From a four-week stay in Japan to major juried exhibitions and cash awards, September 2026 brings a concentrated slate of opportunities for artists working across media. Below is a focused roundup of residencies, fellowships, open calls, and grants with key dates this month and into early fall.
Residencies and Fellowships
Hayama Artist Residency invites visual artists from around the world for four weeks in Japan, June 1 to 30, 2027. Launched in 2020, the program offers roundtrip airfare, a private bedroom, and an $800 stipend for meals and local transportation. Open to visual artists in any medium at any career stage, applicants must be at least 21. Selected artists will be notified by December 15, 2026; application fee is $95. Deadline: September 30, 2026.
2026-27 MCAD-Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Early Career Artists (Minnesota) awards four grants of $10,000 each to early-career artists who can present their work in a gallery context. Applicants may work in traditional or new media. Deadline: 12 p.m. CDT on September 11, 2026.
2027-28 QM-Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Emerging Artists (New York City) will support two visual artists with $20,000 each, professional development consultations, and mentorship from a New York–based established artist. Each fellowship runs one year and culminates with a solo project exhibition at the Queens Museum in 2028. Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 28, 2026.
Open Calls, Prizes, and Grants
- CraftForms 2026 (Wayne Art Center): 31st International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft across basketry, ceramics, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood; CAD/CAM and 3D printing eligible. On view December 5, 2026–January 23, 2027. Jurors Dr. Robert K. Liu and Patrick Benesh-Liu (Ornament Magazine) will present $12,000+ in prizes. Deadline: 11:59 p.m. MDT on September 8, 2026.
- Hunt Museum Open Submission Exhibition (Limerick): Celebrating contemporary Irish and international art. Entry fee: €15 for the first image, plus €15 per artwork for up to three submissions. Deadline: September 7, 2026.
- Bridging the Gap (Scotland and Northern Ireland): Short documentary development with intensive workshops; 12 projects shortlisted, four films fully commissioned. Deadline: September 9, 2026.
- Hiding in Plain Site (International): Public art short film festival seeking 2–20 minute works; premieres October 25 in Minneapolis. Deadline: September 10, 2026.
- Dobell Prize for Drawing (Australia): Biennial at the National Art School with the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation; AUD$30,000 acquisitive prize. Deadline: September 14, 2026.
- Queering Wood Craft (International): Museum for Art in Wood exhibition highlighting queer-identified makers in wood, April–July 2027. Deadline: September 15, 2026.
- Queensland Regional Art Awards: Total pool AUD$326,800 in cash awards, solo exhibitions, residencies, and professional development. Entry fees: $25 (ages 15–25); $40 (over 25; $35 for members). Deadline: September 18, 2026.
- AAP Magazine: STREET (International): Street-themed issue; $35 for three images ($30 early bird). Deadline: September 29, 2026 (early bird September 8).
- Global Lens Photography Awards (International): Recognition includes certificates, annual book, virtual exhibition; top winner €1,000, trophy, prominent exhibition placement. Deadline: September 30, 2026.
- Field Notes from the Middle (Midwest): Juror Nathaniel M. Stein will select five artists; each eligible for the 2026 Filter Photo Museum Purchase Award of $2,000 with acquisition by the Cincinnati Art Museum. Deadline: September 30, 2026.
- YICCA Art Prize (International): Open to all media; €5,500 total prize pool; fees start at €50. Deadline: October 8, 2026.
- Arch Enemy Arts (International): January 2027 group exhibition; up to three works per artist. Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EST on November 13, 2026.
Funding and support: Innovate Grant awards two $1,800 grants (plus 18 honorable mentions). Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PDT on September 17, 2026. Henry Moore Institute Travel & Research Grants offer up to £2,500 to support sculpture research. Deadline: September 1, 2026. Dezi Art Prize grants two $1,000 unrestricted awards; $30 fee. Deadline: September 10, 2026. The 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art awards $10,000 (eligible to artists who reside, work in, or are from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia); $35 fee. Deadline: September 14, 2026. Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants provide up to $5,000. Deadline: 5 p.m. EDT on September 15, 2026. Tom Stoddard Award for Excellence x GOST Books offers a photobook, £5,000 toward expenses, travel to Verona, and publicity in The Guardian; £50 fee. Deadline: 11:59 p.m. BST on September 30, 2026. The Supporting Act Foundation Artist Grants award 10 grants of €10,000 (paid in €1,000 monthly installments) to artists based in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, or the U.K. Deadline: October 1, 2026. The Adolf and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant provides one-time assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors following unforeseen catastrophic incidents.
Check guidelines, eligibility, fees, and time zones carefully, and plan ahead—many of these opportunities close quickly this month.
