About the Lensic
Santa Fe's Nonprofit Performing Arts Center
The Lensic Performing Arts Center is Santa Fe’s year-round home for the performing arts. Our mission is to enrich lives by bringing diverse art and people together in the historic Lensic Theater, a cornerstone of downtown Santa Fe since 1931. The Lensic presents and supports local, national, and international artists and serves as a center for education, community events, and youth events through its accessible and affordable programming. The Lensic is New Mexico’s largest performing arts education provider, reaching 13,000 students annually. The Lensic also programs events throughout New Mexico as Lensic 360, including 50+ free events with the annual Santa Fe Summer Scene program.
Our Story
Santa Feans have been gathering at the Lensic since 1931, when it opened its doors as the city’s grandest movie palace and vaudeville stage. Built by local merchant Nathan Salmon and his son-in-law, E. John Greer, the “Spanish-Moorish” style theater was officially dedicated to the people of Santa Fe. After decades as a movie house, the Lensic closed briefly in the late 1990s for a multi-million-dollar renovation project, led by visionaries Nancy and Bill Zeckendorf and supported by the Santa Fe community. With its original beauty restored and state-of-the-art production capabilities added, the theater relaunched in April 2001 as the nonprofit Lensic Performing Arts Center. Today, it’s as magnificent as ever.
Behind the Scenes
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement
Diversity is part of the core fabric of the Lensic and history of our region. We serve as a center for the community that brings together people from diverse backgrounds, which includes our leadership, staff, performers, and members of our audiences. We embrace and celebrate this diversity while seeking to create an inclusive environment where all people are free to engage and enjoy a wide variety of performing arts.
Financials
The Lensic is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations to the Lensic are tax-deductible and fund the preservation of our historic building, maintenance of our state-of-the-art stage, and the growing performance, education, and community programs we offer for all.
In 2023, the Lensic received its eighth consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest charity assessment organization. Four stars (the highest possible rating) indicate that the Lensic follows best practices and executes our mission in a financially efficient way. Click here to visit our page and full evaluation on CharityNavigator.org.
Financial Statements
2022 Audited Financial Statement
2021 Audited Financial Statement
2020 Audited Financial Statement
2019 Audited Financial Statement
2018 Audited Financial Statement
2017 and 2016 Audited Financial Statements
Form 990s
2022 Lensic 990
2021 Lensic 990
2020 Lensic 990
2019 Lensic 990, Part 1 of 2
2019 Lensic 990, Part 2 of 2
2018 Lensic 990
2017 Lensic 990
2016 Lensic 990