Artist Opportunities Beneath the Surface

Massachusetts Governor’s Conference on Travel and Tourism Be a part of shaping the future of travel and tourism in Massachusetts at the 2025 Massachusetts Governor’s Conference on Travel and Tourism, on March 18 and 19 in Springfield. This event brings together industry leaders, innovators, and passionate professionals to learn from each other, share best practices, and work together to elevate our state as a premier destination. Early Bird Registration for Massachusetts Tourism Conference Ends January 31, 2025. Learn more and register.

Call to Sculptors Deadline Approaching Studios Without Walls (SWW), a longstanding artist collective dedicated to public art, invites sculptors to submit proposals for its 26th annual exhibition, “Dream Along the River.” The exhibition will be a temporary environmental installation along the scenic Riverway Park in Brookline, MA, running from May 24th to September 1st, 2025. This year’s theme, “Dream Along the River,” encourages artists to create sculptures that evoke a sense of wonder and possibility, drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the Muddy River and its surrounding landscape. All artists are welcome to apply, but proposals must be site-specific and suitable for a diverse audience. Interactive elements, light, sound, and movement are encouraged. Learn more.
Deadline extended: January 15, 2025 at 11:59pm

Coolidge Corner Arts Festival The Coolidge Corner Arts Festival returns for a 45th year. Each spring, the Coolidge Corner Arts Festival draws artists, craftspeople and artisans from around the Northeast. This one-day celebration takes place in the heart of Brookline’s Coolidge Corner and features 80+ juried exhibitors of 2D and 3D art, printmaking, photography, ceramics, glass, jewelry, leather, paper, wood and mixed media. The 45th Coolidge Corner Arts Festival will be held on Saturday, June 7, 2025 from 11am-6pm, rain or shine, along Babcock Street and the adjoining parking lot, between Harvard St and John St. In addition to 90+ arts and crafts booths, guests will be able to enjoy a live DJ, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, and patio dining. Artist applications open 1/15/2025. The date of the show is Saturday 6/7/2025. Learn more.

Call to Artists Artisan Asylum’s Gallery A2 in Boston, MA, is accepting entries for the exhibition Vivid Warmth: Sparking Collective Visions. The exhibition will showcase art, craft, and objects that are bright, calming, or inspiring. In an effort to counterbalance the isolation of winter, The gallery encourage members to activate the greater community. Vivid Warmth inspires the teaching of skills and craft. Exhibiting artists are invited to propose classes and workshops. This is a time for the community to gather together. Exhibition Runs: February 28th – April 12th, 2025. Reception: Friday February 28th 7–9pm. Learn more.
Deadline: January 24, 2025 at midnight

New Bedford Theatre Festival Call for Submissions The New Bedford Festival Theatre announces a call for submissions for the production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Performers can submit from Friday, January 3 through Friday January 31, 2025. In-person callbacks will be held Sunday, February 16 in New Bedford, MA. Prepare a short song in the style of the show (or from the show itself). Performers must be the minimum age of 16 by July 2025. While the “spellers” in this show are written and performed as “tweens,” the festival is looking to cast performers in the age range of 16 – 30 for these roles. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. – Rehearsals will run from July 14 – August 7, Mon-Fri 6-10 pm, Sat 9-5. Performances will run from August 8 – August 17, 2025 at the Steeple Playhouse in New Bedford, MA. Housing will not be provided for this contract. This is a stipend-paying contract. NBFT strongly encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages to submit an audition. Must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Email ebettencourt@nbfestivaltheatre.com to submit or for more details.

2025-2026 Artist Residency at Mount Auburn Cemetery: Since 2014, Mount Auburn Cemetery has worked with nearly 30 artists through our Artist-in-Residence program. Each year, 3-6 artists are offered grants (ranging from $500-$4,000 depending on need) and charged with creating an original, site-specific work inspired by an in-depth experience at the Cemetery. The grant must result in a deliverable product, program, or event that is unique to Mount Auburn Cemetery. Learn more and apply.
Deadline: February 1, 2025

Artist Residency The MacDowell in Peterborough, NH, encourages applications from artists of all backgrounds and all countries in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. Any applicant whose proposed project does not fall clearly within one of these artistic disciplines should contact the admissions department for guidance. The MacDowell aims to be inclusive, not exclusive in the admissions process. For questions, please contact admissions@macdowell.org. Learn more and apply for a fellowship.
Deadline: February 10, 2025

Call to Artists The New Hampshire Art Association and Portsmouth Historical Society invite artists who work in all media to submit work for Contemporary Currents, a companion exhibit to Winds of Change, a Cabot Lyford retrospective that will focus on the themes of experimentation and advocacy. Through this companion exhibition, the project seeks to broaden the conversation around these important topics and feature contemporary responses. The exhibition will be held on the second floor of the Portsmouth Historical Society and is open to all New England Artists.  Learn more.
Deadline: February 12, 2025

National Dance Project Production Grant The Preliminary Grant applications are now available for the National Dance Project (NDP) Production Grants. The grants annually support the creation of 20 new dance projects and provide touring subsidies to the U.S. organizations who bring that project to their communities. Grants are awarded through a two-stage application process. Learn more.
Preliminary Deadline: February 28, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.

Creative Writing Fellowships Program  The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Creative Writing Fellowships program offers $50,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Applications are reviewed through an anonymous process in which the primary criteria for review are the artistic excellence and artistic merit of the submitted writing sample. Through this program, the NEA seeks to strengthen the literary arts ecosystem by sustaining and nurturing a wide range of creative writers at various stages of their careers, and to continue to expand the portfolio of American art available to people from all backgrounds. Learn more.
Deadline: March 12, 2025 at 11:59 pm ET

Image credit: Color photograph of Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus), Moorea, French Polynesia. Charles J. Sharpe photographer. From Wikimedia Commons.