For artists, by artists.
Join the warmest
and most welcoming
art collective
you’ll ever belong to.
New member sign-ups are open
until October 31st, 2024.
Do you dream of building a meaningful and sustainable art life?
So do we! We understand how challenging and confusing the artist’s path can be, which is exactly why we’re here. Together, we create powerful artworks and bring successful exhibitions and projects to life in the most iconic art city in the world. You can become one of us today, no matter where you are.
Welcome to our community, where artists of all backgrounds and experience levels come together, sharing the desire for a real and fulfilling art life. We provide the support and resources you need to build a lasting and solid artistic practice. We’re online, and our connections are genuine. Here, your vision of a fully creative future isn’t just a dream—it’s a plan. Join us, and let’s work together to make your artistic goals a reality.
We developed our own web-based platform which is always in constant development and bringing new features and improvements every semester to all our participants around the world.
Participate in curated group shows at Uncool Gallery. Enjoy the opportunity to propose for group exhibitions and receive invaluable feedback.
By Artists, for Artists.
We’re all about talent, integrity, and unwavering values, we wholeheartedly support each other as artists to boost confidence and resilience. The UA Access is tailor-made for artists committed to intensifying their practice, embracing a vibrant community, and pursuing international visibility on our own terms
As a participant, you’ll gain unlimited access to a variety of opportunities and resources. This includes the chance of participating in two to four exclusive ‘internal calls’ each year, designed specifically for UA participants. These calls lead to unique exhibitions, two in-person at Uncool Gallery and two online.
You’ll also benefit from mentoring and study groups led by Carolina Paz in both English and Brazilian Portuguese. Topics covered include:
In addition, you’ll have access and will be featured in workshops, online co-working sessions, participant interviews, guides, templates, special 1:1 advisory sessions, and “speed dating” sessions to connect with fellow artists.
This program is time-flexible. The quality of your commitment to you is more important than quantity.
Access until August 2025: all recordings, monthly mentoring and study groups, four exhibition projects, and more.
But you can access us from anywhere!
If you can’t be in NYC, no problem! We can and want to represent you here, be your power hub in the most important art location in the world today.
Uncool Artist stands out by prioritizing artists’ needs with holistic, artist-centric support that includes emotional, material, and spiritual well-being. With an active artist leading the community, we offer customized programs and a physical gallery for exhibitions, fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. Our commitment to diversity and critical thinking creates a richer, more supportive experience.
But you can access us from anywhere!
If you can’t be in NYC, no problem! We can and want to represent you here and be your power hub in the most strategic art location in the world today.
I’m grateful. First and foremost, grateful. It wasn’t easy to get here, and I know that I still have much to accomplish. Even though sometimes, when I look back, I can’t help but wonder where I could be if things had been different at the start. It was a tough, humble beginning. My father was a waiter struggling to feed his wife and five children—I was the oldest. Against all odds, growing up in a small town in southern Brazil, I was fortunate to witness him working his way up to own his restaurant, and to learn from my mother how to manage a household and care for my siblings. Thanks to them, I was able to be the first person in our family to attend college. But this was later on. Before college, there was school, dealing with years of bullying and physical abuse. As a teenager, I longed to escape, and I did. I’m grateful for that too.
In college, far from the family and municipal Catholicism in which I was raised, I could explore other ideas and beliefs like Tibetan Buddhism, which led me to draw inspiration from Baruch Spinoza’s philosophy later in life. French post-structuralism also shaped my thinking and art practice. Yes, art! For the past 20 years, art has become my political and spiritual way of being.
I majored in Social Sciences and earned a master’s in Media and Knowledge. During my 11 years as a student, I supported myself through various jobs. After graduating in 2003, I took my role as an artist seriously for the first time while also working as a college professor and in corporate roles, including founding an online university for a major airline company. I disliked the rigidity of academic and corporate institutions, but I invested 16 years of my life working in both environments while always pursuing and integrating into the art world in São Paulo. These were busy years that would not slow down. I didn’t know how to anyway.
Despite selling my work, being represented by commercial galleries, and winning prestigious national prizes, I was in agony. The most dreadful and ordinary agony among artists: praises don’t put food on the table, and I wanted a steady living from my art. Why not? I always achieved what I set out to do, but on the other hand, education and serving other artists have always been part of my mission. It became clear to me that it was also my “calling.” As I was being incorporated into the art world, I began mentoring other artists in a very unorthodox way, questioning the same system that was accepting me. Eventually, the system and I became frenemies for a while. It wasn’t fun, but looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened to me as an artist. I created a new structure to be an artist in service to other artists. I finally learned how not to rush and developed a pace and way of thinking that worked for me as an artist too.
In 2017, I moved to the US with my husband, and the only way I found to get into the culture I was interested in understanding was through academia. I pursued an MFA in Fine Arts 15 years after my first master’s degree, which depleted my finances. Despite the final year of my MFA being disrupted by the pandemic, facing homelessness, and relying on friends and relatives for support, since I founded Uncool Artist (UA) in 2018, I have remained committed to continuing to invest in my artwork and in other artists via UA, both remotely and in person through a residency program in Brooklyn. And it worked!
So, yes, I’m grateful. My experiences, even the difficult ones, taught me invaluable skills that I apply in both my art and my work with UA. I believe in a sustainable, collaborative, and fair approach to living as an artist. Rather than rushing to make my art sustain me, I support my art on my own terms, free from traditional market pressures. My path shows that a fulfilling art life is possible. It’s real. And not just for me.
I’m grateful. First and foremost, grateful. It wasn’t easy to get here, and I know that I still have much to accomplish. Even though sometimes, when I look back, I can’t help but wonder where I could be if things had been different at the start. It was a tough, humble beginning. My father was a waiter struggling to feed his wife and five children—I was the oldest. Against all odds, growing up in a small town in southern Brazil, I was fortunate to witness him working his way up to own his restaurant, and to learn from my mother how to manage a household and care for my siblings. Thanks to them, I was able to be the first person in our family to attend college. But this was later on. Before college, there was school, dealing with years of bullying and physical abuse. As a teenager, I longed to escape, and I did. I’m grateful for that too.
In college, far from the family and municipal Catholicism in which I was raised, I could explore other ideas and beliefs like Tibetan Buddhism, which led me to draw inspiration from Baruch Spinoza’s philosophy later in life. French post-structuralism also shaped my thinking and art practice. Yes, art! For the past 20 years, art has become my political and spiritual way of being.
I majored in Social Sciences and earned a master’s in Media and Knowledge. During my 11 years as a student, I supported myself through various jobs. After graduating in 2003, I took my role as an artist seriously for the first time while also working as a college professor and in corporate roles, including founding an online university for a major airline company. I disliked the rigidity of academic and corporate institutions, but I invested 16 years of my life working in both environments while always pursuing and integrating into the art world in São Paulo. These were busy years that would not slow down. I didn’t know how to anyway.
Despite selling my work, being represented by commercial galleries, and winning prestigious national prizes, I was in agony. The most dreadful and ordinary agony among artists: praises don’t put food on the table, and I wanted a steady living from my art. Why not? I always achieved what I set out to do, but on the other hand, education and serving other artists have always been part of my mission. It became clear to me that it was also my “calling.” As I was being incorporated into the art world, I began mentoring other artists in a very unorthodox way, questioning the same system that was accepting me. Eventually, the system and I became frenemies for a while. It wasn’t fun, but looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened to me as an artist. I created a new structure to be an artist in service to other artists. I finally learned how not to rush and developed a pace and way of thinking that worked for me as an artist too.
In 2017, I moved to the US with my husband, and the only way I found to get into the culture I was interested in understanding was through academia. I pursued an MFA in Fine Arts 15 years after my first master’s degree, which depleted my finances. Despite the final year of my MFA being disrupted by the pandemic, facing homelessness, and relying on friends and relatives for support, since I founded Uncool Artist (UA) in 2018, I have remained committed to continuing to invest in my artwork and in other artists via UA, both remotely and in person through a residency program in Brooklyn. And it worked!
So, yes, I’m grateful. My experiences, even the difficult ones, taught me invaluable skills that I apply in both my art and my work with UA. I believe in a sustainable, collaborative, and fair approach to living as an artist. Rather than rushing to make my art sustain me, I support my art on my own terms, free from traditional market pressures. My path shows that a fulfilling art life is possible. It’s real. And not just for me.
Artist
Curator
Artist and Art Educator
Artist and Educator
Artist
Curator
Artist
Artist and Art Educator
Curator, Artist and Educator
Artist, Curator and Researcher
Artist and Art Educator
Curator
Curator
Artist
What is Unique About Uncool Artist:
We are NOT for you if…
Uncool Artist is for artists who are ready to collaborate, innovate, and grow within a supportive community. It’s for those who seek to connect with like-minded creatives, advance their practice, and take their art career to the next level. If you’re ready to commit and embrace new challenges and opportunities, then UA is for you.
UA Access offers an exclusive experience with behind-the-scenes content and unique exhibition opportunities not available publicly. We welcome artists who are fully committed to investing in their art careers. Results from UA Access may vary based on individual effort, practice, and skills. Success requires dedication, and while we offer valuable tools, outcomes will differ for each participant. Please note that our 7-day refund policy applies only as outlined in our Terms and Conditions. Purchases made with discounts, limited offers, or coupon codes are not refundable, and coupon codes cannot be combined with other offers. The information on our websites or services does not constitute financial advice. Always seek guidance from a licensed financial advisor in your state, as this or any other website should not be considered a substitute for professional financial services.
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