Iram Sadaf Padder

2021 Create Change Fellow 

Brooklyn | Coaching, Curation, and Painting

Artist Bio
Sadaf is a South Asian American Brooklyn-based creative coach and curator. She is the founder of Alpha Arts Alliance (A3), a hyper-local collective and global agency that serves artists of color of all ages.

After spending nearly a decade in the public school system as a teacher and Dean of Students, Sadaf left her job in summer 2019 to find what was missing in the education system – integration of arts in learning. Through A3, Sadaf provides creative coaching and youth arts programming.

In her art practice, Sadaf flexes automatism and intuition. Her paintings are often described as “”drawing you in and out and in and out” and “energy vortexes.” In her curatorial work, she has displayed from the East to West Coast.

Sadaf enjoys baking homecake and rollerblading in her hand-painted inlines with the neighborhood kids.

What is the role of art and culture for the future of the city?
“Art is the future of a community-based education. The role of the artist is increasingly as a teacher and mentor. The world is shifting rapidly and we have a duty to prepare our youth with the skills and mindset to succeed. The arts gives pathways to creative thinking and entrepreneurship. Everyone has a unique role to play in this mission.”

Artist Website
alphaartsalliance.com