Apply Now | Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Detroit

August 28, 2018byAmy Aronoff

The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to announce the second year of the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Detroit, presented in collaboration with Detroit local partners through the support of the Ford Foundation.

The program’s goal is to foster a local community of artists sharing the immigrant experience and provide resources through entrepreneurial training, access to other artists, arts professionals, and organizations. Conducted in an inclusive, safe space, the program offers immigrant artists the opportunity to focus on their creative practice and gain support and exposure for their work while upholding their distinct cultural identities.

The program combines two of NYFA’s professional development programs: the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program, which provides access to artist mentors and art professionals via panels and workshops, and the Artist As Entrepreneur Boot Camp, which provides artists with the fundamental principles of sustainability in the arts. Featured topics include strategic planning, finance, law, marketing, and fundraising. Additional material will be drawn from NYFA’s newly-revised popular textbook The Profitable Artist (Allworth Press, 2018).

In collaboration with Detroit-based partners, the program will offer two weekend entrepreneurial boot camps, one-on-one mentoring, an informal gathering between weekends, and an individual consultation with an arts professional.

This is a competitive program open to artists from all disciplines (Performing, Literary, Visual, Multidisciplinary, Video/Film, Folk and Traditional Arts) based in Detroit, MI and provided free of charge to accepted participants. The program runs from December 2018 to March 2019, and will bring together Detroit artists to nurture a productive environment for collaboration.

Testimonial:

The NYFA Immigrant Artist Program was a great experience for me. It helped me develop as an artist holistically, not only focusing on the creative aspects of my craft, but also helping me to develop in the financial, marketing, and legal aspects of my practice as well. It has really shifted the way I approach my work and has guided me in making more confident and smarter choices in regards to my career. Although the knowledge gained from this program is valuable, it is the relationships formed through the program that I find most invaluable. From the panelists, to the moderators, our mentors, and peers, it is the community and friendships from this program that have impacted me the most. I was able to meet and speak with experts in different fields in regards to my career development and artistic practice. I was able to build relationships with not only my mentor, but countless other mentors in the program who have opened doors for me in the local art community. Last but not least, it is the relationships with my peers that I was able to form that I treasure the most. – June Bae (Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Detroit ‘18)

Eligibility:

Live within the Detroit area (within commuting distance of Detroit)*
Either you or your parents were born outside of the United States. (This includes the United States territories i.e. Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
Refugees are welcome to apply
Are NOT currently enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program**

*Priority will be given to artists living and working in Detroit; however the program is open to artists in Michigan within commuting distance of Detroit.
**Students who will graduate before the program starts are welcome to apply.

Mandatory Sessions:

First Weekend Boot Camp Workshop:
Saturday, December 1, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday, December 2, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Mid-program Check in:
Thursday, January 17, 6:00 – 8:30 PM

Second Weekend Boot Camp Workshop:
Saturday, March 2, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday, March 3, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Attendance is mandatory to all sessions, so please check your calendar before applying. Detroit based partners will host the meetings.

Application Link: Click here to apply.

Application Deadline: Sunday, October 21, 2018 11:59 PM EST*

*Extended from Sunday, October 14

Application Guidelines:

For the application we ask you to provide:

Your long terms goals and why you are interested in applying to this program
A narrative bio of your professional career
A link to your website or online presence
Work samples

To Apply

Applicants can apply via Submittable; first-time users will need to register with Submittable to access the application portal. Electronic submissions should be completed by Sunday, October 21, 2018, 11:59 PM EST.

Notification: Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Questions? Contact the NYFA Learning team at [email protected] and include “Detroit” in the subject line.

This program is made possible with the support of the Ford Foundation.

Thank you to our cultural partners in Detroit: