Mentoring Programme

I work with artists and artist-researchers (one-to-one) who are at a point of needing to think more clearly about their practice, their writing, or their next steps.

Mentoring with me is reflective and critical but also practical and grounded in sustained professional and research experience.

It's a space to think rigorously, and move forward with sharper direction and more confidence and clarity.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Mentoring is suitable for:

  • emerging artists seeking clarity or momentum in their practice

  • artist-researchers working across practice and theory

  • MA applicants developing proposals

  • practitioners preparing funding, residency, or exhibition applications

  • artists needing support with writing about their work

Mentoring is not suitable for:

  • proofreading or editing services

  • guaranteed outcomes (funding, acceptance, publication)

  • therapy or counselling

MENTORING STRANDS

A. Practice & Professional Development

This strand focuses on:

  • clarifying the direction of current work

  • strengthening and positioning practice

  • articulating work through artist statements and project texts

  • navigating opportunities (applications, exhibitions, residencies)

  • making strategic decisions about next steps

  • building a research-based art project

B. Proposal / MA / PhD Mentoring

This strand focuses on:

  • clarifying research questions and aims

  • strengthening proposal structure and coherence

  • positioning practice-as-research

  • articulating methodology and context

  • preparing proposals for submission

This mentoring does not replace formal academic supervision.

SESSION FORMATS & FEES

  • 60 minutes at €90

  • 3-session block for €250

Blocks are recommended for proposal development or more sustained practice support.

All sessions take place online.

HOW TO BOOK

  1. Review the mentoring information

  2. Email kieraotooleartist@gmail.com and complete the short intake form which I will email you.

  3. If it’s a good fit, you’ll receive:

    • a mentoring agreement

    • an invoice (bank transfer)

  4. Sessions are confirmed once payment and the signed agreement are received

MENTOR INFORMATION & AGREEMENT - Learn more here

Testimonials

Kiera has a natural gift for mentoring. She asked insightful questions that helped me break down barriers between my visual and verbal languages.

She has a keen sense of structure in writing. She is capable of understanding complex ideas while being very down to earth and practical with a good sense of humour which makes every session something to look forward to. She equipped me well to take on a Masters in Painting.

Helen.

Kiera has mentored me over the past few months, and I have found working with her to be both enjoyable and  rewarding. She is experienced and incisive, so quickly understood the supports I needed to develop and strengthen my art practice. 

Throughout the mentorship Kiera was always prompt, thorough, and constructive with her feedback and advice. She helped me to clarify my current vision and goals, so that I now have a much sharper focus to the conceptual direction of my work, and a greater ability to articulate and communicate what it is about, and why it matters.

As a result, I have already achieved significant success with funding and exhibition proposals, and my confidence and motivation to pursue new opportunities has been boosted.

Jo

Kiera teaches with passion and insight, reinforced with past experiences and a load of talent. She is inspirational, gutsy and brilliant with all types of people- and can seriously teach. Lindsay

Informative and engaging… personalised… vision clarification… a practical approach that also accommodated scope for individual attention to each artist. Learning from a practicing artist was so valuable. Kiera brings out the best in everyone. Kerry