Explore →Opportunities / Awards
Awards for Artists
Current awards for artists — updated regularly with deadlines, funding, and eligibility across every medium.
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2026
San Francisco, CA· Global
Award: $10,000 USD for the Grand Prize Winner, with a total category prize pool valued at over $77,000 across cash and gear package awards.CLOSING SOON: JUL 17, 2026
awardApp Fee: $40Dates: March 11, 2026 - October 18, 2026
- Who Can Apply: Open to representational visual artists internationally, at any career stage.
- The Focus: This annual international prize celebrates excellence in representational visual arts, including realism, surrealism, and lowbrow styles. The award aims to increase artists' visibility and support their careers.
- The Funding: The grand prize winner receives $10,000 USD, with a total prize pool of over $77,000. An application fee of $40 is required.
- Key Requirements: Applicants must submit their work through the appropriate online entry form for their chosen category.
Adrienne Stein "Swan Fantasy I"
Itami City Museum of Art, History and Culture
Open Call for 2026 ITAMI International Craft Exhibition
Itami, Hyogo, Japan· Global
Award: Grand Prix: ¥500,000; 2nd Best Overall Award: ¥400,000; Itami Award: ¥350,000; Gold Award: ¥250,000; Awards for Promising Talent: ¥200,000 each (2 awards); Best Material Award: ¥100,000; Juries' Choice: ¥50,000CLOSING SOON: JUL 24, 2026
awardApp Fee: ¥13,000Dates: Nov 14, 2026 – Dec 20, 2026
- Who Can Apply: Open to international artists; both individual and group entries welcome
- The Focus: Craft works centered on Japanese sake vessels and sake cup stands (Shuki Shuhaidai), completed within the last two years
- The Funding: Grand Prix ¥500,000; multiple awards ranging from ¥50,000 to ¥400,000; application fee ¥13,000 (¥8,000 for artists 25 or under)
- Key Requirements: Works must be original, unpublished, and not previously exhibited or sold; total artwork price plus shipping and insurance must be under ¥200,000; physical artwork submission required by August 9, 2026
Homiens
The Homiens Art Prize
New York, NY· Global
Award: $1,000 for 3 artists, 4 times a yearCLOSING SOON: JUL 29, 2026
awardApp Fee: $30
- Who Can Apply: Open to all artists globally at any career stage.
- The Focus: A meritocratic award providing a global stage and industry recognition for artists. Open to all artworks, mediums, and art forms with no theme or size restrictions.
- The Funding: $12,000 USD awarded annually, with 3 winners receiving $1,000 USD each per round.
- Key Requirements: Submit up to 3 images per artwork or video/sound works up to 30 minutes in duration.
Lucas Stolz - Wabi Sabi - 2024
Bilpin international ground for Creative Initiatives (BigCi)
BigCi Environmental Awards 2026
Bilpin, NSW, Australia· Global
Award: A$5,000 prize moneyDeadline: AUG 2, 2026
awardApp Fee: A$40Duration: 28 days
- Who Can Apply: Open to Australian and international artists from various fields
- The Focus: Environmental art and creative responses to environmental concerns
- The Funding: A$5,000 prize money plus 4 free weeks of residency at BigCi
- Key Requirements: Submission must show response to environmental issues; relevance to Wollemi National Park and Blue Mountains location is essential
2025 Winners - Jana Irmert (Germany) & Mollie McKinley (USA)
James Renwick Alliance for Craft
Chrysalis Award
Washington, DC· National
Award: $5,000Deadline: AUG 23, 2026
awardApp Fee: $0
- Who Can Apply: US-based emerging artists who have completed academic or self-directed training within the past five years.
- The Focus: This award supports and inspires emerging US craft artists, with a focus on a different medium each year. The 2026 award recognizes an emerging artist working in ceramics.
- The Funding: This program provides a $5,000 unrestricted award and has no application fee.
- Key Requirements: Applicants must submit five images of work completed in the past three years.
Alvaro Villa, 2025 Chrysalis Awardee | Clothing Iron Ritual
New American Paintings
New American Paintings - Northeast Competition
Boston, MA
Deadline: AUG 31, 2026
awardApp Fee: $65
- Who Can Apply: Painters residing in CT, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, or VT are eligible to apply.
- The Focus: This juried competition selects forty artists for a four-page feature in the Northeast issue of New American Paintings magazine. The program offers significant exposure to a dedicated audience of collectors, curators, and art world professionals.
- The Funding: Winners receive a four-page, full-color feature in the publication; no cash prize or stipend is mentioned.
- Key Requirements: Application requirements are not specified; please contact the organization directly.
Nick Ackerman
Ohio Arts Council
Individual Excellence Awards
Columbus, OH
Award: $5,000Deadline: SEP 1, 2026
awardApp Fee: $0
- Who Can Apply: Creative artists over 18 who have been Ohio residents for at least one year are eligible; students are excluded.
- The Focus: This award recognizes outstanding accomplishments and the exceptional merit of an Ohio artist's past body of work. It provides resources to experiment, develop skills, and advance careers.
- The Funding: This program provides a fixed award of $5,000 with no application fee.
- Key Requirements: Applications are reviewed anonymously and require work samples, a narrative statement, and a philosophy statement without any identifying information.
Donald Black Jr
PhotoVogue
Brave New Visions: Creativity as Rebellion - A Global Open Call
New York, NY· Global
Award: A total of $12,000 in grants will be awarded to three artists: Outstanding Vision Grant ($6,000), Vision Grant ($4,000), and Rising Voice Grant ($2,000).Deadline: SEP 11, 2026
awardApp Fee: $0
- Who Can Apply: Open to photographers and video makers aged 18+ from around the world.
- The Focus: This global open call seeks work that engages with the present through original and compelling visual storytelling. Artists are invited to create images that resist indifference and make something felt.
- The Funding: A total of $12,000 in grants will be awarded to three artists, with no application fee.
- Key Requirements: Submit a series of up to 15 images, a 60-second video, or a multimedia project. AI-generated works are ineligible.
Kin Coedel
Artadia
Artadia Awards - Boston
Boston, MA
Award: $15,000Deadline: SEP 15, 2026
awardApp Fee: $0
- Who Can Apply: Visual artists living and working in Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, or Suffolk counties for at least two years.
- The Focus: This merit-based award recognizes visionary artists with unrestricted funds. It aims to provide financial support, exposure, and career-advancing network connections.
- The Funding: Three awardees receive unrestricted grants of $15,000 each, and there is no application fee.
- Key Requirements: Requires a portfolio of up to eight images or six minutes of video, a CV, and a 200-word artist statement.
Funlola Coker
PhotoVogue
MENA Panorama: A Regional Open Call
New York, NY· Multi-National
Award: A total of $8,000 in grants will be awarded to three artists: Outstanding Vision Grant ($4,500), Vision Grant ($2,000), and Rising Voice Grant ($1,500).Deadline: SEP 24, 2026
awardApp Fee: $0Dates: 2027
- Who Can Apply: Open to artists aged 18+ from the Middle East and North Africa, including the diaspora.
- The Focus: This regional initiative champions diverse voices from MENA, showcasing the region's complexity, resilience, and varied visual languages. The call seeks work reflecting lived experiences, identity, and social realities on the artists' own terms.
- The Funding: A total of $8,000 in grants will be awarded to three artists, with no application fee.
- Key Requirements: Submit a series of up to 15 images, a 60-second video, or a multimedia project.
Artadia
Artadia Awards - Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
Award: $15,000Deadline: OCT 1, 2026
awardApp Fee: $0
- Who Can Apply: Visual artists who have lived and worked for two consecutive years in the eligible Atlanta-area counties.
- The Focus: This merit-based award provides unrestricted funds to recognize and support visionary artists at pivotal points in their careers. The program fosters a national network, facilitating career-advancing connections and exposure.
- The Funding: Three artists will receive unrestricted awards of $15,000 each, with no application fee.
- Key Requirements: Applicants must submit a CV, a 200-word artist statement, and up to eight work samples via Submittable.
Ayana Ross
Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern
Open Call for TALENTE münchen. Masters of the Future 2027
Munich, Bavaria, Germany· Global
Award: Bavarian States Prize: €5,000, gold medal, certificate; Talente-Prize: catalogue entry and certificate (8 awards)Deadline: OCT 1, 2026
awardApp Fee: €0Duration: 5 daysDates: Mar 10, 2027 – Mar 14, 2027Travel Included
- Who Can Apply: International young talents in design (max 33 years old) or technology (max 35 years old); applicants exceeding age limit may apply up to 2 years after completing apprenticeship or studies
- The Focus: Showcasing exceptional handmade work in applied arts and technology by emerging craftspeople and designers
- The Funding: Bavarian States Prize: €5,000 plus gold medal and certificate; Talente-Prize: catalogue entry and certificate (8 awards); publicly funded exhibition space and partial transport coverage
- Key Requirements: Work must be handmade by the applicant; demonstrate formal or technical considerations and experiments showing something new and exceptional
Artadia
Artadia Awards - Houston
Houston, TX
Award: $15,000Deadline: NOV 1, 2026
awardApp Fee: $0
- Who Can Apply: Contemporary visual artists who have lived and worked in Harris County for at least two consecutive years are eligible.
- The Focus: This merit-based award recognizes visionary artists with unrestricted funds to support their practice. The program aims to provide significant financial support, exposure, and recognition within the contemporary art world.
- The Funding: Three artists will receive unrestricted awards of $15,000 each, with no application fee.
- Key Requirements: Applicants must submit work samples (images and/or video), a CV, and an artist statement of 200 words or less.
Ian Gerson
The John Ruskin Prize
The 9th John Ruskin Prize: Not for Present Delight
London, England, United Kingdom· Global
Award: Prizes totalling £9,500 across four categories, with individual awards ranging from £1,000 to £3,000.Deadline: NOV 17, 2026
award
- Who Can Apply: Open to artists, designers, and makers aged 18+ of any nationality, both amateur and professional. Individuals and collectives may apply.
- The Focus: The prize theme 'Not for Present Delight' invites work exploring creation with an awareness of future consequences. It encourages reflection on how creative practices can embody forward-thinking intention, responsibility, and care.
- The Funding: Prizes total £9,500, including a £3,000 1st prize and specific awards for artists under 26 and mid-career artists.
- Key Requirements: Applicants must submit work made in the last 4 years digitally; all 2D and 3D media are welcome.
Ars Electronica
Prix Ars Electronica u19 - create your world
Linz, Oberösterreich, Austria· Global
Award: Up to €10,000Deadline: TBD
awardApp Fee: €0
- Who Can Apply: This international competition is for young people up to age 19; specific eligibility details are not listed on the main program page.
- The Focus: This long-running media art competition seeks forward-looking projects exploring the interface of art, technology, and society. It serves as a trend barometer for the future of digital and media arts.
- The Funding: Winners receive a Golden Nica trophy, a prize of up to €10,000, and are featured at the Ars Electronica Festival.
- Key Requirements: Application requirements are not specified; please visit the program website for details.
Samuel Brunner, David Chencean, Georg Kotzian, Michal Sysel