Being part of the NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program was transformative. It valued my identity, supported my artistic growth, and opened doors I never imagined. There was a strong sense of mutual respect and care within the group. Sharing our stories and artistic journeys created meaningful bonds. I’m proud to be a NYFA alum.
Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program
Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program
- Pair with an artist mentor for 1-on-1 Support
- Connect with immigrant artist communities
Image Detail: Lisa Corinne Davis (Fellow in Painting ’24), Courtesy of the Artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
For Immigrant Artists
Related Links
The only known program of its kind in the United States, NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program provides foreign-born emerging artists with 1-on-1 career support, community, and exposure for their work.
Named one of the “10 Best Mentorship Programs in the U.S. for Post Grads” by Time Out, this program has built a strong network of more than 525 immigrant artists from 76 countries and regions since it was founded in 2007.
Historically, NYFA has brought the program to Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Newark, NJ; NYC; Oakland, CA; and San Antonio, TX; serving artists in Visual/Multidisciplinary Art, Performing and Literary Arts, and Social Practice disciplines.
This competitive program is provided free of charge to accepted applicants.
Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program for Visual and Multidisciplinary Artists 2026
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?
Join this free program to gain access to other artists, arts professionals, and organizations and learn from each other. 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.
Any questions?
Cultural Partners
New York Live Arts, Asian American Arts Alliance, Bronx Council on the Arts, Flushing Town Hall, Haiti Cultural Exchange, Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art at Snug Harbor, ProjectArt, and Staten Island Arts.
Program Highlights
1-on-1 mentorship
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.
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 2026 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.
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 i.outreach@nyfa.org 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 i.outreach@nyfa.org 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.
**NYFA welcomes all applicants and does not require the disclosure of immigration status.**
How to Apply
Timeline
Applications Opened: August 26
Applications Closed: October 13
Applicants Notified: By late November/early December
Questions? Contact the Immigrant Artist Program Team at i.outreach@nyfa.org and include “2026 NYC Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program” in the subject line.
Selection Process
The selection process has several phases:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 7, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM ET
Introduction
In-person at NYFA’s Office: 29 W. 38th Street, New York, NY 10018
Wednesday, January 21, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET
Meet the Mentor I
In-person; Location TBD
Wednesday, February 4, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Meet the Mentor II
In-person; Location TBD
Wednesday, February 25, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Check-In 1
Virtual
Wednesday, March 18, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Check-In 2
In-person; NYFA’s Office: 29 W. 38th Street, New York, NY 10018
Wednesday, May 6, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Alumni Mixer
In-person; Location TBD
Wednesday, May 27, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Final Celebration
In-person; Location TBD
Wednesday, June 10, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
1-on-1 Mentoring Support
In-person or Virtual
Dates arranged with individual mentors during the program.
Attendance is mandatory for all above sessions, so please check your calendar before applying.
Optional Meeting:
In/Between Exhibition Opening
In-person; New York Live Arts: 219 W 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
Tuesday, April 14, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM ET
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 Immigrant Artist Program Team at i.outreach@nyfa.org.
Immigrant Artist Newsletter
Get opportunities and career development resources to your inbox.
Stay in touch with what’s upcoming with the Immigrant Artist programs
NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program is made possible by the generous support of Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation and others.
Top Image Detail: Lisa Corinne Davis (Fellow in Painting ’24), Courtesy of the Artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
From Our Alumni
– Talita Cabral
IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘25
I’m really grateful to NYFA for creating a program like IAP. Supporting immigrant artists in such a thoughtful and meaningful way means a lot—especially now, when it’s easy to feel unwelcome in the U.S. This program gave me not just resources, but also a sense of community—and for once, a space where difference didn’t feel like a barrier, but a bond.
– Liza Domingues
IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘25
Being an immigrant artist in the U.S. is extremely challenging. This program gives a space to nurture conversations, whether sustaining one’s practice in the U.S. or networking. I find the discourse to be very transparent and honest. Despite generational, career stages, and immigration status differences, I am constantly moved by the amount of love and trust that went into the practices of each mentor and cohort, which encourages me to keep going.
– Siyu Chen
IAP: Visual and Multidisciplinary Artist ‘25
