Ongoing Opportunities & Rolling Deadlines
• ARTogether’s Mini-Grants for Bay Area refugee and immigrant artists awards $500 to artists for work on a current or ongoing art project. Applications are received on an ongoing basis.
NEW
• Barbagelata Group’s (BarbCo) West Portal and Marina Storefronts Pop-up Galleries (No Fees)
Eligibility: Bay Area Artists
Barbagelata Group (BarbCo) is inviting local creatives to collaborate with them on their West Portal and Marina storefronts, for select pop-up gallery experiences. The venues are located at 45 West Portal Avenue, and 2381 Chestnut Street, SF.
To discuss available dates and fit. (415-279-3834-text)
• Healdsburg Center for the Arts: Sponsored Emerging Artists (no fee to apply)
Applications are accepted year round.
The artist sponsorship is a free opportunity for emerging artists to not only exhibit and sell their work at HCA, but also to learn about the business of art at a nonprofit arts organization and develop their artist resumes.
• Vacant to Vibrant Program San Francisco (no fees)
Vacant to Vibrant is a program by SF New Deal and the City of San Francisco. They help small businesses collaborate with local property owners to create engaging pop-up experiences and community spaces in downtown San Francisco. handles everything from managing pop-up permitting to securing city funding so it’s easy for locals to participate in turning vacant storefronts into vibrant gathering places — and help re-energize the neighborhood.
• ARTogether’s Mini-Grants for Bay Area refugee and immigrant artists awards $500 to artists for work on a current or ongoing art project. Applications are received on an ongoing basis.
NEW
• Barbagelata Group’s (BarbCo) West Portal and Marina Storefronts Pop-up Galleries (No Fees)
Eligibility: Bay Area Artists
Barbagelata Group (BarbCo) is inviting local creatives to collaborate with them on their West Portal and Marina storefronts, for select pop-up gallery experiences. The venues are located at 45 West Portal Avenue, and 2381 Chestnut Street, SF.
To discuss available dates and fit. (415-279-3834-text)
• Healdsburg Center for the Arts: Sponsored Emerging Artists (no fee to apply)
Applications are accepted year round.
The artist sponsorship is a free opportunity for emerging artists to not only exhibit and sell their work at HCA, but also to learn about the business of art at a nonprofit arts organization and develop their artist resumes.
• Vacant to Vibrant Program San Francisco (no fees)
Vacant to Vibrant is a program by SF New Deal and the City of San Francisco. They help small businesses collaborate with local property owners to create engaging pop-up experiences and community spaces in downtown San Francisco. handles everything from managing pop-up permitting to securing city funding so it’s easy for locals to participate in turning vacant storefronts into vibrant gathering places — and help re-energize the neighborhood.
March Deadlines
• Startup Art Fair San Francisco 2026 at the Kinney Hotel April 17-19
Deadline: 03/22/2026
Application Fee: $30
- Eligibility: National
Designed for independent artists who want to connect directly with collectors, curators, and peers.
Each Startup Art Fair is carefully curated by a rotating jury of respected artists, curators, and art professionals.
• People Places & Things : Cravings at Abrams Claghorn Gallery - Albany, CA
Deadline: 02/24/2026
Entry Fee: $20 (non-refundable) for up to 2 works of art.
Eligibility: Open to all SF Bay Area residents
Jurors : Eugenie Hsu, Robert Abrams
Abrams Claghorn Gallery invites visual artists and spoken word performers to submit original work for an upcoming multidisciplinary exhibition and performance event exploring the theme “People, Places & Things Cravings.”
2D Artworks no larger than 24"x24"
3D Artworks no larger than 12"w x 12"d x 18"h
Spoken Word and performances should be between 1 and 6 minutes.
All work submitted must be less than 2 years old and must not have been shown in the SF Bay Area in the past year.
• Kreative Growth 2026: MAHAL by Balay Kreative – San Francisco (No Fees)
Deadline: 03/27/2026
Eligibility: San Francisco Bay Area
Artists in the SF Bay Area will be awarded $4,000 and a duo group exhibition to showcase their project.
The theme for this open call is ‘MAHAL’, Mahal is a Tagalog word with roots influenced by Arabic, reflecting precolonial trade and cultural exchange. It carries the dual meaning of both ‘beloved’ and ‘valuable,’ suggesting that what we love is inherently precious. We’re asking artists what Mahal means to them. How do you imagine love as an action, care as a cultural responsibility, and creativity as a means of tending to one another and the places we call home.
• “PAPER” National Juried Exhibition at Arc Gallery on June 20 – July 18, in San Francisco
- Deadline: 03/30/2026
- Application Fee: Payment of $35 per entry. An entry consists of one to three submissions of images. A maximum of two entries per person is allowed. Credit card payment through PayPal only. You do not need a PayPal account to pay through PayPal.
- Eligibility: National
- Juror: Donna Seager, Donna Seager Fine Arts & Artists' Books, San Rafael, CA
Artists are invited to submit works that explore the creative potential of this ancient and timeless material. Whether used as a surface, substrate or sculptural element, paper must be a central component of each piece. We welcome a wide range of techniques—show us what you can do with paper, whether it’s drawing, painting, printing, folding, sculpting, collaging, sewing, binding, and beyond.
• America The Beautiful: Gallery&Studio Special Summer Issue of the print magazine & Exhibition (No Fees)
Deadline: 03/31/2026
Eligibility: National
Gallery&Studio is hosting a free art competition celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Winners will be included in a special edition print issue. The top 10 winners will be included in a New York exhibition. Your interpretation of America the Beautiful may include, photographs, paintings, sculptures, poetry, short stories, songs and videos.
What do you love about America? What makes America special?
Deadline: 03/22/2026
Application Fee: $30
- Eligibility: National
Designed for independent artists who want to connect directly with collectors, curators, and peers.
Each Startup Art Fair is carefully curated by a rotating jury of respected artists, curators, and art professionals.
• People Places & Things : Cravings at Abrams Claghorn Gallery - Albany, CA
Deadline: 02/24/2026
Entry Fee: $20 (non-refundable) for up to 2 works of art.
Eligibility: Open to all SF Bay Area residents
Jurors : Eugenie Hsu, Robert Abrams
Abrams Claghorn Gallery invites visual artists and spoken word performers to submit original work for an upcoming multidisciplinary exhibition and performance event exploring the theme “People, Places & Things Cravings.”
2D Artworks no larger than 24"x24"
3D Artworks no larger than 12"w x 12"d x 18"h
Spoken Word and performances should be between 1 and 6 minutes.
All work submitted must be less than 2 years old and must not have been shown in the SF Bay Area in the past year.
• Kreative Growth 2026: MAHAL by Balay Kreative – San Francisco (No Fees)
Deadline: 03/27/2026
Eligibility: San Francisco Bay Area
Artists in the SF Bay Area will be awarded $4,000 and a duo group exhibition to showcase their project.
The theme for this open call is ‘MAHAL’, Mahal is a Tagalog word with roots influenced by Arabic, reflecting precolonial trade and cultural exchange. It carries the dual meaning of both ‘beloved’ and ‘valuable,’ suggesting that what we love is inherently precious. We’re asking artists what Mahal means to them. How do you imagine love as an action, care as a cultural responsibility, and creativity as a means of tending to one another and the places we call home.
• “PAPER” National Juried Exhibition at Arc Gallery on June 20 – July 18, in San Francisco
- Deadline: 03/30/2026
- Application Fee: Payment of $35 per entry. An entry consists of one to three submissions of images. A maximum of two entries per person is allowed. Credit card payment through PayPal only. You do not need a PayPal account to pay through PayPal.
- Eligibility: National
- Juror: Donna Seager, Donna Seager Fine Arts & Artists' Books, San Rafael, CA
Artists are invited to submit works that explore the creative potential of this ancient and timeless material. Whether used as a surface, substrate or sculptural element, paper must be a central component of each piece. We welcome a wide range of techniques—show us what you can do with paper, whether it’s drawing, painting, printing, folding, sculpting, collaging, sewing, binding, and beyond.
• America The Beautiful: Gallery&Studio Special Summer Issue of the print magazine & Exhibition (No Fees)
Deadline: 03/31/2026
Eligibility: National
Gallery&Studio is hosting a free art competition celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Winners will be included in a special edition print issue. The top 10 winners will be included in a New York exhibition. Your interpretation of America the Beautiful may include, photographs, paintings, sculptures, poetry, short stories, songs and videos.
What do you love about America? What makes America special?
April Deadlines
• RFQ for The Geneva Car Barn Temporary Mural Project in San Francisco (No Fees)
Deadline: 04/06/2026
Eligibility: Artists and artist teams residing in the United States
Budget: Artist Contract: $20,000 (design only), Implementation Allocation: $70,000 (abrication, installation, maintenance, and deinstallation will be managed by SFAC under a separate contract)
The San Francisco Arts Commission invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for The Geneva Car Barn Temporary Mural Project. Located in the Ocean View-Merced Heights-Ingleside (OMI) area of San Francisco. The temporary mural will measure approximately 800 sq. ft. and will be installed along the west-facing façade and turret on the first and second-level exterior windows. The design will be printed on and installed as ACM DiBond with an anti-graffiti clear coat and will be on display for a maximum of 3 years, beginning Winter/Spring 2027.
• The Pence Gallery’s Emerging Artist Award 2026 – Davis, CA
Deadline: 04/09/2026
Entry Fee: $40 ($35 for Pence Members)
Eligibility: California based emerging artists 18 or older. ‘Emerging’ is defined as an artist who is early in their art career, who has limited experience exhibiting, but not an extensive solo exhibit history.
This award supports the creation of new work by emerging artists in California, offering $4000 which must be used to further the artist's work in a significant direction, as well as the opportunity to share that work through an exhibit & an artist talk at the Pence in January-February 2027.
• O Say Can You See... The Soul of Our Nation at the Sanchez Art Center – Pacifica, CA
Deadline: 04/14/2026
Entry Fee: $15, $15 each additional entry
Eligibility: California artists 18 years and older
Sanchez Art Center and Citizen Joy are collaborating on O Say Can You See to showcase art that shows our determination to create a future together that’s worthy of our hopes and dreams. We invite artists to submit works that embody and envision their aspirations for the future of our country and its peoples, (re)imaging what we can be. The in-gallery exhibition will run from May 29 to June 28 in anticipation of the July 4, 2026 Semi-quincentennial - the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The show will be on view via the Sanchez Art Center’s virtual galleries, and a 'print-on-demand' catalog will be created for the show.
• RFQ for 2027 Art on Market Street Poster Series - Market Street: The Next 175 Years – San Francisco (No Fees)
Deadline: 04/17/2026
Eligibility: Artists and artist teams residing in the United States
Budget: $12,000 inclusive of all artist's fees, poster designs, digital file preparation, and proofing.
The San Francisco Arts Commission invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for 2027 Art on Market StreetPoster Series. The 2027 Program will feature the work of four artists/artist teams with each series on view for a period of three months.
The artwork will envision Market Street’s future evolution over the next 175 years, while integrating Northern California’s cultural legacy of creativity and unorthodox thinking.
• Freedom and Consent: After 250 years of declaring equality, freedom and liberty – Berkley, CA
Deadline: 04/26/2026
Entry Fee: $35 (1-3 pieces)
Eligibility: Open nationally to artists of all backgrounds and ages. All mediums are welcome.
ACCI Gallery is inviting artists to submit work for The United States of America’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Artists are asked to contemplate the meanings behind these treasured words. What do they mean to us as artists in America today? Artists are asked to submit work that reflects upon the past, envisions the future or speaks to our present experiences. Artwork might explore ideas of migration and American-ness or fully expressing one’s identity in the framework of the “American Dream.”
Deadline: 04/06/2026
Eligibility: Artists and artist teams residing in the United States
Budget: Artist Contract: $20,000 (design only), Implementation Allocation: $70,000 (abrication, installation, maintenance, and deinstallation will be managed by SFAC under a separate contract)
The San Francisco Arts Commission invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for The Geneva Car Barn Temporary Mural Project. Located in the Ocean View-Merced Heights-Ingleside (OMI) area of San Francisco. The temporary mural will measure approximately 800 sq. ft. and will be installed along the west-facing façade and turret on the first and second-level exterior windows. The design will be printed on and installed as ACM DiBond with an anti-graffiti clear coat and will be on display for a maximum of 3 years, beginning Winter/Spring 2027.
• The Pence Gallery’s Emerging Artist Award 2026 – Davis, CA
Deadline: 04/09/2026
Entry Fee: $40 ($35 for Pence Members)
Eligibility: California based emerging artists 18 or older. ‘Emerging’ is defined as an artist who is early in their art career, who has limited experience exhibiting, but not an extensive solo exhibit history.
This award supports the creation of new work by emerging artists in California, offering $4000 which must be used to further the artist's work in a significant direction, as well as the opportunity to share that work through an exhibit & an artist talk at the Pence in January-February 2027.
• O Say Can You See... The Soul of Our Nation at the Sanchez Art Center – Pacifica, CA
Deadline: 04/14/2026
Entry Fee: $15, $15 each additional entry
Eligibility: California artists 18 years and older
Sanchez Art Center and Citizen Joy are collaborating on O Say Can You See to showcase art that shows our determination to create a future together that’s worthy of our hopes and dreams. We invite artists to submit works that embody and envision their aspirations for the future of our country and its peoples, (re)imaging what we can be. The in-gallery exhibition will run from May 29 to June 28 in anticipation of the July 4, 2026 Semi-quincentennial - the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The show will be on view via the Sanchez Art Center’s virtual galleries, and a 'print-on-demand' catalog will be created for the show.
• RFQ for 2027 Art on Market Street Poster Series - Market Street: The Next 175 Years – San Francisco (No Fees)
Deadline: 04/17/2026
Eligibility: Artists and artist teams residing in the United States
Budget: $12,000 inclusive of all artist's fees, poster designs, digital file preparation, and proofing.
The San Francisco Arts Commission invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for 2027 Art on Market StreetPoster Series. The 2027 Program will feature the work of four artists/artist teams with each series on view for a period of three months.
The artwork will envision Market Street’s future evolution over the next 175 years, while integrating Northern California’s cultural legacy of creativity and unorthodox thinking.
• Freedom and Consent: After 250 years of declaring equality, freedom and liberty – Berkley, CA
Deadline: 04/26/2026
Entry Fee: $35 (1-3 pieces)
Eligibility: Open nationally to artists of all backgrounds and ages. All mediums are welcome.
ACCI Gallery is inviting artists to submit work for The United States of America’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Artists are asked to contemplate the meanings behind these treasured words. What do they mean to us as artists in America today? Artists are asked to submit work that reflects upon the past, envisions the future or speaks to our present experiences. Artwork might explore ideas of migration and American-ness or fully expressing one’s identity in the framework of the “American Dream.”
May Deadlines
• RFQ: The The San Francisco Arts Commission’s StreetmARTS Mural Program Artist Pool (No Fees)
Deadline: 05/01/2026
Eligibility: National
Budgets: Artists will be compensated at a rate of up to $60 per square foot, depending on site conditions and the complexity of the mural design. This fee is inclusive of the artist fee, materials, and all other associated costs. Please note: StreetSmARTS project budgets do not include funding for artist travel or lodging, and applicants should take this into consideration when applying.
The San Francisco Arts Commission invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for the StreetSmARTS Mural Program Artist Pool. StreetSmARTS is a partnership between the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and San Francisco Public Works (PW). The program connects artists with private property owners and City Departments to create vibrant murals on eligible sites throughout San Francisco, enhancing the character of their property and surrounding neighborhood, while deterring ongoing vandalism
• The Running Fence Run: A Run of Freedom – 50th Anniversary Celebration of Christo’s Running Fence
Deadline: 05/24/2026
Entry Fee: $15 per entry (Max 5)
Eligibility: National (painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, textile, illustration, and digital art)
In September 1976, Christo and Jeanne-Claude stretched 24.5 miles of billowing white nylon across the golden hills of Sonoma and Marin counties, down to the Pacific Ocean at Estero Americano.
Artists are invited to respond to that legacy with work that deals with any of the following themes.
• Christo and Jeanne-Claude — their artworks, life, and legacy
• The Marathon and the running spirit — from Pheidippides to Frank Shorter to the open road
• The landscapes of Sonoma and Marin — golden hills, coastal grasslands, Americano Creek, the Pacific
• Freedom — political, personal, artistic, or physical
Selected works will be exhibited on-line and at the post-race Art and Music Festival at La Plaza Park, Cotati, California on September 12, 2026. First, second, and third place winning artists will receive cash prizes of $300, $200, and $100 and may have their winning art featured on race bibs and t-shirts.
For submission form and payment link, email to [email protected], Subject: Art Contest.
Deadline: 05/01/2026
Eligibility: National
Budgets: Artists will be compensated at a rate of up to $60 per square foot, depending on site conditions and the complexity of the mural design. This fee is inclusive of the artist fee, materials, and all other associated costs. Please note: StreetSmARTS project budgets do not include funding for artist travel or lodging, and applicants should take this into consideration when applying.
The San Francisco Arts Commission invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for the StreetSmARTS Mural Program Artist Pool. StreetSmARTS is a partnership between the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and San Francisco Public Works (PW). The program connects artists with private property owners and City Departments to create vibrant murals on eligible sites throughout San Francisco, enhancing the character of their property and surrounding neighborhood, while deterring ongoing vandalism
• The Running Fence Run: A Run of Freedom – 50th Anniversary Celebration of Christo’s Running Fence
Deadline: 05/24/2026
Entry Fee: $15 per entry (Max 5)
Eligibility: National (painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, textile, illustration, and digital art)
In September 1976, Christo and Jeanne-Claude stretched 24.5 miles of billowing white nylon across the golden hills of Sonoma and Marin counties, down to the Pacific Ocean at Estero Americano.
Artists are invited to respond to that legacy with work that deals with any of the following themes.
• Christo and Jeanne-Claude — their artworks, life, and legacy
• The Marathon and the running spirit — from Pheidippides to Frank Shorter to the open road
• The landscapes of Sonoma and Marin — golden hills, coastal grasslands, Americano Creek, the Pacific
• Freedom — political, personal, artistic, or physical
Selected works will be exhibited on-line and at the post-race Art and Music Festival at La Plaza Park, Cotati, California on September 12, 2026. First, second, and third place winning artists will receive cash prizes of $300, $200, and $100 and may have their winning art featured on race bibs and t-shirts.
For submission form and payment link, email to [email protected], Subject: Art Contest.
