WORLD MUSIC INSTITUTE INC

Many Cultures - One World

Brooklyn, NY   |  www.worldmusicinstitute.org

Mission

World Music Institute (WMI) inspires wonder for world cultures through music and dance. We are committed to presenting the finest in traditional and contemporary music and dance from around the world with the goal of promoting awareness and appreciation of the rich diversity of the world's cultures and traditions. WMI encourages cultural exchange between nations and ethnic groups. WMI does not own a venue and presents at venues throughout New York.

Ruling year info

1987

Executive Director

Gaby Sappington

Main address

68 Jay Street Suite 201

Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

13-3323045

NTEE code info

Performing Arts (A60)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

By providing affordable access to high-caliber world music and dance performances and interactive audience enrichment activities, World Music Institute aims to enrich the lives of individuals of ALL socio-economic backgrounds, foster and promote cross-cultural dialog and exchange that builds bridges between cultures, and raise awareness as well as appreciation of the rich diversity of cultures from around the world.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

2019-2020 Season

The 2019-2020 Season consists of 18 world music or dance performances by artists from around the globe and eight uniqe, interactive WMI PLUS experiences. Due to COVID-19, an additional 17 originally scheduled shows had to be canceled.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

World Music Institute seeks to be the welcoming and well-informed hub and home for all who are interested in experiencing and learning about cultural traditions and artistic expressions from around the globe and to bring ALL members of New York City's diverse population together in celebration of the unique artistic gifts each culture has to offer.

Aside from keeping ticket prices affordable, World Music Institute (WMI) is a "nomadic" presenter without a venue which allows us to present at venues throughout the city, reaching into many different neighborhoods and (immigrant) communities. With that, World Music Institute's audience is as diverse as our programming. World Music Institute collaborates with ethnic community groups, academic institutions and other cultural organizations to spread the word on WMI's programming and events. Our marketing is event and performance focused and includes the distribution of performance flyers at ethnic restaurants, dance studios, colleges, and (ethnic) community centers.

Ever since March 2020 - since venues closed due to the pandemic - we expanded our program portfolio to include (mostly free) virtual programming in the form of WMI PLUS At Home Sessions, podcasts, and on-demand concerts on the Vimeo platform.

World Music Institute has a small staff of three full-time employees and three part-time contracted staff (Production Manager, PR, and Finance Manager). We are grateful for the help and support of very active and dedicated interns and volunteers who assist in outreach research and the distribution of performance flyers at appropriate locations. We also maintain productive relationships with community groups, academic institutions, and cultural organizations who assist in promoting our performances and events.

Over the past five years, we've been able to increase the number of performances from 16 per Season in FY15 to 30 per Season in FY19 and significantly increased the number of members and audiences served. The FY20 performance program was interrupted by the pandemic, resulting in fewer live shows and therefore audiences served. That said, by pivoting to online programming as of March 2020, we have been able to continue serving and staying connected with our community of world musis enthusiasts.

Moving forward, as venues have reopened, we look to offer both live and virtual cultural programming to enrich lives through the arts and bring people together around our stated motto: Many Cultures - One World.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    We serve all members of our community who are interested in experiencing and learning more about cultures and traditions from around the globe, as well as members of the immigrant community who enjoy experiencing performances and events that represent the traditions of their countries of origin.

  • How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?

    Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.),

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve,

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    We're a performing arts organization currently offering programming online and have booked/presented specific cultures based on patron feedback.

  • With whom is the organization sharing feedback?

    Our staff, Our board, Our funders,

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive,

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome,

Financials

WORLD MUSIC INSTITUTE INC
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

WORLD MUSIC INSTITUTE INC

Board of directors
as of 02/22/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Mr. Andrew Faulkner

Retired Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Associates

Term: 2018 -


Board co-chair

Mrs. Daisy Paradis

Trustee, Howard Bayne Charitable Trust, Musician, Teacher

Term: 2018 -

Zette Emmons

Retired, former Manager of Traveling Exhibitions and Project Director, Special Exhibitions at The Newark Museum

Moez Doraid

Dir., Division of Mgmt. and Admin. of United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)

Casey Rieder

Dir., Business Development & Strategy, Tomorrow Lab

Kate Winn

Principal, Kate Winn Creative Communications, LLC

Neal Parikh

Computer Scientist and Startup Founder

John Habel

Retired Univ. Professor; radio co-host of The Sounds Global Show

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 1/25/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 01/26/2021

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.