Residencies, Exhibitions, and Fellowships

Start 2026 with Strong Opportunities for Textile Artists

The beginning of the year is one of the most important application seasons for textile and fiber artists. Number of major residencies, exhibitions, and fellowships close their deadlines in January and early February. Some are funded. Some offer space and time. Others offer visibility, publication, or career momentum.

Below is a curated and practical list of current opportunities for textile and fiber artists, including deadlines, benefits, and notes on application fees or participation costs.

Virginia A. Groot Material Exploration Residency (2026)

Deadline: February 23, 2026
Location: Center for Craft, Asheville, NC

Highlights:

• 8-week funded residency
• $10,000 honorarium
• Strong focus on material research and experimentation
• For residents of Western North Carolina
• More Details

Application fee: $10 (fee waivers available)

MIAD Gallery Exhibition Proposals

Deadline: February 1, 2026
Location: Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Highlights:

• Call for solo or curated exhibition proposals
• Museum-level gallery context
• Open to textile and fiber-based work
• More Details

Application fee: None listed

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft — Artist Residency

Deadline: February 1, 2026
Location: Houston, TX

Highlights:

• Funded residency
• $1,000 per month stipend
• Studio access and professional support
• Public engagement and visibility
• More Details

Application fee: None

Weaving Residency — The Anou Cooperative (Morocco)

Dates: Flexible
Location: Fez Medina, Morocco

Highlights:

• Hands-on training in traditional Moroccan weaving and natural dyes
• One-on-one work with master artisans
• Studio in a historic riad
• Cultural immersion and skill building
• More Details

Cost: This is a paid residency. Participants pay to attend.

2026 Luminarts Fellowship

Deadline: February 1, 2026
Location: Chicago region (eligibility restrictions apply)

Highlights:

• $10,000–$15,000 unrestricted award
• Prestigious fellowship
• Long-term professional development support
• More Details

Application fee: None

Field Projects — Solo Show & Residency Fellowship 2026

Deadline: February 2, 2026 (11:59 pm)
Location: NYC + Southern Vermont

Highlights:

• Solo exhibition in New York
• 2–3 week residency in Vermont
• $1,500 stipend
• More Details

Application fee: $45

Textile Society of America — Spring 2026 Newsletter Call

Deadline: February 15, 2026

Highlights:

• Share research, exhibitions, or writing
• Reach an international textile-focused audience
• Strong visibility within the field
• Some Restrictions may apply: Membership
• More Details

Application fee: None

DACIA Gallery NYC — Open Call for Women Artists

Exhibition dates: March 11 – April 11, 2026

Highlights:

• Application Deadline: January 15 (approaching soon)
• Group exhibition in New York City
• Sales and visibility opportunity
• More Details

Application fee: Yes (check gallery for current amount)

Craigardan — 2026 Residency Program

Highlights:

• Application Deadline: January 15 (approaching soon)
• Short and long residencies available
• Strong focus on time, space, and community
• More Details

Application fee: $25
Residency cost: Yes (sliding scale after scholarships)

How to Apply Smarter as a Textile Artist (Not Harder)

1. Do not apply to everything.
Every application takes time and energy. Choose the ones that truly match your work, your career stage, and your real needs right now.

2. Know the difference between: paid, funded, and fee-based.

• Funded = they pay you.
• Free = it costs nothing to apply, but you may not get money.
• Paid residency = you are the customer. This is not bad, but be honest about what you are getting in return.

3. Make a simple application budget.
Fees add up fast. Decide in advance how much you can spend in a year on applications. Use that budget on the opportunities that give the best return in time, money, or visibility.

4. Reuse and refine your materials.
Your statement, CV, and portfolio should evolve, not be rewritten from scratch every time. Keep a strong base version. Tailor it slightly for each call.

5. Match the opportunity to the work you are doing now.
Do not force old work into a call that does not fit. Juries can tell.

6. Think in terms of strategy, not luck.
Mix:

• One or two big, competitive opportunities
• A few realistic, well-matched ones
• One visibility or publication-based opportunity

7. Rejection is normal. It is not a verdict on your work.
Many strong artists get rejected more than they get accepted. The goal is not a perfect record. The goal is consistent, thoughtful submissions over time.

8. Your practice comes first.
Opportunities should serve your work. Your work should not exist just to chase opportunities.