Young Artist Mentorship

Youth Mentorship

I don’t know what it would have been like if I had someone as a mentor in my field at a young age. While I had mentors in dance and movement, music, and writing, I had little guidance as an artist. Therefore, I never thought I was one.

In 2011, I created the Young Artist Mentorship Program, while directing Visual Arts Minnesota. I felt that there were life skills, professional development, and emotion and intellectual support that professional artists and arts workers could share with talented and passionate young people. We did little in “how to make art.” Instead, we explored how art can influence our life and expressive path.

Now in a time of Covid…

As the pandemic has impacted our community’s ability to gather and make art together, my work as a mentor and arts educator has been disrupted. However, I find that the need to connect one-on-one seems more important than ever.

Therefore, I am working with local organizations and individuals to use the tools we have to create a foundation of art as a life, business, and skillset to get us through a rough time and set young people up for a unique and innovative future.

Youth Mentorship includes:

• Ongoing critique (a necessary skill and activity for artistic and intellectual growth) of existing work, in order to continue developing art making skills and ideas

• Creativity exercises that develop our understanding of the creative process

• Presentation skill development such as framing and photographing work

• Portfolio development

• Written and spoken reflection of personal art vision and products

• Supportive community with other young artists, professional artists, and arts lovers

• Website creation for an online portfolio

• Art exhibition both in person and online

• Press releases, self promotion, and social media management

  Here about the program on KVSC: https://beta.prx.org/stories/75332