SAEN: What Our First Year Brought Us

This past month, SAEN celebrated its one year anniversary! As we reflect back on all the ways we’ve grown as an organization since we started, and all the things we’ve accomplished, we are tremendously grateful to everyone who has offered us their support. And as we look to the future, we are incredibly excited at the prospect of increased opportunities to grow alongside those who believe in our mission, find new ways to connect with the community, and discover new artists!

Our first year saw partnerships with organizations like Fractured Atlas and TDC, two successful fundraisers, one a Karaoke themed, three cycles of interns, and the official launch of our blog! Our first fundraiser, which we hosted at The Dean NYC in 2025, raised over $14,000 through donations, sponsors, and ticket sales, which was

redistributed throughout the many moving parts of SAEN. We had special performances by Pure Onyx Movement, and TDC's Fearless Gems. Our Karaoke Fundraiser in 2026 brought about opportunities to work alongside brilliant creatives like @vickyreportinglive, who helped run PR at our second annual Karaoke Fundraiser at Palma Verde and more live performance from artists like Love Party and Cowboi.

We were also fortunate enough to receive the support of several donors over the course of our first year, including Gurfein Douglas law firm, who donated $5,000 worth of office supplies, including computers and a Xerox machine. In addition to them, SAEN prospered with the help from those like the Klinic Kids, who generously offered $300 donation at our Dean Fundraiser in 2025. And of course, there were the funds supplied by our Founder and Executive Director Sheana Stokes, who contributed $7,000 to SEAN's first year operations.

As we enter SAEN’s next chapter, three of our interns will be coming with us! Ismail Aziz, Dalvy Gutierrez, and Liza Sophia (that’s me!) have all learned and grown considerably throughout their carefully curated, individualized integration into the Readiness Program, and each stands as a testament to the program’s success. This coming year will bring new developments to the program that will extend their real-world experience and continue to elevate SAEN from its foundations into a thriving, well-connected network of creatives. 

The implementation of the Wish List project, for example, aims to open doors between interns and companies in their field they would be interested in working for. Candidates will identify who these companies may be, and SAEN will set out to make that first connection, bridging the gap between dream and reality.  

All in all, our first year was more than successful in establishing the strength of SAEN’s structure, on which we will continue to grow. In looking ahead to the programs rolling out in 2027, it’s clear that the best is yet to come.

One of the most exciting things on SAEN’s horizon is the establishment of our own

501(c)(3) certification! Over the past year, we’ve benefited from our fiscal sponsorship with Fractured Atlas, which is a non-profit that extends its 501(c)(3) status to non-profits that don’t have their own. If you’ve donated to SAEN through Fractured Atlas, you might be familiar with what this means. Essentially, it’s recognition from the IRS that an organization is charitable, and acting in accordance with educational, literary, scientific, or religious purposes. 

Non-profits with this status are entirely tax-exempt, because they operate solely for the good of the public. And because SAEN is dedicated to educating our audience in successful business practices, we’re eligible! This not only means any donations to SAEN would be tax-exempt for the donor, but it also qualifies us for grants we wouldn't otherwise be able to apply for. And more funds means more events, fundraisers, and partnerships that will help our organization thrive! 

2027 will also bring reinforced focus on our bootcamps, which are designed to hone the intersection between creative practice and business development. This training, much like the Readiness Program, provides project-based learning and mentorship, and is uniquely suited for artists to gain invaluable skills in entrepreneurship. 

Overall, after a wildly successful first year, we are more committed than ever to SAEN’s

mission and growth. We have seen firsthand the way our programs have benefitted artists, both aspiring and practicing. And on a personal note, I am incredibly grateful for the work SAEN has done in allowing me to establish a voice for myself through this blog, and fostering an environment in which I’ve been able to explore the boundaries of creativity and professional development. 

If you’re someone who has supported us up until this point, again we cannot thank you enough. Your faith in what SAEN is and what we’re working to become means the world to us. And if you’re new here, welcome! We’re happy to have you! If you want to be a part of our steadily growing network, consider enrolling in our bootcamps! Or if you’re a student, check out our Readiness Program, which is accepting applications through October. Or, if neither of those appeal to you, you can always circle back around to our home page and donate to the cause, or tune back into next week’s blog! We encourage you to stick around, because we’re just getting started.