MENTORSHIP APPLICATIONS OPEN ON JULY 1, 2025

Mentorship at Creature Conserve is a support system for artists, designers, writers, and experts with scientific and traditional knowledge as they collaborate and explore the human connection to nature, creating new art-sci pathways to a healthier world for all creatures. We also host Mentorship Fellows who are developing the reach and relevance of our Mentorship community.

We encourage each Mentee to forge their own creative path, develop a meaningful relationship with their Mentor, and expand their access to the wealth of expertise, knowledge, and talent across the Creature Conserve network of artists, designers, scientists, and writers.The Mentorship program stands on four core pillars:

RESEARCH Creature Conserve believes that artists are communicators. For this reason, informed making is critical.

COMMUNITY Making lasting and relevant relationships.

SKILL BUILDING Mentorship offers a safe space to experiment, contest, and redefine making practice in a way often not accessible in most profes- sional environments.

MUTUAL KNOWLEDGE SHARING There is no hierarchy between a Mentor and a Mentee, for both it is a learning process, a constant exchange.

WHO IS A MENTEE?

Mentees are individuals seeking help or guidance on any personal or professional project, at any point in their careers.They will have the opportunity to explore the intersection of art, science, and wildlife con- servation more broadly, and the relationships between scientific research and visual communication more specifically. Projects can range from indi- vidual pieces of artwork to projects such as establishing a creative studio or work toward an exhibition. For examples, see the Creature Conserve Alumni page and our Scholarship Program page on our website.The possibilities are endless, so as the program grows so does our collective knowledge.The parameters for what the Mentee would like to work on are intentionally left vague, so as not to stifle creativity. Mentees can also be individuals unfamiliar with Creature Conserve who are looking to expand their relationship with our organization.We ask that each applicant propose a specific project as the focus of the program; this can be an existing or new project.

WHO ARE OUR MENTORS?

Our Mentor pool is a constantly evolving roster of expert practitioners from a diverse array of backgrounds.They are vetted members of the Creature Conserve community who are excited by the potential of combining art and science for wildlife conservation,by working collab- oratively across disciplines, and eager to share their experiences and impart wisdom.We do our best to match individuals that will provide the greatest benefit for the Mentee’s defined objectives, not necessarily someone with the same background. Through our pairing process, we look for asynchronicities and adjacencies that might cultivate the emergence of novel ideas.

GLOBALISM

Wildlife conservation is a global dilemma. It is a solution to a human problem that requires a diverse, multiple, interconnected approach. Even as we consider an organism’s specific role in its environment, we also consider its role in the larger ecosystem, the human-dominated planet. Mentorship asks participants to consider their work on many scales; from the scale of the organism to the scale of the globe. Our program engages with globally significant concerns and themes as a way to enhance the accessibility to the understanding of natural and human systems; related but not limited to culture, geography, and politics.

TIMELINE 2025 - 2026

  • July 1, 2025: Mentorship Workshop Applications Open

  • August 2, 2025: Mentorship Workshop Applications Close

  • August 3 and 10, 2025: Mentorship Workshop

  • August 10, 2025: Mentorship Program Applicants Invited (from Attendee Pool)

  • September 1, 2025: Mentorship Decisions Announced

  • October 5, 2025: Mentorship Program Kick-Off

  • November 2, 2025: Mentee Round Table

  • December 7, 2024: Mentorship Program: Early Develop- ment Check-In

  • January 25, 2026: Mentorship Program: Mid-Program Re- view

  • March 27 - 29, 2026: Mentorship Showcase

WHAT TO EXPECT

The Mentorship program is a rigorous program, and we look to onboard Mentees who are interested in prioritizing their commitment to Crea- ture Conserve and excited to join our community. On average, time con- tribution to the program is twenty hours per month.There will be five mandatory collaborative meetings over the six-month virtual program. Mentees meet their Mentors once a month for 1:1 engagement. Success- ful Mentees are invited to present their projects in a public forum at the end of our program known as the Mentorship Showcase. Our program is conducted in English.Any maker from any country is eligible to apply. Currently, our Mentorship program is NOT stipend supported. Digital comprehension is required.

Applying to Mentorship is a two-step application process. The first step is participation in our FREE TWO DAY Mentorship Workshop on August 3 and 10, 2025. This workshop takes place over the course of two 4-hr days, 1 week apart, via Zoom. It is open to everyone; it is also mandatory for those interested in joining our Mentorship cohort for the 2025-2026 season. From this workshop, Mentees will be invited to apply for the full program (October 2025 - March 2026.)

MENTORSHIP WORKSHOP 2025

DATES: AUGUST 3 & 10 2025

TIME: 10 AM ET to 2 PM ET

INSTRUCTOR: Derek Russell, Mentorship Director

Registration OPENS JULY 1 and closes July 31, 2025

VISIT THIS LINK FOR MORE: creature conserve MENTORSHIP FULL PROGRAM DETAILS

Derek can be reached at mentorship@creatureconserve.com.

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MENTOR?

Please apply here if you are interested in becoming a Mentor.