Applications for the 2026 program will open in Autumn 2025.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The 2025 NCWCA Mentorship Program will pair more-experienced NCWCA members with promising emerging Bay Area woman-identifying and non-binary artists, curators, art teachers, art historians, and/or aspiring gallerists.
Specific mentorship goals can be determined by each pair, but will generally center around artistic critique, professional practices, goal-setting, networking, and the like.
We believe that introducing emerging artists and arts professionals to experienced role models will help the mentees visualize and achieve a rewarding career in the arts. Mentoring is a two-way street and our mentors will have lots to learn from the pairing as well.
We will match up to 5 mentor/mentee pairs, depending on mentor availability.
PROGRAM TIMELINE
Mentorship pairings will last 6 months, from January to June 2025. Mentorship pairs will meet in person or virtually (via Zoom or similar) at least once every month for 6 months and communicate via email or phone in between.
SELECTION OF MENTEES
Applications to become an NCWCA mentee will be accepted from November 10 - December 15, 2024. Applicants will be notified of the status of their application by the end of December.
ELIGIBILITY
You do not need to be a member of the Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art to apply as a mentee. Non-members must currently reside in one of the 9 Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma). NCWCA members in good standing may apply no matter where they reside.
There is no fee to apply.
The 2025 NCWCA Mentorship Program will pair more-experienced NCWCA members with promising emerging Bay Area woman-identifying and non-binary artists, curators, art teachers, art historians, and/or aspiring gallerists.
Specific mentorship goals can be determined by each pair, but will generally center around artistic critique, professional practices, goal-setting, networking, and the like.
We believe that introducing emerging artists and arts professionals to experienced role models will help the mentees visualize and achieve a rewarding career in the arts. Mentoring is a two-way street and our mentors will have lots to learn from the pairing as well.
We will match up to 5 mentor/mentee pairs, depending on mentor availability.
PROGRAM TIMELINE
Mentorship pairings will last 6 months, from January to June 2025. Mentorship pairs will meet in person or virtually (via Zoom or similar) at least once every month for 6 months and communicate via email or phone in between.
SELECTION OF MENTEES
Applications to become an NCWCA mentee will be accepted from November 10 - December 15, 2024. Applicants will be notified of the status of their application by the end of December.
ELIGIBILITY
You do not need to be a member of the Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art to apply as a mentee. Non-members must currently reside in one of the 9 Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma). NCWCA members in good standing may apply no matter where they reside.
There is no fee to apply.
The truth is that women have never been treated equally in the art world and they’re dramatically underrepresented.
The NCWCA Mentorship Program provides and offers numerous opportunities to build communication, knowledge and patience for the mentee, so she can grow as a person and break these barriers. I think this program will give an edge to more women to be more visible and successful. It is, after all, women helping other women with their expertise!
My interaction with my mentee strengthened my own knowledge and my leadership skills as well. It was a great learning opportunity for both of us! To see a positive impact on her was truly amazing.
It was my pleasure to work with the NCWCA Mentorship Program and I will be glad to do it again!
2023 Mentor Nilou Farzam
2025 MENTORS & MENTEES
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Mentors
Marie Cameron Marguerite Elliot Bianca Lago Sawyer Rose Leitha Thrall Victoria Veedell |
Mentees
Ally Kraus Madi Gentry Nikola Nardell Perry Meigs Car Nazzal Margaret Luo |
2024 MENTORS & MENTEES
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Mentors
Shawna Vesco Ahern Marguerite Elliot Vicki Gunter Sawyer Rose Luz Marina Ruiz |
Mentees
Bushra Gill Annie Tull Bridgette Wilkerson Krisztina Lazar Quinn Keck |
2023 MENTORS & MENTEES
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Mentors
Marguerite Elliot Nilou Farzam Karen Gutfreund Barbara Pollak-Lewis Na Omi Judy Shintani |
Mentees
Megan Broughton Nimisha Doongarwal Tracy Pullman Tanya Momi Ashima Yadava |
I was honored to be asked to be a mentor for NCWCA as a Curator. After having created so many exhibitions, one tends to forget all the steps it takes. Working with my mentee was a lot of fun and it gave me a new perspective from "fresh eyes." This helped me clarify my thinking around best practices for exhibitions and all the details, particularly since I'm writing a book on the subject. So I learned a lot too. My mentee and I will be working on an upcoming project and I look forward to that and our new friendship.
2023 Mentor Karen Gutfreund
2022 MENTORS & MENTEES
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Mentors
Salma Arastu Lydia Nakashima Degarrod Sawyer Rose Victoria Veedell Ashley Voss |
Mentees
Sunroop Kaur Siana Smith Kiana Honarmand Renee Switkes Julia LaChica |
2021 MENTORS & MENTEES
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Mentors
Sandra Yagi Elizabeth Addison Priscilla Otani Diane Williams Ashley Voss |
Mentees
Sofia Venegas Fleur Spolidor Ata'ataoletaeao Jayne Foster Linda Steele |
2020 MENTORS & MENTEES
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Mentors
Carla Caletti Sawyer Rose Na Omi Judy Shintani Victoria Veedell Sandra Yagi |
Mentees
Melissa Bolger Cedar Ranney Shapiro Nicole Godreau Soria Rupy C. Tut Kathleen Yarnold |
2019 MENTORS & MENTEES
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Mentors
Judy Johnson-Williams Bonnie Levinson Sondra Schwetman Zahava Sherez Sandra Yagi |
Mentees
Cherisse Alcantara Theresa Giammattei Erica Gomez Henao Sierra Lowe Sarupa Sidaarth |
