IAP Mentorship
The Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program pairs immigrant artists from all disciplines with artist mentors who provide their mentees with one-on-one support.
ABOUT
NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program is the only known program of its kind in the United States, and has provided over 450 immigrants from 76 countries and regions with mentorship, community, and exposure for their work since it was founded in 2007. The New York program offered sessions in Visual/Multidisciplinary Art, Performing and Literary Arts, and Social Practice. In 2017, NYFA received a 2-year grant from Ford Foundation to support the expansion of the program to Detroit, MI; Newark, NJ; Oakland, CA; and San Antonio, TX.
This is a competitive program open to artists from all disciplines (performing, literary, and visual) and provided free of charge to accepted participants.
Due to the pandemic the calendar for the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program has shifted. We anticipate having an open call in 2021 and recommend signing up our mailing list to receive notifications.
Questions? Contact IAP at [email protected] or call (212) 366-6900, ext. 219.
PROGRAM
The Program fosters a community, providing opportunities to connect with other immigrant artists through group meetings, peer learning, and informal gatherings with program alumni. Through access to other artists, arts professionals, and organizations, the program offers immigrant artists the opportunity to focus on their creative practice, gain support and exposure for their work, while upholding their distinct identities. Many of the mentors are immigrant artists themselves, and understand the challenges of sustaining one’s art practice while navigating different cultural perspectives in the art world. Each cycle has proven to be an invaluable experience for mentees and mentors alike, and artists often remain connected well beyond the program.
Please sign up for the free ConEdison Immigrant Artist Program Newsletter and NYFA’s general newsletter NYFA News if you are interested in hearing about future programs.
Questions? Contact IAP at [email protected] or call (212) 366-6900, ext. 219.
TESTIMONIALS FROM PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS
“The Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program went above and beyond my expectations. It is a unique safe environment to develop relationships with other immigrant talented artists who are willing to share their time, life experience, resources and connections. NYFA offered a great deal of support and encouragement which helped with advancing my art practice and professional development.”
Katya Akuma, Visual Artist (IAP ’20)
“The NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program meant a lot to me. It connected me with a group of artists with immigrant experiences and a sense of belonging to an artist community, which is sometimes hard to find in the tough, jungle art world of NYC that can be so hard to navigate. Thank you NYFA IAP team!”
Hedwig Brouckaert, Visual Artist (IAP ’20)
“This is a unique program that directly addresses issues that immigrant artists face – from Visa issues to promoting our work, finding and making our own opportunities, and building a community. NYFA staff were incredibly supportive with their extensive range of experience and were attentive to our needs and goals, adapting and extending the program as we went through the COVID crisis.”
Zorica Colic, Multidisciplinary Artist (IAP ’20)
FUNDING SUPPORT
NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program is made possible by the generous support of Deutsche Bank and Con Edison, with additional support provided by The Hearst Foundation and Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
2020 IMMIGRANT ARTIST MENTORING PROGRAM: VISUAL & MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTS
Mentee Zeshan Ahmed, Visual (India), paired with Mentor Marco Scozzaro, Visual (Italy).
Mentee Ekaterina Akuma, Visual (Russia), paired with Mentor Golnar Adili, Visual (Iran).
Mentee Ivana Brenner, Visual (Argentina), paired with Mentor Inna Babaeva, Visual (Ukraine).
Mentee Hedwig Brouckaert, Visual (Belgium), paired with Mentor Zahra Nazari, Visual (Iran).
Mentee Zorica Colic, Multidisciplinary (Serbia), paired with Mentor Luiza Kurzyna, Multidisciplinary (Poland).
Mentee Carin Kulb Dangot, Visual (Brazil), paired with Mentor Armita Raafat, Visual (Iran).
Mentee Bel Falleiros, Visual (Brazil), paired with Mentor Keren Anavy, Visual (Israel).
Mentee Nathier Fernandez, New Media (Colombia), paired with Mentor Claudia Sohrens, Visual (Germany).
Mentee Vinay Hira, Visual (New Zealand), paired with Mentor Christopher Ho, Visual (Hong Kong).
Mentee Hyun Jung Ahn, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Fay Ku, Visual (Taiwan).
Mentee Jaejoon Jang, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Larry Krone, Multidisciplinary(United States).
Mentee Ae Yun Kim, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Cecile Chong, Visual (Ecuador).
Mentee Geuryung Lee, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Kakyoung Lee, Visual (South Korea).
Mentee Jiaoyang Li, Multidisciplinary (China), paired with Mentor Jennifer Schmidt, Visual (United States).
Mentee Spandita Malik, Visual (India), paired with Mentor Sarah Walko, Visual (United States).
Mentee Levan Mindiashvili, Visual (Georgia), paired with Mentor Liliya Lifanova, Multidisciplinary(Kyrgyzstan).
Mentee j.p.mot, Multidisciplinary (Canada), paired with Mentor Antonio Serna, Visual (United States).
Mentee Bat-Ami Rivlin, Visual (Israel), paired with Mentor Daniela Kostova, Visual (Bulgaria).
Mentee Ghislaine Sabiti, Visual (Democratic Republic of Congo), paired with Mentor Yvette Molina, Visual (United States).
Mentee Leila Seyedzadeh, Visual (Iran), paired with Mentor Poppy DeltaDawn, Visual (United States).
Mentee Sofia Luisa Suazo Monsalve, Multidisciplinary (Chile), paired with Mentor Sophie Kahn, Visual (United States).
Image: Merche Blasco (Fellow in Digital/Electronic Arts ’17), Sonic Bloom, Photo: David Rehor
