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New Opportunities

  • We are pleased to announce the open call for the January 2026 - December 2027 Artist In Residence Program. Now in Cycle 10, this two-year residency invites four visual artists to join our Newark, NJ–based community to create work that centers social impact and engagement. The mission of the program is multifaceted, designed to benefit both the Artists In Residence and the broader public. It aims to create a symbiotic relationship between artist and audience, serving as a conduit for new artistic practices and socially driven interventions. Throughout the residency, artists receive critical resources and support to sustain and deepen their practices.

    Join a decade of artists building community through creative practice.

    Program Includes:

    • Two years of free studio space at Project for Empty Space in Newark, NJ

    • $5,000 unrestricted honorarium

    • $2,500 materials stipend

    • A culminating solo exhibition at one of our Newark-based gallery locations

    • Support for community-facing programming and public engagement initiatives

    • Access to professional development, including studio visits, feedback sessions, and networking opportunities

    The program strives to not only support individual artists; but also, to cultivate conversation around social equity and engagement that are often swept by the wayside. We see the AIR program as a bridge between artist and community, as well as community and community, to push important dialogues forward. 

    Important Dates:

    • Application Deadline: October 6, 2025

    • Artist Notifications: December 1, 2025

    • Residency Start: January 2026

    Learn More & Apply HERE.

  • The 2025 - 2026 Newark Artist Accelerator is a project grant for Newark-based, multidisciplinary visual artists. This year’s fund is made possible by the generous support of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Regranting Program.

    Project-based grants will be awarded in the amounts of $2,500, $5,000, and $7,500. Proposed projects must be artist-led and can include collaborative ventures, pop-up exhibitions, events, and interventions of an ephemeral nature that are radically accessible to public audiences. We are looking for investigative and authentic initiatives.

    Applications will be assessed by the proposal’s originality, impact, and feasibility. A jury of local and national arts professionals will select projects.

    The application portal is now open. It will close on Monday, September 15 at 11:59 pm. An information session about the Newark Artist Accelerator fund will be held on Wednesday, August 20, at 4 pm.

    Apply HERE.

    Virtual Community Information Session
    Join Project for Empty Space on  Wednesday, August 20,at 4 pm to learn more about this year’s Newark Artist Accelerator Fund. Hear from the team about previously funded projects and best submission practices. This is an excellent opportunity to get questions answered prior to submitting a proposal.

    Register HERE.

    To send questions ahead of time, please email info@newarkartistaccelerator.org

Ongoing Opportunities

  • Newark Artists is a free platform that was developed to highlight and celebrate artists whose creative practices are locally rooted. This database acknowledges the artist’s crucial role in this city. Additionally, it serves as a way to invest in, and support our creative community. Newark Artists is more than an index of artists: it is a community, hub, and home for creatives in the Greater Newark Area. The platform includes artist profiles, an arts organization directory, and a continuously updated list of opportunities for creative practitioners. It is a resource for artists, as well as those who seek to learn more about the Newark Art Scene.

    Originally conceived in 2018, Newark Artists was a community situated in the virtual space. Launched in 2020, as we navigated a global pandemic that kept many of us inside and apart, we saw this resource as a new way to connect and keep the artist community thriving. In addition to the website, a series of free virtual professional development programs are collaboratively produced with local organizations and practitioners. This website is powered by Project for Empty Space as an effort to serve artists and audiences of Newark.

    Learn More & Apply HERE.

  • BODY FREEDOM FOR EVERY(BODY) is not only an exhibition but a cultural movement around bodily autonomy, freedom of expression, and community building. This work takes place both in physical space and in the digital realm.

    Our hope with the Body Freedom Database is to build community by sharing artwork of any discipline—visual art, poetry, essays, music, dance, film, and more—and letting that artwork prompt conversation and camaraderie. We invite you to contribute your voice and your vision. We welcome artists across all mediums who are passionate about using their art to challenge, educate, and provoke dialogue on bodily autonomy and identity.

    Learn More & Apply HERE.