Opportunities

Named for the Namingha family, who believe deeply in giving back to the community by aiding and nurturing developing artists, the Namingha Institute celebrates diverse artistry. Supported in part by the Philip M. Smith Trust, this annual residency provides selected artists with a challenging and stimulating environment to explore their artistic interests.
Throughout the two-week residency, students participate in classes with the master artists on the Museum of Northern Arizona campus. They tour MNA’s Easton Collection Center and pull inspiration from the beauty and diversity of the Colorado Plateau. Residents stay in rustic cabins near the studio and are provided a $1,500 stipend.
The Master Class is open to early-career artists age 18 or older. Download the application instructions on our website musnaz.org/namingha. The 2027 Institute will take place April 25-May 9, 2027. Applications are due by Sunday, January 10, 2027 at 11:59pm.

Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Website: https://musnaz.org/namingha/
Deadline: 01-10-2027

Individual artists and nonprofit arts organizations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and the Native Nations that share this geography can now apply for grants of up to $15,000 to create and present new artistic work through the Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) Artistic Innovations grant program.
New this year, individual artists are not required to provide matching funds, making the full grant amount available without the need to secure additional support. Artistic Innovations Grants for Individual Artists are made possible through M-AAA’s strategic reinvestment of a gift from Yield Giving.
Nonprofit arts organizations may also apply for grants of up to $15,000. Nonprofit arts organization grants continue with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Since 2012, Artistic Innovations has awarded more than $2 million to support the creation of new art and bring new artistic experiences to audiences throughout the region.
Applications are open now through Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.
Funded projects must take place during the eligible grant period, January 1, 2027, through June 30, 2027, and meet program requirements, including applicable requirements for in-region artist engagement and public events.

Deadline: 09/24/26
Location: M-AAA Region
Website: https://www.maaa.org/news/artists-and-organizations-can-apply-for-up-to-15000-through-artistic-innovations-grants/

The 42nd Annual International Exhibition is a juried visual art competition organized by the Department of Art and Art History at The University of Texas at Tyler and displayed at the university’s Meadows Gallery. Internationally known artists, curators, and scholars have served as jurors selecting works for exhibition created by some of the best contemporary artists working today. The department purchases three to six works from the exhibition each year; purchased works are added to our permanent collection. The permanent collection serves as an educational teaching resource; much of the permanent collection is exhibited throughout the UT Tyler main campus.
JUROR : Diana Roberts
Diana Roberts is an arts writer, curator, and arts administrator in San Antonio, Texas. She holds a BA in Music from the University of Texas at Austin and an MA in Art History and Criticism from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Over the past 30 years she has worked with numerous artists, musicians, nonprofit arts organizations, galleries, museums, and corporate collections around the state. As Membership and Administrative Coordinator for the Texas Sculpture Group since 2017, Roberts edited the 2025 publication, Contemporary Texas Sculpture: Artists of the Texas Sculpture Group.
In addition to independent curatorial projects, Roberts has been Director of The Center for Spirituality and the Arts, Curator of the Airport Art Spaces at SA International Airport, Coordinator for the UTSA Satellite Space, and Gallery Director for Galeria Ortiz Contemporary and the Art Gallery at Musical Bridges Around the World. She has juried exhibitions for the Texas Sculpture Group, the Southwest School of Art, the Friends of Dard Hunter, the San Antonio Art League Museum, and the Bountiful Bowl Pottery Fair in Rockport, Texas. As an arts writer, Roberts has contributed essays for numerous catalogues and other publications, including Ceramics Monthly, Sculpture Magazine, Art News, the Langdon Review of the Arts in Texas, ArtLies, San Antonio Magazine, Voices of Art, and the SA Current.
AWARDS
Several purchase awards will be made; purchased works will be added to the University of Texas at Tyler Department of Art and Art History’s permanent collection.
ENTRY AND FEES
This exhibition will be juried from digital media. Artists may submit up to three works for consideration for the non-refundable fee of $35. Entries must be submitted via CaFE (Call for Entry)
ELIGIBILITY
This competition is open to any artist who is over the age of 18, working in two-dimensional media. Paintings, drawings, prints, fiber art, and photographs created in the last three years are welcome.
KEY DATES
November 13, 2026: Entry Deadline
December 14, 2026: Notification of acceptance via email
January 8, 2027: Deadline for Receipt of Work
January 19, 2027: Exhibition opens
March 4, 2027: Reception and Juror Presentation at Meadows Gallery
March 5, 2027: Exhibition closes
March 15-19, 2027: Return of Works
Apply on CaFE: https://opportunities.wearecreativewest.org/opportunity/17923/CAFE

Deadline: 11/13/26
Location: University of Texas at Tyler
Website: https://opportunities.wearecreativewest.org/opportunity/17923/CAFE

ICOSA Annual/ Call for Entry
ICOSA Collective (Austin, TX) announces a national call for entries for ICOSA Annual, a juried group exhibition to be held in conjunction with the Austin Studio tour. Open to all US residents working in any 2D/ 3D media and video. The entry fee is $30.
Entry link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2YsutVWv9notzkn1C9HtIRGg6mGMPiC0gnzEUBZCpdWCs9Q/viewform
Thanks to an anonymous donor, ICOSA can waive the entry fee for ten artists experiencing financial hardship. Requests are handled on a case-by-case basis. If you need a waiver, please email us at icosaannual@gmail.com before you start the application. The ICOSA Annual Committee will review your request and respond once a decision has been made.
About ICOSA
ICOSA Collective is an artist-run nonprofit art space committed to championing bold ideas, emerging voices, and experimental artistic practices. Since 2015, ICOSA has served as a platform for contemporary artists through exhibitions, sound installations, film screenings, performances, and collaborative programming that encourages dialogue and creative exchange. With more than 80 exhibitions, partnerships with artist-run spaces across the United States, and collaborations with local and regional artists, ICOSA has become an integral part of Austin's independent arts ecosystem. Visitors to the Austin Studio Tour are invited to explore current exhibitions, connect with artists, and experience a community-driven space where experimentation, collaboration, and contemporary art thrive. The gallery is located in the Canopy Arts Complex on the Eastside of Austin. ICOSA Annual is an exciting opportunity for non-member artists to showcase their work in the gallery during the Austin Studio Tour.
About the Juror
Dennis Nance is an artist and curator from Houston, Texas. He was appointed as Curator for the Galveston Arts Center in 2016 where he organizes exhibitions featuring work by contemporary artists from Texas and the Gulf Coast region. From 2007 to 2016, Nance was Exhibitions & Programming Director for Lawndale Art Center in Houston, Texas, where he worked extensively with local and regional artists through exhibitions and the Lawndale Artist Studio Program. Nance is a past member of the Artist Advisory Board for DiverseWorks and BOX 13 ArtSpace artist board member. He is a practicing artist and has been awarded grants for his work from the Houston Arts Alliance and an Idea Fund Award, administered through Aurora Picture Show, DiverseWorks Artspace and Project Row Houses and funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. His work has been included in exhibitions at the Art Lab at the Institute for Contemporary Art, Boston; the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston; Webb Gallery; The Brandon; BOX13 ArtSpace; and the Menil Collection bookstore. He received his BA from Austin College in Sherman, TX with a concentration in Fine Arts and French.
Exhibition Schedule
Submission deadline: Thurs, Oct. 1 (11:59pm)
Artists Notification: Thurs, Oct. 16th
Shipped Worked: Friday, Nov. 6th (Arrive before 5pm)
Hand-Delivered Work: Saturday, Nov 7th (12-4pm)
Opening Reception: Nov. 13th, 7-10pm
Show Runs: Nov. 13th - 22nd
Show Closes: Nov. 22nd Meet and greet with Curator 5pm
Work shipped back by: Dec. 1st
The exhibition opens Friday, November 13th and closes Sunday November 22nd. An opening reception will be held Friday November 13th from 7pm – 10pm. All artists and their guests are welcome. The exhibition will run in tandem with Austin Studio Tour, a free, annual, self-guided art event spanning two weekends. Icosa received over 4,000 visitors during the 2025 Austin Studio Tour.
ENTRY PROCEDURE
Entries must be submitted online no later than 11:59PM on Thursday, October 1st. Late applications will not be considered. Please submit all materials via link.

• Artist Statement/CV (no more than 3 pages)
• 5-10 images of works completed within the past two years
• Save images with your first initial, last name (Example:JDoe01.jpg)
• Do not include a price sheet or prices for submitted pieces
• Optional Video Entry, no longer than 5 minutes of video. Must be a YouTube,
  Vimeo link, etc. (Please make sure that the videos are not password protected.)
• $30 entry fee
  Due to an anonymous donor, ICOSA can waive the entry fee for ten artists experiencing financial hardship. Requests are handled on a case-by-case basis. If you need a waiver, please email us at icosaannual@gmail.com before you start the application. The ICOSA Annual Committee will review your request and respond once a decision has been made.
  ACCEPTANCE
  If your work is accepted, shipped work must arrive no later than 5pm, November 6th. Hand delivered work can be dropped off on Saturday November 7th from 12-4pm. Accepted work must be ready to hang or display in a professional manner.
  Artists are responsible for shipping costs both ways and must include a return shipping label with their work. Pack securely. No use of Styrofoam packing pellets (bubble wrap acceptable). No glass on framing of wall-based work, plexiglass only. Work that arrives at gallery damaged will be returned un-displayed. ICOSA is not responsible for work damaged in transit. Unsold work will be packed by ICOSA in the shipping containers they arrived in and shipped out to the artists by December 1st of 2026.
  Pick-up of hand delivered work will be coordinated with the artists. Pick-up no later than December 1st of 2026. ICOSA will not store work past the pick-up time.

SALES
Do not include a price sheet in application. Work does not have to be for sale. Sale prices are determined by the artist (after artwork has been accepted). After Square fees, 60% of sale price goes to the artist, 40% to ICOSA. All work must be the property of the artist in order to be available for sale.
INSURANCE
Though great care will be taken in handling your work, ICOSA does not provide insurance for any piece during the ICOSA Annual exhibition. ICOSA recommends the work be insured during shipping, as the artist bears the full responsibility for loss and damage to art while in transit. ICOSA retains the right to decide which work is included in the exhibition.
IMAGE USE
By participating in the ICOSA Annual, artists grant ICOSA rights to use the selected image(s) on printed materials and the gallery website for promotional purposes only.
NOTIFICATION
Artists will be notified of acceptance or nonacceptance no later than Thursday, October 15th.
FAQ’s:
Is there a theme? There is no specific theme, but oftentimes the curator will develop a theme and exhibition title once they have chosen from the submitted works.
Are there limitations on media/ size? We are open to all 2D and 3D media including video and performance. Please be aware that as the artist you are responsible for shipping the work so please take that into consideration if you are not local. Although there is not a specific size limit, the work does need to fit through our door which is 8’h x 4’w and weighs no more than 50 lbs.
Can I submit if I live outside of the Austin area? Yes! Just be aware that you are responsible for getting your work to the gallery by either delivering or shipping. Due to shipping time, only artists who reside in the continental United States are eligible
CONTACT
Any questions, email icosaannual@gmail.com.

Deadline: 10/1/26
Location: Austin, TX
Website: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2YsutVWv9notzkn1C9HtIRGg6mGMPiC0gnzEUBZCpdWCs9Q/viewform

The application for Small Works 2026 is open as of July 15th, 2026, with a deadline of September 15, 2026.
The Small Works exhibit will showcase a diverse array of miniature masterpieces from local and regional artists, celebrating creativity and craftsmanship in a compact format. Each piece, no larger than 12 inches in any dimension, challenges artists to distill their vision into a compact format, resulting in a diverse and compelling display. The exhibit will offer an intimate viewing experience, encouraging close inspection and appreciation of the intricate details and unique styles that make each work of art a standout.

Best of Show | $500
2nd Place | $300
3rd Place | $200
Honorable Mention | $100
Peoples' Choice | $50 + Georgetown Art Center Membership

For more information and to apply, visit https://visit.georgetown.org/georgetown_art_center/for_artists/small_works.php

Deadline: 09/15/26
Location: Georgetown, TX
Website: https://visit.georgetown.org/georgetown_art_center/for_artists/small_works.php

Ten Moir Gallery invites artists and photographers worldwide to submit work to our rotating online art challenges. Each challenge is centered around a unique theme and gives artists the opportunity to share meaningful, creative work in a curated online showcase.

Open to artists 18 and older, our challenges welcome painting, drawing, photography, digital art, mixed media, collage, sculpture, and other visual art forms. Selected artists may receive online showcase placement, digital certificates, social media promotion, newsletter features, artist spotlights, interviews, cash awards, and additional visibility through Ten Moir Gallery.
We are looking for artwork that tells a story, explores emotion, captures a moment, or offers a fresh perspective. Whether your work is bold, quiet, experimental, abstract, or deeply personal, this is an opportunity to place your art in front of a wider audience.

Awards may include:
Cash awards, curated showcase placement, artist interviews, mini spotlight features, homepage features, social media promotion, newsletter features, digital certificates, and additional visibility through Ten Moir Gallery.

Eligibility:
Open worldwide to artists 18+. All experience levels and visual art mediums are welcome.

Copyright:
Artists keep full copyright. Images may be used only for challenge-related promotion, online showcases, artist features, and Ten Moir Gallery announcements.

Entry Fee:
First entry is free during the listed free entry period. Additional entries may be submitted for a fee.

Deadline:
Ten Moir Gallery hosts rotating themed art challenges throughout the year. Deadlines vary by theme. Artists are encouraged to visit the current monthly challenges page for the most up-to-date open calls, deadlines, awards, and entry details.

Apply Online:
https://www.tenmoirgallery.com/art-competitions-open-call/

Deadline: 01/01/27
Location: Online
Website: https://www.tenmoirgallery.com/art-competitions-open-call/

Spellerberg Projects is inviting proposals for month-long solo and duo exhibitions in 2027 and 2028.
We are an artist-run gallery and studio located in Lockhart, Texas, approximately 40 miles from Austin. Our mission is to showcase a diverse array of contemporary art to the public and support both emerging and established artists by providing a platform for them to exhibit their work. We are dedicated to fostering an environment where artists can experiment and grow in their practice, while also building a community that appreciates and supports contemporary art.

Eligibility
We invite artists of all backgrounds who are currently based in the United States, or who will be based in the United States during 2027–2028. We welcome submissions in any visual medium from individual artists or duos (we are not accepting larger groups). There is no application fee.

In-person attendance at a reception in Lockhart, Texas is strongly encouraged but not required. Artists who have exhibited with us in the past three years are not eligible. Previous applicants are warmly encouraged to reapply.

Events for our upstairs space, such as a performance, screening, workshop, pop-up, or talk, are accepted year-round with no deadline. If you are proposing an event, consider applying instead through our Programs Call.

Deadline
October 2, 2026
apply
To make sure our gallery is the right fit for you, review our Exhibition Procedures:https://spellerbergprojects.com/calls/exhibition-procedures/
Complete the Online Application Form: https://spellerbergprojects.com/calls/exhibitions-call/
If you have any questions, please get in touch with us via email: marty@spellerberg.org.

Deadline: 10/02/26
Location: Lockhart, TX
Website: https://spellerbergprojects.com/calls/exhibitions-call/

Leave your mark on history.

The National Juneteenth Museum is seeking one Texas artist to help tell Fort Worth’s Juneteenth story through the design of the city’s inaugural Freedom Bell.

Inspired by local history, community narratives, and the enduring significance of freedom, the selected design will be cast into a functional bell and become part of the Museum’s permanent collection.

Three finalist artists will each receive a $700 honorarium to develop a design proposal. From those proposals, one artist will be awarded a $3,000 commission and will participate in the guided creation of the inaugural Freedom Bell.

Applications close August 23, 2026. Learn more and apply here:
https://nationaljuneteenthmuseum.org/juneteenth-freedom-bell

The National Juneteenth Museum was invited by the Freedom Bell Project and its partners, Texas A&M University and Brad Oldham Sculptures, to participate in this historic project.

Deadline: 08/23/26
Location: Texas
Website: https://nationaljuneteenthmuseum.org/juneteenth-freedom-bell

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is establishing a new training academy in Florence, Texas, scheduled for completion in Fall 2027. To commemorate the move of the new academy, the Training Operations Division (TOD) is seeking a qualified contractor to create artwork for custom “commemorative” hat boxes that DPS will then have manufactured, with the goal to have a separate and unique image for each of the four hat boxes. The contractor’s artwork will be used by a box manufacturer and printed onto 15.5” x 18” cardboard boxes fabricated to hold the hats.

Deadline: 08/20/26
Location: Austin, Texas
Website: https://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd/405-26R0015190

Recognizing the impact that travel can have on an artist’s career, the Dorothy Antoinette LaSelle Foundation has established the Dorothy Antoinette LaSelle Travel Fellowship. In the fall of 2026, two awards of $5,000 each will be distributed to artists working and residing in the state of Texas, enabling the recipients to complete a research trip to further their artistic practice.
Applications open: August 3, 2026
Applications close: August 31, 2026
Awardees notified: November 2, 2026
Awardee Eligibility Criteria:

1. Must currently reside in the state of Texas and have lived there for the past year
2. Be a practicing professional with at least 3 solo or group exhibitions in the past 3 years.
3. BFA and juried exhibitions are eligible.
4. Must currently hold a degree in the arts
5. There is no application fee.

Deadline: 08/31/26
Location: Texas
Website: https://www.lasellefoundation.org/travel-fellowship

Call for Art: COMMON GROUND ART FEST
Contracommon is accepting applications for our second annual Common Ground Art Fest: a high-impact, one-day celebration of emerging talent in Central Texas.
We are in search of vendors, musicians, artists, pop-ups, performers, and all other creatives who want to make this day great! Musicians and performers should contact Contracommon via email or instagram.
KEY INFO

• This is an outdoor event
• Saturday, October 24th, 2026 from 11am-5pm
• Open Call posted: July 31st, 2026
• Open Call closes: August 31st, 2026
• Free application
• $50 booth fee / $50 tent rental (optional)
• Review: September 1st - September 18th
• Artists notified: by September 19th, 2026
• Vendor agreement due: within 48 hours of email
• Load-in begins: 9:30am
• Load-out begins: 5:00pm

Deadline: 09/01/26
Location: Hill Country Galleria Central Plaza 12700 Hill Country Blvd Bee Cave, TX, 78738
Website: https://www.contracommon.org/upcomingevents/2026/common-ground-open-call

The Enso Circle is a 12-week virtual residency for artists seeking focus, encouragement, and meaningful creative community. Residents meet weekly on Zoom for conversation, reflection, and practical guidance while developing an individual body of work in their own studios. Ongoing connection through Slack, weekly prompts, and personal check-ins provides structure without pressure. The residency concludes with a professionally designed digital catalog celebrating each artist’s work and growth. Open to artists working in all media and at every stage of their creative practice. Founded by Lyn Belisle and Michelle Belto, the Enso Circle is celebrating its fifth year of nurturing creativity, connection, and artistic growth.

Deadline: 08/31/26
Location: Virtual
Website: https://www.theensocircle.com/

The Candace Freeland Photography of Merit Award honors the legacy of photographer Candace Freeland, who gave the founding gift for this heartfelt outreach to youth and young adults.

2026 Guidelines
U.S. photographers aged 8-22 are invited to submit black-and-white and color photos captured on a smartphone, based on the theme Food and Family. There is no fee to enter. All finalists will be required to provide proof of age and eligibility, i.e. a photo ID, driver's license, birth certificate, etc.

Distinguished jurors select a Grand Prize Winner and Runner-Up for each category. There will also be a People’s Choice Award that will be voted on by the public. Cash prizes awarded to winners in different categories. All participants are invited to attend a reception announcing the winners at The Mitford Museum on October 9, 2026.
Rules, regulations, and prize information can be found on website.

Location: United States
Website: https://themitfordmuseum.org/meritawards/
Deadline: 09/01/26

Calling all writers to submit to Moonlight and Mawazo: A science fiction and fantasy short story contest lighting a path for diverse authors and characters to create universes of imagination.
RULES & ELIGIBILITY
This competition welcomes submissions from writers of all races, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, etc. We want and value diverse voices. With that said, we will be keeping a special eye out for stories that feature often unseen, unheard characters both on the pages and at the pen (keyboard) who can fully embrace the spirit of “Moonlight and Mawazo”.

1. All participants must be 18 years of age or older.
2. All submissions must be in English.
3. Contest entries are accepted from anywhere in the world.
4. Submissions must be original science fiction or fantasy. No fanfiction will be accepted. No submissions featuring explicit sex or violence will be accepted. No poetry will be accepted. This work must never have been published in any format. AI IS NOT PERMITTED .
5. All submitted material must be owned by and submitted by the writer.
6. Co-authors are accepted, but only 1 prize will be awarded.

Deadline: 08/31/26
Location: Contest entries are accepted from anywhere in the world.
Website: https://www.moonlightandmawazo.com/

Texas Arts & Music Festival committed to showcasing and supporting local artists. Once again, the festival’s opening reception will feature our Annual Juried Art Show. Texas-based artists of all experience levels are encouraged to apply for the art show.
A panel of professional, impartial artists, including this year’s featured muralists will evaluate each piece before the reception.
Awards:
First Place - $300
Second Place - $150
Third Place - $75
During the show, participating local artists may offer their work for sale.
Dates to Remember:
Applications Open: Now
Application Deadline: September 1
Artist Notifications: September 11
Artwork Exhibition: October 1- 31

Artist Reception: October 16
All artwork must be suitable for public viewing by audiences of all ages. Explicit, violent, or otherwise offensive subject matter will not be accepted. See all restrictions and guidelines at https://www.texasartsandmusicfestival.com/art-show/

Deadline: 09/01/26
Location: Brenham Heritage Museum
Website: https://www.texasartsandmusicfestival.com/