Artist Opportunities
Organized below by region, opportunities include Requests for Qualifications (RFQs)/calls for artists, grants, as well as employment, fellowship, workshop, conference, and volunteer opportunities. Our best practice is to post Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) for artists/artworks, rather than Requests for Proposals (RFPs). If you would like to learn more about best practices for public art calls, please reach out to our consulting team at consulting@forecastpublicart.
Interested in submitting an opportunity for artists and/or culture bearers? Please contact jen@forecastpublicart.org with a clear description of the opportunity and a live link.
We promote:
- Calls for entry that do not require creating new proposals
- Projects and submissions that do not require an art degree or professional title
- Free opportunities
For a list of Emergency Relief, Grants, Funding, and other artist resources in response to the pandemic, please follow this link to our message regarding COVID-19.
We suggest that you confirm the status of an opportunity before applying.
Minnesota / Midwest
RFQs, COMMISSIONS, & CALLS for ART
The City of Milwaukee seeks an artist/artist team to create a permanent placement of artwork to honor Vel R. Phillips, one of the most prominent and accomplished political figures of Milwaukee and a champion for equality. The City of Milwaukee is transforming a surface parking lot into an activated social space that honors Phillips and provides context for her accomplishments. Phillips was the first woman and Black citizen to be elected to Milwaukee’s Common Council, the National Committee, and Secretary of State and was the first woman judge in Milwaukee County as well as the first Black judge in Wisconsin. The final chosen Artist/Artist Team will demonstrate an understanding of the nationwide/global consideration of monuments, and how we honor citizens and why. The total budget is $600,000. Applications are due October 9, 2023 @11am CDT.
The City of Minneapolis invites experienced artists with the capacity to work in a range of materials and a range of scales to apply to design and create public artwork to be incorporated into a new development reconnecting Nicollet Avenue between Cecil Newman Lane and Lake Streets. This City-led effort will create new places, connections, and opportunities on the former Kmart site adjacent to the Midtown Greenway in South Minneapolis. The first phase focuses on the new street, the bridge, bikeway and pedestrian areas. Optional artist info meeting at 3:00pm, October 5. The artist/team will also identify opportunities for future art and artists on the site. Apply by 4:00pm October 17.
Forecast Public Art seeks Minnesota-based early and mid-career artist applicants for our 2024 grant cycle. We fund public art projects and research & development. Each year, we seek to fund a diverse group of artists working in all career stages and a range of public art practices and media. We place particular emphasis on supporting and amplifying the artistic work of BIPOC and Native artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, women artists, immigrant artists, artists from rural communities, artists with disabilities, and other groups who are traditionally excluded. Grant funded period is from January 1, 2024, to November 30, 2024. Opportunities include project grants, professional development grants, and research and development grants. Grant amounts range from $2,500 to $10,000. Apply online by October 16, 2023.
The Arts@MSP Program is creating an Artist Roster of emerging, mid-career and established artists who will be prequalified for future public art opportunities at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP). This roster will be one method of selecting artists to develop temporary, permanent, free-standing or site-integrated artwork of various complexities, forms, and sizes, indoors and outdoors, at MSP Terminals 1 and 2. This call is open to professional artists residing in the United States. Regional talent is preferred. Project budgets for roster-based selections will vary, depending upon project complexity. Contract awards above $175,000 are subject to approval by the Metropolitan Airports Commission. Applications will be accepted at any time, and reviews are anticipated to be conducted quarterly in January, April, July, and October.
MSP Airport Foundation has volunteer opportunities open at this time. Arts@MSP volunteers assist with live performances, rotating art exhibits, guided art tours, and arts receptions and events. Volunteers must be 18 years or older and work at least two shifts per month for at least one year. Fill out the online application on their website to join the team.
FELLOWSHIPS, RESIDENCIES, COHORTS, & SCHOLARSHIPS
Check back soon.
EMPLOYMENT & PAID INTERNSHIPS
Check back soon.
VOLUNTEER, INTERN, APPRENTICESHIPS, & BOARD OPENINGS
Art Shanty Projects seeks board members. Are you interested in Minnesota winters? Art projects? Joy? If so, consider applying to join the Art Shanty Projects Board of Directors! We are a working Board, committed to supporting a small and joyous arts organization that provides on-ice experiences to Minnesotans in dreary winter months. We are looking for engaged, motivated individuals with a demonstrated commitment to any or all of the following: accessibility, decolonizing art and arts organizations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. We especially welcome those with an interest in future leadership and/or treasurer roles, fundraising and building financial stability, and the law. The typical time commitment is an average of 10 hours per month. We strongly encourage people of color, Indigenous folks, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, and neurodivergent individuals to apply. No listed deadline.
Public Art Saint Paul has open volunteer opportunities. These volunteers assist with community outreach, programs, and fundraising events. Contact PASP at 651-290-0921 or pasp@publicartstpaul.org to get involved.
CONFERENCES, SUMMITS, WORKSHOPS & EVENTS
Check back soon.
PROGRAMS, GRANTS, & AVAILABLE FUNDING
Springboard for the Arts regularly shares a variety of opportunities and support.
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council Artist Equity Grants provide up to $4,000 to aid Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other artists of color with projects that will advance their skills and artistic careers. No match requirements. Application Deadline: Ongoing, July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 or until funding for the year has been expended.
The City of St. Louis Park has funds available to pay for the graphic wrapping of city-owned utility boxes. Community and Neighborhood Organizations may apply to wrap a box. Original local artwork is encouraged. If you have a design you’d like to bring to life and need to find a community partner to support the project, contact info@slpfota.org.
Metro Regional Arts Council (MRAC) offers a variety of arts project support and learning grants, for all artistic disciplines. Varying submission dates.
National
RFQs, COMMISSIONS, & CALLS for ART
The City of Ventura, California with Contemporary Arts Museum Houston seeks artist qualifications for the design of integrated artworks at the VenturaWaterPure — Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF), a forthcoming water treatment facility in Ventura, California. VenturaWaterPure aims to create a platform for artist-led initiatives that celebrate the story of water recycling and highlight the ecological significance of new water resources while also incorporating an educational component to promote water recycling awareness. This RFQ is open to professional artists or teams experienced in creating integrated public art. Applicants must demonstrate a history of professional activity and achievement as an artist; experience in managing complex projects, including technical competence in fabrication and installation procedures; and demonstrated ability to collaborate with multi-disciplinary design/engineering teams; and to procure and direct the work of subcontractors/consultants. The maximum project budget is $1,000,000. Applications must be submitted by September 30, 2023. Contact Tiffany Meesha Thompson at tmthompson@camh.org for questions.
The City of Lewisville, Texas, seeks an artist to create a work of art for the Tittle McFadden Public Safety Center, which is currently under construction and is expected to be completed the first quarter of 2025. The selection panel is looking for a unique, one-of-a-kind, monument-sized artwork that is appropriate for placement in front of the public safety facility and for the diverse Lewisville community. Through a review of the applications by staff, the construction project architect, and Arts Advisory Board members, up to 3 artists will be identified as finalists and will be invited to give an online presentation to the selection team. Through this presentation process, one artist or artist group will be selected to complete the project. The budget is $320,000 all-inclusive. Applications are due September 30, 2023 @11:59 MDT through the CaFÉ system.
Cambridge Arts and the City of Cambridge seek artists for their public art slide registry. Registration is free and easy – upload digital files of past work samples and complete the form for artist info. Once in our registry, you will be considered for future public art commissions administered by the City of Cambridge. Email Claudia Zarazua, Arts and Cultural Planning Director, at czarazua@cambridgema.gov, with questions or to edit your portfolio. Apply by December 31, 2023.
MuncieArts & Culture Council seeks artists—the following open Requests for Qualifications will be used to generate a pool of prequalified artists for current and future public art projects in the City of Muncie. Outdoor public artworks, including sculpture, installation, and murals are being planned through 2024, with project budgets ranging between $5,000 to $150,000. All artists working or eligible to work in the United States are welcome to apply. Application is free. Accepted applications will be kept on file in a pre-qualified pool until December 31, 2024. Acceptance to the pre-qualified pool does not guarantee that a project will be offered, though all pre-qualified artists will be considered. Artists selected for a project shortlist will be notified. Please include a permanent email address in your application as this will be the address used to contact you for potential future projects. Application will remain open until December 31, 2023. Early application is encouraged. Questions not answered in the RFQ Instruction Document can be directed to publicart@munciearts.org.
The Oregon Arts Commission in partnership with The Ford Family Foundation, is putting together a registry of Oregon artists. We invite artists from across the state to sign up for the list by filling out a brief survey about themselves and their artistic practice. We encourage any and all artists living in Oregon to register! Deadline not specified.
The City of Wichita- Government Division of Arts and Cultural Services is launching a Public Artist Registry web page to serve as a resource to aid architects and developers in connecting with art consultants and artists when working on City projects. This database of qualified artists is intended to streamline the process of selecting artists and art consultants for cultural and public art projects. Local, regional, state and national artists who have experience working on large scale public projects are encouraged to apply for inclusion. No listed deadline.
FELLOWSHIPS, RESIDENCIES, SCHOLARSHIPS, & OTHER AWARDS
National Parks Arts Foundation offers a variety of residencies. We recommend checking regularly.
EMPLOYMENT & PAID INTERNSHIPS
Meow Wolf hires for a variety of jobs, in Santa Fe, NM, and Las Vegas, NV. Meow Wolf is an arts collective and production company that creates and operates immersive, interactive multimedia experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastical realms of storytelling. We recommend checking regularly.
VOLUNTEER, INTERN, APPRENTICESHIPS, & BOARD OPENINGS
Check back soon.
CONFERENCES, SUMMITS, WORKSHOPS, & EVENTS
Seattle Office of Arts and Culture now offers a Public Art Boot Camp series. Since December 2022, a series of online workshops have been free and available to anyone interested in learning more about public art. Featuring staff, artists, and experts in the field, the information shared will highlight the steps needed to navigate through the completion of a public art project successfully.
PROGRAMS, GRANTS, & AVAILABLE FUNDING
Gottlieb Emergency Grant Program. This emergency grant provides financial assistance to painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen 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. No close date.
The Foundation for Contemporary Arts offers Emergency Grants between $200 and $2,500 for visual and performing artists. Applications reviewed monthly, so artists can quickly take advantage of momentum or solve budget errors. Rolling acceptance.
The Maryland State Arts Council Creativity Grant Program strengthens the vitality and sustainability of artists and small organizations, in order to maintain a strong arts infrastructure in the state. The Creativity Grant also provides opportunities to serve the growing needs of relevant arts projects and collaborations within Maryland communities. Close dates for the Creativity Grant Program are rolling. Funded activities must occur within the grant period. Applications must be submitted at least 90 days before the funded activities occur. Applications will be reviewed monthly, and Creativity Grants will be awarded throughout the fiscal year until allocated funding is depleted.
The Maryland Touring Grant assists eligible nonprofit organizations by subsidizing the presentation of any performer on the Maryland Performing Artist Touring Roster. Rolling acceptance.
United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant. Public bodies, Non-profit organizations, and Federally Recognized Tribes may apply.
International
RFQs, COMMISSIONS, & CALLS for ART
CODAmagazine Call for entries.
Short Édition seeks short stories and poems to delight, inspire, surprise, and, most importantly, move our readers. Starting July 1, 2019, the editorial team at Short Édition began publishing a monthly selection of original and unpublished short fiction in both the Short Story Dispensers and on our website. Button fiction — very short fiction published at the push of a button — is found in unexpected places, whether it’s when you’re savoring the last sips at the local coffee shop, waiting in line at the DMV, or strolling through the airport. We want to insert a bit of storytelling into the mundane moments, elevating the role of story in the everyday. We pay $125 stipend for each selected short story and $75 for each poem as an advance payment on the royalties that each author will receive on a yearly basis from the Short Story Dispenser subscriptions. Each selected piece will be published as a part of a Rendez-vous collection in our Short Story Dispensers around the world and on our website, short-edition.com/en. Response rate could be anywhere from a few days up to four months, depending on the number of submissions received. Submissions accepted on a rolling basis.
FELLOWSHIPS, RESIDENCIES, SCHOLARSHIPS, & OTHER AWARDS
Olepangi Farm offers residency for artists for 6, 12, or 18 weeks. Artists stay in semi-permanent tents with adjoining bathrooms. Power and internet is only found in the communal spaces, the farm is off-grid. Artists are expected to complete one community activity or project, agreed upon at the beginning of their residency. They are also expected to have daily interaction with guests, leave a legacy behind, and reflect on their time in their residency for the farm’s social media. Artist expenses are $350 per week, plus travel, visa, and activities off the farm. Applications can be submitted by email to artistinresidence@olepangifarm.com. No listed deadline.
The Awesome Foundation offers $1,000 grants every month for ideas that need funding. Visit their website for examples of other projects they have funded. Apply to the chapter closest to you through their website. No deadline.
You must be logged in to post a comment.