Creative Opportunities to Apply for This September
- caribalent
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
From fully funded artist residencies and international exhibitions to grants and photography competitions, there are a number of opportunities currently open to creatives around the world.
For Caribbean artists, these calls offer opportunities to gain international exposure, develop new work, secure funding and connect with wider creative communities.
Here are opportunities worth exploring.
Deadline: September 1, 2026
The Henry Moore Foundation offers grants supporting projects connected to sculpture, including exhibitions, commissions, acquisitions, research, conferences, publications and conservation.
International non-profit organisations may apply, provided they meet the Foundation's eligibility requirements. Individual sculpture historians, academics and conservators may also be eligible under the Research & Travel category.
Grants can reach £20,000 for several project categories, while smaller awards are available for conferences, publications and research travel.
Location: International
Eligibility: Primarily non-profit organisations and eligible researchers
Best suited for: Sculpture projects, arts organisations and researchers
Deadline: September 8, 2026
The Wayne Art Center is accepting submissions for CraftForms 2026, an international juried exhibition of contemporary fine craft in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
The exhibition covers a wide range of disciplines, including ceramics, fibre, jewellery, glass, metal, furniture, paper, wearable art and wood. CAD/CAM technology and 3D-printed works are also eligible.
Selected works will be exhibited from December 5, 2026 to January 23, 2027, with more than US$12,000 in prize awards available.
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania, USA
Eligibility: International
Best suited for: Craft artists and makers
Deadline: September 10, 2026
The MacDowell Fellowship offers artists dedicated time and space to focus on their creative work through a residency of approximately two to eight weeks.
Fellows receive a private studio, accommodation and meals. The programme welcomes artists working across visual arts, film, literature, music, theatre, architecture and interdisciplinary practice.
Location: Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA
Eligibility: International artists aged 21+
Award: Studio, accommodation and meals provided
Application fee: US$30
Deadline: September 10, 2026
The Dezi Art Prize is an international juried art grant for emerging and early-career visual artists.
All visual media are welcome, with submissions evaluated on artistic merit by an independent jury.
Two artists will each receive an unrestricted US$1,000 grant and a featured artist profile. Ten additional finalists will also be selected and featured.
Location: International
Eligibility: Emerging and early-career visual artists worldwide
Award: Two US$1,000 grants plus featured artist profiles
Application fee: US$30
Deadline: September 11, 2026
PhotoVogue's latest global open call invites photographers, video artists and visual storytellers to explore creativity as rebellion.
The call seeks bold and experimental work that challenges dominant narratives and responds to today's social, cultural, environmental and political realities.
Selected artists may have their work featured through exhibitions, publications and global PhotoVogue programming.
Location: International / Online
Eligibility: Photographers, video artists and visual storytellers worldwide
Awards include:
US$12,000 in total grants awarded to three artists
Presentation at the PhotoVogue Festival
Potential publication across Vogue's global editions
Participation in PhotoVogue Virtual Portfolio Reviews
Deadline: September 30, 2026
The Global Lens Photography Awards is an international competition open to photographers aged 18 and over, including both professional and amateur photographers.
Categories include Story & Culture, Fine Art, People, Nature, Architecture, Black & White and more. Entries are judged anonymously.
The Photographer of the Year receives €1,000, a trophy, an Annual Book feature, published interview and prominent virtual exhibition placement.
Location: International / Online
Eligibility: Photographers aged 18+ worldwide
Best suited for: Photographers seeking international recognition and publication
Deadline: September 29, 2026
AAP Magazine's Street 2026 competition is seeking photographic work exploring street life.
The competition welcomes different approaches and styles, including documentary, conceptual, experimental, digital and analogue photography.
Selected photographers have the opportunity to be published in AAP Magazine #61: Street, alongside international exposure and recognition.
Location: International / Online
Eligibility: Professional and amateur photographers aged 18+
Best suited for: Street and documentary photographers
Deadline: September 14, 2026
Artists looking for dedicated time to develop their practice can apply for Art Omi's Artists Residency 2027 in New York's Hudson Valley.
The four-week residency brings together artists from around the world for studio work, cultural exchange and professional dialogue.
Residents receive dedicated workspace, accommodation and meals at no cost, although travel expenses are not covered.
The programme is open to professional artists who have been active for at least five years and includes visual art, sound art, performance and social practice.
Location: Ghent, New York, USA
Eligibility: International artists with at least five years of professional practice
Award: Fully funded residency, excluding travel
Application fee: US$15
Deadline: October 8, 2026
YICCA 26/27 is an international contemporary art competition open to artists and groups from around the world.
The competition accepts a broad range of practices, including painting, photography, sculpture, video, installation and performance. No specific professional qualifications are required.
Selected artists will participate in a final exhibition, with prizes awarded to winning artists.
Location: InternationalEligibility: Artists and artist groups worldwideBest suited for: Contemporary artists working across disciplines
Deadline: November 13, 2026
Philadelphia-based gallery Arch Enemy Arts is seeking new and emerging artists for its annual group exhibition.
There is no specific theme. The gallery focuses on representational, dark surrealism, magical realism, pop-surrealism, narrative, illustrative and figurative work.
Eligible mediums include painting, drawing, fibre art, original printmaking, sculpture and physical collage.
Artists must be 18 or older, and international submissions are welcome. Works must be original, created between 2025 and 2026, available for sale and no larger than 36 inches on their longest side.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Eligibility: Artists aged 18+ worldwide
Award: Exhibition opportunity and international gallery exposure
Application fee: US$18
Deadline: Rolling
The ARRIVAL Gallery Micro Grant provides ongoing financial support to artists through a simple international application process.
Artists submit one original artwork per grant round. Once a round reaches 1,000 valid submissions, one winner is selected.
Location: International
Eligibility: Artists worldwide
Award: One artist receives a £100 grant per completed round
Deadline: Rolling
For artists looking for smaller funding opportunities without a fixed annual deadline, this can be an accessible option to consider.
Deadline: Rolling
The Pollock-Krasner Foundation provides grants to professional artists based on financial need and their professional exhibition history.
The programme supports international painters, sculptors and artists working on paper, including printmakers.
Grants can provide up to US$50,000 for one year, making this one of the more substantial funding opportunities in the roundup.
Location: International
Eligibility: Painters, sculptors and artists working on paper, including printmakers
Award: Up to US$50,000 for one year
Deadline: Rolling
Deadline: Rolling
The Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant Program provides financial assistance to established artists experiencing an unforeseen personal or professional emergency.
The programme supports international painters, sculptors and artists working on paper, including printmakers. Applications are assessed based on financial need and professional exhibition history.
Eligible artists may receive up to US$50,000 for one year.
Eligibility: International painters, sculptors and artists working on paper, including printmakers
Award: Up to US$50,000 for one year
Deadline: Rolling
Finding the Right Opportunity
Not every opportunity will be suitable for every creative.
For visual artists: Dezi Art Prize, YICCA and Arch Enemy Arts
For photographers and visual storytellers: PhotoVogue, AAP Magazine and Global Lens Awards
For craft artists: CraftForms
For fully funded residencies: MacDowell and Art Omi
For sculpture and arts organisations: Henry Moore Grants
For financial support: Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Gottlieb Emergency Grant and ARRIVAL Gallery Micro Grant
For Caribbean creatives, international open calls can be an important way to expand beyond local and regional networks. A successful application can lead to funding, exhibition opportunities, international publication, residency experience and connections with curators and other creatives.
Before applying, always review the original opportunity for the latest eligibility requirements, application fees, artwork specifications and submission guidelines, as details may change.
Looking for more opportunities? Explore Caribalent's Opportunities Hub for current calls, grants, exhibitions, residencies and commissions for Caribbean creatives.
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