ArtsMarket Southeast, a regional performing arts showcase conference organized by the North Carolina Presenters Consortium (NCPC), returns November 2–4, 2026 to downtown Durham, NC, where selected showcase artists will take the stage at the historic Carolina Theatre of Durham.

In front of a room full of arts presenters, agents, and performing arts professionals from across North Carolina and the Southeast — the very people who book their future seasons at this conference — you'll have the chance to make a lasting impression. Main Stage, Virtual Spotlight, and Theatre for Young Audiences showcase slots are all available. Applications are due by April 24th, 2026 at 5pm EST.

Location
Durham, NC

Fees or awards
$50 application fee

South Arts recognizes the importance of professional development in building artists’ careers. Even with stipends or payments, overall expenses can make participating in these opportunities inaccessible. South Arts offers Artist Creative Practice Grants (formerly Individual Artist Career Opportunity Grants) to ensure that artists from our region can take advantage of a variety of career enhancing opportunities.

The Artist Creative Practice Grant supports a variety of professional development opportunities including milestone activities in an artist's career that will likely lead to substantial career growth.

Grants up to $3,000 are available for opportunities taking place between November 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.

Published by Moonshine Review Press, Kakalak will accept entries in art and poetry for the 2026 annual contest. No set theme. Anyone is eligible. For more information, and to submit, visit KakalakAnthology.com.

Fees or awards
Fee: $10 to submit up to 3 poems or 3 art pieces. Various monetary prizes will be awarded (see website for breakdown).

Her Canvas invites women from around the world to showcase their unique visions, stories, and artistic talent. This exhibition, hosted by Blue Koi Art Gallery, is open to all mediums and styles, giving you the freedom to express your voice in the most authentic way. Share your creativity and be part of a collective that uplifts and honors women in the arts!

Accepting both 2D and 3D visual art, e.g., traditional art, mixed media, digital art, sculpture, and photography.

Fees or awards
Entry fee is $35. Awards offered.

Periods: 1 Month (29 days)
When: Oct / Nov 2026
Where: Arteles Creative Center, Hämeenkyrö, Finland

Fall into Focus residency program is for artists, writers and researchers who want to concentrate on their creative practice, projects, writing or research. The program brings together creative individuals from various different fields and backgrounds, offering flexible time and space to freely develop creative projects without external pressure.

Location
Hämeenkyrö, Finland

Fees or awards
No application fee. Regular fee: €1950; Financially supported fee (limited availability): €1350; Contributor's fee (optional): €2610. All fees include the registration fee (€120/person, non-refundable, to be paid only if/when selected).

The Hopper Prize is accepting submissions for Spring 2026 individual artist grants. They will be providing six grants totaling $13,000 USD. Two artists will each receive $4,500 and four artists will each receive $1,000. All visual art media is eligible. Additional exposure is available via a 30-artist shortlist, online journal, and Instagram currently reaching over 160k.

Fees or awards
There is a $40 submission fee due with your application.

Accomplished authors invite writers to ‘find their place’ at Tremont Writers Conference: October 21 - 25, 2026

Join renowned authors and professional park educators for a writers conference like no other set on a lush, secluded campus nestled within America’s most-visited national park. Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont partners with Smokies Life to bring this five-day intensive retreat to a small group of selected writers.

Apply today to be a part of your chosen cohort: fiction, nonfiction, or poetry—and enjoy the benefits of award-winning author workshop leaders dedicated to focusing on you and your work. Days will be dedicated to learning and writing in small groups with meals and lodging provided; evenings will be focused around community dinners, some off campus, where you’ll enjoy faculty author readings.

Location
Townsend, TN

Fees or awards
$4 application fee; $1,725 per person if selected (including lodging and meals). Financial aid is available on request at application.

UMW Galleries welcomes submissions to its upcoming juried exhibition, the Mid-Atlantic New Painting Biennial, celebrating artists from Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Begun in 1997, MANP is celebrating its thirteenth biennial of contemporary painting organized by the University of Mary Washington.

Location
Fredericksburg, VA

Fees or awards
A $25 non-refundable fee must accompany the application and covers up to three entries.

The Palette & Chisel Emerging Artists Show is seeking entries of 2D, representational artwork from artists under the age of 40 years old currently living in the United States. Sponsored cash and merchandise prizes will be awarded out of the pool of exhibiting artists. Entries due May 28th, 2026.

Location
Chicago, IL

Fees or awards
Entry fee is $35 for 3 works and $10 for each additional. $5,000 in total awards plus merchandise.

Pullen Arts Center is looking for artists applications for three (3) themed group exhibitions in 2027. Group shows are curated by Pullen Arts Center, and will generally include 3-5 artists, depending on theme and work submitted. Show titles and themes are up to artist interpretation. No specific medium or art-style has been kept in mind for these themes, and no singular analysis of themes is expected. 

2027 exhibition themes: Metamorphosis: studies in change (February - April 2027), Awake and Aware: our senses as a guide (May - July 2027), and The Ways We Remember: rituals, stories, memorials (August - October 2027)

Location
Raleigh, NC