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SONYA was founded in 1999 by three local artists, with the goal to recognize, support, and celebrate the visual artists of our community. In response to the need for a unified artist collective, SONYA began its first year with nineteen members and what was to become an annual event, the Studio Stroll. To date SONYA has grown to over seventy members, over fifty of whom will open their creative spaces to visitors during the 2008 Stroll. Through our ElevenTen Gallery and other local venues, SONYA provides a variety of services to member artists and the community including: solo and small group art exhibitions, art business seminars; an email newslist; an online gallery and arts resource listing; and artist-run workshops. The membership of SONYA, 60% women, 40% men, 50% mid-career, approximately half of which are African-American reflects the multi racial, and cross-generational constituency of the four communities. SONYA is an active participant in our community, partnering with other local community groups to present group exhibitions at local venues such as: the Natman Room at the Brooklyn Academy of Music; the Saturday Artisans Market (BAM/Local Development Corp.); ElevenTen Gallery (Pratt Community Action Council); Goloborotko's Studio, (Brooklyn Arts Council); Corridor Gallery (Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation); and the Robert Lehman Gallery at UrbanGlass.