April is abloom with art opportunities
To save you time and stress this spring, we combed through hundreds of listings to find the best opportunities with April application deadlines.
What did we find? Opportunities for artists of all different nationalities and in all types of media—residencies, grants, festivals, competitions and more.
Find the perfect opportunity to apply to (sorted by those deadlines coming up first) with our April opportunity guide:
Lux Center for the Arts: Artist in Residence
What: Lux Center for the Arts is looking for applicants for its 2018-2019 year-long residencies. All residents are offered exclusive representation in the sales gallery for the duration of their residency. Residents have priority for paid teaching opportunities including community art classes for youth and adults.
Who: Artists with an MFA or BFA in studio art. There are three positions available: two for ceramics, and one for painting, drawing, metals, fibers, or mixed media. Residents teach a variety of classes to all age levels, so experience teaching is preferred.
Application Deadline: April 1
Residency Dates: Beginning August 1, 2018
Location: Lincoln, NE
Fee: $15 application fee
Fine Print: While there is the $80 a month materials stipend, residents earn most of their money by teaching classes for the LUX and selling their work in their gallery. Residents willing to take on multiple teaching opportunities may not need a second job. Learn more here.
(Inter)National: Dual Identities
What: The (Inter)National exhibition seeks work that examines individual or communal identity after people leave one home for another. The show seeks to uncover what is left behind, constructed, and/or gained as a result of migration.
Who: Artists working in all media
Application Deadline: April 2
Exhibition Dates: April 28 – July 7, 2018
Location: Boston, MA
Fine Print: Artists who are selected for the show must be or become FPAC Members. There is no submission fee to apply, and selected artist will either receive an honorarium or a one-year FPAC membership. Membership is open to all, and the cost is $100 annually. Learn more here.
Liberty, Missouri Sculpture Program
What: The City of Liberty Arts Commission is now accepting applications for the 2018 Public Art Sculpture Program. This annual sculpture program will include six original, three-dimensional works of art to be displayed for a one-year period at pre-selected sites within Liberty’s historic downtown that yield high visibility with both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Who: Open to all sculpture artists regardless of location at least 18 years of age.
Application Deadline: April 2
Exhibition Dates: July 17, 2018
Location: Liberty, MO
Fine Print: All work entered must be freestanding and resilient to variant temperatures and outdoor elements as it will be displayed outdoors for long-term public display. Selected artists will each receive a $2,000 honorarium as well as public recognition and an opportunity for sales. Learn more here.
PAAM's The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant
What: The Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM) is a nationally recognized, year-round cultural institution that is offering a grant to under-recognized American painters over the age of 45 who demonstrate financial need.
Who: U.S. painters aged 45 years or older at the time of application. A need for financial support must be clear and demonstrated. Applications must be submitted by an individual working artist or collaborators in an artist group; organizations cannot apply.
Amount: Awards include a cash grant, ranging from $5,000 to $35,000 and an exhibition at PAAM.
Application Deadline: April 2
Fine Print: Not all painting techniques are accepted. Full grant information and the online application is available at www.paam.org/grant.
First Street Gallery: 2018 National Juried Exhibition
What: Since its inception in 1969, First Street Gallery has held juried exhibitions to provide emerging, mid-career and established talent with exposure to the New York City art community. In presenting their work, artists are afforded an opportunity to receive critical review and foster public understanding and appreciation of art.
Who: Open to U.S. resident artists at least 18 years old.
Application Deadline: April 3
Exhibition Dates: June 21 – July 14, 2018
Opening Reception: June 21
Location: New York, NY
Fee: $35 for 1 to 3 works. $5 for each additional work, up to 6 works total.
Fine Print: Eligible works include oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, drawings, prints, photography, mixed media, and sculpture in any medium. No video, film, installation, giclées or similar reproductions. Learn more here.
2018 Stuart Artist-in-Residence at South Dakota State University
What: A 4-week artist-in-residence at South Dakota State University. The search committee is most interested in selecting an artist who is able to develop artwork independently while being willing to share his/her project conceptualization and visual progression with School of Design students, faculty, and the community during studio hours.
Who: Artists working in any discipline, including interdisciplinary approaches.
Application Deadline: April 3
Residency Dates: September 10 – October 5, 2018
Location: Brookings, South Dakota
Fee: $15 for 10 images
Fine Print: The selected artist will receive a $2,500 honorarium. Transportation, shipping, materials, supplies, meals and personal expenses are the responsibility of the artist. Learn more here.
Royal Photography Society’s 161st International Photography Exhibition
What: Worldwide open call from Royal Photographic Society, inviting engaging, visually striking, and inspiring photographic images to tour the UK.
Who: Photographers at all levels are welcome, with no categories
Application Deadline: April 4
Location: Bath, England
Fee: £32 non-members, £22 members, £18 under 30 years old
Fine Print: In addition to exhibiting in the touring exhibition, selected photographers are eligible for several cash prize awards, totaling £4,250, aimed at helping to support future photographic projects. This includes a dedicated award of £1,500 for a photographer under 30 years of age. Learn more here.
Taos Art Insurgency: The New Protagonists
What: Taos Art Insurgency is a show that poses the questions: Who will be the artists that lead the way for the new millennium? What will be the movements and issues they champion? Taos is a major artist's colony that has been at the forefront of all of the modern art movements initiated within the last 120 years.
Who: US-based artists 18 yrs. and older working in the following media: painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, mixed media, fiber arts, digitally printed media, and assemblage.
Application Deadline: April 5
Exhibition Dates: April 21 – May 12, 2018
Opening Reception: April 21
Location: Taos, NM
Fee: $40 for 4 to 8 images
Fine Print: Giclees will only be accepted in photography and digital media. Learn more here.
Merriweather District Artist-in-Residence Program
What: The Howard County Arts Council is excited to announce its collaboration with the Howard Hughes Corporation to establish the Merriweather District Artist in Residence Program (MD AIR). Up to 3 artists will receive a $10,000 stipend, studio space, and living space to create new work in our community.
Who: Open to local, national and international artists working in all media. Priority consideration will be given to artists exploring light, music, technology and/or interactivity in their work.
Application Deadline: April 7
Residency Dates: June 1 – July 31, 2018
Location: Ellicott City, MD
Fine Print: Full residency information and the online application is available here.
2018 Impressionism vs. Realism Exhibition
What: Las Laguna Gallery’s exhibition will compare and contrast the styles of impressionism and realism. The pieces chosen will showcase the traditional aspects and beauty of both movements.
There are no restrictions on content, medium or context, but your entries should fit within this theme.
Who: All local, national, and international artists, professional and amateur, are encouraged to submit their works for this art exhibition.
Application Deadline: April 7
Exhibition Dates: May 3 – 31, 2018
Location: Laguna Beach, CA
Fee: $35
Fine Print: For 1 to 3 pieces, apply through Submittable. For up to 15 pieces, apply through CaFE. Learn more here.
The Lincoln Gallery 2018 National Fine Art Show
What: Lincoln Gallery is hosting their 2018 National Fine Art Show. This year's show will be juried by Maureen Corey who is Curator of Art at the Loveland Museum/Gallery.
Who: Open to all U.S. artists working in Oil, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastel, Drawing, Mixed Media, 3-D, and Photography.
Application Deadline: April 8
Exhibition Dates: May 11 - June 8, 2018
Opening Reception: May 11
Location: Loveland, CO
Fee: $45 for up to 3 entries, $10 for each additional entry
Fine Print: All entries must be for sale. No installations or sets of works to make one entry will be accepted. Cash prizes awarded for Best of Show plus First and Second Place in each category. Learn more here.
NOAPS 2018 Spring International Online Exhibition
What: This International Juried Online Exhibition call is open to both members and non-members of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society.
Who: Open to all artists 18 and over. All artwork must be original, two dimensional, with medium limited to oil and acrylic paints, and completed within the last three years.
Application Deadline: April 9
Notification Date: May 15, 2018
Location: Houston, TX
Fee: $30 for 1 image, $10 for each additional entry up to a maximum of 5 images
Fine Print: The top 150 artists will be given recognition on the NOAPS website with your name, artist website link, and the image selected for this exhibit. Learn more and apply here.
31st September Competition
What: Alexandria Museum of Art’s juried exhibition seeks national and international submissions to highlight contemporary art practices in all media. Additionally, the September Competition connects the museum with artists that are excelling in their field and media.
Who: All artists over the age of 18—working in any medium—are eligible.
Application Deadline: April 12
Exhibition Dates: July 6 – October 20, 2018
Opening Reception: July 6
Location: Alexandria, LA
Fee: $40 for 2 entries, $20 for each additional work.
Fine Print: AMoA encourages artists working in video and other experimental media to submit entries for judging. Learn more here.
Brookline Arts Center’s Artist(s) Residency
What: The Brookline Arts Center is seeking proposals for an eight-week artist residency in their historic firehouse turned art center. Selected artists will receive a $1,000 stipend, studio space, and gallery space to be used for art-making.
Who: All artists residing in the United States are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: April 13
Residency Dates: July 27 – September 21, 2018
Location: Brookline, MA
Fee: $35
Fine Print: Other benefits include a formal critique at the midpoint and end of the residency, use of equipment, machines and tools (with proper instruction), and opportunities to take classes with the faculty and administrative staff support. Learn more here.
FMoPA International Photography Competition
What: The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts (FMoPA) is now accepting submissions for its 8th annual “International Photography Competition.” Images will be judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact and artistic merit.
Who: Photographers from all over the world are invited to submit their work. All styles and levels of experience are welcome.
Application Deadline: April 13
Exhibition Dates: June 1 – August 17, 2018
Opening Reception: June 22
Location: Tampa, FL
Fee: $10
Fine Print: This year’s categories include: People/Portraits, Places/Landscape/Drone, Nature/Science/Animals, Documentation/Social and Political Photojournalism, Still Life, Abstract Photography, and Conceptual Photography. Learn more here.
Providence Art Club National Open Juried Exhibition: America Now
What: As an institution steeped in and dedicated to the celebration of art unique to the American experience, the Art Club community is excited to welcome the most talented American artists working today to exhibit their best work and continue sharing the story of American art.
Who: Artists living and working in the United States.
Application Deadline: April 13
Exhibition Dates: June 23 – July 20, 2018
Opening Reception: June 23
Location: Providence, RI
Fee: $35 for up to 2 entries
Fine Print: $5,000 will be awarded in prizes, with a Best in Show Prize of $1,000. Learn more here.
Art and Fear: A National Juried Exhibition
What: The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri is now accepting artwork to be submitted to their national juried exhibition. Art and Fear invites artists to submit work that explores the concepts of fear, anxiety, or phobias.
Who: Open to all artists 18 years and older currently residing in the United States.
Application Deadline: April 14
Exhibition Dates: June 1 – 28, 2018
Opening Reception: June 1
Location: Cape Girardeau, MO
Fee: $30 for Members, $35 for non-Members
Fine Print: Fear can mean different things to different people. The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri encourages the exploration and interpretation of this idea in a way that is both personal and unique to you as an individual. Learn more here.
Altered Views: Experiencing the Contemporary Landscape
What: Landscape is a shifting concept. No longer romantic, sublime or grandiose, the 21st-century “landscape” is viewed primarily through the media of our computer/phone screens where we move from blissed-out vistas to environmental traumas. The Lexington Art League is seeking submissions for an exhibit of 2D, 3D, 4D and installation exploring the 21st-century landscape.
Who: Artists working in any media
Application Deadline: April 15
Exhibition Dates: May 25 – July 27, 2018
Opening Reception: May 25
Location: Lexington, KY
Fee: $20 for up to 6 works (Residents of Kentucky and Ohio may use coupon code ‘LocalArtist’ for free submission)
Fine Print: With your online submission, you must include an image list with price, title, medium, and year. Learn more here.
Solo Show[Down] 2018
What: The Fort Worth Community Arts Center is now accepting submissions for their upcoming exhibition with no theme. The Solo Show[Down] will occur in their premier, 3000 sq. foot, Front Gallery at The Arts Center.
Who: An International call to artists over the age of 18, open to all disciplines with no theme. All media including oils, acrylics, pastels, watercolors, prints, drawings, mixed media, sculpture, video, installation, photography, and digital art.
Application Deadline: April 15
Exhibition Dates: June 1 – June 28, 2018
Opening Reception: June 1, 2018
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Fee: $25 for up to 3 pieces, $5 for each additional submission
Fine Print: The grand prize winner will receive a solo show at Art7, a storefront gallery located in Fort Worth’s bustling 7th Street area. Learn more here.
ViewPoint Gallery 2018 International Photography Competition
What: The ViewPoint Gallery announces its sixth international juried call for submissions. This is an opportunity to exhibit your work for one month at ViewPoint Gallery, the only gallery in Halifax devoted to inspiring, engaging, educating & promoting the art of photography.
Who: Open to photographers located in any country around the world. There are no restrictions on subject matter.
Application Deadline: April 15
Exhibition Dates: One month between June 2018 and May 2019 to be chosen by ViewPoint Gallery.
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Fee: $25 for 3 entries
Fine Print: Twelve winning images will be selected for exhibition at ViewPoint Gallery – one image will be exhibited monthly. The winning images will be professionally printed and framed at no cost to the photographer. The images will be promoted on ViewPoint's website and newsletter. Learn more here.
Artist-in-Residence: New Mexico
What: This short-term, self-directed residency program is being offered by Annex: art in cooperation with Art Oasis San Fidel, located in beautiful Cibola County about 45 minutes west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Residencies for this program are available for a minimum of 2 weeks, with a maximum of 8 weeks.
Who: International artists must be 21 years old to participate and eligible to travel to and stay in the United States for the period of his/her residency. Priority is given to self-taught and emerging artists.
Application Deadline: April 15
Residency Availability: April 15 – October 15 (annually)
Location: San Fidel, NM
Fee: The cost of a self-funded residency is $375/week and includes a private room and shared bath with use of the kitchen and other common area facilities. Food and beverages are extra. Monthly rates are available for longer term residencies.
Fine Print: The program seeks applications from artists who have a specific purpose or project to be completed during the residency and whose participation in an international program will benefit his/her current career goals and funding opportunities. Learn more here.
Faces by Site: Brooklyn Gallery
What: This is an open call to artists for an exhibition at Site: Brooklyn. This exhibit will explore the new ways that artists are representing the character, disposition, and complexity of human faces.
Who: All artists 18 years of age or older working in two-dimensional media.
Application Deadline: April 15
Exhibition Dates: May 25 – June 24, 2018
Opening Reception: May 25
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Fee: $35 for up to 3 images, $10 for each additional image
Fine Print: A completed application consists of the following information and files: name, contact information, and images. Text descriptors for each image must include: Title, Year Completed, Medium, and Dimensions. Learn more here.
Artscape—Landscape Competition
What: SquidInk Gallery is looking for original work to explore the concept of landscapes and environments. Traditional and non-traditional interpretations are welcomed. Landscapes can be external and internal, small or large, figurative or literal, real and surreal, urban or wild, natural and unnatural.
Who: This is an open medium show, so all artists are welcomed to participate.
Application Deadline: April 20
Exhibition Dates: April – June 2018
Location: Antioch, CA
Fee: $6 for each entry, reduced price of $14 for 3 submissions
Fine Print: Visit their website here to register and download your entry forms to send in via email.
The Sound of Color | Call for Entry
What: Music has the power to lift us to the heights of joy or bring us to tears. Art has the same power. “The Sound of Color” is a celebration of music and the Dutch Art Gallery wants to see what music inspires in you. Your entries should focus on a single song or specific lyric from a song.
Who: Artists working in media including oil, acrylic, colored pencil, watercolor, pastel, charcoal and/or mixed media. No photography.
Application Deadline: April 21
Exhibition Dates: May 19 – June 14, 2018
Opening Reception: May 19
Location: Dallas, TX
Fee: $55 for 3 entries
Fine Print: Artists must include in the online registration a statement specific to each entered piece describing it and explaining the connection to the chosen song/lyric and name the song by title and artist. This information will be included on the website and on wall tags if your piece is chosen. Learn more here.
RISE: Empower, Change and Action! Exhibition
What: Art can be a powerful, productive force and instrumental in sparking change or critical thinking. Through this exhibition, the Whitney Modern Gallery is committed to promoting and supporting local, national, and global art activism and bring to light issues and concerns, art can effect change.
Who: Artists residing in the United States
Application Deadline: April 21
Exhibition Dates: July 18 – August 31, 2018
Opening Reception: July 21
Location: Los Gatos, CA
Fee: $35 for up to 3 entries
Fine Print: This project will include a fundraiser for a nonprofit focused on women and girls empowerment focused on bringing awareness to issues of self-identified women and a variety of programming. Learn more here.
Integrity: Arts & Culture Association Grants
What: Integrity: Arts & Culture (IACA) sponsors mini-grants for artists focusing on creative endeavors in the literary, performing, and visual arts. Grants are intended to assist with such things as art supplies, recording studio time, exhibits, performances, project-related expenses, etc.
Who: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident, 18 years of age or older. High school or college undergraduate students may not apply. Graduate students may apply, but we do not fund tuition or student projects.
Application Deadline: April 22
Amount: Mini-Grants generally average $250
Fine Print: Within 30 days of the close of the project, we require 1-2 paragraphs describing how our support benefited you. Learn more here.
PlatteForum Artist Residency
What: PlatteForum is an award-winning and innovative art, youth-development, and artist-in-residence program that teams under-resourced youth with professional artists. Youth work side by side with resident artists to collaboratively plan, produce, and exhibit a body of work in an environment in which artistic excellence is highly valued.
Who: Artists working in all genres. Applications from established professional artists, emerging artists, and graduate students are welcome. Local, national, and international artists are encouraged to apply.
Application Deadline: April 29
Residency Dates: 6 to 8 weeks in duration
Location: Denver, CO
Fine Print: Resident artists dedicate 4 to 6 hours each week (plus planning time as necessary) to work with a small group of underserved youth in intensive workshops that build upon the ideas and forms of the creative resident. In collaboration with PlatteForum staff, the Artist in Residence will concept, organize and facilitate a series of youth workshops. Applicants must be able to speak and understand English. Learn more here.
Focus Under Forty Exhibition
What: The Rowayton Arts Center’s Focus Under Forty exhibit, exclusively for artists ages 16-39, puts the spotlight on artists you should get to know. This show enables regional young talent to boldly express themselves without restrictions on theme or media.
Who: Artists ages 16 to 39 years old, all media and themes accepted.
Application Deadline: April 30
Exhibition Dates: June 10 – June 23, 2018
Opening Reception: June 10
Location: Rowayton, CT
Fee: $20 for 1 to 3 pieces, $30 for 4 to 5 pieces
Fine Print: If accepted to the show, work must be hand delivered to RAC. Learn more here.
5th Annual Living Mark Exhibition
What: Verum Ultimum Gallery invites artists to explore "The Living Mark.” Mark making is an integral part of the creative process and the evidence of the artist’ hand is always exciting to see. This call emphasizes the process with a focus on the individual style of the art maker (whether impassioned, studied, or subdued).
Who: All 2D and 3D artists, national and international, 18 years of age or older.
Application Deadline: April 30
Exhibition Dates: July 2018
Location: Portland, OR
Fee: $35 for up to 3 entries
Fine Print: Artists will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance no later than May 20, 2018. Notification will be made via email. Learn more here.
Artists Undeterred
What: 10 to 15 artists will be selected who boldly address disability in their work. Artists Undeterred will explore the complex relationship of disability vis-à-vis contemporary art, through the lens of creators and producers who are disabled. This project is partially funded by a DCA Art Fund Grant from Staten Island Arts, with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
Who: Artists must be 18 years of age or older, working in any medium except 3-D (sculpture). Emerging artists welcome.
Application Deadline: May 1
Exhibition Dates: August 11 – October 1, 2018
Location: Staten Island, NY
Fee: None
Fine Print: Please send high-resolution JPEGs, artist statement, resume/CV or bio, with your contact information. Dimensions up to 30” x 40”; video up to 5 minutes. Submit to email: [email protected]
Want to make applying a breeze?
With Artwork Archive, you can manage jury-ready photos of your work and their inventory details that makes submitting as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Plus, track the locations of your artwork so you never submit a piece that’s supposed to be showing somewhere else.
The best part? Add application deadlines to the “My Schedule” feature and receive email reminders before it’s time to submit. You’ll never miss out on these opportunities again.
