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Breaking the Algorithm: 5 Artist Calls to Reclaim Connection and Community

In a world where algorithms shape what we see and where we gather, artists are uniquely positioned to reimagine how we connect, create, and dissent. This week’s lineup of open calls and residencies invites you to do just that: from transforming public spaces into platforms for dialogue to rediscovering your creative core in nature.

Whether you dream of staging a live performance about the impact of digital life, presenting your prints to a regional audience, or winning a global art prize that can change your career trajectory, each opportunity below offers a chance to redefine your artistic purpose.

These five programs span New York, Vermont, Wyoming, and beyond—proving that wherever you are, there’s space to claim your voice. Explore the details, mark your deadlines, and prepare to take your practice someplace braver and bolder.

1. Clio Art Fair: Call for Performance “Another Brick in the Wall”

Location: New York, NY

Application Deadline: July 21, 2025

Dancer with green feathers on blue background. Clio Art Fair call for performance "Another Brick in the Wall." Deadline: July 21, 2025. Apply now!

This September, Clio Art Fair—known as the “anti-fair” for championing independent voices—presents a powerful new performance program: “Another Brick in the Wall.”

In an age where public spaces have splintered into algorithm-driven feeds and curated timelines, this initiative calls artists to question how technology, ideology, and capitalism rewire human connection. Drawing inspiration from Oscar Wilde’s assertion that “Art is individualism, and individualism is a disturbing and disintegrating force,” this program asks:

  • Are artists building bridges or fortifying walls?

  • Are they disrupting the algorithmic order or becoming its content?

  • How does performance carve out space for dissent, communion, and shared meaning today?

Selected performances will take place during Clio Art Fair’s 20th Edition, September 4–7, 2025, in Chelsea, NYC. Artists across disciplines are invited to propose time-based works that interrogate the shifting boundaries of community, identity, and art itself.


2. 2025 PGNY Print Fair (October 25–26)

Location: Troy, NY

Application Deadline: August 1, 2025

Colorful geometric poster for 2025 PGNY Print Fair. Features vibrant text with yellow, pink, green, red, and blue sections, plus print tools.

Organized by the Printmakers Guild of New York, this two-day event celebrates printmaking across Upstate and Western NY (and neighboring regions within 100 miles of Troy). The fair invites artists to show and sell hand-printed work—from relief, intaglio, and lithographs to monotypes, book arts, and cyanotypes. This is a juried opportunity focused on creating connections with fellow printmakers and the public.

Eligibility:Open to artists 18+ living in qualifying counties in NY, VT, NH, MA, and CT. Exclusively digital works, drawings, or paintings without printed elements are not eligible.




3. Hortus Arboretum & Botanical Gardens – 2025 Summer Residency

Location: Stone Ridge, NY

Application Deadline: July 11, 2025


Green leaf logo with text "HORTUS ARBORETUM & BOTANICAL GARDENS." The leaf is split into light and dark green sections, set on a white background.

This week-long August residency offers artists and photographers a serene environment to explore themes of nature and ecology. Residents live in “The Barnette,” a solar-powered cottage with a kitchen, WiFi, and views of the gardens. No stipend is provided, but lodging and studio access are free. A car is recommended for transport, and artists are welcome to harvest organic produce on-site. This is an ideal retreat for artists seeking time and space to reflect and create.




4. Foundwork Artist Prize 2025

Location: International / Online

Application Deadline: September 26, 2025

Open Call for 2025 Foundwork Artist Prize. Jury includes five individuals. Deadline is September 26. Black background, green text.

This respected annual prize awards an unrestricted $10,000 grant to one emerging or mid-career artist working in any visual medium. Winners also receive studio visits with the jurors and a published interview. Three additional artists are recognized as finalists. Applicants must maintain a Foundwork profile with at least six artworks and an artist statement during the selection period.



5. Wave Hill – Sunroom Project Space 2026

Location: Bronx, NY

Application Deadline: August 3, 2025

Bright sunroom with green foliage patterns, arched windows, wicker chairs. Text: "Sunroom Project Space 2026" and application details.

Wave Hill’s Sunroom Project Space invites early-career artists living within 50 miles of the Bronx to develop site-specific solo exhibitions inspired by the gardens and surrounding landscape. Up to six artists will be selected for the 2026 season. Each receives a $2,000 honorarium, curatorial guidance, and installation support. Artists must not have commercial gallery representation or prior solo exhibitions at Wave Hill.

These opportunities are more than deadlines or bullet points—they’re invitations to question, connect, and disrupt. Whether you’re craving the solitude of a residency in Wyoming, the visibility of a Bronx installation, or the adrenaline of a live performance in Manhattan, this moment is your chance to step forward.

Take time to craft thoughtful, authentic applications that showcase your voice and vision. The right call can amplify your practice in ways you never imagined. Trust your instincts, take the leap, and let your work redefine what’s possible.

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