OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC INC

As filed

Subsection

03

NTEE code

A6E0

Classification

2000

Street

4544 N LINCOLN AVE

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2025

• ART INSTRUCTION: OUR PROGRAMMING IS ENDORSED BY THE ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNITY AND PRECOLLEGIATE ARTS SCHOOLS (ACCPAS). DURING 2025, 24,542 STUDENTS MADE OVER 34,000 REGISTRATIONS IN OUR INSTRUMENTAL, DANCE AND OTHER PROGRAMS INVOLVING OVER 700 CLASSES EACH WEEK, AND OVER 60 ENSEMBLES AND 400 WORKSHOPS AT OUR THREE FACILITIES IN LINCOLN SQUARE AND LINCOLN PARK. IN ORDER TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION IN OUR PROGRAMS, OLD TOWN SCHOOL PROVIDED A TOTAL OF $206,326 IN FINANCIAL AID TO 395 INDIVIDUALS DURING 2025, INCLUDING 122 INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN AND 15 TEENS, REPRESENTING 31% OF THE AWARDEES.

  Expenses $6,444,131 · Grants $207,468 · Revenue $7,274,751

• OLD TOWN SCHOOL IS A PROLIFIC CONCERT VENUE. DURING 2025, WE PRESENTED OVER 200 TICKETED EVENTS ENJOYED BY 63,235 TICKETHOLDERS. IN JULY, OUR ANNUAL SUMMER SQUARE ROOTS FESTIVAL WAS ATTENDED BY OVER 45,000.

  Expenses $3,045,415 · Revenue $2,863,445

• OUTREACH: WORLD MUSIC PROGRAMMING - THE WORLD MUSIC WEDNESDAY SERIES ANNUALLY PRESENTS 40 INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS CO-PRODUCED WITH DOZENS OF LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. DURING 2025, WORLD MUSIC WEDNESDAYS HOSTED 5,820 CONCERT ATTENDEES. COMMUNITY VENTURES: DURING 2025, OUR CPS PARTNERSHIPS SERVED 1,615 IN 18 SCHOOLS. PARTICIPATION IN INGENUITY, INC. AND EMBARC ADDED SERVICE TO AN ADDITIONAL 368 CHILDREN IN 10 SCHOOLS. 1,265 CHILDREN WERE SERVED THROUGH OUR EXPANDED WIGGLEWORMS-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMMING: 501 EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDENTS AT CAROLE ROBERTSON CENTER'S THREE MAIN SITES AND 273 AT FOUR NEW SITES IN NORTH LAWNDALE. SUMMER PROGRAMMING SERVED 190 AND NEW IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING SERVED 301. OUR SOUTH AND WEST SIDE MUSIC MOVES CHICAGO PROGRAM PROVIDES CLASSES IN A VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES, APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND LIBERATORY SOCIAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVES TO YOUTH AND ADULTS. MUSIC MOVES SERVED 7,382 PARTICIPANTS DURING 2025, ENGAGED 20 ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS AND EMPLOYED 31 TEACHING ARTISTS AND 10 ARTS ACTIVATORS. A TOTAL OF 4,026 CPS STUDENTS ATTENDED 17 FIELD TRIP CONCERTS AT OUR LINCOLN SQUARE CAMPUS.

  Expenses $1,716,450 · Revenue $172,800

• OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC'S CAMPUS INCLUDES A RETAIL MUSIC STORE WHICH PROVIDES INSTRUMENTS FOR PURCHASE OR RENTAL TO OUR STUDENTS. THE SCHOOL ALSO SERVES CUSTOMERS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND A THIRD PARTY ONLINE WEBSITE, REVERB. AN IN-HOUSE CAFE OPERATES DURING CONCERTS, SERVING DRINKS AND SNACKS.

  Expenses $991,271 · Revenue $1,360,090

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

The first 25 listed. 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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

• 2025

  Revenue

  $15,966,532

  Expenses

  $15,804,411

  Contributions

  $4,077,317

  Grants paid

  $207,468

• 2023

  Revenue

  $14,028,278

  Expenses

  $14,030,232

  Contributions

  $3,313,741

  Grants paid

  $179,468

• 2022

  Revenue

  $14,379,785

  Expenses

  $12,123,604

  Contributions

  $6,370,266

  Grants paid

  $142,080

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

• 2025 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2021 · 990

  Revenue

  $13,585,929

  Expenses

  $10,254,391

  Assets (EOY)

  $26,291,664

• 2020 · 990

  Revenue

  $10,641,260

  Expenses

  $9,504,125

  Assets (EOY)

  $22,895,606

• 2019 · 990

  Revenue

  $12,079,577

  Expenses

  $12,359,210

  Assets (EOY)

  $21,198,007

• 2018 · 990

  Revenue

  $12,486,697

  Expenses

  $12,961,593

  Assets (EOY)

  $21,441,866

• 2017 · 990

  Revenue

  $12,367,626

  Expenses

  $13,103,474

  Assets (EOY)

  $21,777,579

• 2016 · 990

  Revenue

  $12,504,334

  Expenses

  $12,484,497

  Assets (EOY)

  $22,585,067

• 2015 · 990

  Revenue

  $12,757,811

  Expenses

  $12,167,839

  Assets (EOY)

  $22,372,964

• 2014 · 990

  Revenue

  $11,818,330

  Expenses

  $11,599,044

  Assets (EOY)

  $23,435,747

• 2013 · 990

  Revenue

  $11,887,643

  Expenses

  $11,382,121

  Assets (EOY)

  $26,151,133

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

• NCRC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND INC

  $190,000

  2023 · ILLINOIS CORONAVIRUS FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS

• DONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING

  $161,640

  2022 · ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES

• DONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING

  $129,000

  2024 · ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES

• GOLDMAN SACHS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $100,000

  2024 · COMMUNITY OUTREACH & ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

• VANGUARD CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT PROGRAM

  $76,750

  2022 · FOR RECIPIENT'S EXEMPT PURPOSE

• FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $71,150

  2024 · For grant recipient's exempt purposes

• THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST

  $65,572

  2024 · General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

• FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $57,000

  2023 · For grant recipient's exempt purposes

• FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $55,050

  2022 · For grant recipient's exempt purposes

• GOLDMAN SACHS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $52,000

  2022 · COMMUNITY OUTREACH & ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files