Mentorship

This program brings together professional and houseless artists in longstanding mentorships and collaborative projects that foster personal and artistic growth. Through one-on-one mentorship, we empower individuals to develop vocations that lead them into art commissions, public art projects, art instructing, and leadership roles. Participants take initiative to propose new projects and we work with them to actualize their ideas. Through this empowerment and mutual support model, participants become peer navigators, members of our advisory board, community advocates and vocal ambassadors. 

GMS artist mentees are building self-confidence, rediscovering their path, expanding their artistic and professional skills, acquiring exhibition experience and gaining visibility. They are taking on paid leadership roles at GMS, providing peer mentorship, cultivating collectors who buy their work, earning public art commissions and moving into permanent housing.

Each GMS mentorship is unique, shaped by the individual needs, goals, and creative vision of each participant. Because we operate relationally rather than through a one-size-fits-all model, mentorships evolve organically, allowing space for participants to explore their own artistic journeys at their own pace. Some may focus on refining their individual artistic skills, while others work toward professional development, exhibition opportunities, or community leadership.