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GRIOT ARTS INC

EIN 45-1838783 CLARKSDALE, MS

Revenue 2024
$1,117,609
Expenses 2024
$847,555

Program services were 85.5% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
A25
Classification
2000
Street
278 SUNFLOWER 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 · 2024

Mission

GRIOT ARTS IS DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING PEOPLE IN CLARKSDALE, MS, BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO ENRICHING ARTS EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. OUR MISSION IS TO CULTIVATE CREATIVITY, COMPASSION, AND COMMUNITY TO ENHANCE THE WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY. WE BELIEVE IN THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE ARTS AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION IN FOSTERING PERSONAL GROWTH, COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. OUR APPROACH IS GROUNDED IN THE BELIEF THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL INHERENTLY POSSESSES UNIQUE CAPABILITIES FOR SUCCESS. BY NURTURING THESE TALENTS AND PERSPECTIVES, WE ENABLE OUR PARTICIPANTS TO BECOME AGENTS OF POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES. THIS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH DIVERSE PROGRAMS INCLUDING AFTER-SCHOOL ART EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES, AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES.WE OPERATE WITH A COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY AND RESPECT FOR A DIVERSITY OF BELIEFS, ENSURING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE FEELS A DEEP SENSE OF BELONGING AN

Activities or mission (Part I)

The mission of Griot Arts, Inc. is to create a community of students, teachers, and volunteers who work together to encourage creativity in order to enhance lives, neighborhoods and communities. (Continue on Schedule O)

  • Through the following programs and achievements, Griot Arts steadfastly pursues its mission of empowering the people of Clarksdale, Mississippi, by providing access to arts, education, and workforce development opportunities, thereby enabling them to create positive change in their lives and in the community. This is accomplished though: i. Meraki Program: Specifically designed for young adults aged 16-24, this program focuses on nurturing soft skills essential for workforce development. By offering these opportunities, we empower participants to create positive changes in their lives, aligning with our commitment to workforce development and personal growth. ii. Griot Afterschool Arts: This diverse arts program, catering to children and adolescents aged 3-18, plays a crucial role in our mission. By providing access to a variety of artistic disciplines, we enable young individuals to explore and develop their creative talents, contributing to their overall educational and personal development. iii. Bridge Services: Offering a range of support services, including academic assistance and workforce readiness programs. This initiative reflects our dedication to education and workforce development, essential for fostering long-term positive change in our community. iv. Community Activities: Encompassing a variety of classes in dance, fitness, and other recreational activities. These activities are instrumental in promoting lifelong learning and engagement in the arts, reinforcing our mission of community empowerment through artistic opportunities.

    Expenses $724,493

  • Significant Achievements i.Impact on Students: In the last year, 108 students were served across all programs, indicating our impact on the community. A total of 295.5 hours through 13 unique weekly artistic classes were conducted in our afterschool program, providing extensive creative learning opportunities. were offered, showcasing the diversity of our programs. Engagement with 81 families, demonstrating our deep reach into the community. Through Bridge Services, 70 educational support offerings were provided, emphasizing our commitment to educational enrichment. Collaboration with 30 community partners, underscoring our role in fostering community-wide support and development. ii.Community Center Development: The revitalization of the historic Paramount Theater into a dynamic community hub embodies our vision of creating a space where the arts and community development intersect. This project is a testament to our dedication to preserving cultural heritage. while fostering opportunities for artistic expression and community engagement.

As filed on the 2024 return.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • Rebekah Pleasant-Patterson

    Executive Dir.

    Total calculated
    $70,000
    From this org
    $70,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • Benjamin Lewis

    Deputy Director

    Total calculated
    $64,482
    From this org
    $64,482
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • Leonette Henderson

    Vice President

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • Julian Gallo

    PRESIDENT/TREAS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • CALI NOLAND

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • BRENDA LUCKETT

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • MARY MARTHA BOBO

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • HATTIE SHIVERS

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • BILL GRESHAM

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • ROBERT BOBO

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • NICOLE ROSS

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • TYLER YARBROUGH

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

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

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $1,117,609
    Expenses
    $847,555
    Contributions
    $911,754
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $802,172
    Expenses
    $694,484
    Contributions
    $723,982
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $666,060
    Expenses
    $749,764
    Contributions
    $497,290
    Grants paid
    $0

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

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $724,637
    Expenses
    $652,762
    Assets (EOY)
    $431,917

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $633,542
    Expenses
    $580,420
    Assets (EOY)
    $364,973

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $560,268
    Expenses
    $365,538
    Assets (EOY)
    $348,812

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $459,080
    Expenses
    $360,412
    Assets (EOY)
    $132,112

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.

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

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

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 26 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.