This compilation is a resource for those seeking arts and culture opportunities in the UAE and beyond.
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.
Open Call: Publishing Grant 2025–2026
Sharjah Art Foundation
Deadline: 17 August 2025
Cultural producers, including art and culture scholars, translators, writers, editors, independent publishers and publishing houses, collectives and non-profit institutions, are invited to submit project proposals for Sharjah Art Foundation’s Publishing Grant.
https://www.sharjahart.org/en/news/details/open-call-publishing-grant-2025-2026
Open Call: Residency Programme 2025–2026
Sharjah Art Foundation
Deadline: 30 August 2025
Visual artists, writers, poets, researchers, musicians, performance artists, filmmakers and other creatives who wish to explore and expand their experimental, interdisciplinary practices are invited to engage with Sharjah’s vibrant creative communities and develop their work in a supportive and resource-rich environment.
SSA-IAF Curatorial Research Grant 2025–2026
Saat Saath Arts Foundation and India Art Fair, New Delhi
Deadline: 31 August 2025
This grant is a new initiative that invites one curator annually for a fully funded research visit to India. The grant is designed for curators who are at a pivotal moment in their practice, where critical exposure to new contexts, access to diverse artists and institutions, and time for immersive fieldwork can help seed future collaborations, exhibitions, or texts.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8JExcYw5TjJbX4m0b2P3YheEsJpPovopd9dQQNzUwjas18g/viewform
Abu Dhabi International Competition for Composition
Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation
Deadline: 15 September 2025
Abu Dhabi International Competition for Composition aims to recognise and reward emerging and established music composers of all nationalities by providing them with a platform to showcase their talents, gain international recognition and perform their original works on the world stage.
https://admaf.org/activities/adicc/
Open Call for Proposals to represent the UAE at the Venice Biennale in 2027
National Pavilion UAE, Abu Dhabi
Deadline: 30 September 2025
Architects, designers, artists, historians and researchers who have worked or studied within the UAE or the MENASA region are invited to submit proposals to represent the UAE at the Venice Biennale in 2027.
Open Call for Exhibition Proposals
421
Deadline: 20 October 2025
Curators and curatorial collectives are invited to submit full proposals for an exhibition to be developed and presented at 421 during Winter/Spring 2027.
https://www.421.online/opportunities/open-call-for-exhibition-proposals/
Open Call for Emerging Curators: Curatorial School of the Inaugural Bukhara Biennial
ACDF, Tashkent and Delfina Foundation, London
Deadline: 19 August 2025
ACDF and Delfina Foundation are pleased to announce an open call for early-career curators to participate in the Curatorial School of the inaugural Bukhara Biennial. The BBBB Curatorial School will take place in Bukhara and will bring together six curators, three selected from Uzbekistan and three based in Asia, to experiment with new approaches to commissioning and exhibition-making. The programme culminates in a major exhibition in an international venue in Spring 2026, co-curated by the participants.
https://www.delfinafoundation.com/open-calls/current/open-call-for-emerging-curators-curatorial-school-of-the-inaugural-bukhara-biennial/
The information shared here has been sourced from the online platforms of the listed institutions.