Currently 15 active open calls open to applicants in the US, across AI, arts, film, journalism, research, tech and cross-disciplinary practice. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Almost every entry is funded; a few notable unpaid open calls and festival submissions are included as clearly flagged exceptions. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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The City of Moorhead is seeking proposals for an inspirational, movable public artwork to be installed at rotating locations across the city. Interactive elements are explicitly encouraged, with kinetic sculpture, digital installation and tactile elements named as examples. Strong proposals invite public participation, promote creativity and youth engagement, are safe for all members of the public, are durable enough for year-round outdoor conditions, and draw people to gather. Submissions are reviewed and ranked by the Artist Review Team, whose recommendation passes to the Art and Culture Commission and then to City Council for the final decision. Questions go to art@moorheadmn.gov. Proposals are due by 10:00am on Friday 4 September 2026.
The Erie Canal Museum, in partnership with the New York State Canal Corporation, is appointing two Erie Canal Artists-in-Residence for a one-year, year-long creative inquiry into the New York State Canal System, including the historic Erie Canal: reflecting on its past, contemplating its current condition, and considering its future. The 2027 residencies are dedicated to projects that reflect upon the Canal's physical, environmental and social condition and history, its materiality and its context, and the project must directly address the Canal. Applicants propose a specific creative visual project that must be exhibitable in a gallery setting, identify their target audiences and explain how the work will be shared with them and with the public at large. Studies of Canal communities are encouraged, but the Canal and its context must be central. Projects may focus on key areas or on the entire system, and applicants are told to weigh that scale: 524 miles of navigable waterways and 365 miles of multi-use trails. ELIGIBILITY: all artists are encouraged to apply, and special consideration goes to artists with ancestral ties to the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and/or the Mohican Nation and to artists who have lived or worked in Canal communities. Only individual artists or artist collectives may apply; artists representing nonprofit or for-profit organisations may not. Artists must be 18 or older and may not be currently enrolled in school full time. For collectives, only one USD 10,000 stipend is awarded to the group. APPLICATION: a statement of interest and proposal (up to 500 words) covering why the residency interests you, your proposed project and how it meets the three residency goals (engage with the Canal, adjacent Canalway Trails, Canal Corp. and Museum staff, Canal facilities, communities and visitors; reflect directly on the Canal's physical, environmental and social condition and history; consider a fuller, more complete account of the Canal's past, present and future), which geographic section you will focus on, how you would share work publicly during the residency, your proposed final project, and how your previous work and public engagement relate; an artist's statement (up to 300 words); a resume or CV (max three pages); two professional references with phone and email; and ten examples of recent work (written work limited to three pages each) with a list giving title, date, materials and size plus short descriptions. EVALUATION covers clarity and relevance of the proposal, the scope, feasibility and clarity of the plan to reach the intended audience, the plan for public engagement including at least one public-facing event during the residency, a final project usable in an exhibit and catalogue, and the quality and relevance of prior work. Applications are reviewed by a panel of Erie Canal Museum and Canal Corporation representatives plus invited arts professionals (the 2026 panel included Elizabeth Dubben of Collar Works, artist and educator Dennis RedMoon Darkeem, and Garth Johnson, Curator of Ceramics at the Everson Museum of Art); finalists interview with the panel. SUBMIT application packages as PDFs by email to Natalie Stetson, Executive Director, at employment@eriecanalmuseum.org with 'Erie Canal Artist-in-Residence' in the subject line, by 11:59 pm on Sunday 6 September 2026. The RFP is at eriecanalmuseum.org/about/careers/.
Funds US organisations to present curator-led contemporary visual art exhibitions and projects that originated elsewhere, on condition the presenting institution meaningfully adapts the project to its own context. Teiger's remit covers group exhibitions, single-artist surveys, participatory and community-engaged projects, digital exhibitions, and live and virtual performance, making it one of very few US funders that will directly finance media-art and performance programming at organisational level. Requests are fixed at USD 50,000 or USD 75,000 with up to 30 percent for indirect costs, and there is no minimum organisation budget size, with smaller organisations explicitly favoured for infrastructure support. Hosting deadlines are quarterly: 9 September 2026 and 9 December 2026, both 17:00 ET, each mapped to a defined project-opening window roughly a year out. IMPORTANT: re-presenting a touring project unchanged is explicitly not competitive; the curatorial adaptation is the substance of the application. US 501(c)(3) status is required and the fund is not open to individuals or non-US organisations. Teiger's larger biennial Call for Proposals is not running in 2026 and next opens in autumn 2026 with an early-2027 deadline.
Established in 2008 and the first of its kind, the Artist Studios at MAD is a public-facing community engagement and professional development programme on the sixth floor of the Museum, where visitors meet artists-in-residence at work. Two artists are selected per six-month session (the application text elsewhere says three, so confirm with MAD). More than 200 artists and designers have come through the programme, which MAD describes as an innovative model for museum education, with a sustained focus on artists from historically underrepresented communities whose work pushes the boundaries of contemporary craft; alumni have exhibited at the Queens Museum, Whitney, Brooklyn Museum and Studio Museum. WHAT MAD MEANS BY CRAFT: both a discipline and a way of thinking, covering traditional studio craft materials such as clay, fiber, wood, glass, metal and stone, and craft-based methods used in new ways, including handwork combined with digital tools, performance or experimental materials. Craft here is defined by deep engagement with process, materiality and the hand rather than by medium. RESIDENCY EXPECTATIONS: this is a substantial public commitment, not quiet studio time. Residents commit to 14 or 21 public open studio hours a week on Thursdays, Fridays and/or Saturdays 10:30am to 5:30pm and/or Wednesdays 11:00am to 7:00pm, on a schedule fixed with MAD's Education Department for the whole six months. During those hours residents host K-12 school groups (in person and virtual) and public tour groups. Because of the contact with schoolchildren, all selected artists must pass a background check. ELIGIBILITY: an artist or designer with an active studio practice in the applied arts; a resident of the New York City metro area, defined as the five boroughs plus nearby New York, New Jersey and Connecticut counties within reasonable commuting distance, typically on MTA, PATH or NJ Transit; at least 21 at the time of application; and a US citizen or legal US resident with a valid SSN or EIN. The Museum does not sponsor visas and states this is not subject to exception. Programme alumni may not reapply, though unsuccessful past applicants may. SELECTION: the committee looks for a mature body of work engaging critically with the transdisciplinary fields of contemporary craft, design, art and technology, a strong conceptual framework, deep engagement with process and materials, a clear direction or question for the residency, and genuine readiness for the open studios format. Top applications go to interview with the Deputy Director of Education and Manager of Public Programs and Studios, and finalists' references are contacted. Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit the studios in person first. NOT AN EXHIBITION PROGRAMME: residents may show work in progress in their studio and finished work in the sixth-floor vitrines, but the residency does not include a gallery exhibition or a proposal for MAD's galleries. STUDIO RESTRICTIONS: no open flames, all hot work approved by the Director of Facilities, no large or unsafe power tools such as saws, and no toxic materials including turpentine, certain resins, glazes, lusters and lead-based paints. Applicants submit one application indicating their preferred schedule and which session or sessions they want, and are selected for one. Initial notifications October 2026, finalist interviews November 2026, offers December 2026. Questions: education@madmuseum.org. Deadline 11 September 2026.
GLEAN, meaning to collect gradually bit by bit, is a juried art programme that taps the creativity of artists to make people think about their consumption habits, the waste they generate and the resources they throw away. Each year five local artists, chosen by a jury of arts and environmental professionals, get access to the Metro Central transfer station for five months to glean discarded materials and make work from them. The programme ends with a group exhibition of the results at a local gallery in the summer. The 2027 round carries an increased stipend of USD 3,000 per artist and another collaboration with Rainmaker Craft Initiative. Launched in 2010, GLEAN is a partnership between Recology Oregon Recovery Inc., an employee-owned company managing resource recovery facilities, Metro, the regional government running the Portland area's garbage and recycling system, and ReClaim It, a nonprofit environmental arts organization. ELIGIBILITY: artists from Portland, Oregon. Applications are open 1 August to 13 September 2026.
Tiger Strikes Asteroid New York and Transmitter Gallery's TNT Residency offers a fully funded 430 square foot studio at 1329 Willoughby Avenue, adjacent to both galleries, for six months, culminating in a solo exhibition in the studio space (5 to 20 June 2027) or an open studio event, with a USD 250 honorarium and professional installation shots. The galleries prioritize underrepresented artists and artists producing work not always viable in traditional commercial markets, and welcome artists from all educational backgrounds, based across the United States and internationally. NOTE: housing is not provided; residents may not live or stay overnight in the studio, so non-NYC artists must arrange their own accommodation. ELIGIBILITY: professional working artists only; currently enrolled students may not apply. SUBMISSION via SlideRoom: 5 works as JPGs or a mix of MP4s and JPGs (JPGs 1280 to 2000 pixels on the longest side; videos max 3 minutes; title, media, dimensions and year required for each work); USD 35 non-refundable fee supporting the two volunteer-run galleries, with waivers available by emailing residencyTNT@gmail.com. SELECTION: 10 semi-finalists, 3 Zoom studio visits, one recipient; finalists contacted in October and results announced by end of October 2026. DEADLINE: 18 September 2026, 11:59PM EDT.
The QM-Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Emerging Artists selects two emerging visual artists living in New York City for its 2027-2028 cohort. Each fellow receives a $20,000 award, professional development consultations, mentorship from Queens Museum staff and an established New York-based artist, and a solo exhibition at the Queens Museum in 2028, with curatorial support across a full year of project development. Aimed at early-career visual artists (roughly two to ten years of professional practice) who have a consistent practice and developing public profile but have not yet reached major institutional recognition. ELIGIBILITY: must currently reside in one of NYC's five boroughs and maintain residency through the fellowship; artists enrolled in degree-granting programs are not eligible; review the detailed criteria on exhibition history, previous grants and years of practice. Supported by the Jerome Foundation. Apply via the Queens Museum fellowship program page. Deadline: 28 September 2026, 11:59 PM EST.
Center for Book Arts awards up to six New York-based emerging and mid-career artists space, time and financial support to explore the production and exhibition of artists' books and related work. The program promotes experimentation in book arts, so artists from all disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply, with applications from artists of culturally diverse backgrounds especially welcome. SUPPORT: USD 1,500 honorarium and USD 500 material stipend; 24/7 keyholder access to the shared studio for six months (April through September 2027); complimentary instruction in bookbinding, letterpress and RISO printing; professional consultations and visits to partner institutions; basic supplies, storage space and access to the Materials for the Arts program. Residents present work at the program's conclusion and may join a group exhibition planned for 2029. Applications are reviewed blind by an independent panel looking for either a demonstrated history with the book as art or an interest in engaging with it in new ways; virtual interviews follow in mid-October. Deadline: 30 September 2026, 11:59 PM.
after/time gallery in Portland, Oregon invites submissions for Networks, an end-of-year group exhibition curated by Catherine Ulrich examining the enmeshment of humanity and manufactured technology. The exhibition investigates systems of connection, consumption, tension and exchange in lived and digital realities, encouraging artists to reimagine historical and contemporary human relationships as they parallel or abstract technological systems, offering alternatives grounded in resistance, care, community and embodied experience. PRACTICALITIES: exhibition runs 5 November - 15 December 2026 with a First Thursday opening on 5 November. NOTE: the gallery publishes no artist fee or award for this call; there is a USD 20 submission fee (via Venmo) and artists are responsible for shipping costs both ways (non-local participants must provide return labels). Deadline: 2 October 2026.
South Arts' Literary Arts Project Grants fund up to USD 5,000 for the creation and publishing of creative literary work (journals, books, anthologies) and for community engagement projects such as reading series, festivals and podcasts. Eligible expenses include personnel, artist fees, editorial services, travel, marketing, facility rental and insurance. ELIGIBILITY: independent nonprofit literary arts organizations, independent publishers, and small presses including literary journals, headquartered in the nine-state South Arts region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee) with an established literary arts mission. This is an organizational grant, not an individual one; individual writers should look at the Southern Prize for Literature instead. Applications opened 12 August 2026; award notifications in November 2026, with a final report due 30 June 2027, and all expenses must occur between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. Deadline 7 October 2026.
The MIT Museum seeks proposals for compelling digital content exploring humanity's relationship with the BRAIN, the museum's thematic focus from April to September 2027 bringing together art, science, technology and design on cognition, neurotechnology, brain-computer interfaces, mental health and the boundaries of ability. Selected proposals run as ambient content on the two-story digital screen (3840x3024, 80:63 aspect ratio, 20'3" x 16'2") in the museum's central Exchange amphitheater. The museum wants immersive, non-linear, experimental, non-didactic work, such as artful visualizations of data or scientific phenomena; interactivity (touchscreens, QR codes) is out of scope and content-critical audio is discouraged. Content must run on the museum's existing hardware (Windows PC with RTX 3090, NEC LED wall with Analog Way 4K system). WHO CAN APPLY: artists, scientists, engineers, designers and other creative practitioners, from MIT or the broader community. SUPPORT: flat honorarium of USD 2,500-5,000 per selected proposal; no additional development funding. Applications reviewed from 2 November, accepted list finalized January 2027. Deadline: 1 November 2026.
A.I.R. Gallery, the artist-run space in Brooklyn founded as the first gallery for women artists in the US, awards six fellowships a year to woman and non-binary visual artists based in New York City. Each fellow receives a USD 3,000 stipend, a solo exhibition at A.I.R. Gallery in spring/summer 2028, an artist mentor throughout the 12-month program (September 2027 - August 2028), a studio visit with a review panelist, four to five professional development workshops led by professionals in the field, and ongoing studio visits and staff support. ELIGIBILITY: woman or non-binary visual artists 18+, resident in one of NYC's five boroughs for the full fellowship duration, with no solo exhibition at a permanent NYC venue in the past 10 years, not currently enrolled in a degree program or comparable fellowship, and not an A.I.R. member, employee, board member or alum. Notification April 2027. Deadline: 10 November 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
The Kala Fellowship Program supports international, national, and local artists producing innovative work in and across multiple media, with an emphasis on Kala's specialized printmaking, photography, and digital media equipment. The institute supports up to 6 artists per cycle with a USD 3,000 stipend, 24/7 access to its Berkeley facilities for 1 to 9 months, one month of housing for artists based outside the 9 Bay Area counties, a Kala class or workshop, and a culminating group show in the Kala Gallery. Applications are submitted through kala.slideroom.com and require a statement of interest, an artist CV, documentation of 5 to 10 recent works, and two references. Artists enrolled in a degree-granting program during the fellowship period are not eligible. The application opens in December with no fee through January 15, after which a USD 25 application fee applies through the March 1 deadline.
Marfa Open runs a gallery, an annual art festival (6th edition), and a 3-4 week live-in residency in its gallery space that ends in an exhibition; it has also mounted international shows. Historically free to propose and open to everyone including international artists. NOTE: there is no formal application portal; intake is by direct contact via the website (the old marfaopen.org application site is dead; the live site is marfaopen.art).
apexart's Open Calls turn a curatorial idea into a funded apexart exhibition, selected by a crowdsourced international jury of more than 600 people in 70 countries. WHO CAN SUBMIT: anyone, from anywhere, with no fees at any level: trained and student curators, artists, writers and creative people regardless of experience, background or location. HOW: a 500-word proposal for a focused, idea-driven, original group exhibition, submitted through the online form during the proposal window. TWO ANNUAL WINDOWS: every October for exhibitions in apexart's NYC space, and every February (to early March) for exhibitions taking place anywhere in the world except NYC; for the international call you must propose a location you have actually visited, with the specific venue settled after selection. SELECTION: jurors vote anonymously online (each proposal gets an equal number of views, submitter names hidden); proposals are judged on the strength of the idea and how well it is communicated, not on connections or CV. WHAT WINNERS GET: a USD 10,000 budget (USD 8,000 for expenses, up to USD 2,000 curator honorarium, plus up to USD 1,000 venue-rental match outside NYC), with apexart covering insurance, publicity, the printed brochure, the opening reception and most logistics including loan agreements and shipping, and staff working closely with the guest curator. Winning proposals become part of apexart's next exhibition season. Check the site for the current window's exact dates; submission forms only go live during the proposal periods.