Lyric Opera of Chicago
20 N Wacker Dr Ste 860, Chicago, IL · IRS data through FY2025
Revenue, expenses and net assets
Revenue Expenses Net assets
| Tax year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $80,826,148 | $76,783,278 | $199,850,185 |
| FY2024 | $57,126,433 | $77,300,001 | $184,944,534 |
| FY2023 | $59,745,832 | $85,822,656 | $185,899,111 |
| FY2022 | $78,366,900 | $70,260,752 | $195,839,102 |
| FY2021 | $46,890,991 | $45,918,281 | $214,383,121 |
| FY2020 | $60,302,671 | $77,011,974 | $175,565,324 |
| FY2019 | $81,389,759 | $80,008,397 | $201,207,845 |
| FY2018 | $61,878,791 | $85,162,029 | $198,793,528 |
| FY2017 | $60,866,121 | $86,475,933 | $208,495,511 |
| FY2016 | $70,225,003 | $82,269,749 | $210,246,010 |
| FY2015 | $85,425,939 | $80,166,632 | $232,436,951 |
| FY2014 | $90,532,766 | $75,786,148 | $224,691,619 |
| FY2013 | $22,891,842 | $9,493,133 | $185,668,689 |
| FY2012 | $54,279,633 | $63,813,863 | $159,459,277 |
Form 990 filings
The returns filed by Lyric Opera of Chicago (EIN 36-6008929), including Form 990 PDFs and e-file data by year, are available in ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer. The figures on this page come from IRS data files built from those returns.
Where the revenue came from
| Source | Amount | % of revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions & grants | $47,048,673 | 58% |
| Program service revenue | $15,070,068 | 19% |
| Other revenue | $18,707,407 | 23% |
Where the money was spent
| Category | Amount | % of expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Program services | $60,737,451 | 79% |
| Management & general | $10,923,227 | 14% |
| Fundraising | $5,122,600 | 7% |
What the numbers show
- Contributions & grants made up 58% of total revenue in FY2025.
- Program services accounted for 79% of functional expenses, management & general 14%, and fundraising 7%.
- 79% of functional expenses went to program services in FY2025. That is higher than 63% of 27 Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in IL.
- Net assets covered about 31.2 months of expenses at the end of the reporting year. That puts it in the 67th percentile among 1352 Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in IL.
- Total revenue was higher than 99.9% of 1376 Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations in IL.
- Total revenue rose from $54,279,633 in FY2012 to $80,826,148 in FY2025. Revenue increased in 5 and decreased in 8 of 13 year-over-year comparisons.
- Expenses exceeded revenue in 7 of 14 reported years (FY2012, FY2016, FY2017, FY2018, FY2020, FY2023, FY2024).
- The highest revenue on record here is $90,532,766 in FY2014.
- Net assets grew from $159,459,277 to $199,850,185 between FY2012 and FY2025.
- Contributions and grants made up 46% of revenue in FY2012 and 58% in FY2025.
- Listed in the IRS Publication 78 data as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (public charity).
Figures compared against other organizations of the same NTEE program area in the same state. See the methodology page for how these are calculated and the guide to reading nonprofit financials for their limits.
About this organization
Lyric Opera of Chicago exists to provide a broad, deep, and relevant cultural service to the Chicago region and the nation and to advance the development of the art form of opera.
IRS status
| Ruling year | 1957 |
| Subsection | 501(c)(3) |
| Classification | Public charity |
| Program area (NTEE) | A6A0 — Arts, Culture & Humanities (in IL) |
| Donations | Listed in the IRS Publication 78 data as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (public charity). |
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Source: Internal Revenue Service — Exempt Organizations Business Master File (downloaded November 4, 2026), Statistics of Income extracts, Form 990 e-file data, Publication 78 and the Automatic Revocation list. Figures are as reported by the organization; IRS processing may adjust them. This is not a charity rating and not tax advice. Confirm deductibility in IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
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