War Stories: Collage & Conflict is a four-week virtual residency for collage artists at any career stage. Participants will research historical and contemporary war correspondence, explore political collage, create weekly work, receive critical feedback, and develop statements that place their art in historical and civic context.

Dates: October 3 - 24, 2026

Fees or awards
The cost of the residency is $600 per artist.

Montreal: City as Archive Artist Lab-October 2026 is a hybrid, five-day intensive for collage artists over 21 from anywhere in the world. Through presentations, walks, site visits, research, and studio work in Montreal, participants will explore place as archive and develop proposals for new artwork or contemporary art projects rooted in the city’s histories and material culture.

Event details
A five-day, in-person Artist Lab at Atelier Galerie 2112 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Tuesday, October 6 to Sunday, October 11, 2026 with two virtual meetings on Zoom

Fees or awards
The cost of the residency is approximately $750 USD per artist.

Please join us for the 5th Annual North Carolina Veteran Art Show from Friday, October 2nd, to Friday, October 16th, at the Durham Art Guild Golden Belt Gallery. The Joel Fund and Heart2Hand Veteran artist Lt. Colonel (retired), Bernardine Donato, are excited to host the two-week art exhibit in partnership with Durham Art Guild. This family-friendly art show will contain original pieces created by North Carolina Veterans of all backgrounds, art levels, and branches of service.

Location
Durham, NC

Fees or awards
Free entry

Chapel Hill, NC is searching for its next Poet Laureate! Our Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador for poetry, fostering connections between all kinds of writers, poets, and creatives to enrich Chapel Hill’s social and civic life. This role inspires creativity and builds community by:

• Writing poems for special community moments
• Performing at festivals, events, & council meetings
• Creating community poetry experiences
• Facilitating workshops or trainings
• Meeting regularly with Town staff

Location
Chapel Hill, NC

Fees or awards
Stipends: $6,000 for selected poet; $200/finalist for proposals & interviews

The 31st annual season of the Twin Rivers Media Festival will celebrate this year screening the latest and greatest in independent features, documentaries, short and animated films. 28 countries were represented last year in the 60 films selected for screenings. The festival will screen winners on September 25th and 26th, 2026 at the Flood Fine Arts Center in Asheville, NC.

Two new categories will be featured this year highlighting:
Anti-War and Anti War-Tax films
Films By and About Asheville, NC

Location
Asheville, NC

Fees or awards
Submission fees vary. Submit early for lowest fees. 20% of all fees awarded to the different categories.

The Gibbes Museum and Society 1858’s Prize for Contemporary Southern Art is awarded to an artist whose work contributes to a new understanding of art in the South. Presented annually, the Prize recognizes the highest level of artistic achievement and welcomes applications from artist working across any media. 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 are encouraged and eligible to apply.

Location
Charleston, SC

Fees or awards
$35 non-refundable entry fee; $10,000 prize

This exhibition is called "Imposter". We're looking for art that isn't quite what it seems. ALL mediums are welcome, but you must use the medium in a way that is NOT the intended purpose OR it must mimic a different material. The Imposter Exhibition Opening Ceremony will be held at Eikon Gallery on October 2, 2026. The exhibition will run from October 2 - October 16, 2026.

You may submit up to 2 pieces and must be present at the ceremony to receive one of the cash prizes.

Location
Asheville, NC

Fees or awards
Entry fee is $20/piece. There will be a $300 First Place cash prize, a $150 Second Place cash prize, and a $150 People's Choice cash prize.

Summer 2026 open for submissions — Innovate Grant is thrilled to introduce our newly increased award amounts of $1,800. Innovate Grant awards (2) $1,800 grants each quarter, to one Visual Artist and one Photographer. Our newly increased $1,800 grants act as mighty sparks of financial support that ignite your creative development.

Fees or awards
$35 application fee

The 2026 Southeastern Art Show and Market (SEASAM) and SEASAM Youth will be October 2nd - 3rd on the Chickasaw Nation Historic Capitol Building grounds in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. The competition art show and market is open to artists from federally recognized Southeastern tribes. The deadline for entry for adults is August 29th and September 18th for youth.

Location
Tishomingo, OK

Fees or awards
There will be awards for both adult and youth categories, including Best of Show.

 🗓 October 16 - 25, 2026
📍 Lecce, MUST - Museo Storico della Città di Lecce
⏳ Deadline: September 21, 2026 (11.59 PM your local time)

“Every piece of art tells a story made up of emotions, memories and experiences that are part of the lived of each artist”.

Dr. Carmela Loiacono, Art Historian and Independent Curator is opening submissions for the International Art Exhibition STORIES OF IDENTITY | The 3rd Edition 2026.

Location
Lecce, Italy

Fees or awards
The submission proposal is free.
A participation fee is required only for selected artists.