Along with announcements of our year-round open calls and grants which support emerging and established artists working in contemporary art, we have compiled a list of reputable local, regional and international open calls, educational opportunities, grants and residencies in other institutions. In keeping with Sharjah Art Foundation’s commitment to the art community, this reference tool is updated on a regular basis.
CIMAM Travel Grant: International Open Call
International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art, Barcelona
Deadline: 4 May 2026
Curators, researchers and museum professionals working in modern and contemporary art museums are invited to apply for a Travel Grant to attend the 58th CIMAM Annual Conference, taking place in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 20–22 November 2026 under the theme Museums Beyond Limits: Imagining Repair Across Cultures, Ecologies and Knowledges.
Multilingualisms Writing Residency
Bayt AlMamzar, Dubai
Deadline: 9 May 2026
The summer 2026 cycle of Bayt AlMamzar’s writing residency welcomes UAE-based writers and creatives across all disciplines to experiment and develop writing-based translatory projects. During this cycle, Bayt AlMamzar invites you to suspend singularity and embrace multiplicity. Here, translation—across language, geographies, elements and histories—is not secondary; it’s an act of authorship.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQAbv87Hf6Bd-3loYYuz_7cI4HvLeufoWzXglFpQXeXupq9w/viewform
Open Call: SFP9 Short Film Production Grant
Sharjah Art Foundation
Deadline: 28 May 2026
Filmmakers worldwide are invited to apply for the ninth Sharjah Film Platform (SFP) Short Film Production Grant. Presented alongside the Foundation’s annual festival celebrating independent cinema and moving image, the grant supports the completion of innovative short films that push contemporary filmmaking boundaries. Selected recipients will have the opportunity to premiere their films at a future edition of SFP. Short films must be 50 minutes or less, including credits. The grant allocates a total of 120,000 AED (approximately 30,000 USD).
https://www.sharjahart.org/en/open-calls/details/open-call-sfp9-short-film-production-grant
Family in Frame Award
Creative Media Authority, Abu Dhabi
Deadline: 29 May 2026
Majalis Abu Dhabi in the Citizens and Community Affairs Office of the Presidential Court, in collaboration with Creative Lab, announces the launch of the Family in Frame Award. This nationwide photography competition, titled Strong Families, Stronger Community, is part of the UAE’s Year of Family. Participation is open to all ages for UAE nationals and residents.
https://www.cma.gov.ae/family-in-frame-award
Call for proposals – Art Here 2026: Confluences
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Deadline: 31 May 2026
Art Here 2026, conceived by guest curator Kamini Sawhney, invites artists to explore Confluences to reflect on the intertwined histories, cultures and migrations, particularly across the Indian Ocean. Presenting culture as a dynamic and ever evolving exchange, Confluences focuses on themes that continually shape identities, communities and everyday life.
https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/en/explore/art-here-2026-confluences
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The information shared here has been sourced from the online platforms of the listed institutions.