Metro Arts Opportunities

 

Employment:

There are no employment opportunities at this time.

Calls to Artists:

Request for Proposals - NYCE Empowerment Collection​

***This RFP is now closed***

Metro Arts is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Empowerment Collection at the Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment (NYCE). Twenty permanent, site‑specific, wall‑hung artworks will highlight the new Juvenile Justice Court facility. 

NYCE will be a family‑oriented, trauma‑informed campus at Trinity Lane & I‑24. This campus will be the future home of the Davidson County Juvenile Court and services for justice‑involved youth and families. The facility, inspired by the vision of Judge Sheila Calloway, a champion for youth empowerment, will be designed to foster dignity, safety, and empowerment for youth and families.

The Empowerment Collection will be installed in corridors, waiting rooms, and gathering spaces within the NYCE facility ensuring that the public will interact with the art daily. Each selected artist will contribute one unique permanent piece to the collection. Metro Arts requests artists create a site-specific, 30” x 40” wall-hung permanent artwork reflecting appropriate themes.

Interested artists must attend at least one Metro Arts engagement session before submitting. Each session will cover the mission and goals of the Juvenile Justice Court, Metro Arts, and the communities they serve to help artists align proposals.

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Online Engagement Schedule:

• Monday, January 12, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. (Registration closed)

• Monday, January 26, 2026 – 3:30 p.m. (Postponed to February 2)

• Monday, February 2, 2026 – 3:30 p.m. (Registration closed)

• Monday, February 9, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. (Registration closed)

• Thursday, February 19, 2026 – 3:30 p.m. (Registration closed)

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Only one submission per artist will be accepted. Open to artists in Davidson & surrounding counties. Must be 18+ with at least two years of exhibition or public art experience. Selected artists receive $5,000 (Metro Arts covers installation).

Submissions: Closed on March 6th, 2026 (11:59 p.m. cst)

Selection Process: April–May 2026

Final Artwork Due: September 1, 2026

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Complete guidelines available here.

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Calls to Mentors:

There are no mentor opportunities at this time.

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Calls for Community Panelists:

Metro Arts will be opening applications for community members to serve as Grant Panelists. The approved guidelines for grant panelists are available to review below:

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FY27 Panelist Guidelines

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Internships:

There are no internship opportunities at this time.

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Non-Metro Arts Opportunities​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Arcade Arts - Open Call - Exhibition Opportunity

During the months of July and August, Arcade Arts turns over their Artist in Residence studio spaces to galleries, independent curators and non-profit arts organizations to host exhibitions to share with the Nashville creative community. This year, in addition to inviting a number of non-profit organizations, they are holding an Open Call and accepting exhibition proposals from galleries, curators and artists (Solo shows are welcome.) who are interested in participating.

Selected proposals will be awarded spaces for an exhibition with a three-week run (in either July or August) and will be a part of the DADA 2nd Saturday Art Crawl. Arcade Arts will promote Art Crawls and Open Hours on their website, social media platforms and via email contacts.

Application period: April 15 – May 25, 2026

Learn more and apply here.

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South Arts - Professional Development Grants for Arts Organizations

South Arts is offering Professional Development Grants to help Southern arts organizations build skills, strengthen capacity, and support long-term sustainability. These grants provide up to $1,000 for new professional development opportunities, including conferences, workshops, and staff training for organizations with operating budgets of $500,000 or less.

Learn more and explore eligibility here.

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Artist Opportunities - Creative Capital

Creative Capital’s Artist Opportunities is a continually updated listing of regional, national, and international opportunities for artists across disciplines—curated to be open, accessible, and relevant to working artists.

Free and open to all, the platform connects artists with grants, residencies, fellowships, open calls, and other opportunities from organizations worldwide. Listings are community-driven, with submissions from artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions that help keep the resource timely, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the field.