Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by POTIONS & PIXELS NONPROFIT.

Totals

Total revenue: $271,016
Total expenses: $248,420
Contributions and grants received: $108,402
Grants paid: $0
Program service revenue: $162,606
Investment income: $8
Other revenue: $0
Total assets, end of year: $81,461
Total liabilities, end of year: $0
Net assets or fund balances, end of year: $81,461
Program services expenses (Part IX): $213,062
Management and general expenses: $35,359
Fundraising expenses: $0
Program service expenses (Part III): $213,062

Program services were 85.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

1a · Federated campaigns

$0
1b · Membership dues

$0
1c · Fundraising events

$0
1d · Related organizations

$0
1e · Government grants (contributions)

$0
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

$108,402
1g · Noncash contributions included above

$0
2a · Program service revenue

total $162,606 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2b · Program service revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2c · Program service revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2d · Program service revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2e · Program service revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2f · All other program service revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
3 · Investment income

total $8 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
4 · Income from investment of tax-exempt bond proceeds

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
5 · Royalties

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
6a · Gross rents

real property $0 · personal property $0
6b · Less rental expenses

real property $0 · personal property $0
6c · Rental income or loss

real property $0 · personal property $0
6d · Net rental income or loss

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

securities $0 · other assets $0
7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

securities $0 · other assets $0
7c · Gain or loss

securities $0 · other assets $0
7d · Net gain or loss

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
8a · Fundraising events: gross income

$0
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

$0
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

$0
8c · Net income from fundraising events

total $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
9a · Gaming: gross income

$0
9b · Gaming: direct expenses

$0
9c · Net income from gaming

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
10a · Gross sales of inventory

$0
10b · Cost of goods sold

$0
10c · Net income from sales of inventory

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
11a · Other revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
11b · Other revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
11c · Other revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
11d · All other revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
11e · Other revenue, total

$0

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

total $0 · program services $0
2 · Grants to domestic individuals

total $0 · program services $0
3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

total $0 · program services $0
4 · Benefits paid to or for members

total $0 · program services $0
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

total $105,000 · program services $83,432 · management and general $21,568 · fundraising $0
6 · Compensation of disqualified persons

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
7 · Other salaries and wages

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
8 · Pension plan contributions

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
9 · Other employee benefits

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
10 · Payroll taxes

total $8,571 · program services $0 · management and general $8,571 · fundraising $0
11a · Fees: management

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11b · Fees: legal

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11c · Fees: accounting

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11d · Fees: lobbying

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

total $0 · fundraising $0
11f · Fees: investment management

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11g · Fees: other

total $87,470 · program services $87,470 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
12 · Advertising and promotion

total $25 · program services $25 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
13 · Office expenses

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
14 · Information technology

total $2,734 · program services $2,538 · management and general $196 · fundraising $0
15 · Royalties

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
16 · Occupancy

total $8,302 · program services $6,812 · management and general $1,490 · fundraising $0
17 · Travel

total $7,096 · program services $7,096 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
18 · Travel or entertainment for public officials

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
20 · Interest

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
21 · Payments to affiliates

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
23 · Insurance

total $1,860 · program services $0 · management and general $1,860 · fundraising $0
24a · Other expenses: Program Supplies

total $23,328 · program services $23,328 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
24b · Other expenses: Professional Development

total $1,037 · program services $1,037 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
24c · Other expenses: Payroll Service Fees

total $882 · program services $0 · management and general $882 · fundraising $0
24d · Other expenses: Meals & Volunteer Hospitality

total $815 · program services $815 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
24e · All other expenses

total $1,300 · program services $509 · management and general $792 · fundraising $0
26 · Joint costs (an allocation of the lines above)

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

beginning of year $58,865 · end of year $81,461
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
3 · Pledges and grants receivable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
4 · Accounts receivable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
5 · Loans and receivables from officers and key people

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
6 · Loans and receivables from disqualified persons

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
7 · Other notes and loans receivable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
8 · Inventories for sale or use

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

$0
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

$0
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
12 · Investments: other securities

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
13 · Investments: program-related

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
14 · Intangible assets

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
15 · Other assets

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
18 · Grants payable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
19 · Deferred revenue

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
20 · Tax-exempt bond liabilities

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
21 · Escrow or custodial account liability

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
22 · Loans and payables to officers and key people

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
25 · Other liabilities

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

beginning of year $58,865 · end of year $81,461
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

POTIONS & PIXELS is a nonprofit organization that creates and utilizes games art and technology for social impact.

Activities or mission (Part I)

POTIONS & PIXELS is a nonprofit organization that creates and utilizes games art and technology for community impact.

ArtCade - ArtCade is a multidisciplinary public arcade experience that sits at the intersection of skilled trades art and technology. In 2023 POTIONS & PIXELS completed and formally released ArtCade a custom-built eight-unit arcade designed to showcase games as an art form and introduce the public to innovative indie games in an approachable non-commercial setting. Each ArtCade machine is a one-of-a-kind hand-built cabinet featuring hand-painted artwork by eight local Charlotte artists curated indie games from developers around the world and a custom-designed software launcher developed by POTIONS & PIXELS. The launcher allows players to seamlessly explore and play approximately 80 indie games that have not previously been featured in arcade environments and includes built-in contributor recognition and usage analytics. Each machine includes three integrated displays gameplay marquee and controls reference custom RGB controls and enhanced audio systems to support public exhibition. In 2023 ArtCade transitioned from development to public deployment enabling community members to engage directly with curated interactive digital art experiences. ArtCade was supported in part by Lowes and the Infusion Fund.

Expenses $68,069
Game App & Art Development - Through its Game App & Art Development program POTIONS & PIXELS designs and produces original interactive experiences that explore games as cultural educational and artistic tools. In 2023 the organization actively developed launched and publicly engaged audiences through multiple original projects. Key projects included Our Stories CLT an augmented reality mobile game that invites participants to explore Charlottes historic Elmwood and Pinewood Cemeteries as historical detectives uncovering overlooked local narratives. In 2023 POTIONS & PIXELS completed development launched the app and facilitated public engagement. The project was created in partnership with Gkotta the City of Charlotte Knight Foundation Google Fiber and local youth from Charlottes West End and North End who participated in AR design game development and historical research. Additional projects included Defenders of the QC a large-scale facilitated educational game developed for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Department to teach conflict resolution skills to middle and high school students and CONNECTED a gamified public mural experience created in partnership with Gkotta Mural Ninjas and Fifth Third Bank that encourages participants to explore shared traits across diverse characters through physical interaction.

Expenses $94,992 · Revenue $164,875
Community Engagement & Game Library - POTIONS & PIXELS operates an ongoing Community Engagement & Game Library program focused on creating inclusive welcoming spaces for social play learning and creative connection through games. In 2023 the organization hosted frequent public and partner-based game events across Charlotte. These events provided free or low-cost access to a curated public game library and emphasized social connection accessibility and intergenerational participation. Programs were hosted at locations including Camp North End the Charlotte Urban Design Center public libraries and partner community organizations. Through consistent facilitation and community-centered design the program supported social engagement creative exploration and relationship-building among participants from a wide range of backgrounds.

Expenses $46,664 · Revenue $39,131
Other program services

Expenses $3,337 · Revenue $1,600

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part VII

Benson Taylor

President

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Cameron Smith

Vice-President

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Vinal Lakhani

Secretary

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Stephanie Przystanski

Treasurer

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Michael Zytkow

Executive Director

Total calculated

$105,000

From this org

$105,000

From related orgs

$0

Other

$0

Hours/week

60

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type: form_990
Tax year: 2023
Filed: 27 January 2026
IRS schema version: 2023v6.0
Source object: 202630279349300718

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