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. This competitive program is provided free of charge to accepted applicants. 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. The program expanded to Denver, CO in 2021 with partnership of PlatteForum.
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.
APPLY
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
“In the IAP Mentoring Program, I met a community of very talented artists from all over the world. For a few months NYFA gave us a sense of belonging that I kept with me afterwards. I would highly recommend it to everyone who can’t find a simple answer to a question “Where is your home?”
Tatiana Stolpovskaya, IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘22
“I can’t emphasize enough [the mentor’s] generosity and willingness to really give their energy. It left me with the feeling that we will have a relationship beyond the IAP Mentoring Program, that they are a contact for me in the New York art world, an artist whose opinion I can call on and also a friend and kind person I am so thankful to get to know.”
Ciara Stack, IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘22
“The IAP Mentoring Program is a warm feeling of support and shared experiences of immigrants. Hearing from all mentors and mentees of their struggle and challenges, and how they overcame [for] success has been very inspiring for me.”
Ji Yong Kim, IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘22
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.
2023 IMMIGRANT ARTIST MENTORING PROGRAM: VISUAL & MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTS
Mentee Xiangyun Chen, Multidisciplinary (China), paired with Mentor Andrew Kung, Visual (United States).
Mentee Jin Yong Choi, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Armita Raafat, Multidisciplinary (Iran).
Mentee Katerina Ganchak, Visual (Ukraine), paired with Mentor Inna Babaeva Visual (Ukraine).
Mentee Laura Garcia Serventi, Visual (Argentina), paired with Mentor Rafaela Gomez Luna, Visual (Dominican Republic).
Mentee Emilija Gasic, Multidisciplinary (Serbia), paired with Mentor Luz Zamora, Visual (Venezuela).
Mentee Clare Gemima, Visual (New Zealand), paired with Mentor Kate Bae, Visual (South Korea).
Mentee David Gowan, Multidisciplinary (Nigeria and Zambia), paired with Mentor Sarah Walko, Visual (United States).
Mentee Isabel Hamdan, Multidisciplinary (Brazil), paired with Mentor Lina Montoya, Visual (Columbia).
Mentee Bipasha Hayat, Visual (Bangladesh), paired with Mentor Sky Pape, Visual (Canada).
Mentee Hsiao-Chu (Julia) Hsia, Multidisciplinary (Taiwan), paired with Mentor Simone Couto, Visual (Brazil).
Mentee Pilar Lagos, Visual (Honduras and Chile), paired with Mentor Chemin Hsiao, Visual (Taiwan).
Mentee Yi Hsuan Lai, Visual (Taiwan), paired with Mentor Santina Amato, Video/Film/New Media (Australia).
Mentee Carlos Morales, Video/Film/New Media (Mexico), paired with Mentor Hai Zhang, Video/Film/New Media (China).
Mentee Himeka Murai, Visual (Japan), paired with Mentor Yasuyo Tanaka, Visual (Japan).
Mentee Xinan Ran, Multidisciplinary (China), paired with Mentor Jennifer Wen Ma, Multidisciplinary (China).
Mentee Linda Sok, Visual (Australia), paired with Mentor Cecile Chong, Multidisciplinary (Ecuador).
Mentee Johanna Strobel, Multidisciplinary (Germany), paired with Mentor Eva Davidova, Multidisciplinary (Bulgaria).
Mentee Matteo Uguzzoni, Video/Film/New Media (Italy), paired with Mentor Gal Nissim, Video/Film/New Media (Israel).
Mentee Hong Wu, Visual (China), paired with Mentor Jaclyn Reyes, Multidisciplinary (United States).
Mentee Despina Zografos, Visual (Greece), paired with Mentor Rosemarie Fiore, Multidisciplinary (United States).
Image: Merche Blasco (Fellow in Digital/Electronic Arts ’17), Sonic Bloom, Photo: David Rehor
