Calls for Artists, Grants, Jobs, and Other Opportunities (November 2024)

A list of federal, state, and other arts and culture grants/opportunities. Questions regarding a particular opportunity should be directed to the organization listed with the opportunity. Inclusion here should not be interpreted as an endorsement. 

Student Art Competitions

• 2025 Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Student Art Awards:the entry portal for the 2025 Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards competition is now open! Submissions are due by December 15, 2024, through the Scholastic Art Awards portal. Hawaiʻi students grades 7-12 (ages 13 and up) are eligible to enter. Gold Key award-winning artworks will be displayed at Capitol Modern February 22 – March 22, 2024. For more information and to enter, please visit ArtAndWriting.org/regions/HI001A.
• ʻIolani Palace King Kalākaua Essay Contest. Hawaiʻi students K-12. Entries due by November 11, 2024. For more information, please visit the ʻIolani Palace website: IolaniPalace.org/king-kalakaua-essay-contest.
• 2025 NASA Student Art Contest, December 1 – 31, 2024. Open to children who are residents of the United States and currently in grade K-12. Learn more on the NASA Langley Research Center website: ArtContest.larc.nasa.gov.
• Celebrating Art Contest, current deadline of December 5, 2024. Students grades K-12 in the United States. There are Spring, Summer, and Fall contests. Additional information and entry form on the CelebratingArt.com website: CelebratingArt.com/enter-our-contest.
• NOAA Annual Marine Debris Program Art Contest, submissions due by December 13, 2024. Students grades K-8 from the United States and U.S. Territories. For details, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website: MarineDebris.noaa.gov/annual-noaa-marine-debris-program-art-contest-and-calendar.
• Science Without Borders 2025 International Student Art Contest, open to primary and secondary school students 11 – 19 years old. Entries must be received by March 3, 2025. For more information and application instructions, please go to the Living Oceans Foundation website: LivingOceansFoundation.org/education/science-without-borders-challenge.
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission K-12 Art Contest celebrating Civil Rights Act: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is inviting K-12 students across the country to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the landmark Civil Rights Act through original art projects. EEOC encourages submissions in all mediums, including drawings, paintings, photos, dance, songs, videos, poetry, essays, etc. The contest is open to all students grades K-12 who are residents of the United States. Submissions due by January 20, 2025. Additional information and application on the EEOC website: eeoc.gov/history/60th-anniversary-1964-civil-rights-act-art-contest-visual-performing-literary-and-media.
• New York Times Student Contests
  • New York Times Tiny Memoir Contest for Students, November 6 – December 4, 2024. Students ages 13-19 in middle school or high school. International. For more information, please visit the New York Times website: NYTimes.com/2024/08/08/learning/tiny-memoir-contest-for-students-write-a-100-word-personal-narrative.html.
  • New York Times Where We Are: Photo Essays About Community, December 4, 2024 – January 15, 2025. Students ages 13-19 in middle school or high school. International. For more information, please visit the New York Times website: NYTimes.com/2024/07/25/learning/our-2024-25-student-contest-calendar.html.
  • New York Times My List: A Different Kind of Review Contest, January 15 – February 12, 2025. NYTimes.com/2024/07/25/learning/our-2024-25-student-contest-calendar.html.
  • New York Times ʻHow to…ʻ: An Informational Writing Contest. February 12 – March 12, 2025. Students ages 13-19 in middle school or high school. NYTimes.com/2024/08/08/learning/how-to-an-informational-writing-contest-for-teenagers.html.
  • New York Times Open Letters: Our Opinion Writing Contest. March 12-April 16, 2025. Students ages 13-19 in middle school or high school. International. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/08/learning/open-letters-our-opinion-writing-contest.html.
  • New York Times Audio Stories: Our Podcast Contest. April 16-May 14, 2025. Make an original podcast of five minutes or less that informs or entertains listeners. Students ages 13-19 in middle school or high school. International. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/08/learning/our-student-podcast-contest.html

Calls for Artists and Exhibitions

• Call for Entry (CaFE). The Call for Entry (CAFE) website can be searched by state (choose the “sort by” menu on the left side of the screen). Search the Café website: Artist.CallForEntry.org.
• Call for artists: Pacific New Media “16^th Annual Contemporary Photography in Hawaiʻi Exhibition” Submissions due by December 2, 2024. Free Zoom session for help with entries November 12, 2024. Exhibition at Downtown Art Center (Honolulu) February 6-24, 2024. For details, please visit the Pacific New Media Lab website: pnmlab.com/2024/10/01/contemporary-photography-in-hawaii-2025-submissions.
• Call for artists: Kahilu Exhibits “ʻOni: Disturbances & Resilience” entry deadline December 13, 2024. Open internationally. For more information, please go to the call on CallForEntry.org: artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=14294
• Artist residency: Joshua Tree Highlands Residency 2025-6. Seven-week artist residencies in Joshua Tree, California include visual art and writing. Submission deadline December 15, 2024. For more information, please go to the call on Call For Entry: artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=13121
• Hui Noʻeau 2026 Solo Exhibition Proposals application deadline November 15, 2024. Applicants must be 18 years or older and reside full-time in the state of Hawaiʻi. For more information, please visit the Hui Noʻeau website: www.huinoeau.com/exhibitions/2024/4/2026-solo-artist-exhibition-call-to-artists-6swx6.
• Hui Noʻeau call to artists: 2025 Annual Juried Exhibition. Artwork receiving day January 7, 2025. Open to artists over the age of 16, working in all media. For more information, please visit the Hui Noʻeau Visual Arts Center website: HuiNoeau.com/exhibitions/2024/1/2024-annual-juried-exhibition.
• Kahilu Exhibits call for artists “ʻOni: Disturbances & Resilience”. Submission deadline December 13, 2024. Open internationally to artists 18 or older. For details, please go to the posting on CallForEntry.org: artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=14294&.
• City of Redondo Beach (California) Request for Qualifications for a Pre-Qualified Mural Artist Roster: The City of Redondo Beach, CA Public Art Program (City) is seeking experienced artists or artist teams (Artist) to be included in a Pre-Qualified Mural-Artist Roster (Roster). The Roster will be used to identify Artists to invite for future competitions, either exclusively or in combination with an open call, if necessary. Entry deadline: November 15, 2024. For more information and to apply, please visit the posting on CallForEntry.org: https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=11490

Job Opportunities

• Bishop Museum is seeking a President and Chief Executive Officer. View the position description on the Morris & Berger website: MorrisBerger.com/searches.
• Honolulu Museum of Art has job postings for Fiber Arts Studio Programs Teacher, Registrar, Tour Programs Manager, Lead Barista, Chief Financial Officer, and more. Learn more on the Honolulu Museum of Arts website: HonoluluMuseum.org/pQ3viv/opportunities.

Grants

Puʻuhonua Society Hoʻākea Source Grant Cycle 2025: preparing for its second grant cycle with a series of info-sessions to assist potential applicants. Open application period launches on November 28, 2024, to coincide with Lā Kūʻokoʻa (Hawaiian Independence Day). Full program details can be found at hoakeasource.org. Hoʻākea Source is a Regional Regranting Program Partner of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The program collaborates with local arts organizations across the country to support artists and collectives in creating projects that push creative boundaries within their communities.

Upcoming Info Sessions

• Wednesday, November 6 at 5:30 PM
Native Books, 1164 Nuʻuanu Ave
• Tuesday, November 19 at 6:30 PM
Zoom
• To RSVP for either session, email [email protected]

Federal Grants and Programs

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

• NEA Big Read is a grant of up to $20,000 to help bring communities together around the shared activity of reading and discussing the same book. Programming for the 2025-2026 grant cycle will center around the theme “Our Nature: How Our Physical Environment Can Lead Us to Seek Hope, Courage, and Connection”. Applicants will facilitate book discussions, writing workshops, and creative programming activities that explore this theme and celebrate the unique aspects of their communities. Interested organizations must submit an Intent to Apply by January 23, 2025. For more information, please visit the Arts Midwest website: ArtsMidwest.org/get-support/nea-big-read/.
• NEA Literature Fellowships: Translation Projects, FY2026. The NEA supports projects for the translation of specific works of prose, poetry, or drama from other languages into English through fellowships to published translators. The work to be translated should be of interest for its literary excellence and merit. The NEA encourages translation projects that feature languages, perspectives, and writers that are not well represented in English, as well as work that has not previously been translated into English. Applications due January 16, 2025. For more information, please visit the NEA website: arts.gov/grants/translation-project-fellowships.