While some things have gone away, new things are being created. Creativity matters, so please keep making art, seeking out calls and submitting those applications when you can.

calls to artists
The City of Williamston announces a call for proposals for the Art for Community Project. The project includes several murals with the first one to be located on the side of The Bistro at the northeast corner of Putnam St. and Middle St., one
block south of Grand River Ave. The mural will welcome people into town coming
from the highway. The mural will allow for artist creativity but will also incorporate a
“welcome” or “hello" message. Proposal deadline is 5 p.m. Aug. 31, 2020. Learn more.

Avenue for the Arts announces a new arts event coming to Grand Rapids, Mich. this October! Rapid Art Movement (RAM) is an arts event in constant motion. Restless, surprising, and on the move, every artwork and performance at the event will be mobile, constantly changing places over a three-hour period. There will be no fixed locations, only a geographic zone of ever-shifting activity. Participation is open to any visual or performing artist from West Michigan. Artists may participate individually or in groups. Learn more.

The Midwest Center for Photography in Wichita, Kansas seeks entries for "Nostalgia," a juried photography exhibition on Sept. 4-25, 2020. They are seeking photographs that show a form of nostalgia using the snapshot aesthetic--images of how time is interpreted thinking about things that happened in the past and memories that shape our lives. A brief artist statement is optional. Selected artists will have their work featured in the gallery exhibition and online. Submission deadline is Sept. 3, 2020. Learn more.

"Embracing Our Differences" invites you to participate in its annual international outdoor juried art exhibit, featuring 50 billboard-size images measuring 16 ft. wide by 12.5 ft. high, reflecting the theme "enriching lives through diversity and inclusion."
The 2021 exhibit will be on display Jan. 20 through April 1, 2021 at Bayfront Park in downtown Sarasota, Florida. Since 2004, the exhibit has hosted over 3.3 million visitors, in addition to 397,000 students via their education programs, for a very unique opportunity to experience the importance of diversity and inclusion in all our lives. Deadline to submit is Oct. 2, 2020. Learn more.

competitions
Touchstone Gallery announces an international online call for entries for "Us: What Divides Us and What Unites Us?" Open to all artists 18 years and older. All original visual media that is the artist’s own concept, design and work, including and not limited to paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, installation, street art, video and digital work. Three selected artworks will receive Juror’s Best in Show Prize of $300. Application deadline is Aug. 17, 2020. Learn more.

The Untitled Space, SaveArtSpace and Art4Equality have joined forces for an empowering public art series of billboards in New York City, launching this September 2020, along with an exhibition of the artwork created for the series to be presented at The Untitled Space gallery this fall. Revolving around the theme of “Art4Equality x Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness,” the public art series and exhibition is now open for artist submissions via an open call curated by Indira Cesarine. Application deadline is Aug. 21, 2020. Learn more.

Manifest invites visual artists to submit works of art that in some way address the theme of "Being in America" for its Nov. 6 - Dec. 4, 2020, exhibition. Submissions can range from the most traditional to the most conceptual, abstract or experimental of any media. With this exhibit, we ask how artists record, through creative and thoughtful means, thoughts, feelings and observations on what it means to be in America today. Subtlety is most appreciated and welcome. Submission deadline is Aug. 27, 2020. Learn more.

The Bennett Prize, created in 2018, awards $50,000 to a woman artist to create her own solo exhibition of figurative realist paintings, which will travel the country. The Prize will propel the careers of women painters who have not yet realized full professional recognition, empowering new artists and those who have painted for many years. The Prize will expand opportunities for the public, who may not be familiar with figurative realist painting, to learn more about the creative vision of talented women painters in this increasingly popular genre. Deadline to apply is Oct. 16, 2020. Learn more.

workshops/conference
Springboard for the Arts presents "Work of Art+: Engaging Customers and Selling Your Work" artists workshop. This free Zoom event will provide practical tips for improving your sales technique and interacting with the public, in person or virtually, particularly in settings such as open studios and art crawls. Takes place Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, 7:00-9:30 p.m. Learn more.

Springboard for the Arts presents "Ask Me Anything: Springboard ACCs" artists event. Join Springboard's team of Artist Career Consultants, each of whom is well-established in their field, as they host a Zoom Q&A session to offer advice, assistance and encouragement in a variety of areas, for artists in all disciplines. Aug. 20, 2020, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Learn more.

Google presents a Virtual Michigan Nonprofit Summit on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. This one-day summit will provide nonprofits with the tools and resources needed to expand their presence online. The summit will consist of Googler-led presentations on Google Ad Grants, Google Analytics and COVID-19 resources and trends; along with hands-on technical and strategic support from a Googler. Following the larger presentations, nonprofits will be paired with a specific Googler to address their individual needs. Learn more.

Albert Flynn DeSilver presents "Writing into Truth" an open journaling & freewriting class. These online classes take place EVERY Friday 1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. on ZOOM. Learn more.

additional resources