Mass Cultural Council Spotlight Series: Registered Apprenticeship Program Event
Join Mass Cultural Council online on October 1, 2026 at 11:00 am, for this next installation in the Spotlight Series as we host staff from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development for a presentation on the Registered Apprenticeship Program. During the session, we will explore the value propositions of the Registered Apprenticeship Model & how it can benefit employers and employees in the arts sector. We will provide guidance on the process of developing and implementing a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) with a focus specific to arts organizations and employers. We will also carve out time to answer your questions on Registered Apprenticeships! Learn more and register.
Help Shape the Future Leadership of Mass Cultural Council Chair Ché Anderson and his Governing Council colleagues want to hear from you! Please help shape the future leadership of Mass Cultural Council. The survey will take approximately 6–10 min to complete and will close on October 6, 2026. Complete the survey today.
Grants for Creative Individuals Program The Mass Cultural Council is currently accepting applications for the Grants for Creative Individuals program. This program aims to equitably advance creative expression throughout the Commonwealth with unrestricted grants to Massachusetts artists, culture bearers, and creative individuals. Grants are $5,000. Learn more.
Deadline: October 27, 2026
Mass Cultural Council will hold a series of small group “office hours” for applicants to learn about the Grants for Creative Individuals program. Staff will discuss the grant application and answer attendee questions. Online small group “office hour” meetings include: Preparing and Uploading Your Files, September 30, 2026 at 1:00 pm; Applying as a Traditional Artist/Culture Bearer, October 5, 2026 at 1:00 pm.
Emerging Artist Award Emerging Artists for Impact Award is a national open call recognizing emerging visual artists whose work demonstrates artistic excellence, originality, and the power of art to inspire meaningful social impact. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and an emerging visual artist currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program, or have graduated from a BFA or MFA program within the past two (2) years. Learn more.
Deadline: October 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST
Call for Art from School of the Museum (SMFA) Students, Alumni, Faculty Entries are currently being accepted for the 2026 SMFA Art Sale Call for Art. As SMFA celebrates its 150th Anniversary, the SMFA Art Sale continues a tradition that began in 1978 as New England’s leading contemporary art sale. Featuring works by talented students, alumni, faculty, and friends of SMFA across all mediums, the sale showcases the vibrancy of the SMFA community. No Entry Fee. Learn more.
Deadline: October 3, 2026
Call for Art Proposals The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library are gearing up for a new round of submissions to select the exhibitions for 2027 season. These bi-monthly exhibits will be proposal-based, selected by a group of Boston-area artists and library affiliates. The Friends welcome artists from across New England to submit recent two-dimensional work for a solo or group show, each lasting for two-month periods. There is no specific theme, but artists are encouraged to include work that can be enjoyed by the diverse visitors of the JP Branch Library. Accepted work will be displayed in a public area of the JP Branch Library, and an accompanying reception. Online submissions only. Physical/in-person submissions will not be accepted. No submission fee. Learn more.
Deadline: October 7, 2026 by 5:00 PM
Call to Artists The New Hampshire Art Association is currently accepting entries for the 27th Joan L. Dunfey Open Juried Exhibition. Entry fee: $40–$50, priced by number of entries, eligible members pay $20–$30. Learn more.
Deadline: October 7, 2026
Contact Improvisation Dance Workshop Airtight Garage As part of the countercurrent exhibition program, dancer Zoe Elizabeth will lead a free contact improvisation dance workshop at Airtight Garage in Salem, MA, on Sunday, October 11th from 1:30-3:00pm. Participants will explore facilitated prompts that connect them to basic movement, solo dance, and partner exercises. All levels welcome, even those without prior experience. Learn more.
Local Cultural Council Grants The largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, the Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program enriches the cultural life of all cities and towns in Massachusetts. Led by municipally appointed volunteers, LCCs award $6.6 million every year, supporting 7,400 cultural programs that include everything from field trips to lectures, festivals, and dance performances. Learn more.
Deadline: October 15, 2026
Tribal Cultural Council Program Led by tribally appointed volunteers who administer an annual grant program to support local cultural projects. Individuals, groups, and organizations may apply. Grant amounts vary, and applications are submitted directly to each Tribal Cultural Council. Learn more.
Deadline: October 15, 2026
Research Fellowship Applications are now open for the 2027-2028 Robert Motherwell and Renate Ponsold Research Fellowship at PAAM. A one-year, low-residency program, the Fellowship supports a doctoral-level scholar or a team in conducting original research on the visual art and artists of Outer Cape Cod. Research Fellows utilize PAAM’s collections, archives, and research resources to develop projects that contribute to the scholarly understanding of the region’s cultural history. Learn more.
Deadline: November 2, 2026 at 11:5o p.m EST
Massachusetts College of Art and Design Collective Works Summit Collective Works: Creative Entrepreneurship Summit on November 7, 2026 from 9:30am-4pm. Massachusetts College of Art and Design’s Collective Works brings together creative entrepreneurs from every discipline across Massachusetts for one day of candid conversations about what it really takes to thrive in today’s creative economy. Whether you’re an artist, designer, musician, freelancer, student, or founder — if your creative practice is your livelihood (or you’re building toward that), this summit is for you. Come exchange ideas with fellow creators, gain practical strategies from seasoned entrepreneurs, and connect with key support organizations at our resource fair. Tickets: $25 General Admission, $10 Student. Learn more.
Free Professional Development Assets for Artists upcoming workshops include:
Essentials of Digital Marketing with Francesca Olsen, Friday, October 9, 2026 from 12:30-2:30PM. In this workshop, Francesca will cover the basics of digital marketing for artists, including the importance of branding, audience building, effective social media, SEO optimization, and website best practices. Suitable for all artists who already have a basic understanding of social media.
Project Management with Ana Tinajero, Thursdays, October 15 & 22, 2026 from 6-8PM. Working on an artistic endeavor, event, or production and not sure where to start? Get an introduction to the basic building blocks of planning, executing, and monitoring a project, no matter the size. Suitable for artists of all disciplines. Learn more.
Radiant Thriving: Bold Writing for Boundless Artists with Doctora Xingona Diana Alvarez
Tuesday, October 27 & Wednesday, October 28, 2026 from 5:45-7:45PM. As artists, we are called to draft artist bios and statements, project proposals, blurbs, email inquiries, grant applications, and more to build a thriving career. In this workshop, participants will practice developing a radiant, bold, unapologetic writing voice that centers their values and identities. Suitable for artists of all disciplines. Learn more.
Nominate a Jazz Master The NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship is the highest honor that our nation bestows upon jazz musicians. Each year since 1982, the program has elevated to its ranks a select number of living legends who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of jazz. Musicians who represent a range of styles and instruments will be honored. In addition, one fellowship—the A. B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy—will be given to an individual who has made major contributions to the appreciation, knowledge, and advancement of the American jazz art form. Learn more.
Deadline: November 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (ET)
Save the Date Mass Creative’s Creative Sector Summit at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Thursday, January 28, 2027. Stay tuned for more information about tickets and ways to get involved. Sign up to get an email about ticket sales as soon as they go live. Learn more.
Of Note: Be sure to Register to Vote in Massachusetts. The general election is November 3, 2026.
Image credit: Autumn, by Winslow Homer, American, 1836 – 1910. From the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. Image depicts a woman with smooth, pale skin and wearing a hat, long dress, and gloves, stands holding a bunch of pumpkin-orange leaves against a background of trees painted with touches of rust orange and pine green in this vertical painting.
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