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
Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program for Visual and Multidisciplinary Artists 2023
This competitive program is open to visual artists from all disciplines (Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Video, Film, Photography, New Media, Multidisciplinary, Socially-Engaged Practices, Folk, and Traditional Art) who live within the New York City Metropolitan area. It is provided free of charge to accepted participants. The program runs from December 2022 to April 2023, and the application deadline is Friday, October 7, 2022, 11:59 PM EDT.
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.
2022 IMMIGRANT ARTIST MENTORING PROGRAM: VISUAL & MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTS
Mentee Shirin Anlen, Multidisciplinary (Israel), paired with Mentor Eva Davidova,
Multidisciplinary (Bulgaria).
Mentee Noga Cohen, Visual (Israel), paired with Mentor Mrinalini Aggarwal, Visual (India).
Mentee Robin Curtil, Visual (France), paired with Mentor Chemin Hsiao, Visual (Taiwan).
Mentee Bahar Demirtaş, Visual (Turkey), paired with Mentor Daniela Kostova, Visual (Bulgaria).
Mentee Caroline Garcia, Multidisciplinary
(Australia), paired with Mentor Jaclyn Reyes,
Multidisciplinary (United States).
Mentee Ivo Huahua, Visual (Ecuador), paired with Mentor Roy Gökay Wol, Visual (Israel & Turkey).
Mentee Ji Yong Kim, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Kate Bae, Visual (South Korea).
Mentee Sayoko Kojima, Visual (Japan), paired with Mentor Armita Raafat, Visual (Iran).
Mentee Lillian Xuege Li, Visual (China), paired with Mentor Jamerry Kim, Visual (Germany & South Korea).
Mentee Cheryl Mukherji, Multidisciplinary (India), paired with Mentor Audrée Anid,
Multidisciplinary (United States).
Mentee Kariny Padilla, Visual (Dominican Republic), paired with Mentor Tattfoo Tan, Visual (Malaysia).
Mentee Ami Park, Multidisciplinary (South Korea), paired with Mentor Cecile Chong, Multidisciplinary
(Ecuador).
Mentee Mauricio Perez, Multidisciplinary
(Colombia), paired with Mentor Lina Montoya,
Visual (Colombia).
Mentee Jiwon Rhie, Multidisciplinary (South Korea), paired with Mentor Rosemarie Fiore,
Multidisciplinary (United States).
Mentee Ciara Stack, Visual (Ireland), paired with Mentor Inna Babaeva, Visual (Ukraine).
Mentee Tatiana Stolpovskaya, Visual (Russia), paired with Mentor Luz Zamora, Visual (Venezuela).
Mentee Sagarika Sundaram, Multidisciplinary
(India), paired with Mentor Audrée Anid,
Multidisciplinary (United States).
Mentee Ma’moon Tebbo, Multidisciplinary
(Lebanon), paired with Mentor Sarah Walko,
Visual (United States).
Mentee Akiko Yamamoto, Visual (Japan), paired with Mentor Mary Valverde, Visual (United States).
Mentee Farangiz Yusupova, Visual (Uzbekistan), paired with Mentor Fay Ku, Visual (Taiwan).
Image: Merche Blasco (Fellow in Digital/Electronic Arts ’17), Sonic Bloom, Photo: David Rehor
