Currently 7 active prizes and awards 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 Woodward/Newman Award, started with the support of Joanne Woodward, Newman's Own Foundation and the Newman family, is awarded annually by Constellation Stage & Screen to the best unpublished new play. The winner receives a USD 3,000 cash prize (in lieu of royalties) and a full production in the Mainstage season, with housing and transportation provided. The contest format and submission fees have been eliminated: submissions are reviewed on an ongoing basis and are also considered for all seven production slots in the season, including TYA (theatre for young audiences) shows. Full-length plays should run 75 to 135 minutes; TYA shows over 40 minutes. Plays must be unpublished at submission (independently published is acceptable); limit of two submissions per playwright per year; musicals may include demos. Plays submitted by midnight 31 August 2026 are considered for the 2027-28 season; later submissions roll to 2028-29. All submissions are kept on file for two years.
Artadia's open call for Boston, providing unrestricted $15,000 awards to three contemporary visual artists. Finalists not chosen as Awardees receive an honorarium. Two-round jury (curator review + 45-minute virtual studio visits). ELIGIBILITY: living and working in Boston's eligible counties for at least 2 consecutive years prior to deadline; contemporary visual-arts practice; not currently enrolled in an art-related degree programme; no prior Artadia award of $10,000 or more. Open call 15 August - 15 September 2026. Apply via Submittable only.
The Fulbright-Iméra Mediterranean Studies Award supports US faculty to conduct research at the Iméra Institute for Advanced Study at Aix Marseille Université. ELIGIBILITY: mid-career, senior, or community college faculty affiliated with a US institution of higher education; US citizens residing outside France (permanent residents of France are ineligible); any discipline relating to Mediterranean studies; English sufficient (French desirable). 1 or 2 grants awarded. PROVIDED: €2,400/month stipend; fully equipped apartment with linens; office in co-working space; visa fees waived; academic event organisation expenses covered; school placement assistance for dependents. DURATION: 5 or 10 months (September 2027 – June 2028, flexible). DEADLINE: 15 September 2026. Apply via the Fulbright Scholar Program at https://fulbrightscholars.org/award/fulbright-imera-mediterranean-studies-award-aix-marseille-university.
$75,000 prize for women figurative realist painters, awarded by a five-member jury. The winner receives $37,500 each year for two years to create a solo exhibition that travels nationally; one finalist additionally receives $10,000. Open to emerging artists who have not yet achieved full professional recognition.
The American Academy in Berlin is an independent, nonprofit institute for advanced study in the arts, humanities, social sciences, law, journalism and public policy, whose primary mission is to strengthen the cultural and intellectual ties between the United States and Germany. Each year, after a rigorous selection process, the Academy awards roughly two dozen semester-long Berlin Prize fellowships to individuals who demonstrate excellence in their fields. DISCIPLINES: applications are welcome across the humanities, social sciences, law, journalism and various areas of public policy. The Academy generally encourages projects addressing pressing issues of the day, specifically naming democracy, security, technology and society (especially AI), energy including climate, and global order. Dedicated fellowships also support projects in Jewish studies, German studies, and public health and biotechnology. Project proposals need not focus on Germany, but candidates should explain how a residency in Berlin would enhance their work. NOT ACCEPTED: proposals in mathematics or the natural sciences. NOTE FOR ARTISTS: visual artists and composers are invited through separate, nomination-based competitions, so there is no open application route for them here. ELIGIBILITY: fellowships are restricted to citizens and permanent residents of the United States. Both emerging and established figures are eligible. PhD holders qualify as emerging scholars with a strong record of peer-reviewed work beyond the dissertation; candidates in non-academic fields such as journalism, filmmaking and policy need a significant record of publication or production; fiction and nonfiction writers must have published at least one book with a reputable press. WHAT FELLOWS DO: fellows present their work to audiences in and around Berlin through lectures, readings, public discussions, performances and film screenings, and should be willing to engage with relevant German institutions, organizations and the media; these activities are integral to the Academy's mission of fostering transatlantic dialogue. APPLICATION MATERIALS: a project proposal of 1,500 to 1,750 words plus a one-page bibliography; a curriculum vitae of up to 10 pages; two writing samples totalling no more than 60 pages; and three letters of recommendation, which are due 2 October 2026. DEADLINE: Friday 25 September 2026 at 12:00 noon Eastern Time (18:00 Central European Time). TIMELINE: all candidates are notified of the competition outcome by email in late March 2027; the 2027-28 Berlin Prize recipients are announced in May 2027.
Artadia's open call for Atlanta, providing unrestricted $15,000 awards to three contemporary visual artists. Finalists receive an honorarium. ELIGIBLE COUNTIES: Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Morgan, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton. Must reside in an eligible county for 2+ consecutive years prior to deadline, contemporary visual-arts practice, not a student, no prior Artadia award of $10,000+. Open call 1 September - 1 October 2026. Apply via Submittable only.
Artadia's open call for Houston, providing unrestricted $15,000 awards to three contemporary visual artists. Finalists receive an honorarium. Two-round jury (review + 45-minute virtual studio visits). ELIGIBILITY: living and working in Houston's eligible counties for at least 2 consecutive years prior to deadline; contemporary visual-arts practice; not currently enrolled in an art-related degree programme; no prior Artadia award of $10,000+. Open call 1 October - 1 November 2026. Apply via Submittable only.