Artist Opportunities | Vol. 86

Open Calls

New Jersey State Council on the Arts | New Jersey Arts Annual at the Zimmerli Museum | The Zimmerli Art Museum will host the FY27 New Jersey Arts Annual — Hank Willis Thomas Selects. This exhibition marks the Zimmerli's inaugural New Jersey Arts Annual. Artist Hank Willis Thomas will serve as the juror and guest curator. The call welcomes artists at all stages of their careers, with particular interest in work that expands current conversations, and in makers who have not yet received sustained visibility. Rather than organizing the exhibition around a prescribed theme, this edition — Hank Willis Thomas Selects the NJ Arts Annual, will present work across generations and disciplines, catalyzing critical thought and creating space for mindful looking. | Deadline: May 1, 2026 | Submission information. 

LBIF | OPEN CALL: “Coast” | The Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences (LBIF) is pleased to announce an exhibition opportunity for New Jersey artists. This call invites artwork that celebrates and explores New Jersey’s coastline, a defining feature of the state that influences tourism, the fishing industry, waterways and navigation, politics and defense, natural beauty, and quality of life. Artwork may be a direct reflection of coastal imagery or inspired by coastal themes, capturing the spirit, environment, and culture of life along the shore. Eligible mediums include drawing, painting, hand-pulled prints, photography, mixed media, wall-hung 2D works in the crafts (clay, glass, metal, fiber, wood), video, and computer-generated digital work displayed as prints. All artworks must have been created within the past two years and submitting artists must be 18 years or older. An exhibition catalog is planned pending funding. | Deadline: May 17, 2026 at 11:59 PM | Submission information. 

DC Gallery & Studio | Summer 2026 Open Call: American Identity | For DC Gallery & Studio’s 2nd annual summer open call, we are looking for emerging & established New Jersey visual artists’ unique interpretation of “American Identity.” | Deadline: Submissions due by midnight (11:59 PM) on Monday, June 1, 2026 | Submission information.

Art Fluent | OPEN CALL: HER.SELF | The feminine spirit cannot be contained by a single definition. It is layered and luminous. We invite artwork that honors women in all their complexities… her presence, her resilience, her beauty, her becoming. Show us HER.SELF as you see her. | Deadline: Friday, July 17, 2026, at midnight MST | Submission information. 

Art Fluent | OPEN CALL: Just Add Water | Artists are drawn to water because it’s gorgeous, moody, and a little bit magical. Oceans, rain, rivers, puddles, or even a hint of blue, water gives us a way to splash around with feeling, memory, and transformation. So go ahead… JUST ADD WATER and show us what water means to you. | Deadline: June 5, 2026 | Submission information. 

Point Pleasant Publishing | Call for Experimental Visual Art for Hardcover Book Editions | Selected artists are featured with detailed curatorial review essays in the catalogue, which are released in editions. Point Pleasant Publishing accepts experimental and alternative forms of visual art including photography, performance, video, film, installation, assemblage, collage, fiber, printmaking, light design, jewelry, fashion/costume design, and analogue digital (no AI). | Deadline: Rolling | More information. 

Art Fluent | OPEN CALL: NIGHT MOVES | Night changes everything. Colors fade, shadows stretch, and details soften. What was familiar becomes mysterious, and what was hidden settles out of view. We invite artists to submit work exploring the visual and emotional qualities of nighttime: shadow, low light, atmosphere, color shifts, silhouettes, and the spaces that come alive after dark. Show us NIGHT MOVES from your perspective.JPEGs due by Friday, April 17, 2026, at midnight (MST). Over $1,200 in cash prizes. All accepted pieces will be displayed in our online gallery at www.art-fluent.com. | Deadline: April 17, 2026 by midnight MST | Submission information.

Funding

International Documentary Association | IDA Emergency Assistance | Beginning Monday, March 9, 2026, IDA is piloting an emergency assistance program for documentary filmmakers whose work puts them in imminent and extreme physical danger. Eligible filmmakers may request a one-time emergency grant between $500 and $5,000 (USD). IDA will respond to all applications within 24 hours and handle them with strict confidentiality. IDA Emergency Assistance protects freedom of expression by providing direct support to filmmakers at risk because of their work. | Deadline: Ongoing Until September | More information and application. 

Guggenheim | Guggenheim Fellowship | The Guggenheim Fellowship is an annual competition celebrating exceptional achievements in the arts, sciences, and humanities. Roughly 190 Fellowships are awarded each year. The Guggenheim Fellowship supports individuals who have achieved notable success in their careers across the creative arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. It is designed for mid-career professionals whose work is well-established. Potential Fellows have already made significant contributions to their field and are eager for time and resources that will allow them to further their meaningful work. The 2027 competition will open for applications in late summer 2026. | More information and application. 

3pts | 3pts Artists & Makers Impact Fund | The 3pts Artists & Makers Impact Fund is a $3,500 award supporting U.S.-based artists and makers who create tangible objects or goods and are working to sustain and grow a business. Funding may be used for materials, equipment, workspace costs, professional development, production expenses, or other needs that strengthen an artist or maker’s practice. | Deadline: April 27, 2026 (11:59pm ET) | More information and application. 

Foundation for Contemporary Arts | Emergency Grants | Emergency Grants is a year-round, multi-disciplinary program that offers immediate, project-based assistance to artists living and working anywhere in the United States, for projects occurring in the U.S. and abroad. | Deadline: Ongoing | More information and application. 

National Performance Network | National Performance Network's Creation & Development Fund | The National Performance Network's Creation & Development Fund supports the creation, development, and mobility of new artistic work that fosters community-centered experiences and advances racial and cultural justice. Funding is available in two stages: a Creation Fund providing a minimum of $15,000 in unrestricted support for works in their earliest stages, and a Development Fund open to previous Creation Fund recipients to prepare work for public engagement. | Deadline: May 16, 2026 | More information and application.

Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation | Emergency Grants | The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant program is intended to provide interim financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen, catastrophic incident, and who lack the resources to meet that situation. Each grant is given as one-time assistance for a specific emergency, examples of which are fire, flood, or emergency medical need. | Deadline: Ongoing | More information and application. 

Musicians Foundation | Emergency Grants | Our application for one-time financial assistance grants is open to professional musicians across all genres. If you are a professional musician in a specific time of need, please explore below to see if you might qualify for a financial grant to pay an essential bill. | Deadline: Ongoing | More information and application. 

Art Fluent | $1,000 Evolution Grant | Art Fluent’s grant cycle is now open to individual artists through an international open call. THE EVOLUTION GRANT will provide unrestricted funding to an individual artist with recognized artistic excellence in fine art media and a demonstrated commitment to their art. | Deadline: June 19, 2026 | Submission information. 

Pollock-Krasner Foundation | Grants for Artists | The Foundation provides unrestricted financial resources to exceptional visual artists. The grants can be used in any way that allows an artist to meaningfully pursue their practice. Grants are typically used to create new work, acquire supplies, rent studio space, prepare for exhibitions, attend a residency, and offset living expenses. | Deadline: Ongoing | More information and application. 

The Hopper Prize | Grants for Artists | The Hopper Prize is a grant-making institution and digital archiving platform offering a series of individual artist grants on a bi-annual basis totaling $26,000.00 USD. Now offering $4,500 grants. We provide unrestricted cash grants in the amount of $4,500 and $1,000 to artists around the globe. | Deadline: May 12, 2026 | More information and application. 

Wish Local Empowerment Program | Small Business Grants for Black-Owned Retail Stores | The Wish Local Empowerment Program provides grants to support Black-owned brick-and-mortar retail businesses across the United States. The $2 million fund awards approximately 4,000 grants to help cover operating expenses such as workforce retention, rent, inventory, customer outreach, and community engagement. The program aims to promote equity and strengthen diversity in entrepreneurship. Eligible businesses must have 20 or fewer employees and annual revenue under $1 million. | Deadline: None | More information and application. 

CERF+ | Emergency Relief Grants | CERF+ can help you get back to doing what you do best. CERF+ offers $3,000 Emergency Relief Grants to craft artists who experienced a recent and substantially disruptive emergency or disaster. | Deadline: Ongoing | More information and application. 

coLAB Arts | Monthly Artist Grant | coLAB Arts' Monthly Artist Grant celebrates artists in New Jersey who use creative practice to support their local communities and create greater public good. Please consider joining coLAB Arts as a recurring donor to expand and sustain this important grant making. If you’d like to nominate yourself or others to be considered for a future monthly artist grant, use the provided button to access the form. | Deadline: Ongoing | Nomination information.

Training & Resources

New Jersey State Council on the Arts | FREE WORKSHOP: The Business of Being an Artist: Becoming Established: LLCs and Nonprofits | Ready to take your creative work to the next level? This high-impact webinar dives into how building your practice through a business model can transform your art into a sustainable, thriving venture. Explore two powerful pathways artists are using to grow, scale, and fund their work - while gaining real-world insight from a leading New Jersey business expert and artists who have successfully turned their vision into dynamic businesses. Your creativity is your gift - now learn how to make it your engine for growth. | Date & Time: April 22, 2026 from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | More information and registration. 

UCEDC | FREE WEBINAR: Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps | Showing up when customers search online matters. In this session, you’ll learn how to create, manage, and optimize your Google Business Profile so customers can easily find accurate information about your business on Google Search and Google Maps. | Date & Time: April 21, 2026 from 10:30AM to 12PM | More information and registration. 

UCEDC | FREE WEBINAR: Reach More Customers Online with Google | Help more customers find your business online. In this workshop, you’ll learn how Google Search works and how to improve your website’s visibility using Search Engine Optimization (SEO). We’ll also introduce key Google tools that support your marketing efforts, including Google Business Profile, Google Trends, Search Console, and Google Ads. | Date & Time: April 28, 2026 from 10:30AM to 12PM | More information and registration. 

New Jersey Small Business Development Center | FREE WEBINAR: AI Masterclass PART 1:Introduction to AI & Tools 4 Productivity | This beginner-friendly webinar demystifies Artificial Intelligence and shows participants how to use simple AI tools to save time, stay organized, and work smarter. No technical background required, but it will be helpful to have a laptop available to use a tool such as ChatGPT. Attendees will learn how AI is changing everyday work and discover practical, easy-to-use applications that can streamline tasks, boost creativity, and increase productivity across both personal and professional life. | Date & Time: May 1, 2026 from 10AM to 1PM | More information and registration. 

New Jersey Small Business Development Center | FREE WEBINAR: Social Media Principles for Business: Facebook/Instagram | This session will focus on best practices in using social media platforms for business including but not limited to Facebook and Instagram. Topics include why use social media, how to choose which platforms to use, engagement trends on different social media platforms and trends in popular media types on each platform and Paid advertising. These activities will support building a Digital Marketing Plan that delivers results. We’ll review different templates you can use to complete your plan. | Date & Time: May 12, 2026 from 3PM to 5PM | More information and registration. 

New Jersey Small Business Development Center | FREE WEBINAR: LinkedIn: Connect and Engage for Growth | This session will focus on using the LinkedIn to establish your reputation as an expert and reach your target audience. We will discuss the LinkedIn algorithm, and strategies to grow and engage with your audience to enable you to make valuable business connections. | Date & Time: May 12, 2026 from 12:30PM to 2:30PM | More information and registration.

Springboard for the Arts | FREE WORKSHOP: Work of Art: Career Planning | Where do you want to be both artistically and professionally? Learn how to define your values, identify key choices and develop a plan to achieve your career goals. This workshop is presented in partnership with Mainspring in Caledonia, MN and is for artists in the region served by the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council. | Date & Time: April 30, 2026 from 6PM to 8:30PM | More information and registration. 

Springboard for the Arts | FREE WORKSHOP: Work of Art: Artist Statements | Get a hands-on, step-by-step approach to writing a range of statements that best represent your work as an artist. | Date & Time: May 5, 2026 from 7PM to 9:30PM | More information and registration.

Atlantic City Arts Foundation | Artist Finder Database | ACAF has compiled a list of artists in the Atlantic City area in one easy to navigate website! If you are interested in joining the database as an artist, visit the website for more information. | Website.

Artwork Archive | RECORDED WEBINAR: Better Bookkeeping for Artists: Track Income, Expenses, and Insights | In this recorded webinar, we show you how to turn your scattered financial records into organized, actionable insights.You'll learn practical bookkeeping strategies that work for artists at any stage, whether you're making your first sales or managing an established practice. | Webinar. 

Springboard for the Arts | FREE VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: Work of Art: Portfolio Kit | Your portfolio is the core of your promotional material and professional calling card. Focus on the essential elements: sharpening your artist statement, tailoring your artistic resume, and curating and formatting your work samples. | Date & Time: April 21, 2026 from 6PM to 8:30PM CST | More information and registration. 

Networking & Opportunities

StudioCatco and DC Gallery & Studio | Connections That Stick Networking Event | Join us on April 24th at the DC Studio & Art Gallery in Millvile, NJ @ 7pm for the second official Connections That Stick event! This is a creative, sticker themed networking event. Bring your stickers and business cards! | Date & Time: April 24, 2026 at 7PM | Location: 508 N High St, Millville, NJ 08332 | More information and registration.

Earplay New Chamber Music | 2026 Donald Aird Composers Competition | Earplay sponsors the annual Earplay Donald Aird Composers Competition, open to composers of any nationality and any age. Earplay performs the prizewinning piece and presents a cash prize of $1,500 to the winning composer. The competition honors the late composer/conductor/Earplay board member Donald Aird, an ardent supporter of the creation and performance of new music. You can submit an Aird competition application electronically or by mail. Please send an e-mail if you have questions or comments. | Deadline: April 30, 2026 by 11:59pm EST | More information and application. 

National Endowment for the Arts | National Heritage Fellowships | The NEA National Heritage Fellowship is the nation's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. Each year since 1982, the program has recognized folk and traditional artists whose exemplary achievements contribute to our nation's distinctive cultural heritage, increasing opportunities for the public to encounter different artists, art forms, and cultural traditions. Through their folk and traditional arts practices, National Heritage Fellows demonstrate the importance of the arts to personal, cultural, and national identity. For a full program description and instructions on how to complete a nomination, review the National Heritage Fellowships Guidelines and Instructions. | Deadline to Submit Nomination Form: May 11, 2026, by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time | More information and application. 

Burlington County Parks: Arts, Culture & Heritage | CALL FOR ARTISTS: Projection Art 2026 | Burlington County Parks is seeking digital artists, animators, and videographers to transform the historic landscape of Smithville Park into a living, breathing canvas of light. For the 2026 Arts After Dark festival, we invite creators to submit video works for projection onto the stately walls and surrounding structures of the Historic Smithville Mansion grounds. We are looking for content that celebrates the intersection of history and modern technology. Whether your work is abstract, narrative, or experimental, we want to see how you can use light to redefine our historic architecture. | Deadline: July 15, 2026 | Application. 

Burlington County Parks: Arts, Culture & Heritage | REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: Yarn Storm 2026 at Arts After Dark- Outdoor Art Installation | We’re seeking vibrant, imaginative proposals for yarn installations that wrap our trees in art and wonder—got a bold idea? A funky fiber vision? We want to see it! Just send us your preliminary designs, which will be reviewed by a committee from Burlington County Cultural Affairs to ensure they’re family-friendly, doable, and full of good vibes (no politics, no offense—just art!). | Deadline: March 31, 2026 | Application. 

Burlington County Parks: Arts, Culture & Heritage | Seeking Crankie Storytellers | The 4th Annual Crankie Theater Festival is looking for moving panorama artists. Share your "scroll shows" and hand-cranked magic with an enchanted audience. | Deadline: Before September 19, 2026- Contact organizer. | Application. 

Burlington County Parks: Arts, Culture & Heritage | Call for Artists: Art Cars & Inventive Bicycles | For the first time ever, Arts After Dark is hitting the road—literally! We are seeking makers, mechanics, and visionaries to participate in our inaugural Art Car & Inventive Bike Showcase. Historic Smithville was once the international center for the production of the American Star Bicycle. In 2026, we want to honor that legacy of innovation by showcasing the most creative, eccentric, and artfully modified "wheels" in the region. | Deadline: July 15, 2026 | Application. 

Burlington County Parks: Arts, Culture & Heritage | Demonstrating Artist Application for Arts After Dark | We are seeking Artisans and Craftspeople to show off their craft in real time. | Date of Demonstration: September 19, 2026 4 PM - 9 PM | Application. 

Perkins Center for the Arts | Teaching Opportunities at Perkins | Are you an artist or instructor who wants to share your art form with others? We welcome proposals from artists and instructors of all backgrounds and disciplines to lead classes and workshops for youth, teens, and adults in visual arts, music, writing, movement, and cultural traditions, especially those rooted in community engagement, cross-cultural knowledge, or underrepresented practices. This is a contracted (1099) position, meaning instructors are engaged as independent contractors rather than employees of Perkins. Application forms are available for artists interested in teaching. | More information and application. 

The Kyoto Retreat | Application Opportunity Open for The Kyoto Retreat 2026 | The 2026 Kyoto Retreat is a program created by Japan-based, independent curator Dexter Wimberly. The Kyoto Retreat offers artists, curators, and writers, based anywhere in the world, an opportunity to spend four weeks in Kyoto, Japan, for research, exploration, and inspiration. If selected for the retreat, you will receive a roundtrip flight, a private bedroom, and $800 USD to supplement meals and local transportation. | Deadline: July 17, 2026 | Application Fee: $95 | More information and application. 

Cumberland Mall & Center for Family Services | Denim Day Fashion Show & “What They Were Wearing” Art Exhibit | Join Cumberland Mall for an evening of awareness, community, and support during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Beginning at 4 PM, explore community resources, vendor tables, and outreach displays. The evening will culminate in a Denim Day Fashion Show from 6 PM – 7 PM, along with the powerful “What They Were Wearing” art exhibit. | Date & Time: April 24, 2026 from 4PM to 7PM | Location: Cumberland Mall Center Court, 3849 S Delsea Drive, Vineland, NJ 08360 | More information.

WheatonArts | FFC 2026 Artist/Exhibitor Application | WheatonArts is an internationally acclaimed arts community dedicated to nurturing the creative spirit in all of us. The Festival of Fine Craft, now in its 27th year, is our premier annual event and one of the most highly-rated shows in the Mid-Atlantic region. Named one of Sunshine Artist's 200 Best in 2024, this campus-wide event continues to grow in attendance, programming, and quality overall. We encourage you to apply if you produce original work in any of the following mediums or categories: artisan food, clay (decorative, functional, or sculptural), clothing, fiber (decorative or wearable, including basketry), fine arts (2D paintings or drawings), furniture and lighting, glass (decorative, functional, or sculptural, including stained glass), handmade soaps or other household/skincare items, jewelry (fine or fashion), leather, metal, mixed medium, musical instruments, photography, stone, and wood (decorative, functional, or sculptural). | Deadline: April 29, 2026 by Midnight EST | More information and application. 

WheatonArts | 2026 Fantasy Faire Exhibitor Application | In partnership with Mystic Realms, Ltd. ®, Fantasy Faire at WheatonArts is an annual outdoor event featuring talented performers who bring the "Kingdom of Wheaton" to life by enacting a series of interconnected shows that tell the story of the day. Strolling costumed characters portraying historical and mythical figures interact with each other and WheatonArts visitors throughout the campus during both days of Fantasy Faire. Visitors are welcome to come dressed in their favorite fantasy garb to enjoy retail vendors, family-friendly activities, and performances throughout the day. Refreshments will be available for purchase from local food vendors. The event is included with admission to WheatonArts. | Deadline: May 29, 2026 | More information and application.

South Jersey Artist Collective | Volunteers Needed for Spring Cleaning | Volunteer to help SJAC in their new space. Activities include washing walls and windows, gardening, painting, general cleaning. Sign up at sjerseyartistcollective@gmail.com | Date & Time: April 18 and 19, 2026 from 10AM to 2PM | Location: 122 N. Broad St., Woodbury, NJ 08096 | More information.