society of animal artists

What society of animal artists does

The Society of Animal Artists (SAA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1960 by Patricia Allen Bott and Guido Borghi to promote animal-themed fine art as a recognized contemporary discipline rather than mere illustration. The Society curates a tiered artist membership (Associate, Signature, Distinguished Signature, Master Signature) gained through an annual jury process, and operates a parallel patron membership program (Patron, Sponsoring, Sustaining, Partner) at price points from $150 to over $5,000 annually. Its flagship product is the annual "Art and the Animal" exhibition, held continuously since 1960 and hosted by major museums across the United States, Canada, and England, with confirmed venue rotations through 2028.

The Society's technical infrastructure is light: submissions and online exhibition galleries run on ShowSubmit.com, the Catasus Magazine is distributed digitally via Issuu, merchandise (annual catalogs at $28-$36 print / $0.99 ebook, coloring books at $6.50) is fulfilled through Lulu.com, and donations are processed via PayPal. Social media presence spans Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. The touring exhibition program that ran from 1988 to 2023 under David J. Wagner ended; subsequent distribution relies on individual museum hosts and digital galleries rather than a dedicated touring logistics operation. The Society maintains a permanent archive and is positioning the Monument Arts and Cultural Center (MACC) in Bennington, VT, as its future permanent home.

The revenue model is a blend of recurring membership dues (artist initiation $100 plus $175 annual; patron tiers $150-$5,000+), donations (PayPal-based, tax-deductible), product sales through Lulu, and exhibition-related fees. The organization is governed by an Executive Board led by President Reneé Bemis and managed day-to-day by Executive Director Wes Siegrist, with administrative and financial functions operated from the homes of the executive director and treasurer respectively. Membership spans more than 20 countries, and the Society's awards program (Award of Excellence, Lifetime Achievement, Bott-Borghi-Bransom, Marilyn Newmark Memorial, Haller Sculpture, Ethology, and others) anchors its prestige positioning in the niche animal art category.

Name

society of animal artists

Legal name

Society of Animal Artists

Website

https://societyofanimalartists.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Society of Animal Artists is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1960 that promotes animal-themed fine art through a tiered artist membership, annual "Art and the Animal" museum exhibitions, an awards program, and educational outreach, serving professional animal artists, art patrons, and museums across 20+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Membership Organization

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAHABAN

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Exhibition & Trade Show Organizers

SECONDARYBPAGAHAC

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

Keywords

• Animal fine art
• Art exhibitions
• Membership organization
• Wildlife art
• Art education

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Artist Membership Dues: Annual membership dues and initiation fees from artist members (Associate and Signature members). Includes initiation fee of $100 plus annual dues of $175.
2. Patron Memberships: Contributing memberships at four tiers: Patron ($150-$299), Sponsoring ($300-$999), Sustaining ($1,000-$4,999), and Partner ($5,000+). Provides newsletter access, exhibition invitations, catalog acknowledgment, and banquet access at varying levels.
3. Exhibition Catalog Sales: Sale of annual exhibition catalogs as printed books (ranging $28-$36) and ebooks ($0.99). Free PDFs available online.
4. Educational Products: Sale of coloring books featuring SAA member artwork, priced at $6.50 each, sold through Lulu.com.
5. Exhibition Tours: Artwork tours to museums and galleries across the U.S., Canada, and England. David J. Wagner created and managed touring exhibitions from 1988 to 2023.
6. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through PayPal for general operating expenses, awards programs, exhibitions, and educational programming. The Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Society of Animal Artists is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that promotes excellence in animal-themed fine art. Its core offering is the annual juried "Art and the Animal" exhibition, hosted at museums across the United States with touring components, supported by a tiered artist membership program, patron membership contributions, biannual Catasus Magazine, printed/digital exhibition catalogs, and educational coloring books for children.

Product overview

The Society of Animal Artists is a non-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization founded in 1960 that promotes excellence in animal art. The organization operates as a single unified offering centered on its annual Art & the Animal exhibition, supported by artist membership services, Catasus Magazine (digital publication), free educational coloring pages, and printed merchandise including catalogs and coloring books. The portfolio includes membership programs (Signature, Associate, Patron), annual exhibitions with national touring components, an awards program recognizing excellence in animal art, and educational resources. The organization does not offer a technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artist Membership (Associate and Signature tiers) Annual artist membership with Associate and Signature tiers ($100 initiation fee + $175 annual dues). Signature Members earn full privileges including the right to use SAA initials when signing artwork. Associate Members are eligible for exhibitions and can advance via jury or Award of Excellence. Higher tiers include Distinguished Signature (15+ Annual Exhibitions), Master Signature (5+ Awards of Excellence), Honorary, and Emeritus.
• Patron Membership (Patron, Sponsoring, Sustaining, Partner tiers) Contributing membership program with four tiers: Patron ($150-$299), Sponsoring ($300-$999), Sustaining ($1,000-$4,999), and Partner ($5,000+). Provides newsletter access, exhibition invitations, catalog acknowledgment, and Annual Member's Award Banquet access at varying levels.
• Annual Exhibition (Art & the Animal) The flagship annual juried exhibition of animal-themed fine art, hosted at major museums across the United States with a national touring component. The exhibition has been produced annually since 1960, with the 66th Annual Exhibition scheduled for 2026 at The Elliott Museum.
• Catasus Magazine Biannual online digital magazine featuring illustrated articles of interest to SAA membership, hosted on the Issuu platform. Kelly Leahy Radding serves as editor.
• Annual Exhibition Catalogs Published catalogs documenting each annual SAA exhibition, available as free PDFs, printed books ($28-$36) sold through Lulu.com, and ebooks ($0.99).
• Coloring Books Printed coloring books featuring SAA member artwork, available for purchase through Lulu.com for $6.50 each, grouped by age group and page orientation (e.g., Wild ABCs Age 7+ and Age 3-6 versions).

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ institutions reached
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Monument Arts and Cultural Center (MACC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021The MACC (formerly Bennington Center for the Arts) was offered to SAA in 2019 as a potential gift/transfer. While the transfer never came to fruition, the SAA and MACC remain established as distinct 501(c)(3) organizations. The goal is for the MACC to become the future home of SAA, serving as the repository of archives and permanent collection and regularly hosting Society exhibitions. The MACC first hosted an SAA show in summer 2025. SAA members twice traveled to assess conditions and coordinate repairs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Society of Wildlife Artists: UK-based sister organization to the SAA, founded in 1964 to promote wildlife art through annual exhibitions, membership tiers, and awards; the closest international peer in terms of mission, structure, and programming model.
• Artists for Conservation: International nonprofit that supports wildlife art with an explicit conservation focus, running annual exhibitions, an artist directory, and educational programming — directly comparable in mission, exhibition-driven model, and artist community.
• National Sculpture Society: Historic US nonprofit (founded 1893) that advances sculpture through juried exhibitions, member tiers, and awards; comparable to SAA in tiered membership, juried annual shows, and reliance on patron and museum partnerships.
• Salmagundi Club: Historic NYC artists' club that housed SAA's first office at 47 Fifth Avenue and continues to operate as a membership organization with juried exhibitions, workshops, and an annual awards program — directly comparable nonprofit artist-society model.
• American Artists Professional League: Long-running US nonprofit that organizes juried exhibitions, member tier progression, and awards for working artists; comparable in tiered-membership structure, juried annual exhibitions, and nonprofit/501(c)(3) governance.
• Wildlife Art Society: UK-based organization for wildlife and animal artists running exhibitions, awards, and member networking; directly comparable in animal-art focus, annual exhibition model, and patron/membership tier structure.

Others

• Bennington Center for the Arts / Monument Arts and Cultural Center (MACC): Distinct 501(c)(3) cultural institution intended to become SAA's future permanent home; comparable as a museum/gallery operator that hosts SAA exhibitions and shares overlapping governance via Signature-member board overlap.
• Booth Western Art Museum: Scheduled host of the 67th SAA Annual Exhibition (2027); comparable as a museum operator that regularly hosts SAA exhibitions and shares animal/wildlife Western art programming.
• Briscoe Western Art Museum: Scheduled host of the 68th SAA Annual Exhibition (2028); comparable as a museum venue for SAA programming and Western/wildlife art collections.
• Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum: Frequent host of SAA national tour exhibitions and sponsor of the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum Purchase Award; comparable as a recurring museum partner and wildlife-art collection venue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKsXRe8BLipyIlDfNXaxYTQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/SocietyOfAnimalArtists
• Instagraminstagram.com/societyofanimalartists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about society of animal artists