Every week we gather a variety of artist opportunities from the DC area and beyond. Find one below and apply today — good luck! Click here for recent opportunities posts, and submit your opportunity listing here.
New Opportunities
Call to Artists, Light Pole Banner Design Opportunity — Alexandria, VA
Deadline: July 15 The Old Town North Alliance (OTNA) is pleased to invite expressions of interest from artists and graphic designers who would like to be considered for a public art commission to create a series of light pole banners identifying and celebrating the Old Town North Arts & Cultural District in Alexandria, VA. This initiative will be funded through a combination of community sponsorships, a grant from the City of Alexandria through the Business and the Arts Collaborative Invitational Grant Program, and financial support from OTNA.
The banner program will help establish a recognizable visual identity for the Arts & Cultural
District while showcasing the creativity and artistic character that define Old Town North. The
district is currently home to The Art League and the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, and will
soon welcome MetroStage, the Alexandria Film Festival, and CityDance, among others.
Project Scope:
The commissioned artist will be asked to develop an artist-driven banner design concept with
3-5 variations to provide visual diversity to the streetscape. The banners will be installed on light poles throughout the district and the design must accommodate two banner sizes: 18”x36” and 30”x60”.
Design concepts should:
● Clearly identify and celebrate the “Old Town North Arts & Cultural District”
● Incorporate artistic expression rather than functioning solely as a graphic branding
exercise
● Consider potential inclusion of Old Town North iconography, such as:
○ The Old Town North oval logo
○ The Old Town North Tern
○ Other district-related imagery or themes
● Include a small area at the bottom of the banner for sponsor acknowledgement
The final artwork will be developed collaboratively with OTNA and the ultimate design selection
will be made by the OTNA Board of Directors in partnership with the commissioned artist.
Selection Process OTNA will review submissions and identify 3-5 nominees based upon qualifications, artistic approach, and demonstrated experience. Nominees will be selected based on the materials submitted, which will then be presented to the Old Town North community for consideration and voting to make the final selection.
If interested, please reply no later than July 15, 2026 with the following Submission
Materials:
● An artist statement describing:
○ Your background and experience;
○ Your artistic approach and creative philosophy; and
○ Your interest in contributing to this important project for the Old Town North Arts
& Cultural District
● Up to six (6) examples of relevant work samples including photographs, renderings or
other representative images (especially any examples of pole banner, branding,
placemaking, signage, or environmental graphic work)
● Your proposed fee for completing the commission
Project Schedule
● July 15, 2026 – submission deadline
● July 16 – September 20, 2026 – OTNA/Community review and voting on nominees
● September 21, 2026 – Artist commission awarded
● November 1, 2026 – Final banner designs due
This project presents a unique opportunity to create a lasting visual identity for one of the DC
Metropolitan Area’s emerging arts destinations. We encourage submissions from both
established and emerging artists whose work can help capture the creativity, history, character,
and future of Old Town North.
To be considered, please submit the requested Submission Materials no later than July 15,
2026. No original artwork or design concepts are required or requested as part of your
Submission Materials.
Questions and submissions may be directed to:
Sarah Almy
Executive Director, Old Town North Alliance
[email protected]
Call to Artists, McLean Project for the Arts | (Not) Strictly Painting 15 — McClean, VA
Deadline: July 17 McLean Project for the Arts currently seeks submissions for (Not) Strictly Painting 15, a juried biennial exhibition celebrating the depth and breadth of paintings–or works related in some way to painting–from artists throughout the mid-Atlantic area. Now in its 15th iteration, (Not) Strictly Painting is one of the region’s most important painting exhibitions. Click here for details.
Call for Photography Submissions,“Listening Spaces: Where does music happen for you?” — D.C.
Deadline: July 20 Music happens everywhere — show us where it happens for you. Click here for details.
Call to Artists, Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington 2027 Call for Solos — Arlington, VA
Deadline: July 24 Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington is currently accepting proposals for SOLOS 2027, a group of solo exhibitions by Mid-Atlantic artists. Contemporary artists living or working in the Mid-Atlantic region are invited to propose solo exhibitions to take place in one of the Museum’s gallery spaces. Click here for details.
Call to Artists, McLean Artfest 2026 — McLean, VA
Deadline: July 31 The 19th annual McLean Artfest festival, formally MPAartfest. McLean Artfest is a juried festival showcasing over 30 local & regional visual artists. This FREE community event features contemporary art, a Children’s Art Walk, gourmet food trucks, a beer and wine garden, and some of the best local musicians in the DC metro area. Click here for details.
Call for Artists, Gallery B 2027 Exhibits — Bethesda, MD
Deadline: August 31 Bethesda Urban Partnership and the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District are excited to announce that Gallery B is now taking rental applications for 2027 exhibits for solo or group shows. We offer the opportunity for you to sell your art and receive exposure in downtown Bethesda with no commission on artwork sold. Click here for details.
Open Call for 2027–28 VMFA Fellowship Applications — Richmond, VA
Deadline: November 6 The Virginia Museum of Fine Art is currently accepting online applications for the 2027–28 Fellowship! Professional artists, graduate and undergraduate art students, graduate art history students, and college-bound high school seniors from every corner of Virginia are encouraged to apply. Click here for details.
Re-runs: These were previously posted, but it’s not too late to enter!
Call to Artists, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center | Fall Keyholder Resident — Hyattsville, MD
Deadline: July 19 Pyramid Atlantic Art Center’s Keyholder Residency is a competitive opportunity for emerging to mid-career artists who want unlimited access to the studios in exchange for working 8 hours a week for Pyramid Atlantic. The residency is awarded to artists who hope to learn more and improve their printmaking, papermaking, or book arts skills. Click here for details.
Call for Entries, Art on Climate International Illustration Competition
Deadline: July 31 Since its inception in Spain in 2019, the “Art on Climate” competition has evolved from a regional project into a significant global movement. Over the past seven years, it has become a powerful platform for creators worldwide to express the urgency of environmental stewardship. Participants are invited to submit original works on the theme of “climate change.” Click here for details.
Call for Entries, Falls Church Arts Gallery, Geometrix — Falls Church, VA
Deadline: August 2 Geometrix, an exhibition scheduled for August 29–October 4 at Falls Church Falls Church Arts Gallery, invites artists to explore the power of shape, structure, and form. From bold abstractions to delicate patterns, this exhibit celebrates geometry in all its dimensions. Explore how lines, angles, and curves shape both our art and our world. Click here for details.
Call for Entries: Glen Echo Park 55th Annual Labor Day Art Show — Glen Echo, MD
Deadline: August 3 The Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture invites artists from the DC metro area to submit entries for its 55th Annual Labor Day Art Show—a longstanding tradition that showcases a wide range of local artistic talent and attracts thousands of
art enthusiasts to the Park each year. Click here for details.
Call to Artists, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society 47th Annual International Exhibition — Mechanicsburg, PA
Deadline: August 15 Pennsylvania Watercolor Society announces a call for entries for the 47th Annual International Juried Exhibition. Open to all artists 18 or older, all work must be original paintings, hand created, entirely the work of the entrant, and free from any copyright infringement. Click here for details.
Call to Artists, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center | Fall Studio Internship — Hyattsville, MD
Deadline: August 19 Pyramid Atlantic now offers a paid internship opportunity for college or post-college artists. Our interns are a core part of the Pyramid team and gain hands-on experience in printmaking, papermaking, and book arts. Interns work with various communities, including the general public and professional artists, while gaining experience in the day-to-day operations of a non-profit art center and gallery. Click here for details.
Call for Proposals, Athenaeum Solo or Group Show 2025-2026 — Alexandria, VA
Deadline: September 30 Artists who live or work in Virginia, Maryland, or the District of Columbia may submit a proposal for a solo show. A group of artists who live or work in the area may submit a proposal for a group show. A curator, living or working anywhere, may submit a proposal for a show featuring works by artists living or working in this area. Click here for details.
Call for Entries, Sony World Photography Awards 2027
Deadline: January 12 Now in their 20th year, the Sony World Photography Awards represent two decades of celebrating photographers worldwide, and they’re as committed as ever to continuing that legacy. As always, the competition remains completely free to enter and is open to all photographers shooting on any device and at all stages of their careers. Click here for details.
Ongoing: These opportunities have rolling deadlines.
Studio Sundays Submissions, Create! Magazine
Every month Create! Magazine! picks several winning images of artists’ studio spaces and features them on their website and social media along with artists’ work and story. Submit a quality image of your workspace, studio or kitchen table where you make work for a chance to be featured. For more information and to submit, click here.
Call for Artists, Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council
Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council (PGAHC) is featuring county artists at its newest art space Arts’tination at National Harbor. Arts’tination is dedicated to supporting local artists and curating immersive creative experiences. PGAHC is recruiting artists to show and sell their work and/or to conduct arts related workshops for the public. Artists should submit work samples and inquiries to [email protected]. For more information please visit https://www.pgahc.org/artstination.
Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants
These monthly grants range from $500–$3,000, with the average amount being $1,700. Visual and performing artists whose work is of a contemporary, experimental nature and who have a US Tax ID Number can apply. For more information, click here.
Call for Art, Links Bridge Vineyards—Thurmont, MD
Links Bridge Vineyards, a small artisan style winery located just outside of Frederick, Maryland, is looking to feature the artwork of various artists on the walls of their tasting barn for two weeks at a time. To learn more, call Joan Cartier 301-602-5733 or email her at [email protected].
Pyramid Atlantic Workshop Proposals – Hyattsville, MD
Pyramid Atlantic offers year-round workshops in printmaking, papermaking, book arts, and hybrids thereof. We offer multi-week, daytime, evening, and weekend intensives for adults in our fully equipped studios. As part of a robust and diverse schedule of offerings, we welcome unsolicited workshop proposals, and hope that you will consider applying! Workshop proposal reviews are ongoing, but for best consideration, submit class proposals by the following dates: 1/15 for Summer Workshops; 4/1 for Fall Workshops; 7/1 for Winter Workshops; 10/1 for Spring Workshops. Questions? Email Gretchen, Artistic Director, [email protected].
Call For Artists, Busboys and Poets
Busboys and Poets is looking for submissions from Maryland and Virginia artists as it expands to new locations in both areas. Submissions can include drawings, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, assemblage, fiber, quilts, etc. Art images reflecting life in the city, family, portraits, whimsy, abstraction, social uplift and life experiences within diverse cultures are encouraged for submission. For more information, click here.
Alterwork Studios Online Residency
This residency was designed to give emerging contemporary artists an online platform to create new work and explore their practice. Over the course of four weeks, artists will be encouraged to experiment and explore their concepts and move their work forward in the contemporary art world. Learn more here.
Accepting Artwork for Curatorial Review by AIWA
The Alper Initiative for Washington Art features five exhibitions per year in the newly constructed first floor space in the American University Museum. We accept submissions, on a rolling basis, from Washington artists of all ages and backgrounds, and working in diverse media. The museum’s Director and Curator, Jack Rasmussen, will select curators who will review these submissions for potential use in Alper Initiative exhibitions. For more information click here.
Call For Entry Hamilton Arts Collective Guest Artist Exhibition – Baltimore, MD
The Hamilton Arts Collective (HAC) and the Hamilton Gallery seek applications from artists for month-long Guest Artist exhibitions at Hamilton Gallery located at 5502 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD. The selected guest artists will be invited to exhibit a selection of their current work in Gallery I of the Hamilton Gallery. The Guest Artist exhibition is featured in Hamilton Gallery communications and will be promoted by the HAC and Hamilton Gallery. This is an open call to artists residing within 60 miles of Baltimore City. Baltimore residents are encouraged to apply. Click here to learn more.
Howard County Arts Council Quarterly Call For Artists – Ellicott City, MD
The Howard County Arts Council gallery program was established to enhance the public’s appreciation of the visual arts, provide a venue to exhibit the work of local, regional, and national artists in a professional space, and provide leadership in the arts by presenting a broad spectrum of arts in all media from both emerging and established artists. Artists, ages 18 and older, working in all media and styles including time-based and installation artists, are encouraged to apply either individually or as a group. Proposals from curators and arts organizations are also welcome. Click here to learn more.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo Downtown Baltimore — Baltimore, MD
The Maryland Art Place (MAP) is working with Hotel Indigo in downtown Baltimore to offer rotating exhibitions in the hotel’s library and Poets Modern Cocktails and Eats restaurant. This opportunity is open to visual artists living or working in Maryland. ’s public art partnership projects (MAP), in partnership with Hotel Indigo, is pleased to announce an open call to artists. MAP will curate four exhibitions a year based on submissions entered through a rolling basis. Click here to learn more.
Solo or Group Shows in Athenaeum Gallery – VA
The Athenaeum Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia exhibits visual arts created solely by artists living or working in the region (DC, Maryland and Virginia) and strives to present visitors with a wide variety of excellent art and unique experiences. In addition to the shows curated by the Gallery Director, the Athenaeum Gallery invites artists and curators to submit show proposals. For more information, click here.
The Creativity Grant Program State of Maryland (MD)
The purpose of the Creativity Grant Program is to strengthen the vitality and sustainability of artists and small organizations to maintain a strong and stable arts infrastructure in the State of Maryland. The Creativity Grant also provides opportunities to serve the growing needs of relevant arts projects and collaborations within Maryland communities. For more information regarding eligibility and funding timelines, please review the Creativity Grants Guidelines. For more information about the program, and to apply visit the Creativity Grant Program State of Maryland website.
Artist/Writers: Cover Art for Academic Medicine
Submit original works of art inspired by, but not necessarily representative of, an academic medicine experience from any perspective: caregiver, researcher, teacher, learner, or patient (for example, learning how to be a physician or scientist, caring for patients, exploring research questions, making a new discovery, being a research participant, teaching, or being cared for in a teaching hospital). The journal welcomes photography, sculpture, painting, textile work, and other visual media. Images may be cropped or resized to fit into the allotted cover space. Artists must also submit a related Cover Art essay as a narrative companion to the artwork, to explain the connection between the work and the “academic medicine experience.” The related narrative should be 250 to 600 words and is subject to editing. To apply for this opportunity, and to learn more, visit the Academic Medicine website.
The Awesome Foundation Accepting Applications for Art Projects
The Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Sciences is a worldwide network of people devoted to forwarding the interest of “awesomeness in the universe.” Established in 2009, the foundation distributes $1,000 grants on a monthly basis to projects and their creators. The money is pooled from ten or more self-organizing “micro-trustees.” The chapters are autonomous and organized by the trustees around geographic areas or topics of interest. Apply on the Awesome Foundation website.
Maryland Art Place Seeks Proposals for Rotating Exhibition Partnership with Baltimore’s Hotel Indigo (MD)
Maryland Art Place (MAP), in partnership with Hotel Indigo is pleased to announce an open ‘Call to Artists’. As an extension of MAP’s annual IMPACT public art partnership projects, MAP is working with Hotel Indigo to offer rotating exhibitions in Hotel indigo’s library and Poets Modern Cocktails and Eats. This opportunity is available to visual artists living or working in Maryland. Maryland Art Place will curate four exhibitions a year based on submissions entered through a rolling basis. Guidelines and information here.
Peripheral ARTeries – Biennial Contemporary Art Publication
Peripheral ARTeries is looking for artists to be featured in the new special Biennial Edition of their art publication, that comes to its 10th edition. This opportunity is great for both established and early career artists who need a boost to their artist portfolio. The 10th edition will once again explore and show current trends and tendencies in Contemporary Art: Peripheral ARTeries cultivates a spirit of openness through a unique collaborative and participatory approach.Each artist may submit a maximum of three works or projects made in any technique: painting, drawing, video art, experimental cinema, fine art photography, experimental media, mixed media, installations, public art, performance. The call is open to all proposed kind of art and media capable of challenging the viewers’ traditional perspective on art itself. To submit, visit the Peripheral ARTeries website.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo (VA)
Artists’ works will displayed in the hotel’s gallery (220 S Union St, Old Town Alexandria) for a six-month period. Two-dimensional, framed works only. Artists will install the work using the hotel’s mounting hardware. Labels will be provided by the hotel. All sales handled by artist, no commission. Preference for local or locally influenced selections but not required. The space measures approximately 7’10” by 8’3.″ If interested, contact Kate Ellis, General Manager, [email protected].
The New Project Studio – Ongoing Opportunity (VA)
Ongoing. Located in Studio 8, the New Project Studio is a community-focused arts incubator space that offers a short-term location to test new program ideas, spotlight underrepresented voices, and enhance community engagement. Projects rotate on a regular basis. For more information, click here.
Public Arts Grants & Opportunities (VA)
Ongoing. The City of Alexandria’s Office of the Arts provides grants for nonprofit arts organizations as well as individual artists. See all current opportunities and online applications here.
Residency: Maryland
Deadline: ongoing. Montgomery College, Rockville and Germantown Art Department is seeking proposals for its Artist-in-Residence Program, encouraging proposals that cultivate collaborative work between artists and students.
Looking for artists: Foundry Gallery (DC)
Foundry Gallery is seeking a few artists in the greater Washington, DC area. If interested in applying for membership please send up to five images (jpg attachments) and an email letter to: [email protected]. The oldest cooperative in Washington, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows at its beautiful space north of Shaw near the 9:30 Club.
Looking for artists: Printmakers (DC)
Washington Printmakers Gallery is seeking artist members specializing in printmaking, photography and book arts. An active cooperative for over 30 years, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows in its lovely space in upper Georgetown. Distant and shared memberships are available. If interested in applying for membership please email [email protected].
