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SOCIETY OF UNIQUE ARTISTS
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 134276921 · Form 990EZ · FY2023 · NTEE A400 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · suartists.org
revenue
$54K
expenses
$53K
net assets
$4K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

PROMOTE UNIQUE ARTISTS AND ART FORMS

profile · synthesized from sources

The Society of Unique Artists promotes underrepresented artists and unconventional art forms through public events, media production, and artist features. Based in New York, the organization highlights creative expression across diverse media, including food sculpture, ice carving, robotics, and painting. It produces the annual Unique Art Awards, broadcast on local television, and supports artists through exhibitions, collaborations, and promotional platforms.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Art Bar
Event series or venue showcasing unique artists and fostering creative exchange in a social setting.
Art Battles Cancer
Benefit event supporting the Hematology/Oncology Division of the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center through art exhibitions and fundraising.
Art Delivery Service
Program providing art to communities and institutions, creating access points for unique art forms and supporting artist visibility.
Extreme Art Television (EAT)
Television program produced by SUA highlighting extreme and unconventional art forms and artists.
Unique Art Awards
Annual televised awards event recognizing artists in unconventional media; modeled after major award shows but focused exclusively on art, broadcast on NYC’s MNN and Bronxnet.
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 2 activities
    • Exhibits artwork in galleries and public spaces
      Regularly exhibits artwork at venues such as the Ouchi Gallery in Brooklyn, providing public exposure for unique artists and their works.
    • Supports and showcases innovative art collectives
      Founded and supported the development of Maniac Pumpkin Carvers, an innovative pumpkin carving art team, and featured their work in public events at Coney Island’s Luna Park and AddamsFest, as well as in national media and major cultural venues including MoMA and the Whitney Museum.
  • Music Education Support 1 activity
    • Accepts and removes donated pianos nationwide
      Operates a nationwide piano donation program that accepts donated pianos from the public across all 50 U.S. states and arranges free pickup and removal. The program has been in operation since 2004.
  • Artist Marketplace Operations 1 activity
    • Creates and sells original robot sculptures
      Designs and sells one-of-a-kind robot sculptures assembled from random found objects as part of its artistic programming.
  • Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
    • Features and promotes individual unique artists
      Recognizes and promotes individual artists through initiatives such as "Unique Artist of the Month," featuring Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, Cast In Bronze, Okamoto Studio, and others, highlighting their work and contributions to unique art forms.
  • Youth and Family Cooking Education 1 activity
    • Operates experiential culinary arts programs
      Runs Pop-up Chef Peaches Catering, a mobile culinary service that delivers customized dinners with a camera crew, and provides experiential culinary education in shopping, butchering, and cooking techniques during themed pop-up dinners. Also teaches culinary arts in after-school programs at Roosevelt High School, Gorton High School, and Yonkers Middle School in Yonkers, New York.
  • Industry and Community Recognition Awards 1 activity
    • Organizes annual Unique Art Awards and related events
      Organizes and produces the annual "Unique Art Awards" event to recognize and promote unique and extreme artists, including broadcasting the event on New York City television stations MNN and Bronxnet.
  • Community and Public Broadcasting Services 1 activity
    • Produces media programs promoting unique and extreme art
      Produces and broadcasts media content including "Extreme Art Television," WHNY-TV, and The Comedic Society to celebrate unconventional artistic voices and extreme art forms. These programs are distributed through platforms such as MNN, Bronxnet, and FIOS New York 1.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Hosts public art and benefit events
      Hosts public events such as "Art Battles Cancer" to benefit the Hematology/Oncology Division of the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center, "SUA Salutes our 9-11 Heroes" honoring FDNY, and the Unique Artists Expo at Columbia University in 2008.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$54K
Contributions & grants——
Program service revenue$54K100%
Investment income——
Other revenue$1
expenses
Total expenses$53K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$1K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$4K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$4K
2 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -24.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
JACQUELINE SIMON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 30 $1K
board members · 1
  • RONNIE SIMON — CREATIVE DIRECTOR
relationships · 18

Who they work with

  • Bronxnet Partner — Television station broadcasting the Unique Art Awards.
  • Cast In Bronze Partner — Featured as the "Unique Artist of the Month" by the Society of Unique Artists
  • Columbia University Partner — Host institution for the 2008 Unique Artists Expo.
  • FDNY Partner — Honored organization in the 2009 "SUA Salutes our 9-11 Heroes" event.
  • Hershey’s Partner — Commissioned Jim Victor and Marie Pelton to create food sculptures for corporate or public relations events.
  • Howard Bloom Institute Partner — Ryan Begin serves as Vice-Chair, indicating a leadership role and collaborative relationship with the Howard Bloom Institute.
  • Jim Victor Partner — Featured as a Unique Artist by the Society of Unique Artists in November 2018.
  • M&M’s Partner — Commissioned Jim Victor and Marie Pelton to create food sculptures for corporate or public relations events.
  • MNN Partner — Television station broadcasting the Unique Art Awards.
  • Maniac Pumpkin Carvers Partner — Featured as the "Unique Artist of the Month" in October 2018
  • Marie Pelton Partner — Featured as a Unique Artist by the Society of Unique Artists in November 2018.
  • NFL Partner — Commissioned Jim Victor and Marie Pelton to create food sculptures for corporate or public relations events.
  • Okamoto Studio Partner — Featured as the "Unique Artist of the Month" by SOCIETY OF UNIQUE ARTISTS.
  • Ouchi Gallery Partner — Hosted multiple exhibitions of Wellington Sun's artwork.
  • Paul Smith Partner — Collaborated on a creative project combining Lipson Robotics with Paul Smith's work.
  • Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center Partner — Beneficiary of proceeds from the "Art Battles Cancer" event.
  • Subway Partner — Commissioned Jim Victor and Marie Pelton to create food sculptures for corporate or public relations events, including the Subway Famous Fans event.
  • The American Diabetes Association Partner — Collaborated on a television segment teaching healthy cooking for people with diabetes.
strategies · 3

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.

  • Amplification of Underrecognized Artistic Expression
    methodology: celebrating_individuality
    By highlighting artists and art forms that are unconventional, marginalized, or extreme, the organization increases public appreciation and systemic support for unique creative contributions, because visibility drives validation and engagement in the art world.
  • Art-Integrated Experiential Engagement
    methodology: ecosystem_building
    By embedding art into public experiences—such as pop-up dining, mobile performances, and food-based sculpture—the organization fosters deeper community connection and creative participation, because integrating art into everyday contexts makes it accessible and personally relevant.
  • Convenience-Driven Resource Mobilization
    methodology: convenience_based_donation_model
    By removing logistical and financial barriers to donation, such as offering free piano pickup, the organization increases donor participation and material inflow, because reducing friction directly enhances public willingness to contribute resources.