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 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.
2021 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
