AN INITIATIVE FROM THIRD EYE COLLECTIVE
We pair emerging artists with industry advisors and partners — who develop and give exposure to their current creative projects. Each cycle invites creative leaders from all cultures to get to know & champion new South Asian diaspora art.
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For our inaugural cohort, we picked 4 emerging designers to join our Fellowship.
Our Fellows have backgrounds in graphic, engineering, and product design, and they each brought one unique project to develop with their matched Advisor. At the end of the 9 week-season, they presented their work at a Portfolio Showcase, with Creative Directors and Recruiters across the design industry in attendance!
+Advisor: Jane Kate Wong
Maryam is a visual designer from Karachi, Pakistan, living in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently pursuing her MS in Package Design at Pratt Institute. Her passions include animation, photography, illustration, and typography.
PROJECT: Maryam designed a photo book titled "Faraamosh" that highlights architecture and design elements from regions across Pakistan.
+ Advisor: Gus Cook
Divya is a junior visual designer at Code & Theory. Her design practice aims to create work that is meaningful and focuses on her own experiences as a South Indian woman. She is the creator of Refusing Refusal and the Lead Designer at SAAG.
PROJECT: Divya built a publication tilted "Karthika" which highlights the creative, queer, radical, and intersectional parts of Desi Identity that are often erased from mainstream narratives.
+ Advisors: Porto Rocha
Shujaat is a junior designer currently freelancing at Concrete design studio in Toronto, Canada. He specializes in visuals and playing with emerging technology to build new interactive experiences.
PROJECT: Shujaat built the strategy and art direction for "Hitoto": a line of unique work-from-home products.
+ Advisor: Shabnam Shiwan
Nethra is an experience designer with an engineering background, hailing from South India and currently based in NYC. She’s most interested in creating work within the realms of culture and diversity.
PROJECT: Nethra created "Love, Paati" — an editorial publication showcases ancient wellness and beauty rituals from South India, alongside story excerpts from over 160 rituals that she collected in the process.
Brazilian designers Leo Porto and Felipe Rocha are founders of PORTO ROCHA, a New York-based design studio developing branding systems, products and experiences. Felipe previously worked as Senior Designer at Sagmeister & Walsh, and his clients have included brands like Snapchat, Airbnb and Spotify. Leo has worked at renowned studios like Pentagram and Mother, and his work has been recognized by The One Club, Print Magazine and The Type Director's Club.His clients have included Target, Nike and Twitch, and he was recenty named a “Young Gun” by The Art Directors Club.
At her NZ-based design studio — Osborne Shiwan — Shabnam specializes in strategic thinking and art direction. Prior to her own practice, Shabnam worked as a design director at Alt Group and Saatchi & Saatchi Design Worldwide, for clients including New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Fisher & Paykel, Better by Design, among others. Her work has been recognised in New Zealand’s Best Awards and AGDA (Australia), as well as the Red Dot Awards (Germany), Clio (USA), ADC (USA), TDC (USA), AIGA (USA) and One Show (USA).
Augustus leads Brand Design for Business Transformation, a capability that reinvents businesses by combining innovation consulting, branding, and technology. He’s worked on multiple global brand and identity projects with Google, ABinBev, Nike, Verizon, PepsiCo, Unilever, AdCouncil, and Walmart. He has received countless awards in the industry, including recognition from Cannes Lions, Clio’s, Webbys and Pencils from the One Show to name a few.
Jane works at the intersection of culture, services, spaces and tech. She designs future experiences for people, going from the environmental to the intimate; from work to play. Prior to Interaction Design, Jane worked in architecture, on both residential and commercial projects. Her clients have included Nike, Jordan, Samsung and the City of Copenhagen, and she’s taught design at SVA, Ad Council and Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design.
Each cycle of the Fellowship focuses on a different creative discipline.
Practicing creatives from that discpline who are between 2-6 years of their professional careers can apply. We ask that applicants be based in North America.
No. Since this is a first-of-its kind initiative for South Asian artists, our Advisors and industry partners generously offer their time. Accessibility is our #1 priority.
1. Submit an application with a discipline-specific creative project
2. Go through 1-2 interviews with the Third Eye Collective team
3. Advisors vote on Fellow finalists
4. Get matched to your Advisor & develop project
You get a clear number of structured sessions — the exact number will vary with each Fellowship cycle, based on the creative discipline & project. Sessions will be scheduled at a cadence that you and your Advisor set.
1. Come with clear project goalsd
2. Use time with advisors as review / critique sessions
3. Provide feedback on your experience to Third Eye Collective
We do not guarantee 1:1 job opportunities at this time, but we are forming partnerships with creative institutions that will give Fellows a first-look at new gigs. For now, the primary goal of each cohort is to give Fellows direct exposure to professional guidance. With our leading Advisors, you’ll not only supercharge your project, but receive personalized support, network access, and meaningful industry relationships that last beyond this program.
Yes! Every season is focused on 1 creative discipline. You can look out for an announcement about the next cohort later this year.