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Open Calls — No Application Fee

Open calls with no application fee — 208 active grants, residencies and exhibitions you can apply to for free, with no pay-to-apply traps. Checked and updated daily.

208 active · refreshed daily

208 active opportunities with no application fee (or explicitly free submission). We flag fees honestly so you avoid vanity contests and pay-to-play residencies. Sign in for AI checklists and expected value calculators.

Visegrad Fund Visual and Sound Artist ResidencyRESIDENCYPartial Funding

Visegrad Fund Visual and Sound Artist Residency

International Visegrad Fund

Full project support, housing, and integration into local arts networks.

Oct 15, 2026No direct fundingV4 Countries (Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia)
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble Composer CommissionGRANTPartial Funding

Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble Composer Commission

Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble (VCME)

Mentorship with Artistic Director Jirong Huang and Resident Composer Alan Lau, public reading, formal premiere, and intensive collaborative workshops.

Oct 1, 2026$500 CADVancouver, Canada
PhotoVogue — MENA Panorama Regional Open CallCOMPETITION

PhotoVogue — MENA Panorama Regional Open Call

PhotoVogue

PhotoVogue's MENA Panorama champions the plurality of voices from the MENA region — beyond monolithic narratives — showcasing complexity, resilience, and diverse visual languages through PhotoVogue's global platform.

Sep 24, 2026Regional showcase amplifying MENA voices through PhotoVogueMiddle East & North Africa (and diaspora)
Ars Biologica ArtXScience ResidencyRESIDENCYFully Funded

Ars Biologica ArtXScience Residency

Ars Electronica & České Budějovice ECoC 2028

Dedicated accommodation, scientific mentorship, and an exhibition at the 2028 Ars Biologica Festival.

Sep 28, 2026€24,000 total funding envelope (€6,000 artist fee, up to €15,000 in production budgets, and up to €3,000 for travel and subsistence)České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Ayudas a proyectos culturales en concurrencia no competitiva, con aportaciones reintegrables y subvencionesGRANTPartial Funding

Ayudas a proyectos culturales en concurrencia no competitiva, con aportaciones reintegrables y subvenciones

Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals (ICEC) - Generalitat de Catalunya

Structural and financial backing to scale digital infrastructure, offset upfront costs, and undertake ambitious projects involving hardware prototyping or proprietary software architectures.

Oct 6, 2026Varies (reimbursable contributions and direct subsidies)Barcelona, Spain (Catalonia)
Admission of scores - Rondò 2027COMPETITION

Admission of scores - Rondò 2027

Ensemble Divertimento

Selection for performance during the widely publicized concert season of Rondò 2027 in Milan.

Sep 20, 2026No direct fundingMilan, Italy
Three-Month Residencies for Visual ArtistsRESIDENCYPartial Funding

Three-Month Residencies for Visual Artists

Matadero Madrid (Centre for Artists in Residence)

Access to expansive workspaces within the historic Matadero complex, financial resources, fabrication tools, professional curatorial monitoring, and high-visibility institutional backing.

Oct 15, 2026No direct fundingMadrid, Spain

FAQ

Are these applications completely free?

Yes. All programs in this list charge zero dollars for submission review. You do not pay organizers to send your portfolio.

Does no-fee mean the program lacks funding?

No. Many prestigious public grants and non-profit residencies charge no fees while fully funding artists. We display funding details for each listing.

Why do some organizations charge application fees?

Fees are often used by non-profits to cover administrative and jury costs. However, we recommend avoiding commercial contests with high fees.

How does CallOpen.art verify fee data?

Our team reviews the submission guidelines on the official site prior to publication. If fees change, we update the status immediately.

How can I stand out in a free open call?

Free calls attract more applicants. To stand out, follow all instructions closely, tailor your CV, and use our AI checklists to verify your submission is complete.