December 2025 DreamCreative News and Opportunities Round-Up

Chokechaka Artist Residency

Chokechaka Artist Residency invites artists, musicians, curators, scholars, activists, cultural workers, and creatives to immerse themselves in Peru’s Sacred Valley. Self-funded residencies last one to four or more weeks and encourage engagement with local culture, nature, and history, fostering cultural, social, environmental, and humanitarian exchange.

Apply by Dec. 1.

Wabash College Exhibition and Short Residency

Wabash College invites artists in craft/traditional arts, photography, drawing, film/video/new media, mixed-media, painting, and sculpture to propose a solo or two-person exhibition with a one- to two-week residency on campus. Artists will install their exhibit, engage with students and the community, and lead workshops or discussions about their creative process. Includes $3,000 honorarium plus on-campus housing and travel support.

Apply by Dec. 1.

Bernheim Forest & Arboretum 2026 Artist in Residence 

Bernheim Forest and Arboretum invites artists in craft/traditional arts, photography, drawing, film/video/new media, mixed-media, painting, and sculpture to create site-specific work inspired by the natural environment. Up to four artists are selected annually, including residencies dedicated to Kentucky/Clark/Floyd County artists and artists addressing environmental or climate issues.

Apply by Dec. 1.

Michigan: Kresge Artist Fellowships

Kresge Artist Fellowships are $50,000 no-strings-attached awards for emerging and established artists at any stage of their careers. Fellowships recognize creative vision and commitment to excellence within a wide range of artistic disciplines — including artists who have been academically trained, self-taught artists, and artists whose art forms have been passed down through cultural heritage.  Anyone 18 years or older and a current legal resident of Macomb, Oakland, or Wayne County for the two years prior to the award deadline is eligible to apply. Fellows must remain a resident in the tri-county area throughout the year-long fellowship period. 

Applications are open Dec. 1 – Jan. 15. 

New Mexico: Business Development and Expansion Grant

Grants up to $25,000 support existing creative businesses with expenses like inventory, equipment, marketing, digital upgrades, and capacity building. Open to businesses in eligible creative industries per Appendix C of the 2024 Division Study.

Applications are open Dec. 1 – 26 (Cycle 1) and Feb. 2 – 27 (Cycle 2). 

Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants Cycle 21

One-time grants up to $3,000 are available for professional dancers facing urgent financial emergencies, including loss of housing, healthcare, utilities, or food, due to circumstances outside their control. Grants aim to cover up to three months of essential expenses. Applicants must demonstrate critical need and reside in the U.S., D.C., a Tribal Nation, or a U.S. Territory.

Apply by Dec. 2. 

Massachusetts: NEFA Public Art for Spatial Justice 

New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) grants from $15,000 – $30,000 support public art projects that creatively express and embody more just public spaces and culture. Projects must take place in Massachusetts between March 2026 – February 2028 and can be led by Massachusetts-based artists or organizations working with artists. All artistic disciplines are eligible.

Apply by Dec. 2. 

Arkansas: Mid-America Arts Alliance Catalyze Fellowship

The Catalyze program invests in artists living in central Arkansas and the Arkansas Delta, providing $10,000 fellowships that combine funding, mentoring, and professional development. Open to artists in all disciplines, applicants must be full-time residents of eligible counties for at least one year and remain in the region through April 2027. Fellows choose how best to use the funding to support their creative practice. 

Apply by Dec. 3. 

Denbo Fellowship at the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center 

Maryland’s Pyramid Atlantic Art Center offers the Denbo Fellowship for artists across multiple disciplines, including craft/traditional arts, photography, drawing, film/video/new media, mixed-media, painting, and sculpture. Fellows receive support to develop a new body of work in the areas of papermaking, printmaking, and book arts. One Spring fellow (March 1 – May 15) and two Summer fellows (Jun. 1 – Aug. 15) will be selected. $25 application fee.

Apply by Dec. 3.