Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Social Practice
Through the support of the Donald and Shelley Rubin Foundation, the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to announce the launch of the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Social Practice.
IAP: Social Practice is a year-long professional development program for immigrant and 1st-generation artists working in all forms of socially engaged art (including, but not limited to, public and community engagement and advocacy around issues of environment and climate change, immigration, race, gender, and social justice).
An outgrowth and expansion of NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program, this program will provide guidance through experienced Mentors, who, with NYFA’s support, will provide a platform for articulating current issues and concerns that are impacting our society and seeking ways to create catalysts for change through their artistic practice. Four mentors will work closely with a group of 3-4 artists selected through an open application process, meeting quarterly with all participants to foster a unique peer community with opportunities for collaboration.
These meetings would connect artists to experts in the field, civic leaders, advocacy groups, grass-roots community organizers as well as providing access to organizations serving other sectors such as social services, healthcare, housing, education and language access in New York City.
Our four mentors are Alicia Grullon, Carlos Martinez, Tattfoo Tan and Rebelené (Zelene Pineda Suchilt), three of whom are alumni of the mentoring program. Between them, they represent many of the core areas from advocacy, activism, environmental and climate concerns, issues of race and gender, community and public engagement.
This program would benefit immigrant or 1st-generation artists looking to activate and engage with communities in the city, who have ideas or projects they wish to develop, and who would benefit from focused guidance from a mentor, access to connections in different sectors, and feedback from a community of peers. Artists working or developing projects engaging with immigrant communities and/or advocacy are encouraged to apply. Artists from underrepresented populations or communities are encouraged to apply.
The program includes support from contributing partner Culture Push, known for their Fellowship for Utopian Practice, a process-based program aimed at artists and other creative people who are seeking to test new ideas through civic engagement.
Eligibility
Immigrant or 1st-generation artist based in the five boroughs of New York City
Immigrant defined as born outside of the United States (Those born in United States territories( i.e. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) may apply)
1st-generation defined as having parent(s) born outside of the United States (Those with parent(s) born in United States territories i.e. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, may apply)
Are NOT currently enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program
Deadline: Thursday, June 19, 2016
Program Dates: Group Meetings
Thursday, July 14, 6:00 – 9:00PM
Tuesday, September 13, 6:00 – 9:00PM
Tuesday, December 6, 6:00 – 9:00PM
2017
Tuesday, March 7, 6:00 – 9:00PM
Tuesday, June 6, 6:00 – 9:00PM
Location: NYFA, 20 Jay Street, 7th floor, DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY 11201*
*All meetings held at NYFA unless otherwise notified
NYFA is disabled access
To apply click here.
Questions: Contact IAP Team on [email protected]
Notifications: On or before June 27, 2016
Mentors:
Alicia Grullón moves between performance, video, and photography, channeling her interdisciplinary approach towards critiques on the politics of presence, an argument for the inclusion of disenfranchised communities in political and social spheres. She received a BFA from New York University and an MFA from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Grullón’s works have been shown in numerous group exhibitions including Franklin Furnace, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, BRIC House for Arts and Media, School of Visual Arts, El Museo del Barrio, Jamaica Flux 10, Performa 11 and Art in Odd Places all NY. She has received grants from the Puffin Foundation, Bronx Council on the Arts, the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of New York, and Franklin Furnace Archives, among others. She has participated in residencies in the United States and abroad some among them include: Artist in the Marketplace, Korea Arts Council in Anyang South Korea, Five Colleges Women’s Studies Research Center and the Art and Law Residency at Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. (aliciagrullon.com)
Carlos Martinez is a Colombian-born artist, environmentalist, and advocate based in Jackson Heights, Queens. His main medium is photography and his interdisciplinary artistic practice ranges from site-specific interventions to community-based projects exploring contemporary urban issues. He has worked as an art educator for the Queens Library, International Center of Photography, Friends of Island Academy , and National Geographic. By integrating his artistic practice and professional background, Carlos advocates for access and activation of public spaces as platforms for social change.
He co-founded Hibridos Collective, an interdisciplinary collaborative working to reenvision spaces through community-based art practices. The collective works at the intersection of art and community through collaborations with neighbors and artists in sidewalks, parks, plazas and other unexpected and unprecedented spaces. Past place-based interventions and community-building initiatives include outdoor art and music festivals, pop-up art installations, mapping projects, neighborhood tours, workshops and interactive events.
His professional background in environmentalism, urban issues and cultural organizing have equipped him to work across sectors. He was Director of Programs at Green Map System, a community-led movement that promotes inclusive participation in sustainable community development worldwide through mapmaking. Thereafter, Carlos worked with Partnerships for Park’s Catalyst Program where he supported community development initiatives in historically underserved waterfront parks. Currently, Carlos is the Deputy Director of GreenThumb for NYC Parks, the largest community gardening program in the nation where he oversees programming, material and technical support provided to over 600 community gardens throughout New York City. Carlos holds a B.S. from the Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira (Colombia) in environmental administration and is pursuing a master’s degree in urban planning at Hunter College.
Rebelené (Zelene Pineda Suchilt) is a CHí-CHí (CHilanga/CHicana) award winning storyteller and political organizer living in New York City. Her work takes a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach that juxtaposes indigenous concepts and urban culture to bridge art and social justice praxis. She utilizes a range of media and contexts including, poetry, painting, community organizing, installation, performance and filmmaking to promote a sense of pride and urgency. Her artistic work is informed by third world eco-feminism, Marxist philosophy, revolutionary artist movements and Mesoamerican artisanal traditions.
Her political work stems from the burgeoning immigrant/human rights movement of 2005 and has evolved around feminist transnational environmental issues including; anti-blackness, State repression and indigenous sovereignty. She works for We Act for Environmental Justice.
In 2009 she received the Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz Young Visionary Award from The National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. Zelene was accepted into the New York Foundation of the Arts Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program in 2012, and has been a mentor since 2014. The Mango Poem short film, the chapbook Greencard and a play (in process,) have been collaborations with NYFA artists and/or resources. In 2015 she completed a month long artist residency at Doña Helen’s in Clovis, CA where she exhibited her work at the Clovis Book Barn and Fresno State University. She is a Political Content VONA Writer’s Workshop graduate.
Rebelené is a proud member of the Mujeres de la Tierra, Colectivo Vagón, Hij@s del Maíz and the Librotraficante Movement artist collectives. Her literary work has been published by Huizache: The Magazine of Latino Literature, Free Press Houston, Quiet Lunch Magazine, The Panhandler Quarterly and MANGO Publications. She is the founder of the Word Around Town Poetry Tour.
Tattfoo Tan’s art practice responds to issues of ecology, climate change and nutrition. His unique art making process consists of learning new forms of knowledge, practicing them, and in turn teaching others. His decade long trilogy of projects: Nature Matching System, Sustainable. Organic. Stewardship. and New Earth had been shown widely and made into replicable manuals to inspire the public to take action.
Tattfoo has presented, collaborated, supported, and published his works in various venues and institutions including: Staten Island Arts, Queens Museum of Art, The City of New York, Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for the Arts, Eugene Lang College/New School for Liberal Arts, Parsons the New School for Design, Fashion Institute of Technology, 601Tully/Syracuse University, Macalester College, Ballroom Marfa, Creative Time, Aljira – A Center for Contemporary Art, Project Row Houses, City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Contemporary Arts Center – Cincinnati, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Art Matters, Joan Mitchell Foundation, The Pulitzer Arts Foundation, The Laundromat Project, Gestalten, Thames and Hudson.
He has been recognized for his effort, service, and artistic contributions to the community, and is a proud recipient of a proclamation from The City of New York. He was also given the Twenty-Eighth Annual Award for Excellence in Design by the Public Design Commission of The City of New York for his design and branding of the Super-Graphic on Bronx River Art Center and currently served on the Mayor’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee to support the development of a Comprehensive Cultural Plan.
This program is made possible with the support of Donald and Shelley Rubin Foundation
For more information on the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program click here and to sign up to the monthly Con Edison IAP Newsletter to receive opportunities and events as well as artist features directly into your inbox, click here.
Image: Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program 2015. Photo: Judy Cai
