Along with announcements of our year-round open calls and grants which support emerging and established artists working in contemporary art, Sharjah Art Foundation has compiled a list of reputable local, regional and international open calls, educational opportunities, grants and residencies in other institutions. In keeping with the Foundation’s commitment to supporting the art community, this reference tool is updated on a regular basis.
Artangel Open 2025
Artangel, London
Deadline: 31 March 2025
Over the past two decades, Artangel has invited artists to share ambitious ideas through a number of open calls. The resulting commissions have spanned works in performance, film, installation, audio and digital mediums, presented in unexpected places such as under a mountain in Scotland or on a quarried island off the Dorset coast.
The Open returns in 2025 and invites artists based anywhere in the world to submit their most daring idea. Your idea could manifest in the UK, internationally or online.
https://www.artangel.org.uk/about_us/open/
Visual Arts Grant
Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Beirut
Deadline: 4 April 2025
AFAC’s Visual Arts grant supports the production and exhibition of painting, sculpture, photography, installations, video and sound art, art publications and multimedia works.
The Visual Arts grant programme provides annual grants of up to 20,000 USD for individuals and teams, and up to 35,000 USD for collectives and institutions.
https://www.arabculturefund.org/Programs/22
Performing Arts Grant
Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Beirut
Deadline: 4 April 2025
AFAC’s Performing Arts grant supports the production and distribution of classical, folk and contemporary forms of theatre and dance performances for all age groups. The grant also supports public and site-specific interventions, performance art and festivals as well as training and workshops in playwriting, acting, directing, dancing and choreography.
The Performing Arts grant programme provides annual grants of up to 25,000 USD or individuals and teams, and up to 35,000 USD for collectives and institutions.
https://www.arabculturefund.org/Programs/23
Creative and Critical Writings Open Call
Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Beirut
Deadline: 4 April 2025
AFAC’s Creative and Critical Writings grant provides support to critical arts and culture writing, children’s and youth literature (including both adaptation and original work), graphic novels, short stories and poetry, in addition to analogue and digital publishing platforms. The final product must be in Arabic.
The Creative and Critical Writings grant programme provides annual grants of up to 20,000 USD for individuals and teams, and up to 35,000 USD for collectives and institutions.
https://www.arabculturefund.org/Programs/14
Documentary Film Program
Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Beirut
Deadline: 4 Apr 2025
The Documentary Film Program supports creative documentary films in the Arab region. The program welcomes submissions by Arab directors of feature-length documentary film projects that are in development, production or post-production phases as well as short and medium-length documentaries in production and post-production.
https://www.arabculturefund.org/Programs/7
Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship
The Africa Institute, Sharjah
Deadline: 17 April 2025
This residency program welcomes applications from creative writers, including novelists, short story writers, playwrights, poets and scriptwriters, whose work relates to Africa and the African diaspora. The grant of 50,000 AED includes accommodation, a return airfare ticket, visa and a monthly stipend of 10,000 AED per month per fellow.
https://www.theafricainstitute.org/institute-program/tejumola-olaniyan-creative-writers-fellowship/
Arts Intensive Study Program
Fire Station, Doha
Deadline: 20 April 2025
Fire Station is pleased to announce the 2025/26 Open Call for the Arts Intensive Study Program. This is a transformative opportunity for emerging visual artists to engage in an immersive, interdisciplinary environment where they can refine their technical skills, deepen their conceptual approaches, and expand their artistic practices. The fully funded program offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to foster critical thinking, hands-on learning, and professional development for a cohort of 20 emerging international and َQatari artists. The program is led by Artistic Director Wael Shawky.
https://firestation.org.qa/en/opportunities/open-calls/
Curatorial Open Call
Art Jameel, Jeddah
Deadline: 25 April 2025
Art Jameel launches a Curatorial Open Call for exhibition proposals, to be developed for Hayy Arts’s first floor gallery at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah for May 2026. Exhibition proposals should engage with themes pertaining to the Red Sea – including but not limited to its connected geographies, histories, ecologies or the movement of people and ideas. The awarded curator will work alongside the Art Jameel team who will provide guidance on the exhibition’s development, exhibition production and design, logistics, and installation.
Award Details:
Curatorial fee of 37,500 SAR.
Curator travel and accommodation fees to be covered by Art Jameel.
Artists fees, travel and accommodation will be covered by Art Jameel.
All related exhibition costs to do with producing, installing and promoting the exhibition will be covered by Art Jameel.
https://hayyjameel.org/whats-on/art-jameel-curatorial-open-call-2/
Sharjah Film Platform Feature Fund
Sharjah Art Foundation
Deadline: 31 May 2025
The Sharjah Film Platform Feature Fund is offering one UAE-based scriptwriter, director or lead/executive producer the opportunity to receive a grant of up to 500,000 AED. The Fund will support the completion of an English- or Arabic-language feature-length narrative film currently under production.
https://www.sharjahart.org/en/news/details/open-call-for-the-sharjah-film-platform-feature-fund
The information shared here has been sourced from the online platforms of the listed institutions.