I’m XAV — creative director, curator, artist mentor, and co-founder of Artist Ally — a weekly publication and platform built for international, immigrant, and emerging artists in Barcelona (and beyond) who want to grow personally and financially while staying true to themselves.
We’re proud to be supported by Fabra i Coats and Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, where we’re currently residents at Fabra i Coats — meet us here.
Why Artist Ally Exists
The whole idea of Artist Ally is to help professional artists mature faster in their careers — personally and financially — by holistically nurturing them so they can grow ethical, authentic, and fulfilling practices.
If you join our circle, you get more than just “inspiration” — you get:
- Maps: curated Barcelona resources like the Photography Map and High-Quality Printing & Cuts Map to connect you with the right spaces and services (plus discounts from our partners).
- Tools & Templates: from inventory sheets to open-call templates — practical stuff you can download and use immediately.
- Weekly drops of wisdom: real talk about building your practice beyond the studio.
- Mentorship & Workshops: 1:1 or group sessions that combine strategy with soul.
Why? Because art and creativity are not just hobbies or side gigs — they’re essential services to society.
The bigger picture
We know from countless studies (World Health Organization, National Endowment for the Arts, etc.) that art improves mental health, builds community, and sparks innovation. Because of this, we should and must consider art and creativity as valuable services and assets to society — one that deserves not only recognition but also fair pay.
It’s awkward, because we artists know art wasn’t meant to have a price tag — it’s inherently valuable just by existing, and we create because of an inherent, visceral need to do so. Most creative work emerge when we are vulnerable, when we are being our most essential selves. They contain truth. Our beautifully raw truth. And yes, it is unsettling and uncomfortable to put a price tag on our intuition and creative urge. But the reality is: we live in a world run on money. So let’s learn the strategies to be paid fairly for our work.
And I will straight up say that getting paid doesn’t make your work less pure. It allows you to sustain the space, time, and freedom to create more of it. Think of artists like Yayoi Kusama, who built a sustainable career by pairing her deeply personal, often vulnerable art with smart business collaborations; or musicians like Björk, who fiercely protects her creative rights while finding innovative ways to distribute her work. Even Picasso once said, “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” And working — especially consistently over decades — requires resources, clarity, organisation, discpline and structure.
The truth is, earning from your art is not selling out. It’s buying in: investing in your own future, your practice, and your ability to keep contributing to culture without burning out or being dependent on systems that don’t always have your best interests at heart.
My philosophy
I’m not a believer in the traditional, mainstream art world path that often values money and status over authenticity, depth, or impact. I believe in self-empowerment. In artists having agency over their lives and ruling them, rather than waiting for permission from a system that doesn’t always have their best interests at heart.
And that means embracing an entrepreneurial mindset — because as creatives, we already create. And let me tell, you my dear: that mindset is what sets us free, allowing us to live on our own terms, following our natural interests.
It also means rejecting the toxic normalization of overproduction. We are not cogs in a machine, and our worth is not measured by constant output. I believe in designing careers around sustainable lives where emotional, spiritual, and physical health come first. This is about embracing daily rituals that nurture us, making time for play, rest, and solitude, because that’s when we reconnect with our truth.
Our practice (being you an artist or not) should align with who we are, not the other way around. If you’re a night owl, then let’s craft a schedule that honors your creative rhythm. If you thrive in bursts rather than steady output, let’s work with that. Your career should be intelligently crafted around your unique force, not forcing you to bend to its demands. That’s how we build not just sustainable careers, but sustainable lives.
A question I ask artists
When I mentor, I often ask: Do you want to be rich and famous or do you want to live off your work?
The answer is almost always:
“I just want to create and sustain myself with it — have a comfortable life as an artist.”
The thing is, many don’t see another option. But many doors are waiting to be kicked open by you.
It is possible — but it requires what most creatives aren’t taught:
- Strategy
- Clear communication
- Structure
- Self-awareness
- Aligned allies
That’s where Artist Ally and I come in.
Who we are
I partner with gallerist Blake Zigrossi (Abbozzo Gallery, Toronto) to educate artists and guide them beyond the studio work. Together, we’ve built a platform a platform that combines intuition and strategy to give creatives real-world tools: curated maps, practical templates, and weekly drops of wisdom from the field.
Alongside the platform, Blake offers his own consultancy for artists and gallerists navigating the commercial art gallery world and I offer my own professional services as an artist mentor and consultant for those who want deeper, personalised guidance, including:
- 1:1 Mentorship for Artists: a sacred, strategic, soul-centred space to align your practice with who you truly are.
- Workshops: for schools, residencies, and collectives to give artists practical career tools and communication streategies.
- Institutional Consulting: helping organisations professionalise artists beyond creative output.
We also collaborate with amazing allies like Frikifish Magazine (💜), PrintHouse BCN and ArtHost Barcelona, to offer our subscribers real-world benefits — from discounts to priority booking at artist-friendly spaces.
Ready to Get Started?
Subscribe to Artist Ally for free and instantly get access to our Barcelona Photography Map + High-Quality Printing & Cuts Map — plus tips, templates, and weekly insights to help you grow your career with authenticity and clarity.
Let’s talk: hello.artistally@gmail.com
Thanks for your interest in art & creativity on FrikiFish— a one-woman labor of love, providing free content and services to artists, art-lovers and creative projects in-and-around Barcelona. This project runs on caffeine and community love, please consider supporting with a donation or a cup of coffee. Thank you!