabre, and twisted artworks, accompanied by the "Monster’s Ball" opening night event featuring cabaret, sideshow performers, and audience participation in Halloween costumes.
Salon des Enfants
Annual youth art exhibition featuring 300 student artworks from 5th to 8th graders in Phoenix Elementary School District #1, with 100% of sales proceeds going directly to the student artists. Includes live performances by student bands, choirs, and dance groups.
Summer Splash Days
Annual summer event series in the Alwun House Art Park featuring giant water slides, splash pads for children and dogs, super soaker toys, and free sno-cones offered to families in the community.
activities · 9 groups

what they do

  • School Community Events & Family Nights 7 activities
    • Art Park "Splash Days"
      Hosts annual pop-up water park "Splash Days" in its Art Park on three monthly Saturdays during the summer, offering water slides, splash pads, and free sno-cones for children.
    • Art Park "Splash Days"
      Hosts annual pop-up water park "Splash Days" in its Art Park on three monthly Saturdays during the summer, offering water slides, splash pads, and free sno-cones for children.
    • Art Park Operation and Programming
      Operates its Art Park as a community hub for diverse activities including annual "Splash Days" with water slides and splash pads, pop-up skate parks, community yard sales, First Fridays events, quinceanera celebrations, and roller derby games and classes.
    • Community Engagement and Events
      Facilitates monthly virtual neighborhood meetings, biannual live potluck fundraisers, and various community building activities like "Garfield Litter-lifters" work. It also hosts pop-up community events such as skate nights, roller skate classes, and roller derby games in its Art Park.
    • Community Engagement and Events
      Facilitates monthly virtual neighborhood meetings, biannual live potluck fundraisers, and various community building activities such as "Garfield Litter-lifters" work and pop-up events like skate nights and roller derby games in its Art Park.
    • Community Engagement and Events
      Facilitates monthly virtual neighborhood meetings, biannual live potluck fundraisers, and various community building activities such as "Garfield Litter-lifters" work and pop-up events like skate nights and roller derby games in its Art Park.
    • Community Event Hosting and Facilitation
      Hosts and facilitates a variety of community events in its Art Park and other venues, including monthly virtual neighborhood meetings, biannual potluck fundraisers, pop-up water parks, skate nights, roller skate classes, roller derby games, community yard sales, and First Fridays events.
  • Community Advocacy & Planning Engagement 4 activities
    • Advocacy for Arts and Urban Planning
      Engages in advocacy through its staff's participation in various commissions and task forces, including the Phoenix Arts Commission, the Mayor’s Artist Issues Task Force (which drafted the Downtown Arts and Small Business Overlay), and the City of Phoenix Central City Village Planning Committee.
    • Arts and Planning Advocacy
      Engages in arts advocacy through participation on the Phoenix Arts Commission, the Mayor’s Artist Issues Task Force, and the City of Phoenix Central City Village Planning Committee to influence arts policy and urban planning.
    • Arts and Planning Advocacy
      Engages in arts advocacy through participation on the Phoenix Arts Commission, the Mayor’s Artist Issues Task Force, and the City of Phoenix Central City Village Planning Committee, influencing policies related to arts, zoning, and urban development.
    • Arts and Urban Planning Advocacy
      Engages in arts advocacy through participation on the Phoenix Arts Commission, the Mayor’s Artist Issues Task Force to draft the Downtown Arts and Small Business Overlay, and the City of Phoenix Central City Village Planning Committee to review planning and zoning development issues.
  • Historic Building Restoration & Adaptive Reuse 4 activities
    • Historic Property Rehabilitation
      Purchased and rehabilitated the historic Sedler House in 1971, earning an "Environmental Improvement Award" in 1972, and renovated the house facility and landscaped gardens during its first 10 years.
    • Historic Property Rehabilitation
      Purchased and rehabilitated the historic Sedler House in 1971, earning an "Environmental Improvement Award" in 1972, and renovated the house facility and landscaped gardens during its first 10 years.
    • Historic Property Rehabilitation and Maintenance
      Purchased and began rehabilitation and retrofit efforts on the historic Sedler House in 1971, earning an "Environmental Improvement Award" in 1972, and renovated the house facility and landscaped gardens during its first 10 years.
    • Historic Property Rehabilitation and Management
      Purchased and rehabilitated the historic Sedler House in 1971, earning an "Environmental Improvement Award," and has since managed its programs and administrative responsibilities.
  • Original Theatrical Productions for Social Awareness 3 activities
    • Multi-Media Theatre Productions
      Created and hosted multi-media theatre productions in the basement, such as "Games I've Played While Waiting for the Messiah."
    • Multi-Media Theatre Productions
      Created and hosted multi-media theatre productions in the basement, such as "Games I've Played While Waiting for the Messiah."
    • Multi-Media Theatre Productions
      Created and hosted multi-media theatre productions in its basement, such as "Games I've Played While Waiting for the Messiah."
  • Community Service Event Coordination 3 activities
    • Special Event Coordination
      Coordinates and helps create large events for special interest groups in Phoenix, generating additional revenue and exposure for the organization.
    • Special Interest Group Event Coordination
      Coordinates and helps create large events at Alwun House for special interest groups in Phoenix, generating additional revenue and exposure for the organization.
    • Special Interest Group Event Coordination
      Coordinates and helps create large events at Alwun House for special interest groups in Phoenix, generating additional revenue and exposure for the organization.
  • Website Accessibility Compliance 3 activities
    • Website Accessibility Improvements
      Undertakes ongoing efforts to improve website accessibility by editing pages for appropriate formatting, adding alternative text, captions, and transcripts to images and videos, developing new pages with keyboard accessibility, and creating consistent website templates.
    • Website Accessibility Improvements
      Improves website accessibility by adding appropriate formatting, alternative text, captions, transcripts, and keyboard navigation to ensure usability with assistive technology.
    • Website Accessibility Improvements
      Improves website accessibility by adding appropriate formatting, alternative text, captions, transcripts, and keyboard navigation to ensure usability with assistive technology.
  • Nonprofit Formation & Incubation 2 activities
    • Neighborhood Alliance Participation
      Participated in the creation of the Garfield Organization, a neighborhood alliance and nonprofit neighborhood association, since 1989.
    • Neighborhood Alliance Participation
      Participated in the creation of the Garfield Organization, a neighborhood alliance and nonprofit neighborhood association, since 1989.
  • Performing Arts Venue Operations 1 activity
    • Multi-Media Theatre and Music Productions
      Created and hosted multi-media theatre productions in its basement, such as "Games I've Played While Waiting for the Messiah," and showcased reggae and world beat music through its "Caribbean Carnival" productions, which grew into a city co-sponsored festival.
  • Uncategorized 14 activities
    • Adult Art Exhibitions and Performances
      Organizes and hosts art shows and performances for adults, including "Monster's Menagerie" (dark and macabre art), "Monster's Ball" (cabaret and side show performers), and "Exotic" (provocative 2D and 3D works, dance, performance, and erotic poetry).
    • Dark and Macabre Art Exhibitions
      Hosts "Monster's Menagerie" in October, an exhibit of dark and macabre art, and "Monster's Ball" featuring cabaret and side show performers.
    • Food Education Program
      Demonstrated the benefits of growing one's own food through a program called "Food for Thought."
    • Food Growing Education
      Demonstrated the benefits of growing one's own food through a program called "Food for Thought."
    • Food Growing Education
      Demonstrated the benefits of growing one's own food through a program called "Food for Thought."
    • Music Festival Production
      Showcased reggae and world beat music through its "Caribbean Carnival" productions, which grew to become a city co-sponsored festival.
    • Provocative Art and Performance Shows
      Organizes "Exotic," an art show featuring provocative and forbidden 2D and 3D works, dance, performance, and erotic poetry, which is the oldest of its kind in the US.
    • Reggae and World Beat Music Productions
      Showcased reggae and world beat music through its "Caribbean Carnival" productions, which grew to become a city co-sponsored festival.
    • Themed Art Exhibitions and Events
      Organizes and hosts themed art exhibitions and events, including "Monster's Menagerie" (dark and macabre art) and "Monster's Ball" (cabaret and side show performers) in October, and "Exotic" (provocative 2D and 3D works, dance, performance, and erotic poetry), which is the oldest of its kind in the US.
    • Themed Art Exhibitions and Performances
      Hosts "Monster's Menagerie," an exhibit of dark and macabre art, and "Monster's Ball" featuring cabaret and side show performers in October. It also organizes "Exotic," an art show featuring provocative 2D and 3D works, dance, performance, and erotic poetry, which is the oldest of its kind in the US.
    • Youth Art Exhibitions
      Produces and curates the Annual Salon des Enfants youth art show, featuring 300 pieces from 5th through 8th-grade students from 16 schools, with all proceeds from sales going directly to the student artists.
    • Youth Art Show Production
      Produces and curates the Annual Salon des Enfants youth art show, showcasing 300 pieces from 5th through 8th-grade students from 16 schools, with all proceeds from sales directly benefiting the student artists.
    • Youth Art Show Production
      Produces and curates the Annual Salon des Enfants youth art show, showcasing 300 pieces from 5th through 8th-grade students from 16 schools, with all proceeds from art sales directly benefiting the student artists.
    • Youth Art Show Production
      Produces and curates the Annual Salon des Enfants youth art show, showcasing 300 pieces from 5th through 8th-grade students from 16 schools, with all proceeds from sales directly benefiting the student artists.
financials · form 990 · fy2020
revenue
Total revenue$83K
Contributions & grants$63K76%
Program service revenue$14K17%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$6K
expenses
Total expenses$63K
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$5K
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$582K
Cash$14K
Investments$0
Liabilities$108K
Net assets$474K
Liquid reserves2.7 mo
2 years on record · 2019–2020 · YoY revenue -69.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2020

who runs it

board members · 8
  • ALVIN HONG — DIRECTOR
  • GRACE CRUZ — DIRECTOR
  • JACOB MAYS — DIRECTOR
  • KRISTIN WESLEY — DIRECTOR
  • LEONARD KAWECKI — DIRECTOR
  • LESLEY RODRIGUEZ — DIRECTOR
  • LUIS ALONZO — SECRETARY
  • NATE BORUM — TREASURER
relationships · 15

who they work with

  • C & H Associates LLC Partner — Abraham James is a partner in this architectural firm.
  • City of Phoenix Government — Dana Johnson collaborates with multiple departments and serves on the Central City Village Planning Committee; Abraham James is Chair of the Phoenix Library Advisory Board, a member of the Phoenix Board of Adjustment, and a Commissioner of the Phoenix Planning Commission.
  • Gammage and Burnham Partner — Provided pro bono legal advice, assisting with purchase contracts and rezoning for the Art Park.
  • Garfield Organization Partner — Kim Moody, founding director, actively participated in its creation; Dana Johnson joined as chair of the Revitalization and Economic Development Committee and serves as President of its Board of Directors; Jacob M. is a former board member.
  • Garfield Organization Partner — Works closely with the Garfield Organization, a neighborhood association, facilitating its monthly virtual meetings and biannual potluck fundraisers.
  • Greater Green Gables Neighborhood Association Partner — Abraham James is Chair of the association.
  • Harrington Planning + Design Partner — Project designer for the Art Park (Landscape Architect Jason Harrington).
  • Laurence Vanderbeek Partner — Acquired the historic Sedler House in partnership with Laurence Vanderbeek.
  • Phoenix Arts Commission Government — Kim Moody was a founding commissioner.
  • Phoenix Elementary School District #1 Partner — Partners for "Salon des Enfants," an annual youth art show.
  • Phoenix Elementary School District #1 Partner — Partners to produce the Annual Salon des Enfants youth art show.
  • Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture Government — Nate Borum worked as an arts advocate with the office.
  • Ritoch Powell Associates Partner — Provided civil engineering for the Art Park development.
  • Trellis Partner — Dana Johnson spent 14 years on its Board of Directors; Abraham James is a member of its Board of Directors.
  • Valley National Bank Partner — Hosted "Caribbean Carnival #5" on top of Valley National Bank's parking garage.