- APPLICATION DEADLINE
Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 12:00pm - September 2026 – August 2027
Call for submissions
Year-Long Mentorship Program, Sept 2026 – Sept 2027
with mentors Natalie Baird, Lita Fontaine, M.E. Sparks and Sheila Spence
The Foundation Mentorship Program (FMP) is a professional training program designed to help women and non-binary, trans and Two-Spirit woman-identifying people in the visual arts develop skills and define their decision-making by providing information, resources and support. In this year-long program, established artists (mentors) meet individually with their mentees for 3 hours per month to share their experience, expertise and advice. The entire FMP group meets for 3 hours each month, usually on a Sunday afternoon, for critiques, discussion, gallery visits and other activities.
Applicants will be selected based on the quality and potential of the artwork submitted, the emerging artist’s willingness to dedicate time to the program, and the mentor’s ability to work with the emerging artist through a shared medium or conceptual interest. Mentors choose their mentees. If you have applied before and were unsuccessful, consider revisiting your application and the quality of your images, and applying again. Demand for this program far outstrips available spaces. Sometimes the mentors agree that an artist’s work is excellent, but they do not feel that they have the specific skills or experience to help. Another year, another mentor might select you.
Potential mentees of all adult ages and backgrounds are encouraged to apply, free of charge. Students are not eligible. Successful applicants will be charged $300. If finances would be a barrier, partial bursaries and payment plans can be discussed. If you would like to apply verbally or through an ASL translator, contact dempsey@mawa.ca and we will make accommodations.
To apply for the Foundation Mentorship Program, send a single PDF document labelled with your name and FMP (e.g., Sarah Wong FMP) containing:
- a letter outlining why you want to participate in this program and what you hope to achieve through mentorship, including a description of your art practice
- your contact information (phone, email and mailing address)
- an artist résumé (maximum 3 pages)
- up to 20 embedded images of your artwork, with an image list or captions giving the title of the work, medium, date completed and dimensions; or links to up to 3 minutes of video
Email your application to programs@mawa.ca with “FMP 2026” in the subject line.
Find out more HERE
