Growing up, I was told becoming an artist was a SONSA idea. Depending on who you ask, that means silly, foolish, or naive. Years later, I decided to own the word. SONSA now stands for Society of Non Starving Artists. We took the insult and turned it into a mission: helping artists prove that creativity can put food on the table.
– Og LewisOne, Founder
We grew up hearing that becoming an artist wasn’t practical, that it was a nice hobby but not a real way to make a living. We decided to live the opposite.
SONSA started with a pretty simple question: what if artists in Clinton actually had a real place to work, to teach, to build something, and to make a living doing what they love? Not a borrowed classroom or a corner of the garage, but a real studio built for real work.
That’s what we’re reclaiming. A word that was meant to call creativity silly or naive is now becoming a community. We’re done with the starving artist myth. SONSA is about space to create, tools to work with, and people who actually get it.
We’re a new Iowa nonprofit just getting off the ground… we have a building, insurance, our founding board coming together, and we’re working toward opening in the Arts District in Downtown Clinton Iowa.
We have most of the physical pieces. Now we’re opening the doors.
SONSA will be a working makerspace and artist studio for painters, sculptors, musicians, poets, and human creatives of all kinds.
Phase One Includes:
- Affordable Open Studio: Real workspace for real artists, not just a class.
- Community Maker Days: Free and low-cost access for youth, seniors, and beginners.
- Artist to Artist Support: Workshops on how to actually sell your work and put food on the table.
We are meeting with community partners now and we need our founding circle.
- Become a Founding Supporter: We are raising $400 to file our 501c3. Your name goes on our Founding Wall.
- Join or Share: We are looking for board members, volunteers, and artists who need space.
- Donate Tools & Materials: Paint, wood, easels, tables, clay — if an artist can use it, we can use it.
Located in Clinton, IA | SONSA is a nonprofit in formation.
To Get involved, email us at info@thesonsa.org
© 2026 SONSA – Society of Non Starving Artists | Clinton, Iowa | thesonsa.org