Apply Now: Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program for Visual and Multidisciplinary Artists 2025
The deadline to apply to this competitive NYC-based program is Monday, October 21, 11:59 PM ET.
Are you an immigrant artist working in the Visual or Multidisciplinary Arts? Do you live in New York City or within commuting distance of the New York City Metropolitan area?
If yes, consider joining New York Foundation for the Arts’ (NYFA) growing immigrant artist community and apply to be part of the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program.
This competitive program, made possible by the generous support of Deutsche Bank, is open to visual and multidisciplinary artists from all disciplines (Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Video, Film, Photography, New Media, Multidisciplinary, Socially-Engaged Practices, Folk and Traditional Art) and is provided free of charge to accepted participants. 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.
The program runs from December 2023 to April 2024. The application will open on this page on Tuesday, August 27 at 10:00 AM ET, with a deadline of Monday, October 21, 11:59 PM ET.
Program Goals
- Provide one-on-one support. The program pairs immigrant artists with artist mentors who guide them to achieve specific goals and provide them with broader access to the New York cultural world through an exchange of ideas, resources, and experiences.
- Build a community. The program provides opportunities for participants 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.
Program Benefits
- 1-on-1 Mentorship
- Pair with 1 artist mentor for career support and advice
- Professional Development
- Workshops that provide artists with the fundamental principles of sustainability in the arts (previous topics: cultivating relationships with curators, strategic planning, finance, marketing, and fundraising, etc.)
- Exhibition Opportunity
- Opportunity to be selected to exhibit your work in In/Between, an annual immigrant artist group exhibition scheduled to take place in spring 2024. In partnership with New York Live Arts.
- Networking Opportunities
- With the program cohort, IAP Mentoring Program alumni, arts professionals, and staff members from various arts organizations, including our Cultural Partners in the NYC area and beyond.
- Arts-in-Education Training
- Opportunity to participate in professional development training designed for ProjectArt’s Teaching Artist Residency, observe classes, and receive 1:1 consultation from a Resident Teaching Artist. In partnership with ProjectArt.
- Featured in Immigrant Artist Newsletter
- Opportunity to be highlighted in NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Program Monthly Newsletter.
Cultural Partners
New York Live Arts, Bronx Council on the Arts, Asian American Arts Alliance, Flushing Town Hall, Haiti Cultural Exchange, Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, ProjectArt, Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, Staten Island Arts.
Eligibility
- Visual and multidisciplinary artists working in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Video, Film, Photography, New Media, Multidisciplinary, Socially-Engaged Practices, Folk, and Traditional Art.
- Able to attend mandatory meetings in person in New York City Metropolitan area.
- Artists born outside of the U.S. or in the U.S. territories (Puerto Rico or 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.***
*If you have a unique immigrant experience that doesn’t meet the stated eligibility and feel you would benefit from this program, please reach out to [email protected] with some information on your immigrant story.
**This program often benefits those who are at more emerging stages in their U.S. careers. If you’ve been pursuing a career as an artist in the U.S. 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 experience.
***Students who will graduate before the program starts are welcome to apply.
Application Requirements
For the application, we ask you to provide:
- Your short and 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 online presence (e.g. website or social media etc.)
- Work samples with work statement and description
How to Apply
Application Link: The application will be open on Tuesday, August 27 at 10:00 AM ET, and will be available via this page. First-time users will need to register with Submittable to access the application portal.
Application Deadline: Monday, October 21, 2024, 11:59 PM ET
Notifications: By early December
To request an accommodation or assistance in applying, please email [email protected] or contact 212-366-6900 Ext 265. We ask that requests for accommodation be made as soon as possible or by Monday, October 14 to allow adequate time for staff to support you in submitting an application before the deadline.
Questions? Contact the IAP Team at [email protected] and include “Visual and Multidisciplinary” in the subject line.
Selection Process
The selection process has several phases:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. NYFA will participate in the process of identifying the pool of mentees, considering the cohort makeup as a whole while aligning mutually beneficial pairings of mentors and mentees.
Mandatory Program Dates
Orientation & Meet the Partner (virtual)
Wednesday, January 8, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Introduction (in-person at NYFA’s Office: 29 W. 38th street, New York, NY 10018)
Wednesday, January 22, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Meet the Mentor I (in-person, Location TBD)
Wednesday, February 19, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Meet the Mentor II (in-person, Location TBD)
Wednesday, March 5, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Check-In (virtual)
Wednesday, March 27, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Alumni Mixer (in-person at EFA Project Space: 323 W 39th St 2nd Fl, New York, NY 10018)
Wednesday, May 14, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Final Celebration (in-person, Location TBD)
Wednesday, June 18, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
1-on-1 Mentoring Support
Dates arranged with individual mentors. Meetings can be in-person and/or online.
Attendance is mandatory for all above sessions, so please check your calendar before applying.
Optional Meeting:
In/Between Exhibition Opening (in-person at New York Live Arts: 219 W 19th St, New York, NY 10011)
Thursday, April 3, 2025
In-person programs will be implemented in accordance with local and state health guidelines. Meeting locations will all be based in the NYC Area. The program will be moved online, if necessary.
Questions? Contact the IAP Team at [email protected].
From Our Alumni
The NYFA Immigrant Artist Program is truly amazing. Its focus on community-building deeply resonated as I met wonderful people with whom I could share similar dreams and challenges. Our gatherings were a true gem, not only for professional development but also for forming friendships and a supportive network extending beyond the program’s duration
Lafina Eptaminitaki (IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘24)
[The] program completely changed the way I faced the art scene in NYC. It provides me real support, guidance, networking and courage. I was able to learn how to talk about my work in the US while maintaining my cultural identity, among many other things
Mari Nagem (IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘24
Participating in this program has been a transformative experience for me. As someone who always dreamed of being an artist, this program has opened my eyes to the realities of pursuing a career in art. It’s shown me that while the journey may be challenging, it’s not impossible, especially when fueled by passion. Through the program, I’ve gained confidence in my artistic abilities and learned to value my work as an important contribution to the world. It’s helped me break free from cultural norms that undermine the significance of art, empowering me to embrace my identity as an artist with pride. I’m incredibly grateful for the support and guidance I’ve received, and I’m excited to continue my artistic journey with determination and purpose.
Hadeel Saalok (IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘24)
Acknowledgements
Our thanks to EFA Project Space and International Center of Photography (ICP) for hosting our group meetings.
NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program is made possible by the generous support of Deutsche Bank.
Learn More
Learn more about the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program, and don’t forget to sign up for the monthly ConEdison IAP Newsletter to receive opportunities and events as well as artist features directly to your inbox.
