A muscular Englishman in a khaki kilt and black beret hops atop the edge of an old well clad in traditional Spanish tile, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows in what can only be called an act of bravery.  High winds and rain pelt a group of visitors from all directions, and yet, this charismatic performer stands tall above the cobblestone to announce that he’s been living on this vacant island for nearly two centuries. He’s here to give us a tour.

“This has been my home for 174 years,” the man says, introducing himself as Captain Horacio Hollynwood. “I arrived in command of a well-known British merchant ship, responsible for transporting goods of every sort. But alongside grain, wool, and oil, there travelled with us certain rather unwelcome companions—terrible diseases. We stopped here for a sanitary inspection. And from here, I never left.”

As our group endures the Balearic Islands’ mercurial spring weather and shivers among towering stone walls and outbuildings, this exuberant actor introduces us to the Lazaretto of Mahón, an 18th-century fortress and infirmary that once housed merchants, shipping crews, and any travelers seeking entry to Spain. His ability to rouse a group of studio artists into the turbulent outdoors is a fitting introduction to the activities of the week ahead. Alongside nearly 80 others from Slovakia to Argentina, Washington D.C. to Melbourne, we’re here on this small, uninhabited island for Quarantine, a residency-style program conceived by artist Carles Gomila, who is determined to help artists break free from creative blocks while giving them permission to fail, discover, iterate, and hopefully, discover something new about themselves. 

For seven days, participants follow a rigorous schedule, arriving by boat on the island by 8:30 a.m. and leaving no earlier than 9:30 p.m. Their days are filled with talks, workshops, and meetings with invited artists who serve as mentors, the schedule of which isn’t shared in advance. Phones, laptops, and any device with an internet connection are banned, and there’s no option to retreat to a hotel bed or wander off for an afternoon. Such a demanding and purposefully opaque schedule invites artists to settle into discomfort, abandon expectations, and confront the insecurities and anxieties capable of stifling their best work. The theme of this edition is Tears in Rain, which takes its name from the iconic monologue at the end of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner.

“What I wish now is to share with you the story of the people who lived here over the past centuries,” the actor continues. “Your quarantine, unlike theirs, is not compulsory. You have chosen to be here, to experience something meaningful in the way you live your lives and understand your creative process. This is a space and a time for transformation. Some passed here from life into death. Yours is a passage from blockage into freedom. Follow me.”

Getting to the island is no small feat—our journey from Chicago took two days and required three flights, a car trip, a 15-minute walk, and a short boat ride—and there’s no open, public access to the lazaretto. Given its remote location and secret programming, Quarantine asks interested artists to apply on a true leap of faith, one that many describe as the first moment they had to relinquish control and believe the bold claims the program boasts. Testimonials include lofty statements about the organizers “minting a legion for the revolution” and how participants feel “like my insides have been blown out.” Some people even get the program’s tally logo tattooed, and many have returned for multiple visits.

If you’re thinking this sounds like a cult, you’re not alone. When Quarantine’s organizers invited us to observe the April 2026 edition, we were skeptical, and so were the friends and colleagues with whom we shared our plans. As it turns out, many of the participants had similar reservations, which we learned when we landed in Menorca and met an artist at baggage claim. (In keeping with the spirit of Quarantine and the idea that what happens on the island stays on the island, we’re only sharing information about participants anonymously.) He was coming from Los Angeles and first encountered the program through one of the session’s mentors, Yuko Shimizu, whom he’d long admired and previously collaborated with. Lured by the opportunity to untether from daily life and connect with professional artists, he hoped to reinvigorate his practice and figure out how to take the next step, something former Quarantine participants lauded and that he hoped he could access, too. Was it a cult, though? None of us was sure.

From the 18th to 20th century, the Spanish government required all travelers, no matter their origin, to sequester on the island for 40 days or if they fell ill, longer. These groups were cordoned off by their presumed and actual illnesses, and about five percent died during their stay, succumbing to infectious diseases like the Bubonic Plague and Yellow Fever. Today, the double-walled sanatorium is mid-restoration as the local government repairs crumbling limestone halls and terracotta walkways and trims back an abundance of thistles. Along with a handful of loquacious peacocks whose eerie calls echoed across the island, just a skeleton grounds crew and the occasional tour group occupy the island with any regularity.

Quarantine is one of two recurring events held on the lazaretto, with weeklong editions each April and October that are supported by the local government and local tourism organization, Fundació Foment del Turisme de Menorca. Nearly everything needed for the program must be loaded onto boats and carried to the island for every edition, and a local caterer packs food for 80 and traverses the harbor each lunch and dinner. Enormous musical instruments like the bilas—a rare, standing contraption of flat bells conceived by Russian Alexander Zhikharev—even make their way over for live, outdoor performances.

A sort of mystical bootcamp for artists, Quarantine is both intensely communal and unabashedly introspective. Gomila designs the workshop sessions, known as the “Art Lab,” to tap into as many emotions and responses as possible, often frustration, confusion, and eventually, clarity. Many incorporate music, and almost all center on life drawing, whether through self-portraiture or enthusiastic models who embrace the spirit of the project as much as the participants. They don costumes, hold sabres as props, and accessorize to an outlandish extent. Models are invited to share in the creative process, too, and as one tells us one evening over glasses of Cava, the program allows her to reconnect with the self she doesn’t always encounter in her life as an architect.

Everyone we meet at Quarantine echoes this sentiment, whether they’re full-time artists or not. There’s a young father whose work at a video game design studio is forcing him to rely more and more on A.I. A fine art educator laments the corporatization of her position as a faculty member at a for-profit university. And countless others who work in tech, finance, government, design, and illustration have ventured to the Mediterranean to reclaim focus, hone their voice, and if they’re lucky, make something that excites them.

The accomplished group of mentors doesn’t hurt either. April’s edition included Shimizu, Martin Wittfooth, Mu Pan, Phil Hale, Yulia Bas, Sean Layh, and Adam Miller, while past sessions featured Miles Johnston, Jeremy Mann, and Nicolás Uribe, to name a few. Mentors each present a morning masterclass on a wide range of topics, from Wittfooth’s concept of art as a “spirit artifact” to Shimizu’s courage in changing careers after a decade in a corporate job. Layh shares his story of picking up his paintbrush for the first time in more than a decade to re-learn his abilities over two and a half years on a single canvas (last month he won an Archibald Prize). Participants also receive one-on-one sessions with three mentors, in which no topics are off limits. They can ask for guidance in developing a particular technique, although most choose to utilize their 45-minute sessions to chat about more personal problems they’ve both faced and connect about what it means to be an artist in today’s world. 

This equalizing ethos is the foundation of Quarantine. When participants complete an exercise, all work is displayed on a central table, and if they’d like, they can share something with the group. There’s no critique, no comparison, and no need to explain why they made the decisions they did. The focus instead is on the process, on seizing moments of low-risk spontaneity. Experimentation and abandoning patterns that no longer serve their creativity are encouraged, along with developing practices to work through frustrations and insecurities. The wide range of skills is liberating: many artists have worked full-time for more than a decade, while others are painting with oils for the very first time.

“What happens here is so psychological,” shares one participant from Argentina who heard about Quarantine by following Layh. “Because it’s all so mysterious, I was worried it was going to be cheesy, but I’ve cried three times this week.”

On the final day, after participants have painted and sketched for dozens of hours, been subjected to creative exercises they hope to never encounter again and others they will gladly replicate at home, and let themselves be vulnerable in a way that rarely happens outside a therapist’s office, what seems to stand out is the camaraderie and an overwhelming sense of belonging. In comparison to the eager anxieties of the first day, the group has settled into a shared clarity, knowing not to fear mistakes and feeling a new sense of kinship among like-minded peers. They pair off to get coffee, encourage one another to try a strange technique, and make plans to meet up once they return home. We were told that WhatsApp group chats from previous editions continue to this day. A large contingent from a previous year also wants to return en masse. 

The last evening under a star-studded sky, unusually visible to us city dwellers, a fire pit appeared adjacent to the well that the Englishman jumped atop on day one. All 80 of us gathered around, and one mentor, Bas, kicked us off. In her hands were an old letter that once held significant weight in her life and a work on paper. She walked over to the fire and tossed both in, then asked everyone else to do the same. 

As the fire pit grew so full of paintings and drawings and sketches and notes that pieces spilled onto the cobblestone, the communal sense of catharsis and release was palpable. Artists danced hand in hand, cried, hugged, and stood solemnly watching their breakthroughs crumble into ash. The idea, of course, was that these material objects–these “spirit artifacts” in Wittfooth’s parlance–were just that: artifacts. Artworks made on the island were both irreplaceable and irrelevant, as the program had already built up a herd immunity to any sense of assuredness or control. What Quarantine offers instead is a shared pathology, one that focuses not on remedying the symptoms of creative blocks or failures but rather zeroes in on the underlying cause.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article We Spent a Week Quarantined on an Uninhabited Island with 80 Artists appeared first on Colossal.

In the late 12th century, a nobleman named Count Gerard van Loon commissioned an abbey to serve as his final resting place. Over the next few decades, amid plenty of political tumult, Herkenrode Abbey in Hasselt, Belgium, was converted to the first Cistercian convent for women. It was a site of pilgrimage from the 13th to the 15th centuries, and despite regional wars and economic uncertainty, it stayed the course. During the 16th century, it experienced its heyday thanks to the patronage of a figure named Prince Bishop Evrard van der Marck, seeing the addition of a Gothic church that brimmed with beautiful stained glass windows, textiles, paintings, and more.

The Eighty Years’ War paused Herkenrode’s prosperity, and once things stabilized again politically, the abbey experienced several decades of good fortune, although much of this wealth was spent on the abbesses’ own acquisitions of property and art in a show of their prestige. But the paradigm-shifting Liège Revolution, which coincided with the French Revolution, brought all of this crashing to a halt by 1796. The abbey complex was promptly sold and dismantled.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Heckenrode went through many other uses, including factories and even a series of private homes, before it was again acquired by a religious organization in the 1970s. While the original 16th-century abbey church no longer exists due to a devastating fire in 1826, the site remains one of the region’s most culturally significant. And Herita has been working to restore it. As part of a phased regeneration of the landmark and its park, an ethereal, life-size sculpture of the abbey titled CLAUSURA by Gijs Van Vaerenbergh has risen from the building’s original footprint.

The studio, founded by Belgian designers Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh, conceived of CLAUSURA as “an artistic vision for the vanished heart of Herkenrode.” True to scale, the structure is made of slender steel rods that rise from the ground in an airy framework. The installation revolves around the idea of memory and sensation: rather than rebuilding the abbey to try to mirror what it may have looked like hundreds of years ago, the work nods to its past with an airy elegance.

“The new volumes are transparent, allowing their silhouettes to blend seamlessly with the landscape in the background,” says a statement. “The intervention balances between reconstruction and abstraction, as the original structures are evoked through a refined play of suggestion. Iconic details such as windows, vaults, and towers enhance the sense of recognisability, although at times, these elements dissolve back into a chaos of lines.”

Gijs Van Vaerenbergh is known for its architectural interventions, often utilizing steel, stone, wood, and a wide range of other building materials to re-envision spaces as structural sculptures. “What unites their diverse output is a sustained focus on how space is experienced—visually, bodily and temporally,” a statement says.

CLAUSURA is being constructed in three phases. The first, which is also the most ambitious, is slated to open to the public on June 18. Visitors will be able to walk and reflect amid the installation. See more on Gijs Van Vaerenbergh’s Instagram, and learn about the restoration progress and how to visit on Herita’s website.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Gijs Van Vaerenbergh Gracefully Reimagines a 16th-Century Belgian Abbey Church in Steel appeared first on Colossal.

During the Victorian era, innovators made huge leaps with optical technologies. It was the period of the stereoscope and an early projector known as the magic lantern, not to mention one in which eyeglasses became more affordable and entering the mainstream. These advances also influenced scientific inquiry, making microscopes more powerful, and the pursuit of microscopy enabled researchers and enthusiasts to discover creatures invisible to the naked eye.

One of these enthusiasts was London-based educator and amateur scientist Charles Thomas Hudson. Along with other scholars and aficionados, he participated in interest groups. “As President of the Royal Microscopical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society, Hudson was a leading figure in this growing scientific community,” says a statement from Osh Gallery, which is currently exhibiting a collection of unique illustrations in The Hudson Transparencies.

Curated by Luke Powell and Jody Hudson-Powell of design firm Pentagram, which runs Osh Gallery, the exhibition literally brings to light a number of colorful transparencies that Hudson used during his lectures. While they appear dark and even unfinished in a typical setting, “when lit from behind these intricate works transform into magical visions of life previously only glimpsed when viewed under a microscope,” the gallery says.

The Hudson Transparencies includes 58 original transparencies that measure a surprisingly large 37.8 by 29.5 inches. Each of the graphics’ proportions are “the equivalent of drawing ants the size of elephants,” says a statement. The animals and botanicals emerge through a combination of painted paper and perforations, which are made with lines and clusters of pinholes.

Hudson was particularly fascinated by rotifers, a phylum of zooplankton named for their so-called “wheel-bearing” characteristics. He also catalogued algae, protozoa, and larvae—such as that of the mayfly with its feather-like tail. Microscopic marine organisms were a particular favorite, though, and these back-lit images highlight the convergence of science and spectacular visuals that not only brought these creatures to life in a unique way for 19th-century viewers but continue to awe us today.

The Hudson Transparencies continues through June 11 in London. You might also enjoy Martin Kunz’s turn-of-the-century tactile graphics and Lorenz Oken’s seminal natural history work, Allgemaine Naturgeschichte Für Alle Stände.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Vibrant Victorian-Era Transparencies Illuminate a Host of Microscopic Creatures appeared first on Colossal.

Kim Dacres gravitates toward renewal and care, transforming worn rubber into expressive sculptural portraits. The New York-based artist twists and braids tired treads into sleek buns and rows typical of Black hairstyles, which she embellishes with gear-like crowns and jewelry made of metal bike chains. Spray painting the material to mask marks, Dacres utilizes what might otherwise be deemed worthless to create bold visages.

A new body of work extends a series of celebratory busts the artist made to honor those who’ve inspired and influenced her. On view this month at Charles Moffett, Lost on a Two Way Street follows this trajectory, while adding flatter wall works evocative of Victorian-era cameos. “The emphasis on the subjects’ buns and braiding underscores the extreme efforts required to ‘keep up’ appearances in the harshest of environments—an acknowledgment of the vital role played by Dacres’ community in uplifting her spirit and maintaining her mental health,” the gallery says.

In an explicit reference to the current political climate, the artist has also interpreted the U.S. flag, replacing the stars with Black and brown figures. The stripes fray at the edges, while binding these anonymous faces to the fabric in a way that constricts movement. These works “flash in distress and cry out to helpless void—their condition betraying the truth of a symbol that has long failed to live up to its promise,” a statement says.

Lost on a Two Way Street runs from May 7 to June 20 in New York. Until then, explore more of the artist’s work on Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Kim Dacres Revitalizes Sleek Tires, Chains, and Gears in Defiant Sculptures appeared first on Colossal.

Home might be a mutable concept, but some objects retain the aura of belonging and comfort even outside the walls we reside in. For Monica Rohan, those items are patterned fabrics and bentwood dining chairs, which venture outdoors in her vibrant oil paintings.

The Brisbane-based artist has long depicted the supple folds and bright motifs of textiles, which tended to swaddle her characters or hide their faces among natural landscapes. Upholstered loungers and carved wood seats have similarly appeared in unusual spots, precariously holding a figure while nested in a slim hedge or slumping down a small hill.

In recent years, though, Rohan’s characters have slowly disappeared. Arms that once pulled back a curtain or reached out for stabilization are no longer present, leaving just the domestic objects in place. “I’ve found this quite freeing, allowing me to explore new ideas about the relationship between people and the landscape,” the artist tells Colossal, noting that bentwood chairs have become human stand-ins. “I love their elegant yet rickety construction, and I grew up with them around my kitchen table, so they’re a strong reminder of home for me.”

Many of the works shown here are part of this transition and will be shown this June at Sophie Gannon Gallery in Melbourne for Rohan’s solo exhibition, Invitations. Against dramatic alpine summits, fast-moving streams, and lush, springtime meadows—scenes derived from the artist’s hiking trip through Tasmania—plaid tablecloths and crocheted blankets float above the earth as if hung on an imperceptible line strung between two invisible poles.

“With their exaggerated patterns and strange billowing forms, they appear more ambiguous, wavering between unassuming decoration and smothering intrusion,” the artist adds. “From their precarious vantage points, the bentwood chairs no longer offer safe and restful repose. They invite the viewer to join their predicament.”

Explore more of Rohan’s paintings on Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article In Monica Rohan’s Paintings, Tablecloths and Chairs Uncannily Perch in Remote Landscapes appeared first on Colossal.

Earlier this month, dozens of metallic discs suspended from the ceiling of a large industrial space invited viewers to immerse themselves in what SpY describes as “a continuous choreography of movement and reflection.” The artist is known for his large-scale installations, often repurposing objects like traffic cones and metallic rescue blankets to create striking urban interventions.

SpY’s most recent room-scale work, titled “Halos,” reimagined the industrial interior of a former railway-related factory in Florence—a place we typically associate with Renaissance elegance as opposed to brutalist design—as part of the city’s Bright Festival.

Three stories high, “Halos” interacts with the natural breeze that flows throughout the space, which is exacerbated by people moving around. Glimmering light further lends a sense of ethereality and even magic.

See more on Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Dozens of Suspended ‘Halos’ Glimmer in a Florentine Factory appeared first on Colossal.

From recognizable scenes around her home in Scotland to delicately rendered snapshots of places she visits, Laura K. Sayers’ meticulously crafted postage stamps nod to connections from afar. The artist, who also illustrates children’s books and is commissioned for special projects like greeting cards, incorporates itty-bitty cuts of colorful paper into tiny tableaux that can fit in the palm of a hand.

Much of the work seen here is currently on view solo in Sayers’ solo exhibition of miniatures titled The Wee Small Hours at N. atelier. An array of everyday scenes is chronicled in a format we typically associate with significant events and remembrance, documenting fleeting moments like little treasures. Some of her recent pieces are inspired by the Finnish landscape that emerged during the artist’s stay at the Fiskars Artist-in-Residence program, organized by Onoma.

The Wee Small Hours continues through this weekend in Glasgow. And keep an eye out for a joint update from Tiny Art Show. Find more on Sayers’ Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Laura K. Sayers’ Vibrant Postage Stamps Celebrate the Beauty of Everyday Moments appeared first on Colossal.

Every month, we share opportunities for artists and designers, including open calls, grants, fellowships, and residencies. Make sure you never miss out by joining our monthly Opportunities Newsletter.

Scenerium 2026 Art Award: Exhibition, Publication, Sales, and Global PromotionFeatured
Where will your art take us? From landscapes and seascapes to cityscapes and imagined worlds, Scenerium 2026 invites artists worldwide to capture the essence of place and turn it into a visual journey. Through natural scenes, urban energy, and visionary environments, this juried opportunity celebrates art that draws viewers in and places them inside the world you create. Selected artists receive a smart online exhibition, Artsy feature, global promotion, catalogue, art magazine publication, press release, visitor engagement, editorial reviews, audience feedback, and exclusive awards.
Learn more and submit: www.gallerium.art/scenerium
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PDT on May 7, 2026.

The Hopper Prize $4,500 Artist GrantsFeatured
The Hopper Prize is accepting submissions for $4,500 and $1,000 artist grants. Six grants totaling $13,000 USD are available. Two artists will each receive $4,500, and four artists will each receive $1,000. All media is eligible. Additional exposure is available via a 30-artist shortlist, online journal, and Instagram, currently reaching over 165,000.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PDT May 12, 2026.

Open Calls

SaveArtSpace Billboard Art Open Call (International)
SaveArtSpace presents Wild & Free, a public art exhibition on billboard ad space in New York City, opening June 26, 2026, and curated by Gigi Chen. The theme is related to the close connection between nature, mythology, and civilization. There is a $10.99 per image application fee.
Deadline: May 7, 2026.

YICCA Art Prize (International)
This competition is open to all media and techniques and geared toward emerging artists, with a total prize pool of €4,500. The application fee varies depending on the number of images submitted and starts at €50.
Deadline: May 7, 2026.

CIFRA Award (International)
CIFRA welcomes any form of digital art, and the only condition is that it must be possible to submit as a video. Per the theme “RestArt Reality,” applicants can share screen-native works that engage with pseudo-evidence, invented archives, alternative chronologies, reconstructions, “false” testimonies, and more. Five winners each receive €1,000.
Deadline: May 8, 2026.

Cass Art Prize (U.K. and Ireland)
The Cass Art Prize 2026, presented by The Cass Group, aims to champion contemporary art from across the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland with a top cash prize of £10,000. Additional awards total more than £20,000, including a Students Award, an Art Educators Award, and more. Winning works will be included in a group exhibition at The Bomb Factory, Marylebone, London, in Autumn 2026.
Deadline: May 8, 2026.

Sunshine Coast National Art Prize (Australia)
The acquisitive Sunshine Coast National Art Prize is a dynamic visual arts award reflecting outstanding contemporary 2D and new media arts practices in Australia. The top prize is AUD $25,000, and the entry fee is AUD $45.
Deadline: May 10, 2026.

Get Published in Artistonish: Visibility, Engagement, and Sales (International)
The 70th issue of Artistonish Contemporary Art Magazine, published in May 2026, will feature a juried selection of contemporary artworks from around the world, showcased online and on premium glossy pages in print. Each selected work is presented with a full-page image and a dedicated QR code for deeper engagement. Artists will be featured on Artsy, receive a certificate of achievement and exclusive artwork badges, and be promoted through extensive outreach with lasting online visibility in the global art community. Learn more and submit: www.artistonish.com/calls
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PDT on May 11, 2026.

Abbey Mural Prize (International)
The Abbey Mural Prize awards grants to support the creation and restoration of public murals in the United States. Juried by artist and architect members of the National Academy, the Abbey Mural Prize supports projects with grants typically ranging from $10,000 to $40,000. Artists may be from anywhere, but the murals must be in the United States, Tribal Nations, or U.S. territories, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Deadline: May 18, 2026.

2027 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize Award Exhibition (International)
The Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize was established to recognize excellence in contemporary craft, with a focus on the theme of transformation. The 2027 prize will be awarded for an artwork in small metals. This program offers $5,000, and there is a $45 application fee to submit up to six pieces.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 31, 2026.

BEERS London Group Exhibitions (International)
This is an opportunity for artists working across all media to apply to be a part of a group exhibition at BEERS London. BEERS’ objective is to discover new, compelling, and contemporary work to present at its gallery. There is a £10 application fee.
Deadline: June 1, 2026.

21st Edition of Arte Laguna Prize (International)
Apply for this unique opportunity to exhibit your work at the Arsenale Nord in Venice. The finalists’ exhibition will take place from November 6 to 29, 2026. The jury will select 120 finalist artists, including the winner of the first prize of €10,000, among other awards. The application fee is €97.60 (VAT included) for artists under 35 years old and €122 for those 35 and older.
Deadline: June 30, 2026.

Grants

Franklin Furnace Jacki Apple Award (New York City)
The Jacki Apple Award grants $10,000 to fund a project in performance, media, exhibition, and/or publication by a New York City-based artist working in performance art.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 1, 2026.

Tulsa Artist Fellowship (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
This unique place-based program will award up to ten artists and arts workers a comprehensive three-year support package in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Each awardee will receive up to $150,000 in financial support, along with a private studio, a $36,000 housing stipend, a $1,500 studio move-in stipend, a $3,600 studio assistant stipend, a $3,600 health and wellness stipend, and access to shared facilities and professional resources designed to sustain ambitious, community-engaged practices over time.
Deadline: May 7, 2026.

Serendipity Arts Food Matters Grant (India)
Individual artists or collectives are welcome to apply for this grant of up to 1 Lakh (about $1,050) that emphasizes a knowledge network and supports inquiry into food practices across India. The grant invites researchers, artists, writers, practitioners, and collectives to pursue projects that explore culinary practices at the intersections of literature, politics, technology, and culture.
Deadline: May 8, 2026.

Fundación Botín Art Grants (International)
The Fundación Botín offers six scholarships for artists of any nationality with an expected duration of nine months and a grant of €23,000 each, in addition to medical insurance. One grant is reserved for an artist who is Spanish or a resident in Spain, under 30 years of age, who wants to spend time abroad. Grants cover a period of nine months. Applicants need to register online and also submit physical materials by mail, which must be postmarked by May 8.
Deadline: May 8, 2026.

Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants (U.S.)
The Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants program provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 for recent unexpected medical, dental, and mental health emergencies to artists in financial need who are creating in the visual arts, film/video/electronic/digital arts, and choreography. Applications for the Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants (up to $3,000) are also open through May 19.
Deadline: 5 p.m. EDT on May 12, 2026.

JGS Fellowship for Photography (New York)
The JGS Fellowship for Photography is an $8,000 cash grant open to New York State photography artists living and working outside of New York City.
Deadline: 5 p.m. EDT on May 19, 2026.

ArtPrize Artist Seed Grant (International)
The Artist Seed Grant program supports exceptionally talented emerging artists and designers, helping them bring compelling work to ArtPrize 2026 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Each selected artist or designer will receive $2,000 to assist with artwork creation and logistical costs, ensuring they can fully participate in the event. These grants help maintain ArtPrize’s accessibility for artists worldwide and at all career stages. In addition to grant opportunities for Grand Rapids-area artists, a venue exhibition grant is also available. Deadlines vary.
Deadline: May 30, 2026.

The Adolf and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant (International)
This program provides one-time financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs resulted from an unforeseen catastrophic incident and who lack the resources to meet that situation. Awardees typically receive $5,000 and up to $15,000.
Deadline: Rolling.

Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant (International)
The foundation welcomes applications from painters, sculptors, and artists working on paper, including printmakers. Grants are intended for one year and range up to $50,000. The artist’s circumstances determine the size of the grant, and professional exhibition history will be considered.
Deadline: Rolling.

Residencies, Fellowships, & More

The Martin House Creative Residency Program (U.S.)
This competitive program is open to applicants who seek the resources to support ongoing projects or the creation of new work, with special emphasis on the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Martin House. Creative makers who are selected to participate will generally spend two to four weeks on site. Residents will receive a stipend of $5,000, and travel expenses of up to $1,000 will also be provided to residents from outside New York’s Buffalo-Niagara region.
Deadline: May 13, 2026.

Quinn Emanuel Los Angeles Residency (Los Angeles)
This residency is open to emerging and mid-career artists working in all disciplines across Greater Los Angeles. For four months, the artist-in-residence has access to a studio in the Quinn Emanuel Los Angeles office to support their existing practice or a new project. At the end of the residency, an exhibition will be held, and at least one work will be incorporated into the permanent collection. The resident will receive $5,000 per month, for a total of $20,000, plus a materials allowance.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PDT on May 14, 2026.

Dieu Donné Workspace Residency Program (New York City metro area)
With a focus on experimentation and collaboration, Dieu Donné’s Workspace Residency provides three artists the opportunity to explore paper pulp as an artistic medium. The program includes an introduction to papermaking, six days in the studio with a dedicated collaborator, and a $600 stipend.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 15, 2026.

Women’s Studio Workshop Studio Residency Grant (International)
The Studio Residency Grant is a six- to eight-week residency for artists to create new work in any of our studio disciplines: intaglio, letterpress, papermaking, screenprinting, or photography. WSW invites applications from artists at any stage in their careers, and the grant includes a stipend of $350 per week, up to $500 for materials used during the residency, up to $250 for travel within the continental U.S., free onsite housing, and 24/7 studio access. Applicants may also opt to be considered for a Studio Workspace Residency or the Anita Wetzel Residency Grant by checking the corresponding box on their application.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 15, 2026.

Monson Arts Residency Program (International)
Monson Arts, in Monson, Maine, supports emerging and established artists and writers by providing them time and space to devote to their creative practices over the course of two or four weeks. A cohort of artists and writers receives private studios, private bedrooms in shared housing, all meals, and a $500 stipend ($250 for two-week programs).
Deadline: May 15, 2026.

Center for Craft — Craft Archive Fellowship (International)
Four fellowships of $5,000 will be awarded to support archival research on underrepresented and non-dominant craft histories in the United States. Funding is intended to support independent research, and proposals are welcome from a range of scholars—both emerging and established—including artist-researchers. Artists may be based anywhere, but must be able to earn taxable income in the U.S.
Deadline: May 20, 2026.

VIA Art Fund Artistic Production Grants (International)
VIA’s Artistic Production Grants fund the production of newly commissioned works of visual art exhibited beyond museum walls, in the public realm, or in non-traditional exhibition environments.  These grants are awarded to projects that best exemplify VIA’s three core values of Artistic Production, Thought Leadership, and Public Engagement. Grant amounts range from $25,000 to $100,000.
Deadline to submit letter of inquiry: May 21, 2026.

Grantham Foundation Visual Arts Residency (International)
Grantham Foundation supports established artists whose practices or approaches recognize environmental issues. The four-week residency, which takes place in Saint-Edmond-de-Grantham, Québec, includes a grant of CAD $5,000 to $10,000, depending on the scope of the project.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 27, 2026.

Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence (International)
A program of Oak Spring Garden Foundation, the Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence is awarded annually to one early-career artist who is developing new works that address plants, gardens, or landscapes. This award is open to visual artists, literary artists, dancers, and musicians. The award includes a $10,000 individual grant and requires a two- to five-week stay at Oak Spring in Upperville, Virginia.
Deadline: May 31, 2026.

Headlands Center for the Arts Residencies (International)
The Artist in Residence program at Headlands Center for the Arts in Sausalito, California, awards fully sponsored residencies to approximately 50 local, national, and international artists each year. Residencies of four to ten weeks include studio space, chef-prepared meals, housing, travel, and living expenses.
Deadline: June 1, 2026.

Residencia Corazón (International)
Residencia Corazón is an independent, artist-run residency in La
Plata, Argentina—a home for artists since 2006. The program welcomes visual
artists, writers, curators, and creative researchers from around the
world for one- to three-month residencies. Each stay is fully personalized, and fees range from $800 to $1,500 per month.
Deadline: Rolling.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article May 2026 Opportunities: Open Calls, Residencies, and Grants for Artists appeared first on Colossal.

In the richly detailed linocuts of Eduardo Robledo, festive ceremonies, spiritual motifs, and dream-like interactions unfurl. The Mexico City-based artist was born and raised in the southern borough of Xochimilco, which is famous for its canals—vestiges of a huge Aztec water transport system still used today for bringing goods into the city. This area and its time-honored customs provide a bounty of inspiration for Robledo.

Community and celebration are at the heart of his work, as creatures and figures converge in enigmatic, sometimes ritualistic choreographies. Traditional motifs like skulls and skeletons, which represent remembrance, joy, and an acceptance of the cycle of life and death, interact with denizens of the region like armadillos, birds, reptiles, and more.

Social activism has also played a strong role in Robledo’s practice, tapping into the power of printmaking to spread messages about causes he cares deeply about. “Printmaking is democratic; it’s more supportive,” he shares in a profile. “There is a very strong graphic arts tradition in social movements.”

Robledo’s compositions are playful yet mysterious, universal and also arcane. Winged hearts, known as Sagrado Corazón, or the Sacred Heart, symbolize love, healing, and spiritual devotion. Armadillos represent protection and abundance, and numerous other foods, plants, and nods to culture—such as Xochimilco’s colorful canal boats known as trajineras—are venerated in scenes of dancing or totem-like configurations.

Robled’s prints can be found at Hecho a Mano in Santa Fe, and the artist is also a co-founder of Lugar de Huida in Mexico City, a gallery highlighting Mexican printmakers. See more on the artist’s Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Linocuts by Eduardo Robledo Celebrate Mexican Heritage and Community appeared first on Colossal.

From rivers and oxbow lakes to crop-field patchworks and mineral sediments, Landsat has seen it all. A program of NASA and USGS, the satellite initiative has documented the Earth’s surface since 1972, making it the longest continuous record of our planet’s ever-evolving landscapes. And to mark Earth Day 2026, the organizations launched a playful way to interact with some of their findings collected over the past five-and-a-half decades—a name generator.

Using the tool is simple: type in your name, or any word, and Landsat returns it in the form of vertical snapshots of a wide range of terrain. Just like we see with composites of Mars, for instance, scientists have digitally enhanced some images to highlight specific features. Those used for “Your Name in Landsat” sport a wide array of hues, textures, and patterns that glimpse the diversity of our planet’s surface.

Landsat is an incredible resource that features time-lapses of changing land use over several decades. Even this playful name generator allows you to hover over individual images and learn the exact locations—down to the coordinates—and all of the program’s data is publicly accessible. For example, the “C” in “Colossal” above is a vertical view of a cloud-speckled Deception Island in Antarctica, and the “A” is the uniquely shaped Lake Mjøsa in Norway.

You might also enjoy Overview, a book that chronicles how the landscape has changed over time. Learn more about Landsat from NASA. (via PetaPixel)

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Spell Your Name with NASA’s Earthly Alphabet of Aerial Images appeared first on Colossal.

Inside the cavernous former train station that now houses Hamburger Bahnhof, 400,000 wooden cubes stack and topple into piles. Conceived by Lithuanian artist Lina Lapelytė and commissioned by Chanel, “We Make Years Out of Hours” is a large-scale installation that invites the public to remake structures from these 10-centimeter blocks made of pine and spruce.

Lapelytė often combines sound and performance and collaborates with both professionals and novices. This participatory work continues the artist’s interest in collective making and caretaking, particularly as it relates to shared authorship and how we might amend and reshape what currently exists.

A trio of weekly performances on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays will feature a libretto with the words of 15 writers, including Vietnamese-American poet Ocean Vuong, Lebanese-American painter Etel Adnan, Iranian filmmaker
Forugh Farrokhzad, and Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. Centered around community, love, and loss, these songs create another dimension in the space to consider agency and hope.

“We Make Years Out of Hours” opens on May 1 and is on view through January 10, 2027, in Berlin. Explore more of Lapelytė’s multi-disciplinary works on her website and Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Lina Lapelytė Fills Hamburger Bahnhof with 400,000 Wood Blocks for Communal Building appeared first on Colossal.

“We live with so many hard things,” says Sheila Hicks, “that we’re crying for softness.” The pleasure, simplicity, and tactile qualities of textiles ground a new film from Louisiana Channel, which explores the ways in which fiber art remains both evocative and relevant in this increasingly digital era.

“7 Artists on Soft Sculptures” weaves together a variety of distinct approaches to textiles. Nick Cave describes incorporating found plastics, toys, metals, fringe, and more into elaborate suits that mask the wearer’s identity, while Icelandic artist Shoplifter shares her obsessions with brightly dyed synthetic hair, which she transforms into immersive installations.

And Kaarina Kaikkonen offers her deeply personal reason for incorporating used clothing into her large-scale installations: “When I was 14, after my father’s death, I wanted to wear his clothes,” she says. “I felt very strongly that my father is near me if I wear his clothes.” This invisible presence continues to inform her work, offering a connection to people and times passed.

Louisiana Channel hosts a trove of videos featuring artists, writers, and designers, including earlier studio visits with Shiota and Shoplifter, on Vimeo.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article 7 Artists Discuss the Power and Urgency of Textiles appeared first on Colossal.