named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Alternative Processes Competition
Celebrates historical and experimental photographic techniques such as cyanotype, platinum/palladium, and photogravure; open to the public with juried winners and online exhibitions.
International Portfolio Competition
Offers solo gallery exhibitions to winning photographers who submit a cohesive portfolio of 10–15 images; open to global participants.
Krappy Kamera Competition
Features photographs taken with low-quality or toy cameras such as Holga and pinhole devices; emphasizes creative use of imperfect optics.
Member Exhibitions
Provides member photographers with opportunities to present solo and group shows in the Chelsea gallery space and on the Soho Photo website.
National Competition
Open to all photographic techniques and subject matter; selects finalists for gallery and online exhibition, with cash and non-cash prizes.
Workshops and Lectures
Hosts educational events, including monthly salons and guest speaker series, accessible to members and the public, many offered via Zoom.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
-
Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Deliver educational programmingOffers public workshops, lectures, speaker series, and monthly member salons to foster artistic development and community engagement. Programs include technical instruction, creative exploration, and critical feedback in person and remotely via Zoom.
-
-
Artist Marketplace Operations 1 activity
- Facilitate photography sales for artistsEnables member artists to sell their work directly to the public through its website and the Artsy e-commerce platform, ensuring artists receive 100% of sales revenue without broker or commercial markups.
-
-
Photography and Creative Arts Competitions 1 activity
- Host photography competitionsOrganizes and sponsors four annual competitions—National Competition, International Portfolio Competition, Alternative Processes Competition, and Krappy Kamera Competition—that award winners with solo exhibitions, cash and non-cash prizes, and public recognition. Competitions are open to participants globally and emphasize diverse techniques and creative approaches.
-
-
Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Organize photography exhibitionsHosts solo, group, themed, and member exhibitions featuring fine-art photography, including annual members' shows and curated guest exhibitions, at its gallery space in Chelsea. Exhibitions include traditional prints and video, with both in-person and online components.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$293K
Contributions & grants$101K35%
Program service revenue$185K63%
Investment income$7K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$219K
Program expenses62%
Admin / overhead38%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$4K
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$282K
Cash$127K
Investments$0
Liabilities$2K
Net assets$279K
Liquid reserves7.0 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +37.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 8
- GEORGE GRUBB — TREASURER
- JIM LUSTENADER — RECORDING SECRETARY
- JOHN CUSTODIO — VICE PRESIDENT
- LAURA DODSON — DIRECTOR
- LINDA HACKER — VICE PRESIDENT
- MICHAEL SCHENKER — DIRECTOR
- PATRICIA BEARY — CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
- THOM O'CONNOR — PRESIDENT
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- Aline Smithson Partner — Juror for the Alternative Processes competition and online exhibition.
- Artsy Partner — Partners with Artsy to display member show images and enable e-commerce.
- Artsy Partner — Platform through which member images are available for sale.
- Christopher Giglio Partner — Presented in the Speaker Series on the topic 'Inviting Discovery: How a Photograph Comes Alive'.
- Elinor Carucci Partner — Juried the group exhibition 'Intimacy: Annual Members Exhibition'.
- Jean Dykstra Partner — Juror for the 2025 National Competition.
- Jill Enfield Partner — Juror for the Alternative Processes and Krappy Kamera competitions.
- Joanna Lehan Partner — Juror for the 2026 National Competition.
- Jonathan Fishel Partner — Photographer whose work was exhibited in the "Coastal Life" exhibition.
- Mark Ludak Partner — Artist whose work is featured in the "In Plain Sight" exhibition at Soho Photo Gallery.
- Merrill Lynch Partner — Manages the gallery's Endowment Managed Account for gifts of appreciated financial instruments.
- New York Times Network — Founded by a group of New York Times photographers in 1971.
- Soho Photo Gallery Partner — Main exhibition space for member and intern photography shows.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Art as Historical Witness and Memory Reclamationmethodology: visual_memoryBy using photography to make visible the legacies of systemic injustice and forced relocation during World War II, the organization transforms visual storytelling into a tool for historical reclamation, because confronting erasure through curated imagery fosters public awareness and emotional engagement with underrepresented histories.
- Artist-Run Cooperative Modelmethodology: artist_run_modelBy operating as a fully artist-driven cooperative, the organization fosters peer-led artistic growth, collective risk-taking, and authentic creative expression, because removing commercial intermediaries and institutional gatekeepers enables members to shape exhibitions and programming according to their own aesthetic and ethical standards.
- Artistic Access and Inclusion Through Process and Representationmethodology: creative_accessibility_through_low_fidelity_toolsBy showcasing diverse photographic styles, techniques, and historical processes—and by emphasizing artistic vision over technical resources—the organization lowers barriers to creative participation and validates underrepresented forms of expression, because inclusivity in both medium and method strengthens artistic innovation and community belonging.
- Direct Artist-to-Buyer Ecosystemmethodology: direct_artist_salesBy facilitating direct sales between photographer-members and buyers, the organization strengthens artist sustainability and democratizes art ownership, because eliminating intermediaries and commercial markups increases artist revenue and broadens public access to fine art.