Are you thinking of applying for Redeye's Graduate Mentoring Scheme? Hopefully the feedback from previous mentees on this page will help.
Much like last year, graduating and starting a career is particularly difficult at the moment. So we want 2021 graduates to receive as much support as possible as they leave education. Redeye’s Graduate Mentoring Scheme is an opportunity to connect with an industry professional. It’s a chance to ask questions, seek advice or support, gain feedback on work, and chat through ideas. Our mentors come from a range of fields within the photography industry, so whether you are interested in going freelance, writing about photography, curating, publishing, or anything else, there will be a mentor who can help you find your way in that field.
**Please note that applications have closed for the 2021 Redeye Graduate Mentoring Scheme. We will be showcasing the work of the successful applicants soon!
We thought it would be helpful to hear about the mentorship experience from some of the 2020 mentees, so they have kindly written some short testimonials on their experience this past year to give you a better idea of what the mentorship can offer.
Tami Aftab – London College of Communication, UAL
The Redeye Graduate Mentorship has been key in building my photographic practice and entering the working world. I was assigned to Ronan Mckenzie, an inspiring and multifaceted artist. Ronan has been really helpful in being there to answer my industry questions from how to put together a budget, to the basics of commercial work and reaching out to potential clients. Mentorships have been key to my progression since leaving university, as a safe space to ask for the answers that you can't find with a Google search and to have someone who's there to help and support you.
Joe Kelland – University of Brighton
I have found the mentorship scheme very helpful for many reasons, especially being a graduate dealing with the repercussions of the pandemic. It was helpful to have a support system to check in with. It allowed me to maintain motivation and to stay engaged in my photographic journey despite the knock-backs that came with lockdowns and job hunting. It has also allowed me to begin networking, as a support system is in place to guide me on where to look for opportunities and how to access them. Some of these include partaking in Redeye's Hothouse event and magazine features.
Emma Booth – University of Plymouth
https://www.emmaboothphoto.com/
Having my sessions with Mariama Attah has been such a valuable opportunity and I am very grateful to Redeye for selecting me for the Graduate Mentorship Scheme. I’ve learnt a huge amount from Mariama’s input as I have navigated graduating from university in very strange times and further explored the role of curation. One of the most beneficial sessions was getting feedback on my CV and job applications which has been a confidence boost in itself.
It was great to have the space to learn, progress and discuss any of concerns with an industry professional. Mariama has been so supportive in answering my questions, sending me links and resources to further my research into the museum and gallery sector and giving great advice, all of which I’ve since utilised in several freelance jobs and in creating an exhibition programme which went live to the public in April 2021.
Holly Houlton – Coventry University
Redeye carried out an incredible job of pairing myself, as a mentee, to a very appropriate mentor in terms of profession, interests and support. Christiane Monarchi has been utterly wonderful, I cannot sing her praises enough. From the very first call we had back in August 2020, to the very many we’ve had in-between, she has provided constant support, engagement, encouragement and professionalism. Christiane has contributed hugely to the development of my newly founded writing platform Now Tell Me, as a founding editor herself, she’s been incredibly knowledgeable and helpful of how to navigate this new venture with me. She has also provided me with very valuable industry links, including writers to feature on the Now Tell Me Instagram page and those within my professional interests to speak to. Christiane has also spent the time and research to help me develop my latest photographic project ‘The Light At Home’ and given always helpful feedback.
I couldn’t be happier or more thankful to Redeye and Christiane. This mentorship programme, in all honesty, has truly helped me to achieve much of what I have in the past year and I couldn’t recommend this scheme enough.
Kadri Otsiver – University of South Wales
My mentor on the Redeye Graduate Mentorship Scheme was Laura Noble. The sessions took place during a difficult period in my life when I had just graduated from the university in Wales, and instead of pursuing my practice in the UK as long organised, I was in the process of setting my life up in Estonia. I felt disoriented, but talking to Laura helped me to reconnect with the life I had left behind. It was a stimulus to take my practice further.
Laura Chen – Birmingham City University
The mentor sessions were very helpful and productive. They were expected to last up to about an hour, but they usually went on for a little longer as my mentor and I found ourselves chatting about and exchanging a lot of shared interests. I really appreciated the time I was given to tell my story, share my ideas and present my work. I instantly felt very comfortable discussing my thoughts and was given some really interesting feedback. My mentor showed a genuine interest in my work and provided me with some very insightful references, recommendations and suggestions for other practitioners, books and visual content to look at that could potentially enhance my project and reinforce my ideas. I was left feeling inspired and with plenty of material to further explore in my own time that will help deepen my research. Ultimately, the mentorship has helped me stay curious, proactive and creatively engaged.
Amber Brown – Edinburgh College of Art
https://www.amberbrownphoto.com/
Being mentored by Zelda Cheatle as part of the Graduate Mentoring Scheme has been a massively helpful experience. I feel like we were paired well in line with our interests. Mentoring not only provides a networking opportunity to bridge the gaps between graduates and the wider sector, but also much more than that. Whilst Zelda has helped me with funding applications and set up conversations between myself and other more established artists, she has been both supportive and nurturing in discussing my future career and general interests. After graduating, I took a pause from my creative practices due to the pandemic, but when I felt ready to come back, it was good to know that somebody was there ready to chat to and spur me on! I really look forward to our chats, and feel that we discuss engaging and interesting topics. I strongly recommend other photography graduates applying to Redeye’s scheme.