As summer draws to a close, the art world returns to its full rhythm. Exhibitions reopen, residencies begin anew, and application deadlines quickly fill the calendar. For artists, this is an especially fruitful moment: many high-quality open calls are clustered in September and early October, offering opportunities to secure funding, residencies, or exhibition platforms that can shape the year ahead. Rather than easing back slowly, this is the perfect time to channel renewed energy into applications that can open significant doors. In this article, we highlight ten notable open calls and fellowships currently accepting submissions. All listed opportunities are free of application fees and are designed to provide genuine career impact. As always, we strongly recommend artenda.net as a go-to platform for discovering many more carefully curated international opportunities for artists.
1. BPA // Berlin Program for Artists — Mentorship
For Berlin-based artists, the BPA // Berlin Program for Artists offers a unique two-year mentorship centered on exchange and critical dialogue. Founded in 2016 by artists Angela Bulloch, Simon Denny, and Willem de Rooij, the program connects emerging artists with experienced mentors through regular studio visits, shared critiques, and public events. The fellowship is free of charge and culminates in a yearly exhibition at KW Institute for Contemporary Art. With its focus on peer-to-peer learning and deep engagement in Berlin’s dynamic art scene, BPA // stands out as an opportunity that emphasizes sustained growth rather than short-term visibility. The deadline is September 14, 2025.
2. Nordic Culture Fund — Northern European Mobility Opportunity (NEMO)
The NEMO program (Northern European Mobility Opportunity) supports early-career artists and practitioners across Northern Europe, with grants of up to 75,000 DKK. Eligible applicants must reside in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, or Åland and are no students. Designed as a pilot initiative, the program emphasizes mobility, collaboration, and international exchange at a moment when cross-border networks are increasingly vital for the arts. The deadline is September 15, 2025.
3. Guggenheim Fellowship
One of the most prestigious awards available to artists, writers, and scholars, the Guggenheim Fellowship has supported innovation and excellence for over ninety years. Approximately 190 fellowships are granted annually to mid-career professionals in the arts, humanities, and sciences across the United States and Canada. Open to all artistic disciplines, the Fellowship provides flexible funding to support the development of ambitious projects—whether covering living expenses, materials, travel, or research. While applicants must be (moderately) established in their field, the award is deliberately open-ended, encouraging independent and groundbreaking work. As a result, the Guggenheim is not just about the financial support, but also a significant recognition within the international arts community. The deadline is September 16, 2025.
4. Gasworks Residencies — London
London’s renowned Gasworks Residency program is currently open to artists based in West Africa, Central America, Indonesia, and more, offering an 11-week fully funded stay in the city from January to March and from April to June 2026. Selected artists receive studio space, accommodation, travel reimbursement, and weekly stipends, as well as administrative and curatorial support. Gasworks residencies are intentionally self-directed, prioritizing research, experimentation, and cultural exchange over production quotas. With an emphasis on networking and visibility in London’s international art scene, the program has been pivotal in shaping the careers of many artists worldwide. There is no application fee, and the deadline is September 15 and 29, 2025.
5. LMCC’s Manhattan Arts Grants
For artists and organizations rooted in Manhattan, LMCC’s Manhattan Arts Grants offer crucial early support that often becomes a stepping stone to larger opportunities. Since 1983, LMCC has been central to sustaining Manhattan’s cultural vibrancy, with its grants, ranging from $4,000 to $16,000, often serving as a first recognition for emerging practitioners. Artists from all artistic disciplines are eligible for this open call, provided they are emerging artists based in New York. There is no application fee, and the deadline is September 16, 2025.
6. Queens Museum – Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Emerging Artists
The Queens Museum Jerome Foundation Fellowship provides a major career boost for two emerging New York City artists each cycle. Fellows receive $20,000, one year of professional mentorship, and the opportunity to develop a solo exhibition at the Queens Museum in 2027. The program is designed for artists who have completed their studies but have not yet received substantial institutional or market recognition, making it a pivotal platform for visibility. More than just funding, this fellowship offers mentorship, community engagement, and a crucial first institutional exhibition in one of New York’s most diverse cultural contexts. There is no application fee and the deadline is September 22, 2025.
7. Site Le Corbusier — Immersive Light and Sound Experience
To mark two major anniversaries in 2026—the tenth year of Le Corbusier’s UNESCO World Heritage recognition and the twentieth anniversary of the inauguration of his Saint-Pierre Church—Site Le Corbusier in Firminy, France, is commissioning a large-scale immersive work. With a budget of €70,000, this open call invites artists working in digital art, sound, video, or installation to propose an ambitious light-based project that engages directly with Le Corbusier’s modernist architecture. The selected work will be on view from July 2025 to January 2027, offering not only significant funding but also long-term visibility in one of France’s most iconic modernist sites. There is no application fee and the deadline is September 30, 2025.
8. Columbia University — Institute for Ideas and Imagination
Located at Reid Hall in Paris, the Columbia Institute for Ideas and Imagination offers one of the most generous international fellowships available to artists and writers. With a stipend of $75,000, fellows spend a full academic year (September 2026 – May 2027) pursuing independent projects while engaging with an interdisciplinary cohort of up to fifteen participants. Each year, the Institute welcomes Columbia faculty alongside artists, writers, and thinkers from across the globe—excluding the United States—to foster an environment of intellectual and creative exchange. Fellows receive dedicated workspace, research and administrative support, and access to extensive resources in Paris and Europe. There is no application fee and the deadline is September 30, 2025.
9. Getty Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships
Based in Los Angeles, the Getty Fellowships provide nine months of support for researchers and emerging scholars working across art history, humanities, and cultural studies. The 2025–26 program focuses on themes including provenance research, African American art, and the classical world in context. With stipends of $35,000, travel funding, and accommodation included, fellows gain access to the Getty Research Institute’s vast resources while actively participating in the institution’s intellectual community. For artists and scholars seeking to deepen research-driven projects within an internationally respected framework, the Getty Fellowship is a rare and career-defining opportunity. There is no application fee, and the deadline is October 1, 2025.
10. apexart NYC Open Call
Every year, apexart invites creative individuals worldwide to submit proposals for group exhibitions in its New York City space. With a $10,000 budget and full institutional support, selected projects become part of apexart’s programming and are realized in one of the city’s most dynamic contemporary art contexts. Open to artists, curators, writers, and thinkers regardless of background or experience level, this call emphasizes originality, idea-driven curatorial concepts, and inclusivity. There is no application fee, and the deadline is October 1, 2025.
To discover even more opportunities and ensure you never miss a significant deadline, we recommend visiting Artenda.net, a trusted resource for carefully selected international artist opportunities at every career stage.
Cover image: Installation view of the apexart NYC Open Call winning exhibition “Native Feminisms” (2021) in New York, US.
Last Updated on September 25, 2025
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About the author:
Sylvia Walker (b. 1986, US) is an art historian, essayist, art critic, and curator. After contributing to numerous publications, and curating exhibitions in the United States of America and beyond, she currently works as the assistant director of Contemporary Art Issue (CAI).
