Visual Arts Mentorship

B Street Collaborative is pleased to announce the launch of a new mentorship program for visual artists in Canada. This 1:1 program with mentorship provided by art world veteran Mia Nielsen is available to artists at any stage of their career looking to push their practice forward.

Objects could include, but not be limited to preparing for specific projects (eg exhibition or residency), looking for guidance on next steps in their careers or support on navigating shifts in the art market. This 6-month program will be awarded to 2 visual artists at different points in their careers.

Applications are due at midnight EST, Friday, September 18th, 2026.

Artists in any stage of their careers are welcome to apply:

● Young artists: self-taught and/or within 5yrs of graduating

● Mid career artists: with some exhibition history (10 yrs of shows and projects)

● Senior artists: Artists with significant exhibition histories who have been practicing for 25+ years

Artists are selected jointly by Mia Nielsen and Heather Jessiman.

Mentorship is comprised of:

● Onboarding process where artists share mentorship objectives and goals and mentor sets out suggested plan for the 6-month mentorship

● Two meetings per month, ideally every 2 weeks.

● Each meeting will be 60-90min

● This is the artist’s time, we can review whatever is most important to them (eg could include a studio visit, advisory on business practices, grant applications etc) and does not need to strictly follow the plan from onboarding

● For special projects (exhibition install, residencies and other high-pressure, time sensitive projects) Mia is available for calls/texts

● After each meeting, Mia will follow up in writing with notes, references and next steps to address the artists’ career goals.


About the mentor:

Mia Nielsen brings 25 years of cross-disciplinary art experience to this mentorship program —curating exhibitions, producing performances and site-specific installations for galleries, museums, art fairs, and festivals across Canada and beyond. She spent 7 years leading Art Toronto, gaining deep market knowledge working with national and international galleries, and directed Artist Project, connecting independent artists directly with collectors and galleries. From 2007–2019, she built The Drake Hotel’s culture program, collaborating with artists including Judy Chicago, Peaches, and Sara Cwynar. Mia is keen to support artists at every career stage— offering guidance on exhibition development, sales strategy, gallery connections, and fresh perspective.

A recent mentee had this to say:

"Working with Mia shaped my art practice. Her real value wasn't feedback on the work — it was her ability to distill the art world: the noise, the politics, the moments that pull you off course. She helped me stay focused on making while keeping my own instincts intact. Her approach is gentle and direct, and an hour with her is worth the investment. The art world is as confusing as it is subjective — Mia cuts through it."