Apply Now | Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program for Visual and Multidisciplinary Arts 2021

The deadline to apply to this competitive NYC-based program is Wednesday, October 20, 11:59 PM EDT.

Are you an immigrant artist working in the Visual or Multidisciplinary Arts? Are you within commuting distance of the Tri-State Metropolitan area? If yes, consider joining New York Foundation for the Arts’ (NYFA) growing immigrant artist community by applying to be part of our Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program (IAP). 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) and will be provided free of charge to accepted participants. The program runs from December 2021 to April 2022, and the application deadline is Wednesday, October 20, 11:59 PM EDT.

NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program pairs immigrant artists with artist mentors who provide one-on-one support for their mentee, guiding them to achieve specific goals and providing them with broader access to the New York cultural world through an exchange of ideas, resources, and experiences.

Most importantly, the mentoring program fosters a community, providing opportunities to connect with other immigrant artists through group meetings, peer learning, and informal gatherings that include alumni from 2007 to the present. Through access to other artists, arts professionals, and organizations, the program offers immigrant artists the opportunity to focus on their career goals while navigating the shared experiences and challenges of being an immigrant artist.

Initiated in 2019, In/Between is an annual immigrant artist group exhibition created by artists Yanira Castro (Fellow in Choreography ‘16), Martita Abril (IAP Alumna), and Poppy DeltaDawn (IAP Mentor), developed in partnership with New York Live Arts. In connection with the goals of the program, the purpose of In/Between is to support and showcase the work of immigrant artists from the NYFA program via a public presentation, thereby increasing visibility and conversation around their work. The name In/Between reflects on the multiplicity of immigrant artists’ experiences, identities, practices, and politics, while also speaking to the liminal experience of home/residence/community. All artists in the program will be invited to exhibit their work in In/Between, which is scheduled to take place in March 2022.

NYFA’s Cultural Partners supporting this program are: New York Live Arts, Asian American Arts Alliance, Flushing Town Hall, Haiti Cultural Exchange, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden.

Eligibility:

• Visual and multidisciplinary artists working in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Video, Film, Photography, New Media, Multidisciplinary, Socially-Engaged Practices, Folk, and Traditional Art.
• Live within the New York City Metropolitan area within commuting distance of New York City
• Were born outside of the United States; those born in United States territories, i.e. Puerto Rico, Guam, The U.S. Virgin Islands, may apply
• Have been pursuing a career as an artist within the range of 1-10 years in the United States*
• Are NOT currently enrolled in an arts graduate or undergraduate degree program**

*This program often benefits those who are at more emerging stages in their careers. If you’ve been in the United States for more than 10 years and feel you would benefit from this program, please reach out to [email protected] with some information on your immigrant story.

**Students who will graduate before the program starts are welcome to apply.

Guidelines:

For the application we ask you to provide:

• Your long term goals and why you are interested in applying to this program
• Any challenges you are facing in your artistic practice, including your immigrant experience, and how you would like to work with a mentor to seek solutions
• A narrative bio of your professional career
• A link to your website or online presence
• Work samples

Selection Process:

The selection process has several phases. First, with the support of local cultural partners, NYFA will identify established professional artists from a variety of disciplines—whose backgrounds reflect the applicant pool—to serve as mentors. Once selected, mentors will review mentee applications focusing on the applicants’ artistic vision, resources they are looking for, and career goals. The mentors’ ability to offer the necessary resources and information that the applicant is seeking is taken into consideration. Then NYFA will identify the pool of mentees, with the awareness of the cohort makeup as a whole while aligning advantageous pairings of mentors and mentees.

Program Dates:

Introduction
Wednesday, December 22, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM 

Meet the Mentors
Wednesday, January 12, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM 

Alumni Mixer
Wednesday, February 2, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Check-In
Wednesday, March 2, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM 

Final Celebration
Wednesday, April 6, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM 

The dates listed above are planned for an in-person program, implemented in accordance with local and state health guidelines. The program will be moved online, if necessary.

Attendance is mandatory for all sessions, so please check your calendar before applying.

Questions? Contact the IAP Team at [email protected].

How to Apply:

Application Link: Click here to review the application guidelines and to apply via Submittable. First-time users will need to register with Submittable to access the application portal.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 20, 11:59 PM EDT

Notifications: By Friday, November 19

To request an accommodation or assistance in applying, please email [email protected] or contact 212-366-6900 Ext 253. We ask that requests for accommodation be made as soon as possible or by Wednesday, October 6, to allow adequate time for staff to support you in submitting an application before the deadline.

Testimonials:

The NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program went above and beyond my expectations. It is a unique safe environment to develop relationships with other talented immigrant artists who are willing to share their time, life experiences, resources, and connections. NYFA offered a great deal of support and encouragement which helped with advancing my art practice and professional development.

–Katya Akuma, IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Arts ’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 Broukaert, IAP: VIsual and Multidisciplinary Arts ’20

Click here for more information on the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program. And don’t forget to sign up for the monthly Con Edison IAP Newsletter to receive opportunities and events as well as artist features directly to your inbox.