ACN IS
An artist-led initiative
The ACN is an artist-led initiative designed to facilitate peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, professional development, partnership-building, and artistic and networking events for the artists within AFI’s NYC-based community. This initiative is designed to empower artists to support each other as co-creators, organizers, and friends. With generous support from the Mellon Foundation, the Artist Community Network (ACN) launched in 2025 as a one-year pilot program. Building on its success, the 2026 iteration is made possible through the generous support of the Doris Duke Foundation.
What we offer
The ACN Cohort
- Receives monthly stipends to support their living expenses.
- Participates in peer-to-peer mentorship, knowledge exchange, resource sharing, and network building.
- Receives customized professional development from two of AFI’s New York City-based partner arts and cultural organizations based on collectively determined interests and goals.
- Learns best practices for digital archiving and online security to support their individual artistic practice.
- Collaboratively develops artistic events to showcase their work.
- Build out a virtual newsletter for immigrant artist peers from AFI’s network to share resources and experiences as they navigate displacement and resettlement.
- Creates a sustainable artist-led community.
Developing
The Artist Community Network
From a pool of qualified applicants, AFI has selected early-to-mid-career artists to participate in the ACN cohort. The application process assessed artists’ positionality, duration of stay in the United States, involvement in respective arts communities, commitment to community building, and proof of artistic excellence.
Now in various stages of resettlement in New York City, these AFI artists form a cohort. Rooted in their respective creative practices and shared experiences with displacement, artists will be supported for one year with a monthly living stipend and continued pro bono immigration and resettlement support from AFI.
Meet the ACN Cohort
Artist Community Network
Lour
Lour is a Palestinian lyricist, composer, performer, and multidisciplinary artist from Middle East. Through music and theatre, her work explores conflict, displacement, resilience, and identity while blending Arab pop with contemporary performance.
Mehrnam Rastegari
Mehrnam Rastegari is a well-established Persian musician, award-winning film score composer, singer, violinist, and master Kamancheh player.
Lama El Homaïssi
Lama El Homaïssi (she/her) is an immigrant performer and writer from Lebanon currently based in Brooklyn, New York.
Yasmeen
Yasmeen is a Lebanese director, writer, and actress based in Brooklyn (technically Queens). Her journey began in Lebanon, continued with a master’s in screenwriting and directing in Paris, and took her to New York for an intensive program at Stone Street Studios.
Nazanin Noroozi
Nazanin Noroozi is an Iranian multidisciplinary artist whose work uses moving image, printmaking, and alternative photography to explore collective memory, displacement, and the lasting impact of political and social upheaval.
Achiro P. Olwoch
Achiro Patricia Olwoch, hailing from Gulu in Northern Uganda, is an award-winning writer, director, and producer currently living in exile in New York.
Bart Was Not Here
Bart Was Not Here is a Burmese artist in exile based in New York
Cansu Korkmaz
Cansu Korkmaz is a Turkish-born visual artist based in Brooklyn. Her work explores themes of intimacy, memory, and identity through photography and mixed media.
ACN 2025 Visual Arts Cohort Exhibition
ACN 2025 Writing Cohort Performance
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