Calls for artists, exhibition proposals, jobs, and grants (July 2026)

Image description: promotional graphic for “Hawaiʻi Craftsmen Annual Statewide Exhibition 2026”, register online by July 31, 2026. Find out more at HawaiiCraftsmen.org/ASE2026. Artwork: “Nui Heʻe Makau” wood sculpture by Jason Liu, Art in Public Places Collection of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA). Purchased by the SFCA from “Hawaiʻi Craftsmen Annual Statewide Exhibition 2025” and currently on display at Capitol Modern: the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum until July 25, 2026 in the mini-exhibit “Recent Acquisitions: Art in Public Places”.

This post features SFCA grantees, partners, and Hawaiʻi state and local government programs, calls for artists, calls for exhibition proposals, jobs, and grants.

Questions regarding a particular program or event should be directed to the organization listed with the opportunity. Inclusion here should not be interpreted as an endorsement.

These opportunities are also shared in the SFCA email newsletter. Subscribe: subscribe to the SFCA email newsletter.

Calls for artists and exhibition proposals

• Mālama Wao Akua 2026 celebrating the native species of Maui Nui. Online registration open August 18 – September 1, 2026. Exhibit at Hui Noʻeau Visual Arts Center September 11 – November 6, 2026. Learn more on the Mālama Wao Akua website: MalamaWaoAkua.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/FINAL_MWA-2026-Prospectus.pdf. This exhibit has been approved for an Art Acquisition Selection Committee (AASC) visit by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.
• Drawn to Music: A Collaborative Live Music and Art Event on Saturday, August 8 at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Park (Chinatown, Honolulu), 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Create artwork during the event to enter an on-site contest for “Best Drawn to Music Artwork.”
• Papahānamokuākea Marine National Monument art contest. Categories: ages 8 and under, ages 9-12, and all ages. Entries are due by August 31, 2026. For more information and to enter, please go to the Papahānamokuākea Marine National Monument website: Papahanaumokuakea.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/PMNM-20th-Anni-Art-Contest-Packet-4-pics.pdf.
• Maui Public Art Corps call to artists: “Good Grief” exploring how public art can transform grief into shared experiences of beauty, healing and connection. Commissions include performance art, moving image, temporary installation or sculptural intervention, mural, and “open call” (any medium not otherwise represented in the other categories). Ages 18 years and older. Call is open on a rolling basis until July 20, 2026 or until funds are fully allocated. Get more information on the Maui Public Art Corps website: MauiPublicArt.org/goodgrief.
• “Wings and Woodlands: a Tribute to Native Birds and Forests” call for artists. Submissions due October 30, 2026. All ages and experience levels welcome. More information on the Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project website: KauaiForestBirds.org/call-for-submission-art-exhibit-wings-and-woodlands-a-tribute-to-native-birds-and-forests-%f0%9f%8e%a8%f0%9f%95%8a%ef%b8%8f-2/.
• ʻOhina Filmmakers Lab call for entries: Submit your short script (15 pages or less, any genre) for a chance to be one of 10 Fellows mentored by top Hollywood industry pros at Shangri La this November. Submit entries at FilmFreeway.com/OhinaFilmmakersLab by August 9, 2026.
• Hawaiʻi Watercolor Society 2026 Open Exhibit “Flow & Fire!” call for entry open until August 7, 2026. All artists invited to enter. Learn more on the Hawaiʻi Watercolor Society website: HawaiiWatercolorSociety.org/2026-open-exhibit. This exhibit has been approved for an Art Acquisition Selection Committee (AASC) visit by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.
• Artists of Hawaiʻi 2026 call to artists open August 15 – September 15, 2026. For details, please visit the Downtown Art Center website: DowntownArtHI.org/artistsofhawaii. A talk on how to prepare for the exhibit with Tom Klobe is scheduled for Sunday, August 9, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the Downtown Art Center classroom.
• 16th Annual Abstract Only! Abstract art only (artwork must be non-representational). All media welcomed in 2D, 3D and digital media. Entries due by July 17, 2026. For more information, please go to the call on CallForEntry.org: 2026 Abstract Only! call for entry. This exhibit has been approved for an Art Acquisition Selection Committee (AASC) visit by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.
• 2026 Pacific States Biennial North American printmaking exhibition open to all artists 18 years or older on the North American continent, its islands, and outlying US territories. Entries due by August 16, 2026. For more information, please go to the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo Art Department website: hilo.hawaii.edu/depts/art/psbn-2026. This exhibit has been approved for an Art Acquisition Selection Committee (AASC) visit by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.
• 2026 Full Bleed exhibition highlighting artists and artwork styles in graffiti, urban art, anime and manga at Wailoa Center (Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island). Open to Hawaiʻi based artists. First entry free for Hawaiʻi students. For more information, please go to the call on CallForEntry.org: 2026 Full Bleed call for entry.
• 2026 Hawaiʻi Nei Art Exhibition at Wailoa Center (Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island) open to Hawaiʻi Island residents of all ages. The main subject of the work must be a species native to Hawaiʻi Island. Entries due by October 9, 2026. For more information, please visit the Hawaiʻi Nei Art Exhibition website: HawaiiNeiArtExhibition.org/prospectus.html. This exhibit has been approved for an Art Acquisition Selection Committee (AASC) visit by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.
• 2026 Hawaiʻi’s Woodshow, Na Lāʻau o Hawaiʻi presented by the Hawaiʻi Forest Association. This This annual showcase celebrates masterful craftsmanship, innovative design, and the unparalleled beauty of furniture and fine woodworking created from Hawaiian-grown woods. Entry registration due by June 26, 2026. Learn more on the Hawaiʻi Forest Association website: woodshow.hawaiiforest.org/hawaiis-woodshow-prospectus. This exhibit has been approved for an Art Acquisition Selection Committee (AASC) visit by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.
• Portal 3 at the Firehouse Gallery. The Waimea Arts Council invites Hawaiʻi Island artists 18 years and older to interpret the theme of “portal”. Entries accepted July 1 – 19, 2026. For more information, please visit the Firehouse Gallery website:  FirehouseArtGallery.org/call-for-art-portal3-island-artists-juried-show. This exhibit has been approved for an Art Acquisition Selection Committee (AASC) visit by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.
• Kahilu Exhibits 2027 Exhibition Proposals. Kahilu seeks proposals for exhibitions for the second half of 2027. Proposals from solo artists, artist groups, curators, cultural practitioners, and community organizations are encouraged. All genres and exhibition types are welcome, including painting, drawing, photography, fibers, mixed media, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, video art, sound art, installation, new media, fashion, jewelry, and traditional crafts. Applications due by August 10, 2026. For more information, please go to the call on CallForEntry.org: Kahilu Exhibits 2027 Call for Exhibition Proposals.
• Call for artist proposals: AIDS Memorial & Community Memory Site. Lei Pua ʻAla Foundation invites artists to submit proposals for a permanent historical mural or art work to be installed in a new AIDS Memorial & Community Memory Site at Honolulu’s Kakaʻako Waterfront Park Overlook, a hilltop site with all-encompassing views of city, mountain, and sea. Entry deadline: July 31, 2026. For more information, please visit the Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi website: QueerHistoriesOfHawaii.org/artistcall.
• Hawaiʻi Audobon Society “Welcome Home Kōlea” festival invites artists to share their artwork at the festival on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at the Ala Moana Beach Park. Open to any age or medium (except for AI images). Artwork must feature kōlea. Submissions must be received by September 10, 2026. Submit via email to [email protected].
• Sustainable Coastlines Fall 2026 Trashion Show seeks designers to showcase their “trashion” (wearable art made of upcycled and reimagined materials) in a runway show and exhibit at Capitol Modern: the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum. Proposals due by August 1, 2026. Participants must be ages 18 and older. Open call online: Trashion Show Open Call for Designers.
• Garden Island Arts and the County of Kauaʻi Division of Solid Waste and Recycling Design Contest & Fashion Show, October 3 at Lydgate Park. Fashion made from discarded and recycled materials. Participants may enter as teams. All ages welcome. Register online by September 20, 2026. Learn more and register on the Garden Island Arts website: GardenIslandArts.org/trashion.

Jobs and paid internships

Please note that job and internship postings may close at any time.

• Honolulu Theatre for Youth is seeking a Production and Design Apprentice for their 2026-2027 Season. The apprentice will work alongside an ensemble of professional designers, performers and educators at Hawaii’s only full-time professional theatre. As a “theatre of place” they hope to recruit employees who have a connection to Hawaii and want to contribute and learn from our community integrated devising process. As a full-time employee, the apprentice will receive a salary, full medical, dental and vision benefits as well as paid vacation days and all staff benefits. Full job description and how to apply on their website: htyweb.org/employment-auditions-internship.
• Honolulu Theatre for Youth is seeking a senior administrative manager who is both a skilled administrator and a passionate advocate for cultural and community engagement. Learn about the General Manager position and how to apply on their website: htyweb.org/employment-auditions-internship.
• Honolulu MoCA (Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts) seeks secretary, office manager. https://www.honolulu.gov/apps/secretary-i-office-manager/
• [Job posting has closed] East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center seeks Operations Director/Program Manager. Part-time, on-site in Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island. Learn more and apply online: EHCC Operations Director/Program Manager opportunity.
• Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities is seeking its next Executive Director. Job description and application instructions online: HI Humanities Executive Director Application.
• Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) Internships include Communications, Collections, Archives, and Visitor Engagement. Learn more on their recruitment page: HoMA Opportunities.
• Bishop Museum job postings currently include Museum Educator and Asia Pacific (AP) Educator. Learn more on the Bishop Museum website: BishopMuseum.org/careers.
• State of Hawaiʻi Department of Education job postings currently include Grade 9-12 Art Teacher (Leilehua High School). Learn more and apply at SchoolJobs.com/careers/hawaiipublicschools.
• State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) job postings currently include Architectural Historian, Forestry and Wildlife Technician, and Park Caretaker. Learn more on the DLNR website: dlnr.hawaii.gov/jobs.

Grants

Opportunity listings (other than SFCA programs) do not constitute endorsement by the SFCA.

• Maui County FY2027 Makahiki Grant Program applications open through July 10, 2026. A total of $850,000 in grant funding is available to support organizations, community groups, educational institutions, cultural practitioners, businesses and other eligible applicants interested in developing programs, events, promotions and community activities that recognize the Makahiki season throughout Maui County. Learn more and apply: County of Maui News MauiCounty.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/18933.
• County of Hawaiʻi Dept. of Research and Development Impact Grant for nonprofit organizations open for applications through August 10, 2026. Categories include Film & Creative Industries, Food Security, and Regenerative Tourism. Learn more on the County of Hawaiʻi website: rd.hawaiicounty.gov/funding-grant-resources/impact-grants.
• Huakaʻi Travel Grants from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation provide up to $5,000 to Hawaiʻi-based organizations supporting access to Native Hawaiian cultural experiences, practices, and learning opportunities across Hawaiʻi. Rolling applications open through November 30, 2026, or until funds are awarded. Learn more on the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation website: HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org/grants. [update: as of August 2026, all funds have been awarded and this grant application has closed]
• TourWest grants funding live touring performances across the Creative West region. Applications for presenters and presenting organizations close June 30, 2026. Learn more and apply online: TourWest.gosmart.org.
• First Peoples Fund Native Performing Arts Fellowship supporting emerging and established Native performing artists to develop and strengthen their skills and knowledge of their craft. Application deadline: July 15, 2026. Learn more and apply at FirstPeoplesFund.org/programs/fellowships.
• National Endowment for the Humanities Media Projects Synopsis 2 applications open for the Media Projects program. The purpose of this program is to support the development, production, and distribution of radio programs, podcasts, and documentary films that engage general audiences with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways. NEH makes Media Projects awards at two levels: Development and Production. Applications due June 25, 2026. Learn more and apply online: NEH Media Projects Synopsis 2.
• A4 Arts Fund for supporting arts and cultural organizations uplifting AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) communities. This fund provides unrestricted general operating support to AAPI arts and cultural organizations with annual operating budgets under $500,000. Applications due by July 13, 2026. Learn more on the A4 website: AAArtsAlliance.org/opportunities/a4-arts-fund.
• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grants for Arts Projects: enabling Americans throughout the nation to experience the arts, foster and celebrate America’s artistic heritage and cultural legacy, and benefit from arts education at all stages of life. The grants also support arts and health programs, including creative arts therapies, that advance the well-being of people and communities. Eligible applicants: Nonprofit 501(c)(3) U.S. organizations; units of state or local government; or federally recognized tribal communities or tribes. Part one of the application is due by July 9, 2026. For additional information and to apply, please visit the NEA website: arts.gov/grants/grants-for-arts-projects.

Updates

This post was edited on July 15, 2026:

• added a graphic with several calls for artists flyers.
• Information about the August 8 “Drawn to Music” event and contest and the Papahānamokuākea Marine National Monument art contest added under “Calls for artists and exhibition proposals”.
• [job closed] and strikethrough on text for EHCC job posting.

This post was edited on July 23, 2026:

• Added information for Artists of Hawaiʻi Prep Talk, Kauaʻi GIAC Trashion Show, Sustainable Coastlines Trashion Show, Kōlea festival. Added job listing for HTY apprenticeship.

This post was edited on August 4, 2026:

• Updated Huakaʻi Travel Grant information to share that all funds have been awarded and the grant application is now closed.