Applications will open in February 2026 for ARTogether’s Artist Mentorship Hub & Residency
ARTogether’s Artist Mentorship Hub is a multidisciplinary art program for emerging refugee, immigrant, diasporic, and underrepresented artists in the Bay Area.
The program centers wellness, collective power building, and peer connection while providing mentorship, guidance, and professional development led by local artists and art professionals established in the field. Participants receive a free, shared art studio at the ARTogether Center to activate for their individual and collective art projects.
This year’s program cohort will consist of 8 artists, with the application process opening in February 2026. The program will be held in-person at the ARTogether Center in Oakland.
Eligibility
Applicants Must:
- Be based in the Bay Area.
- Identify as a refugee, immigrant, diasporic, or underrepresented artist. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ artists.
- Commit to working on their practice in the studio on a regular basis. We highly recommend this program for artists, teaching artists, and entrepreneurs who can make good use of the studio for independent or collaborative projects.
- Attend key workshop dates in-person in Oakland:
- May 3, 2026
- May 10, 2026
- May 17, 2026
- Please note that in addition to the three dates above, additional workshops will be scheduled for Fall 2026. The dates for these will be determined by us as a group.
- Please note that in addition to the three dates above, additional workshops will be scheduled for Fall 2026. The dates for these will be determined by us as a group.
- Curate a group exhibition featuring their own works for Fall 2026:
- Installation: October 27 – Nov 8
- Exhibition Dates: November 2026 – January 2027
- Be open to co-developing and teaching 1 art class to help fundraise for ARTogether.
- Volunteer on occasion for ARTogether events, craft nights, and community art programs.
Program Timeline
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- February 2026: Applications open
- March 15, 2026: Applications close
- April 2026: Artists notified
- May 2026 – Spring 2027: Artists share studio at the ARTogether Center
- May 2026: Key Workshop Sessions (All Day, breakfast & lunch provided)
- May 3, 2026
- May 10, 2026
- May 17, 2026
- Summer – Fall 2026:
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- Additional workshops (to be scheduled)
- Group exhibition planning
- 1:1 meeting with mentor
- Late October 2026: Exhibition Installation
- November 2026 – January 2027: Exhibition Dates
Tuition and Fees
To sustain program costs, we request a sliding scale contribution with the option to request full or partial fee waiver.
Please indicate your capacity to contribute in your application. Your capacity to contribute will not affect your application.
Sustain $400 – $600
Build $600 – $800
Dream $800 – $1,000
How do I determine how much to contribute? You can ask yourself if the following statements are true when considering each level:
- I can contribute this amount toward workshops and the year-long studio residency without undermining my ability to meet my basic needs for survival.
- Contributing this amount does not jeopardize my ability to meet my basic needs or significantly limit my activities and purchases. I may have to account for it, but I can afford it.
- I can pay this or more with relative ease. I have more freedom when it comes to choosing how I spend my money. I am in a position to be generous with my money, knowing that my contribution will ensure this program is accessible to others.
Our Story
In 2022, with the support of Oakland’s Cultural Funding Program, ARTogether and Oakland Art Murmur partnered to pilot an artist mentorship program for Oakland-based refugee and immigrant artists. The program welcomes artists of all crafts, levels, and experiences looking to expand their network, learn new skills, develop their career, and obtain professional guidance.
Throughout the program, participants were paired with a mentor artist with compatible interests, artistic craft specialties, experience levels, and/or goals for the mentorship program.
ARTogether was thrilled to deepen this project of intentional community building and culturally relevant professional development in 2023, through a 3-day intensive program centering gathering, collective power building, and peer connection while providing mentorship, guidance, and professional development led by local, BIPOC artists and art professionals established in the field. 1st and 2nd generation immigrant, refugee, and diasporic artists reflected on their own journeys as artists thus far, identified their goals and needs, and grounded themselves within their values and wishes. Each day included creative exercises, group workshops, and individual coaching sessions.
In 2024, ARTogether piloted a version of the Hub that included a year-long studio residency. The newly expanded Mentorship Hub & Residency program officially launched in 2025, with artists participating in workshops, open studios, exhibitions, and community engagement opportunities at ARTogether year-round.
Previous instructors in this program included Raeshma Razvi, Kimberley Acebo Arteche, Rhiannon Evans MacFadyen, Jason Bayani, Maw Shein Win, Preeti Vangani, Edward Gunawan, Rupy Tut, Sabina Kariat, Nivedita Rajendra, Christine No, Shelley Wong, and Chetna Mehta.
This program is supported by the East Bay Community Foundation, California Arts Council, Zellerbach Family Foundation, and San Francisco Foundation.
Alumni
2025
Kate Goka
Roger Kim
Mame Marieme LO
Fateme Mokhles
Mona Wang
Jackie Romero
Martin Rodriguez Serrano
2024 (Pilot Residency)
Alisson Gothz
Sen Mendez
Linah Sofi
Jy Jimmie Flora Gabiola
Valerie Win Liu
Ipeleng Kgositsile
Romina Zabihian
Arina Sawari-Stadnyk
2023 (Literary Arts Focus)
Zara Jamshed
Kristie Song
Diana Fu
saahil m.
Angel Bista
Elizabeth Feng
Diana Medina
Percy Shumacher
Amy Zhou 周纯
Tracy Jones
Kiki Quach
Clary Ahn
Carmela Gaspar
Vina Vo
Jerrica Li
Jessica Yuru Zhou 周玉茹
Marwa Doost
2023
Jy Jimmie Flora Gabiola (Photography, Writing)
Valerie Win Liu (Illustration)
Ipeleng Kgositsile (Performance, Writing)
Dalar Alahverdi (Visual Art)
Romina Zabihian (Visual Art)
Arina Sawari-Stadnyk (Visual Art, Writing)
2022
Sunroop Kaur (Visual Art)
Sen Mendez (Visual Art)
Etty Alberto (Visual Art)
Linah Sofi (Visual Art)
Anita Sulimanovic (Visual Art)
René Revolorio Keith (Visual Art)
Jawn Wilson (Visual Artist)
Alisson Gothz (Multidisciplinary)
Juliana Mendonca (Dance)
Ariam Weldeab Araya (Film)