ART for Survival: Your Talent Deserves to Be Seen
Talent exists everywhere. Opportunities do not.
Some artists discover their creativity in a classroom. Others discover it at home, on the streets, through community traditions or during difficult chapters of their lives. They learn by trying, observing and creating with whatever materials they can find.
Their work may be powerful, thoughtful and original, yet remain unseen beyond their immediate community.
At INUWA International, we believe these artists deserve opportunities to develop their work, receive recognition and earn from their creativity. This belief is at the heart of ART for Survival.
Why we created this programme
An artist’s opportunities should not depend only on their education, connections or ability to afford materials.
For many young people, formal art education has never been accessible. Financial hardship, displacement, family responsibilities and limited local opportunities can make an artistic career feel out of reach. Others have chosen to learn independently, developing their own techniques through practice and experimentation.
ART for Survival aims to reach these emerging voices and create a connection between their creativity and new audiences.
Our focus is on self-taught artists aged 16–35 worldwide, particularly those with limited access to exhibitions, professional networks and opportunities to sell their work.
We want to recognize their skill, dedication and potential. An artist does not need to prove how much they have suffered to deserve an opportunity.
All kinds of materials. Many ways to tell a story.
Art does not need expensive materials to carry meaning.
A pencil drawing can communicate something words cannot. Beads can hold memories and traditions. Fabric can speak about identity. Clay, sand, wire or discarded objects can become
a work that changes how someone sees the world.
We welcome painting, drawing, beadwork, sculpture, textiles, mixed media, recycled art and other forms of creative expression.
We are interested in what artists create, how they develop their ideas and what they want their work to communicate. A formal art degree is not required, and applying is free.
Art that helps us understand each other
ART for Survival brings creativity into conversations about dignity, safety, belonging and resilience.
The programme’s themes include women’s safety and femicide, sexual violence, HIV-related stigma, mental health, migration and the experiences of refugees.
These issues affect people across different countries and cultures. Art can help us approach them with greater attention and empathy. It can challenge assumptions, honour lives, make overlooked experiences visible and create space for conversations that are often difficult to begin.
But these stories also contain joy, imagination, identity, love and hope. We want artists to have room to express the fullness of human experience.
Artists may draw inspiration from their own lives, their communities or wider social issues.
No one is required to disclose personal trauma, their health status or private experiences to participate. Where an artwork draws on another person’s story, their dignity, privacy and permission must guide the process.
What we hope to offer participating artists
Our ambition is to create opportunities that go beyond a single social media post.
Through the programme, we aim to support selected artists to develop original work for a planned exhibition in Norway, introduce their creativity to new audiences and connect them with artists and supporters across borders.
Depending on confirmed resources and individual agreements, this may include:
Support towards materials and the production of selected artworks.
Opportunities to exhibit and offer work for sale.
Artist profiles that recognize their names, creative processes and contributions.
Opportunities to discuss their work through recorded presentations, online conversations or artist talks.
Connections with artists and cultural communities in Norway and internationally.
Payment, production support, sales arrangements and permissions will be discussed and agreed with selected artists before work begins. Applying does not transfer ownership of an artist’s work or copyright.
We are still developing the exhibition and its partnerships. Participation, sales, income and travel to Norway are not guaranteed. We want to build opportunities carefully and communicate clearly about what we can provide.
Connecting communities through creativity
Based in Trondheim, INUWA International works across local and international communities. ART for Survival reflects that connection. We hope to bring emerging international artists into dialogue with artists based in Norway, creating a space where different perspectives can meet and each artist’s contribution is recognized.
For audiences, the exhibition will be an opportunity to encounter unfamiliar artistic
approaches, learn about the people behind the work and reflect on experiences beyond their own. For participating artists, it can offer encouragement, visibility and a chance to build relationships that may support their future development.
How the fundraising will support our work
ART for Survival is also a fundraising initiative. Alongside supporting participating artists, we intend to use funds raised to contribute primarily to INUWA’s community initiatives in Trondheim, with a smaller contribution to selected projects in Africa.
Our wider work includes creating opportunities for participation, reducing stigma and supporting women, young people and people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
Artist payments, exhibition costs and the funds available for community projects must be clearly distinguished. We will communicate confirmed arrangements as the project develops so that artists, buyers and supporters understand how their contributions will be used.
Our goal is to build a programme where artistic opportunity and community benefit support one another.
Help us reach artists who are rarely seen
Some of the artists we hope to reach may have few social media followers, no website and no professional portfolio. Others may live far from galleries or have limited internet access.
You can help us reach them.
If you know a young person who draws, paints, works with beads, creates sculptures or makes art from everyday materials, please share this opportunity with them. Community organizations, youth groups and local creative networks can help us reach beyond the people already connected to international opportunities.
We want to discover talent that deserves a wider audience.
Apply to ART for Survival
If you are a self-taught artist aged 16–35, we invite you to introduce yourself and share examples of your original work through our application form.
You do not need an art degree. There is no application fee.
📅 Application deadline: 31 January 2027
Your talent deserves to be seen.
An initiative by INUWA International.
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