Gray Fruit is an artists’ agency and learning platform operating at the intersection of art institutions and artists' studios. We offer holistic, personalized, and content-driven support that empowers artists and art workers to explore their creative ideas and build professional relationships tailored to their practice. Rather than working for artists, we work with them—encouraging experimentation and placing artistic freedom at the heart of everything we do.

Our methods are rooted in active listening, empathy, and critical thinking, attuned to the nuances of the artistic process. We embrace a transparent and professionally grounded approach that fosters diverse skills, authentic collaboration, and a foundation of agency and self-care. Based in Brussels, we are open to collaborations both locally and internationally.

Why Gray Fruit?

The name Gray Fruit emerged serendipitously from a slip of the tongue for "Grapefruit" during a conversation about Yoko Ono’s iconic book. Yet...perhaps there are no coincidences. The name captivated us with its layered resonance, referencing a seminal work of the 1960s that embodies art's transformative power to reimagine the everyday and reclaim agency in a world that often feels beyond our control.

At the same time, Gray Fruit conveys an inherent ambiguity, recognizing the gray zones within our systems and institutions. By inhabiting these liminal realms, Gray Fruit celebrates complexity, embraces the in-between, and trusts in the profound potential of art to challenge, question, and inspire.

At Gray Fruit, we are open to working with anyone seeking support in their creative journey. However, we primarily focus on:

• Emerging Artists looking for guidance as they explore new creative territories and build a solid foundation for their practice.

• Artists in Transition who are navigating the next stage of their practice, embracing change, and seeking guidance to explore new directions.

• Writers and Critics wanting to connect with the art world, whether through collaborations, projects, or exploring new approaches to writing.

• Organizations and Curators who need to raise funds and seek advice on expanding their research and programmatic strategies, and engagement with often marginalized contexts.

Mentoring: Through personalized studio visits and process-focused one-on-one sessions, we provide constructive feedback and collaborate with you on key aspects of your artistic work. We help articulate your practice, develop concepts, unwrap curatorial strategies, increase visibility, and address the often overlooked personal aspects of artistic work.

Writing Expertise: We collaborate to craft clear, professional texts, including artist statements, synopses, funding applications, and promotional content in flexible and mutable vocabularies. Between both of us, we speak English, Dutch, Polish, Danish, and Norwegian.

Press & Promotion: We help you navigate communications, social media and press, developing strategies to increase media attention and effectively promote your work.

Learning Frameworks: We design alternative learning and research formats, such as expert talks, field trips, and workshops, that encourage community engagement, experimentation, and critical thinking.

Networking: We connect with like-minded individuals and organizations to foster dialogue, and expand opportunities.

image|Arash Shahali & Anna Smolak by © Serena Vittorini

Anna Smolak is a curator, writer, researcher, crochet enthusiast, and former bike courier. Her curatorial practice explores themes of artistic labor, self-organization, locality, and the emancipatory potential of art in underrepresented contexts.

Committed to supporting emerging artists, Anna mentors and facilitates residencies and educational programs. She encourages collaboration and experimentation, creating spaces for artists to explore new ideas while maintaining a critical stance. Her approach prioritizes decentralized, non-hierarchical, and process-oriented models of art-making.

Anna has curated numerous exhibitions, public art projects, and seminars across diverse organizational contexts. She has collaborated with Tranzit.ro/Bucharest and the Experimental Station for Research on Art and Life (RO), BWA SOKÓŁ (PL), PinchukArtCentre (UA), HISK (BE), and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute (PL), among others. With a background in art history and cultural diplomacy, she has conducted extensive research on the post-Soviet context, particularly in the North and South Caucasus. Anna was a curator of the Future Generation Art Prize 2017 and served as a jury member for several competitions for young artists.

Her writing has appeared in Most Magazine, Glean, Idea Art+Society, Magazyn Szum, and other platforms. 

Arash Shahali is a resilient art press agent, cultural worker, bingo host, and former stewardess. He enjoys palling around with art critics and writers, helping artists and cultural institutions amplify their international presence.

Empathy, attention to detail, humor, and POLITENESS are the pillars of his work ethic and practice.

When wearing his communications hat, Arash cares about:

• Giving artworks and artists the time of day

• Making ideas resonate

• Striking a balance between clarity and complexity

• Not underestimating audiences

• Being open to the transformative and flexible properties of language

• Taking language seriously as a tool for inclusivity

He has worked with communications, press and funding for a wide range of institutions, from large-scale contemporary art events like documenta 14 (DE/GR), Bamako Encounters (ML), and CHART Art Fair (DK), to established institutions such as Fotogalleriet Oslo (NO), Kunsthalle Wien (AT), and Urbane Künste Ruhr (DE).

His writing has appeared in Arts of the Working Class, Passe Avant, and Paletten.

Arash enjoys a wide variety of activities, from golf to miniature golf.

Book a free 30-minute consultation to see if we’re the right fit for you and whether our methods align with your needs. During the session, we’ll discuss the duration and scope of the collaboration, as well as the most suitable pricing model.

Pricing Model

Mentoring / Coaching  /  Studio Visits / Portfolio Review / Consultation:
Hourly Rate: 75 EUR

Grant Writing:
Day Rate: 450 EUR
Commission: 3% on successful applications exceeding 15,000 EUR

Copywriting (Bios, Statements, Press Releases, Synopses, etc.):
Rate: From 150 EUR per page (500 words)

Creative Writing:
Rate: To be discussed

Prices are negotiable depending on the scope and particularities of the project.

We’re very happy to hear from you!

Contact us via email:
Anna at anna@grayfruit.be
Arash at arash@grayfruit.be

Or both, for completionist’s sake :)

Our studio:
We’re part of the SB34 Clovis community!
Come find us at Boulevard Clovis,
83-87, 1000 — Bruxelles
(by appointment)