🎨 Art, XR & Impact Opportunities — Fall 2025
- ines said
- Sep 27
- 5 min read
Hey friends 👋
I’ve been told more times than I can count: “How do you even find so many opportunities?”
Usually, I end up sending endless DMs whenever I spot a residency, fellowship, or grant that seems perfect for someone I know 😂. Instead of keeping these scattered, I decided to share them weekly with everyone.
So here’s the very first edition of Art, XR & Impact Opportunities — a roundup of grants, prizes, fellowships, residencies, and showcases worth your time. Whether you’re an artist, technologist, or changemaker, I hope this helps you find your next big step 🚀.
🔥 HIGHLIGHTS — Don’t Miss These!
🌪️ National Geographic Hazard Grant — Deadline Sept 19 — Up to $50K for climate + disaster resilience.
🖼️ Aesthetica Art Prize — Deadline Sept 30 — £10K + exhibition at York Art Gallery.
🎭 United XR — ⚠️ First deadline Sept 15 — Showcase XR apps, pitch startups, volunteer, or exhibit in Brussels.
👉 Scroll down for the full list of grants, fellowships, showcases & residencies 👇
💰 GRANTS & PRIZES
🌪️ National Geographic — Extreme Weather & Natural Hazards
📅 Deadline: Sept 19, 2025 (11:59 p.m. EDT)
📍 Location: Remote (Global projects)
👥 Eligibility: Individuals 18+ worldwide
✏️ Supports innovative projects addressing climate-driven disasters like floods, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes. Grants of up to $50K are available, with a focus on combining science and community-based resilience strategies. National Geographic Society
🎨 Foundwork Artist Prize
📅 Deadline: Sept 26, 2025 (5 p.m. PT)
📍 Location: Remote (Global)
👥 Eligibility: Emerging & mid-career artists worldwide
✏️ Annual juried prize offering $10K unrestricted funding, studio visits with leading curators and artists, plus an interview feature. A strong way to boost international visibility.
🖼️ Aesthetica Art Prize 2025
📅 Deadline: Sept 30, 2025 (Late entry Oct 1–5)
📍 Location: York, UK (Exhibition)
👥 Eligibility: Artists worldwide across all media
✏️ Prestigious prize celebrating contemporary innovation. Finalists exhibit at York Art Gallery and are published in the anthology. Includes £10K Main Prize + £1K Emerging Artist Prize, open to all mediums (painting, digital, VR, installation, performance). Aesthetica Magazine
🚀 Accelerate STEAM Education: GM Challenge
📅 Deadline: Oct 8, 2025 (12:00 p.m. EDT)
📍 Location: U.S.
👥 Eligibility: Nonprofits, startups, hybrid models based in the U.S.
✏️ Organized by MIT Solve x GM, this challenge offers $250K in funding plus six months of tailored support. It seeks scalable solutions that expand access to STEAM education through immersive tech, mentorship, or adaptive approaches.
🎓 FELLOWSHIPS
🏛️ Princeton Arts Fellowship
📅 Deadline: Sept 9, 2025 (11:59 p.m. EDT)
📍 Location: Princeton, NJ (in-person)
👥 Eligibility: Early-career artists in all disciplines
✏️ A two-year fellowship offering ~$93K annually. Fellows teach one course per semester while developing their own projects, gaining both financial backing and academic community.
📚 Princeton Hodder Fellowship
📅 Deadline: Sept 9, 2025
📍 Location: Princeton, NJ (in-person)
👥 Eligibility: Writers, composers, visual artists, choreographers
✏️ Aimed at early-career creatives with exceptional promise. Provides $90K for one year to pursue independent projects without teaching requirements.
🌍 Echoing Green Fellowship
📅 Opens Fall 2025
📍 Location: Remote (Global program)
👥 Eligibility: Early-stage social entrepreneurs worldwide
✏️ One of the most respected fellowships for social innovators. Fellows receive seed funding, mentorship, and a global peer network to help launch and scale bold impact-driven ventures.
🚀 STARTUP & TECH SHOWCASES
🎭 United XR (Brussels, Dec 8–10, 2025)
📅 Deadlines: ⚠️ Some Sept 15 (Activations), Startup Pitch Oct 28
📍 Location: Brussels, Belgium (in-person)
👥 Eligibility: Artists, startups, volunteers, XR professionals worldwide 🔗 https://unitedxr.eu/get-involved
✏️ UnitedXR Europe is Europe’s leading XR gathering, bringing creators, startups, and industry leaders together. All opportunities are managed under one portal:
🎨 Activations — Showcase XR apps, meetups, or installations.
🚀 Start-Up Pitch — Compete live for the “Start-up to Watch” award.
🙋 Volunteering — Join the organizing team, get a 3-day pass, networking perks, and a certificate.
🖼️ Exhibition / Sponsorship — Present your project or product to 2,000+ XR professionals.
🏆 XR Awards — Celebrate outstanding XR projects worldwide.
🌍 EMIC Market — A matchmaking hub for XR projects and investors.
🎯 The Booster — Connects XR creators with creative and financial partners.
🎟️ Enterprise VIP — Exclusive track for companies looking to connect with XR providers.
🎤 SXSW 2026 — Opportunities Across Pitch, Awards, Film & EDU
📅 Deadlines: Sept–Nov 2025 (varies by program)
📍 Location: Austin, TX (in-person, March 12–18, 2026)
👥 Eligibility: Global startups, creatives, and innovators across tech, film, XR, and education
✏️ SXSW is much more than a festival — it’s a global launchpad for startups and creators. Multiple opportunities are open now:
🚀 SXSW Pitch 2026 — Categories include XR, Sustainability, Healthcare, AI, Student Startups & more. Early Bird deadline Sept 12 ($100); final deadline Nov 7 ($220). (More info)
🏆 SXSW Innovation Awards — Spotlight for breakthrough tech. Early deadline Sept 14; final Nov 7. Winners showcased and honored during the festival.
🎬 SXSW Film & TV Festival — XR Experience — Submit immersive XR work, films, or TV projects for screening and exhibition. Multiple categories open now.
🎓 SXSW EDU Launch Startup Competition — For early-stage edtech startups. Early deadline Sept 7 ($55); final Nov 2 ($95). Compete for awards and visibility in education innovation.
🏡 RESIDENCIES
🌲 MacDowell Residency (Spring–Summer 2026)
📅 Deadline: Sept 10, 2025
📍 Location: New Hampshire, USA
👥 Eligibility: Artists worldwide (all disciplines)
✏️ One of the most prestigious artist residencies in the U.S., offering 1–6 weeks of uninterrupted creative time. Includes private studio, meals, and an inspiring artist community.
🏙️ IFCC Artist Grant & Residency
📅 Deadline: Sept 12, 2025
📍 Location: Portland, OR, USA
👥 Eligibility: Portland-based artists
✏️ Offers a $6K–$10K grant plus a 9-week residency with studio space at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center. Designed to support local artists and community engagement.
🏞️ Hambidge Center Residency (Spring 2026)
📅 Deadline: Sept 15, 2025
📍 Location: Georgia, USA
👥 Eligibility: Multidisciplinary artists worldwide
✏️ A retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains offering private studios, chef-prepared meals, and multi-week sessions of uninterrupted work time.
⛰️ Jentel Artist Residency (Winter/Spring 2026)
📅 Deadline: Sept 15, 2025 (12 noon MST)
📍 Location: Wyoming, USA
👥 Eligibility: Visual artists, writers, and composers worldwide 🔗 https://www.jentelarts.org/apply
✏️ Provides housing, stipend, and studio space for 4–8 weeks. Set in a rural landscape designed for focus and experimentation.
🌅 ON::View Artist Residency
📅 Deadline: Sept 21, 2025 (11:59 p.m. ET)
📍 Location: Savannah, GA, USA
👥 Eligibility: Multidisciplinary artists worldwide
✏️ A 4-month fully funded residency that includes live/work housing, a studio, and a public exhibition. Perfect for artists seeking both solitude and public engagement.
✨ That’s it for this week! If you apply, let me know so I can celebrate your wins 🎉 📣 Share this with a friend looking for their next opportunity in art, XR, or impact 💡
See you next week 🌟
Comments