Guide to the Best Artist Grants and Opportunities in the Midwestern U.S.
The Artwork Archive team set out to find the best art opportunities, artist grants, and calls for entry for visual artists in the Midwestern United States.
Below you will find a list of the top artist residencies, international open calls, artist grants, exhibition opportunities and art competitions that we believe will benefit artists, specifically in the Midwest.
Remember, you can now save the important deadlines for your favorite opportunities right in your Artwork Archive account.
When you find a call that interests you, simply click ‘Add to Schedule' and the call's deadline will be automatically added to your Schedule. You'll also receive weekly reminders to keep you on top of your game.
We will be updating this list throughout the year, so make sure to bookmark the page, check back often, and let us know if there is an opportunity that should be listed!
MORE COMING SOON: Our team is currently hard at work searching for opportunities in this region!
October 3, 2025 2 days left
Native American Artist in Residence Program
Residency
- Submission Deadline: October 3, 2025
- Award Info: $30,000 grants; Travel stipend - up to $4,000 to visit and research other cultural knowledge bearers and institutions; other prizes
- Eligibility: Regional
- Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
- Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
The Native American Artist-in-Residence (NAAIR) Program was established in 2013 to support the continuation and recovery of traditional Native American arts by utilizing the Minnesota Historical Society’s collections. NAAIR is a 6 to 12 month residency. Artists are supported financially, gain open access to study the MNHS collections, and are provided with support to visit regional museums or knowledgeable peer artists or elders.
November 1, 2025 31 days left
Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild (BPSW)—2026 Artist in Residence
Residency
- Submission Deadline: November 1, 2025
- Award Info: Budget: $50,000
- Eligibility: International
- Categories: Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Sculpture
- Location: Lincoln, Montana, United States
Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild (BPSW) invites artists of all disciplines to apply for a three-week September 2026 residency. Set within 40 acres of forested land in Lincoln, Montana, this program offers time, space, and community connection to create site-specific works inspired the history, landscape, and culture of the Blackfoot Valley.
Ongoing
Jamestown Arts Artist in Residence Program
Residency
- Submission Deadline: Ongoing
- Award Info: Artists receive hourly payment for teaching and free living quarters
- Eligibility: National
- Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
- Location: Jamestown, North Dakota 58401, United States
The Artist In Residence Program (AIR) serves K – 5 students in all six Jamestown elementary schools following the school calendar. Residency options include a fall semester and a winter/spring semester, or both. Artists follow a visual arts curriculum structured on basic design elements working with teachers and administrators. Each rotation requires a completed “Unit Plan” which includes lesson plans or goals, supplies needed, and a section for teacher feedback. The resident artist may use the rest of the day and the weekends for personal studio time, including access to the pottery studio and print shop, and teaching classes at the Arts Center.