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, named one of the “10 Best Mentorship Programs in the U.S. for Post Grads” by Time Out, is the only known program of its kind in the United States. It has provided more than 525 immigrants from 76 countries and regions with mentorship, community, and exposure for their work since it was founded in 2007. The New York program has 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 to support the expansion of the program to Detroit, MI; Newark, NJ; Oakland, CA; and San Antonio, TX. The program also expanded to Denver, CO, in 2021.
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
The application period for the 2024 Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Visual and Multidisciplinary Art is Tuesday, August 28, 10:00 AM ET through Friday, October 6, 11:59 PM ET. Learn more here.
Questions? Contact IAP at [email protected] or call (212) 366-6900, ext. 219.
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.
TESTIMONIALS FROM PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS
“I feel so grateful for being part of the IAP mentoring program. A huge thank you to the organizers! My mentor was a perfect fit for me. A very warm person, supportive, knowledgeable and professional. I truly enjoyed our conversations. I also feel grateful for the opportunity to connect with other artists, create friendships and possibilities for future collaborations. All the above made this experience meaningful, valuable and unique.”
Despina Zografos (IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘23)
“NYFA IAP has changed my life as an artist in the USA. I am ever grateful to the NYFA IAP people who supported us in every way possible, which paved our path for a better future.”
Bipasha Hayat (IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘23)
“Being able to share experiences and resources with fellow immigrant artists makes me feel less alone, and enables me to dedicate my goal as an independent artist in the city.”
Xinan Ran (IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘23)
FUNDING SUPPORT
NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program is made possible by the generous support of: Consolidated Edison; Deutsche Bank; Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund; New York Community Trust; and Pollock-Krasner Foundation.
In kind support provided by: International Center of Photography (ICP) and Motion Picture Enterprises (MPE)
Support for NYFA Learning programs include: National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; Altman Foundation; Willem De Kooning Foundation; The Fanwood Foundation; and Rockefeller Foundation.
2024 IMMIGRANT ARTIST MENTORING PROGRAM: VISUAL & MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTS
Mentee Melika Abikenari, Multidisciplinary (Iran), paired with Mentor Brigitta Varadi, Interdisciplinary (Hungary).
Mentee Andrés Altamirano, Visual (Ecuador), paired with Mentor Rhoda Khalifeh, Multidisciplinary (Syria).
Mentee Min Kyong Baek, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Ivanna Brenner, Multidisciplinary (Argentina).
Mentee Lana Bolycheva, Video/Film/New Media (Russia), paired with Mentor Merle Augustin, Video/Film/New Media (Haiti).
Mentee Gabriela Bornstein, Visual (Brazil), paired with Mentor Fay Ku, Visual (Taiwan).
Mentee Doreen Chan, Socially-Engaged Practice (Hong Kong), paired with Mentor Yeseul Song, Video/Film/New Media (South Korea).
Mentee Nelise Charles, Multidisciplinary (Grenada), paired with Mentor Alva Mooses, Multidisciplinary (United States).
Mentee Ruoyun Chen, Video/Film/New Media (China), paired with Mentor Luz Zamora, Video/Film/New Media (Venezuela).
Mentee Rocio Delaloye, Video/Film/New Media (Argentina), paired with Mentor Gal Nissim, Interdisciplinary (Israel).
Mentee Lafina Eptaminitaki, Multidisciplinary (Greece), paired with Mentor Kakyoung Lee, Multidisciplinary (South Korea).
Mentee Tika Gzirishvili, Visual (Georgia), paired with Mentor Sky Pape, Visual (Canada).
Mentee Lee Jensen, Folk/Traditional Arts (Denmark), paired with Mentor Fanny Allié, Multidisciplinary (France).
Mentee Doi Kim, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Ezra Wube, Multidisciplinary (Ethiopia).
Mentee Jisook Kim, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Simone Couto, Multidisciplinary (Brazil).
Mentee Mari Nagem, Visual (Brazil), paired with Mentor Jennifer Wen Ma, Visual (China).
Mentee Azadeh Nia, Visual (Iran), paired with Mentor Jeremy Olson, Multidisciplinary (United States).
Mentee Eiko Nishida, Socially-Engaged Practice (Japan), paired with Mentor Jemila MacEwan, Interdisciplinary (Scotland and Australia).
Mentee Johan Orellana, Visual (Ecuador), paired with Mentor Andrew Kung, Visual (United States).
Mentee Hadeel Saalok, Visual (Syria), paired with Mentor Tijay Mohammed, Multidisciplinary (Ghana).
Mentee Vera Saldivar de Lira, Multidisciplinary (Mexico), paired with Mentor Samantha Box, Visual (Jamaica).
Image: Merche Blasco (Fellow in Digital/Electronic Arts ’17), Sonic Bloom, Photo: David Rehor
