Arts Family Tree Sprouts Connections Between New Artists and Mentors

This year, students seeking guidance from veteran artists can find it through the new Arts Family Tree, a networking and mentorship program started by Sabrina Carlier ’21 that connects artists from different disciplines and backgrounds.

The program aims to provide a close-knit support system for artists, where experienced upperclassmen can provide knowledge to arts greenhorns, ranging from advice about arts courses to opportunities in their specific concentrations. Carlier explained, “Having a connection to another student in the same discipline but different grade and experience level will allow students to get mentorship in whatever their journey as an artist may be.”

The idea for the program blossomed from Carlier’s concern that new students would not be able to receive the same heart-warming, in-person welcome and experience on campus that cemented her love for the Choate Arts Department. Although she initially focused on ballet before Choate, Carlier found a home in the theater program and would like to encourage other young artists to branch out and explore different art fields.

Graphic by Tony Lee/The Choate News

Interested students can join the Family Tree by filling out a short form posted on the student portal, in which they identify their form, time zone, and art discipline(s). Prior experience is not a prerequisite to join; anyone interested in the arts is welcome. Each student is then placed into a “branch” of the tree, determined by their primary field of study.

Carlier clarified that multidisciplinary artists, such as a visual artist who wants to venture into dance, are also welcome. According to Carlier, the program embraces how interconnected the arts are and hopes members of the Family Tree will frequently collaborate across disciplines. In fact, she chose to call the program a “Family Tree” in order to emphasize her goal of connecting artists of all different fields and levels of experience and mastery.

Fifth and sixth form mentors in the family tree will plan several meetings throughout each term. “Within the coming weeks, each branch will have their first gathering and start getting to know each other,” said Carlier, and assured that all safety guidelines will be followed for in-person meetings. 

In order to foster and preserve long-lasting connections, students will remain in the program even after graduating and will transition to being an alumni mentor in their designated branch. Currently, the Arts Family Tree only consists of current Choate students, but Carlier hopes to invite alumni into the program within a few months. 

Although the initial deadline of September 13 has passed, Carlier still encourages anyone interested in being involved in the Arts Family Tree to join through the form on the student portal.

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