Meet the 2022 IAMP Pairs

We are excited to announce the 2022 mentors and mentees from the Immigrant Arts Mentorship Program (IAMP). IAMP pairs newcomer artists and arts administrators with local mentors, who work in the same discipline as them or have similar career goals, to build relevant connections in the Calgary arts community. Today, we introduce the second cohort of IAMP, who will embark on a journey of professional growth and be equipped to develop their artistic practice in their new home.

The IAMP curriculum features 6 months of one-on-one sessions between mentor and mentee, where each will address important skills, such as resume writing, networking, cultural understanding and more. Our goal is to foster a sense of community and streamline the transition into the arts community. Our program will conclude with a group exhibition, where all mentees will share their achievements and showcase their artistic practice.

Out of 40 applicants, 10 mentees were selected by a jury of local artists, art administrators, and community members, based on each mentees’ goals,  and potential to grow a career in Calgary. Once selected, ICAI searched through all of our partners for mentors to match their profiles and guide them through the ins-and-outs, cultural understanding and circles of Calgarian artists and arts administrators.

Each pair first met at our Kickstart event and shared stories, snacks and what their next session would look like. Mentors shared their excitement to include mentees in their upcoming projects and social circles, as well as nervousness to accurately meet their mentees’ needs. Two returning IAMP mentors: Claudia Chagoya and Samuel Obadero shared their past experiences and how they still keep in touch with their mentees on studio visits, exhibitions and coffee hang-outs.

The ICAI team is thrilled to welcome a new wave of artists into the city and foster each of their transitions into a new arts community. With the experience and success we gained through our first IAMP, we are confident that this edition will be even better and more beneficial.

We present to you the 2022 IAMP Cohort:

Pair #1
Mentee: Ciza Zoya
Ciza is a creative content and art savvy professional with progressive experience across a broad range of functions and diverse industry segments. She has graduated in architecture from TKM College of Engineering , Kerala , India and due to her inherent inquisitiveness and to develop skills in the dynamics of the art business, she went on to pursue her masters in Arts management from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy. Europe acted as a catalyst for her to deepen knowledge in arts, design and management. She possesses a truly global outlook enriched by her experience as a team player in multi-cultural and ethnic groups during her university days. Immediately after her masters, she worked for Kooness, which is a leading online marketplace for the art world. It helped her to work closely with eminent curators of the Italian art scene. Besides being an arts manager and an architect, she is also the Miss voice -Miss Kerala 2018, an ardent solo traveller and is passionate about photography and visual storytelling.

Pair # 2
Mentee: Diane Din Ebongue 
Diane Din Ebongue is a Cameroonian-born and French-raised arts manager and interdisciplinary artist. She holds a Master degree in Sciences, Arts and Techniques of Image and Sound from Aix-Marseille university and a Master degree in Technologies for Education and Training from Rennes 2 university. Her artistic practice includes video, photography, interactive media, writing and painting. After working for five years as an audiovisual technician and digital project manager in France, she moved to Australia in 2019 and spent two years working for indigenous art centres in the Northern Territory, first as a studio and gallery assistant, then as a general manager. She arrived in Canada in December 2021.







Pair # 3
Mentee: Hanieh (Honey) Jalali
Iranian multidisciplinary artist living in Calgary, Alberta from 2020 Dec 18. With 20 years of experience Graphic Design Master and Bachelor’s degree at the Art and Architecture Azad University of Tehran. She focuses on art production, painting, graphic design, photography,
material installation and theatre. Artistic production and cultural promotion. She has been teaching Graphic Design for 15 years at university and her healing is painting. She loves contemporary art, photography, collage, illustration, poetry and also Honey has profound experience in theatre as a Scene Secretary and actress.

Pair # 4
Mentee: Hesam Ohadi
Hesam Ohadi (b. 1987 in Tehran) is an Iranian Canadian interdisciplinary artist and creator currently residing in Calgary, Canada.
Aside from his sonic explorations in experimental electronic and electroacoustic music under the moniker “Idlefon”, Ohadi creates New Media artworks under his alias “Kino” which span across various mediums such as performance, kinetic sculpture, interactive installation and net art. 
He is interested in making abstract art forms and algorithm-driven pieces. To achieve this, he uses his computer in combination with custom-made software and utilizes creative coding, generative design, and nature-influenced processes. 

Pair # 5
Mentee: Kyung Eun 'Kay' Heo 
Kyung Eun 'Kay' Heo is a writer with eight years of experience in South Korea. She has mainly explored ethnic groups' diasporas and reunification, conflict and resolution, and the coexistence of differences. She is particularly curious about worlds that are unfamiliar to her, and her quest to understand them is reflected in her books: travel essays and a collection of testimonies on North Korean human rights. Kay also has a passion for painting, and nature, such as landscapes and animals, is her main theme. In 2021, she moved to Calgary. She now volunteers at LOUD Art Society, which seeks to restore the mental health of the vulnerable through artistic activities.










Pair # 6
Mentee: Margarita Rebetskaia 
Margarita Rebetskaia - dancer, choreographer and dance instructor. Was born in Moscow ( Russia), started doing rhythmic gymnastics at 5. At age of 14 was accepted to Igor Moiseyev Dance Academy and after graduating was accepted to Igor Moiseyev ballet where performed around the world with international popular dances based on ballet technique. Also graduated from Russian Academy of Arts as a theatre critic and founded an inclusive theatre company called InterAction. Moved to Canada with her family in 2021. In 2021-2022 did Professional Training Program in Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in Calgary. Recently was hired by Alberta ballet school as a character and ballet teacher.

Pair # 7
Mentee: Patricia Peixoto
I am Patricia. I graduated in Information Systems back in Brazil and came to Calgary three years ago to study New Media Production and Design at SAIT.
My husband and I moved to Canada to seek a better quality of life, learn English and live an enriching multicultural experience. 
 Photography became part of my life in 2016 as a hobby to relieve stress in a personal hard time. I fell in love and never stopped photographing. Natural landscapes are my favourite scenarios. Nature is where I feel free, put my problems aside to enjoy life to the fullest and learn about gratitude and miracles. That is what moves me. When I am out in nature, I try not to take for granted the simplest moments.

Pair # 8
Mentee: Wahed AL Khatib Obeid (Mario)
At the age of 10 I started my dance training with different dance styles especially Hip-hop and Breakdance. Later I attended the higher institute for dramatic arts where I held my bachelor’s degree in dance movement. During my college years I trained in various dance techniques such as contact improvisation, Martha Graham, and methods of floor work. I also choreographed many dance pieces that revolve around human psychology. Throughout my choreographic experience I explored the correlation between our bodies and nature, I feel that nature is a great source of inspiration as it makes me experience my freedom and the feeling of belonging at the same time. 
In 2021 I took part in Dancing on The Edge scholarship program where I expanded my knowledge about dance techniques and learned new creation methods. Recently I moved to Calgary where I attended many dance contemporary workshops. As an emerging artist I aspire to make art that empowers, that awakens creativity and builds a safe space for people to explore their creative voice and human potential. 

Pair # 9
Mentee: Yu Chen 
Growing up in china and based in Calgary, Yu Chen is an artist specialized in oil painting. She was professionally trained over a decade broadly in China and US, Experienced in a wide variety of media and techniques. Inspired by Western style painting and Eastern culture, Her recent series of works “Meditation” and “Hanfu beauty” reveal her self-exploration for cultural identity. her focus on western realistic style painting, and interesting choice of subject matter, which presents a unique perspective of Asian culture.
Yu Chen earned her BA degree in Fine Art from Western Oregon University and GuangXi Art Institute. Her work was selected for Juror’s Choice Award at the Dan and Gail Cannon Gallery, Western Oregon University, in 2017. Two of her paintings were sold to the Werner University Centre Collection.

Pair # 10
Mentee: Zarifa Rajha
My passion for dance started at the age of nine. I grew up learning ballet, jazz, and contemporary. Later I’ve attended the higher institute for dramatic arts, Damascus, Syria where I held my bachelor’s degree in dance movement. During my career journey I’ve trained in multiple dance techniques such as Martha Graham, Jose Limon, contact improvisation and method of floor work along with that I’ve started to create my own works based on the idea of contradiction by combining two opposites movement, themes, methods together. 
Additionally, I choreographed a dance project called Trick or Truth based on theatre of absurd studies focusing on the tragedy of life in a comical way. In 2019 I joined the Leish physical theatre troupe where I took part as a main performer and gained a great understanding of theatrical movement. I was also enrolled in a drama course that introduced me to acting and mime principles. I believe that art has the power to connect people, communities, societies, it is a way for people to experiment their emotions and face their reality. 

​Mentor: Aldona B
Aldona B has been a publicist for the past 14 years with a focus on theatre and entertainment. Her clients include the Calgary International Film Festival, the Calgary Black Film Festival, Downstage, Hit & Myth Productions, StoryBook Theatre, to name a few. Her work also includes assisting fellow entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and help them to identify their unique voice. Through Aldona B Creative she offers communications, photography and fashion styling services. Aldona is also on the Board of Directors with the Calgary Allied Arts Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focusing on supporting visual artists in Calgary. Constantly striving to enhance our communities and city’s profile, it is her infectious passion for her work - and clients - that set her apart.










Mentor: Lanre Ajayi 
Lanre Ajayi is a Nigerian-born visual and new media content creator who uses his artistic skills to build forward-thinking communities and tell stories through lived experiences. As the founder, artistic and creative director of Ethnik Festivals Association, he dedicates his talents to building connections and opportunities within many communities. He is the host, producer and lead writer of My City Speaks To Me, a show about People, Places, and Events, showcasing the rich and cultural tapestry of communities all over Alberta and beyond. He has been blessed and recognized for his many artistic contributions in Calgary as the Mayor’s Art Champions Legacy Award Winner in 2018, Winner of the Alberta Government Northern Lights Award, and nominated for the Community Leader of the Year Award 2020 by Diversity Magazine, named Top 25 Canadian Immigrant 2021 and Community Advocate, Individual, City of Calgary Awards 2022.

Mentor: Allan Brent Rosales
Allan Brent Rosales is a second generation Filipinx multidisciplinary Artist, Art Therapist and Community Connector. Born and raised in Moh’kinstsis/Calgary Allan’s artist practice includes drawing, photography, painting, illustration, digital media, murals and poetry. Allan has a Masters in Art Therapy and has worked in arts-based, healthcare and education settings for over 15 years. More recently, Allan has been working in Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility at both the organizational and grassroots level. 





​Mentor: Krzysztof Sujata 
Krzysztof Sujata is a Poland born, Calgary based, electronic musician and mixing/mastering engineer. Recording under the name Valiska, he has collaborated with artists both locally and abroad on numerous projects since 2010, across various genres and disciplines. Having completed a Bachelor degree in Computer Sciences at the University of Calgary, he makes use of both digital and analog technologies alongside self-designed tools to create highly melodic and textural music.







Mentor: Sydonne Warren
"Syd The Artiste" - Sydonne Warren - is a Jamaican-Canadian Contemporary Visual Artist who specializes in large-scale expressive paintings, murals, and digital design. Her artwork often showcases a combination of high contrast subjects, bold colour palettes, and a mixture of expressive strokes, drips and rigid lines. Her themes reflect her experiences as a Jamaican-Canadian immigrant woman and mother. She uses her perspective to share her desire for the African diaspora to occupy, impact and own space.
Sydonne’s work has appeared in locations across Calgary including the Core Shopping Centre, the Jamaican Canadian Association, Centre Street and Kensington. In 2020, Avenue Magazine listed Sydonne’s Black Lives Matter mural as one of the “Good things that happened in Calgary”. That same year she was named “Artist of the Year” by Diversity Magazine’s African Caribbean Awards for her impact on the city as a person of colour.


Mentor: Col Cseke
Col is a theatre artist based in Calgary and the Artistic & Executive Director of Inside Out Theatre, Calgary’s Deaf and Disability Theatre company. His work as a theatre artist and community organizer revolves around disability justice and Mad pride, poverty reduction and labour rights, community belonging and supporting artists to spur social change.











Mentor: Samuel Obadero
I am a lifestyle photographer and experienced stage performer. I love to lend my voice to social issues.I received the new Canadian Artist Award in 2019 after I migrated from Nigeria. Since then, I have curated 4 exhibitions in the city. The latest being the Project Red exhibition at the Central Library where I was also the Artist in Residence. I am also a Rozsa Arts Management Program (RAMP) graduate where I learnt about "Transformational Leadership in Arts".I believe I am a growing voice in the arts community in the city. I also find myself contributing through other platforms such as Calgary Arts Development, Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI), Action Dignity, and Woezo Africa Music and Dance Theatre.  ​


Mentor: Jordan Baylon 
Jordan Baylon (they/she/he) is a second generation PilipinX artist, critic and community worker imagining justice and abundance for equity-deserving peoples within the spaces of all our relations: personal, communal and societal. As an artist, Jordan’s explores queer and racialized identities as liminal spaces: both and neither; between, across and through; both inside and outside; and both literal and imagined. Jordan’s community practice leverages a decade of experience in the non-profit arts and culture sectors, where they developed their critical lens around equity, anti-racism and systems change. After many years navigating institutions, Jordan now devotes their interest and attention to working at grassroots alongside equity-deserving individuals and communities. 












Mentor: Claudia Chagoya 
Claudia Chagoya is an interdisciplinary artist born in Zacatecas, Mexico, and based in Calgary, Canada. She holds an MFA degree from the University of Calgary, and a BFA from Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Her artistic practice explores topics related to gender violence and her socio-political background, through the use of materials rooted in Mexican culture tied to various rituals such as: rebozos, salt, copal and sawdust.












Mentor: Elaine Weryshko
Elaine Weryshko (she/they) is a physical theatre artist and practitioner of live performance from Mohkínstsis||Calgary, Canada. My medium is the poetic body for a Post-Britney world, a practice based out of extensive worldly training in Mask, Clown, Greek Chorus/Ensemble and Puppetry. I write, perform, produce, teach, design and kamikaze live events in alternative spaces all over Alberta. Typical projects are inspired by Greek-like choruses and large mass gatherings, casting anywhere between 6 to 35 people, searching for group catharsis on and off the stage - I celebrate the need for epic ideas and encourage our collective exploration into our shared profane experiences with the natural world.
Elaine is the co-Educational Director of the Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry, creator  and coordinator of The WunderBriefs series at the Animated Objects Festival and co-curator of the AWE, an once reoccurring risk-based performance series in Calgary. In the past I have worked with or presented at: The Old Trout Puppet Workshop, Alberta Gallery of Art, Mile Zero Dance, Sage Theatre, Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, Springboard Performance (Fluid Festival & ContainR), Skipping Stones, Swallow A Bicycle, Theatre Junction, the Pacitti Company (UK), The Invisible Dog (NYC), and mentored with immersive theatre giant PunchDrunk in their London production A Drowned Man. I have trained around the world at: The London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA), Dell’ Arte International School of Physical Theatre, The Manitoulin Conservatory for Creation and Performance, Song of the Goat and with the SITI Company NYC Summer Viewpoints Intensive.