Open calls
On this page, you will find an overview of art commissions, grants, work periods and art events in Groningen, The Netherlands and abroad.
Open Call – Noorderlicht Biennial PLAY! 2027 – Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe
Noorderlicht is seeking photographers and artists working with imagery and lens-based media for the PLAY! 2027 Biennial. The theme explores play as a means to understand the world, question structures, and create space for imagination and connection.
Submissions are welcome across various forms, including photography, video, installations, interactive art, and other visual media. Both existing and new work may be submitted. Artists of all nationalities and levels of experience are invited to participate.
Approximately 75 artists will be selected for the biennial, which will take place in September 2027 across the provinces of Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe. Selected artists will receive an honorarium.
Deadline: December 15, 2026
Entry fee: €5 per project
More information: https://zealous.co/noorderlicht/opportunity/play/
WANTED: artists for Zuidlaarderkerst – 12–13 December – Zuidlaren
The Zuidlaren Activities Committee is looking for stallholders for Zuidlaarderkerst 2026.
“As an organisation, our focus this year is on attracting (local) artists to our market. The aim is to foster a community of creative minds who can showcase their creations. Our ambition is to make this a well-known event in the region within five years, capable of attracting its own audience.”
Zuidlaarderkerst will take place on:
🗓️ Saturday 12 December | 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
🗓️ Sunday 13 December | noon – 6:00 p.m.
💸 The participation fee is €50
This includes a covered stall (4 x 1.16 metres) and access to a power point.
🧑💻 For more information or to register, please email zuidlaarderkerst@gmail.com.
Open call – MA Performance Practices – ArtEZ
ArtEZ University of the Arts is now accepting applications for the MA Performance Practices, starting in autumn 2027. The programme is aimed at artists working in performance, theatre, choreography, dance, visual arts and related disciplines who want to further develop their artistic practice through research and experimentation.
The programme offers space for critical research, collaboration and exploring new forms of performance. Students develop their own research practice under the guidance of an international team of artists and researchers.
Applications open: 1 October 2026
Application deadline: 15 January 2027
Live auditions: 1–3 February 2027
Online auditions: 4, 5 and 8 February 2027
For more information about admission requirements, required documents, portfolio guidelines and auditions, visit www.performancepractices.nl.
Open call – Tschumi Pavilion – Kunstpunt Groningen
For the first time, Kunstpunt is launching an open call to find an artist who wishes to bring the Tschumi Pavilion to life through an art project. This forms part of ‘Hellend Vlak’ (Slippery Slope), a new project by Kunstpunt in which artists are invited to respond to current social developments:
❓ How do you view today’s social (and often polarised) issues?
❓ And how do you depict this in a thought-provoking way?
The Tschumi Pavilion, an inclined plane in its own right, serves as the tilted stage for this.
➡️ Do you create work that addresses social themes and would you like to share your vision in a location right in the heart of public space? Then take a look at this open call! ⤵️
Good to know in advance:
⏰ Deadline for submitting a statement of intent: Wednesday 4 November 2026
🗓️ On 12 November, based on the submissions, we will announce which artists (up to 3) we have selected to produce a preliminary design. The artist will receive a fee of €1,500 excluding VAT for this.
🗓️ The artwork will be realised and unveiled in June 2027, after which it will be on display throughout the summer (dismantling in September 2027).
💰 A budget of €17,000 is available for the project, including the artist’s fee.
ℹ️ Curious to find out if this open call is for you, whether you’re eligible, and how you can take part? You can find all the information here 👉 Open Call Tschumi Pavilion – Kunstpunt Groningen
Open Call – Arcadia – Friesland
Arcadia is looking for young creatives who want to explore, create and envision what a hopeful future in Fryslân could look like.
Professional artists, designers and creatives between the ages of 25 and 35 are invited to apply. You can participate individually or as part of a collective. Applicants should be working at a national or international level. All art and design disciplines are welcome, including visual art, performing arts, music, architecture, literature, film, digital art and design. Do you work across multiple disciplines or take an interdisciplinary approach? You are very welcome to apply too.
Deadline: 18 October 2026
More information: https://arcadia.frl/en/open-call-makers-with-a-fiergesicht-for-fryslan/
Open Call – Art Competition – Zaans Museum / AVROTROS
A century after his death, Claude Monet continues to inspire artists around the world. With the art competition In the Light of Monet, AVROTROS invites artists to capture the essence of Monet in a new work, created in their own style. All techniques are welcome, from painting and drawing to sculpture and ceramics.
The winner will have the opportunity to exhibit their work at the Zaans Museum for two months and will be featured in MUZE Magazine. The top ten participants will also receive a €150 voucher for art supplies. Participation is open exclusively to AVROTROS members.
Deadline: 31 October 2026
More information: https://www.avrotros.nl/article/de-kunstwedstrijd-in-het-licht-van-monet~1495/
Open Call – Amsterdam Light Festival Edition 16 – Amsterdam
For the 16th edition of Amsterdam Light Festival (2027–2028), the organisation has launched two open calls:
General Open Call
They are looking for creatives from around the world to present their work on Amsterdam’s iconic waterways. They are primarily looking for new concepts, but existing works are also welcome.
Open Call X Amarte
With the support of the Amarte Fund, makers are invited to develop a new light artwork. They are specifically looking for proposals aimed at visitors exploring the festival on foot. This call is intended for makers based in the Netherlands who are new to the medium of light art.
Deadline for both open calls: 7 December 2026
More information: https://amsterdamlightfestival.com/en/open-call
Open Call – 20×20 on Schier – Schiermonnikoog
Galerie Arteria on Schiermonnikoog is looking for artists who would like to take part in the exhibition 20×20 on Schier, running from 14 November 2026 to 2 January 2027. A maximum of 63 works will be selected, each measuring no more than 20 × 20 cm (including frame). For this exhibition, the maximum selling price per work is €150.
Interested? Apply by 15 October 2026 via kunstbureauarteria@outlook.com
Residency – AIR Dwingeloo – Drenthe
Spend two months working in peace and quiet on new work. AIR Dwingeloo is looking for two talented painters or drawing artists aged 35 or under with a strong connection to the Northern Netherlands, particularly Drenthe. Would you like to live and work surrounded by art from 8 January to 14 March 2027?
They offer, among other things:
- Free accommodation, including newly upgraded facilities.
- A financial contribution of €500.
- The artist receives all proceeds from sales during the final presentation.
- Additional guidance and support, if desired.
Application deadline: 1 November 2026
More information: https://galeriedwingeloo.nl/airdwingeloo?lang=nl or kunstbureauarteria@outlook.com
OPEN CALL – Exhibition – Galerie Noord – Groningen
Galerie Noord will kick off its anniversary year in 2027 with Dertig Dertigers (Thirty Thirty-Somethings): an exhibition featuring work by thirty artists who are between the ages of 30 and 39 on 1 January 2027. The exhibition will run from 2 January to 10 February 2027. Each artist will exhibit one work. A jury will select 30 participants from all applications.
But that’s not all. From the thirty selected participants, the jury will choose one winner, who will receive a €1,500 artist fee as well as a solo exhibition at Galerie Noord at the end of 2027.
Application deadline: Saturday, 31 October 2026
More information: https://www.galerienoord.nl/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2914_NOORD_Open-Call_Dertig-Dertigers_A4_ENG-1.pdf
Stichting Stokroos is offering 15 grants of €5,000 this autumn for emerging designers, makers, and craftspeople. This includes (landscape) architects, graphic designers, illustrators, fashion, jewelry or textile designers, product designers, animators, printers, mold makers, ceramicists, and goldsmiths.
Requirements
- You must have 3 to 8 years of professional practice
- Application includes portfolio, CV, a short plan, and budget
- The proposal must focus on development (research, experimentation, or production, e.g., a prototype)
- Not for exhibitions, publications, or residencies
- Selection based on quality and originality of portfolio, urgency of the plan, and geographic distribution
When to apply? 1 September to 31 October 2026. Stokroos considers a maximum of 60 applications per period.
For more info and application: Stichting Stokroos