When late May hits in the Midwest—Memorial Day weekend being one of those epochal transitions—everything feels suddenly full tilt. The finely-tuned schedule I’ve set for myself for various freelance jobs, generally uninterrupted by winter and not being able to be outside much, is suddenly a game of tug-o-war between sticking to something semi-regularly and knowing that by the very nature of juggling a handful of jobs or projects (right now, it’s five, counting Young Space) there always has to be some give.

Prioritizing is one of an artist or freelancer’s biggest challenge and greatest superpowers. Multitasking and the implied time management that requires is another. But I think the biggest challenge of all is not taking on too much in the first place—or trying to wrap one’s head around the breadth of certain work, projects, or deadlines at a time when you can still say “no.”

It’s not always possible to be cut-and-dry about it. My worst habit is having some downtime after a huge project finally wraps up, then mistaking the natural, interim withdrawal as a void that must be filled with something new. I sometimes confuse periods of rest with boredom, or even an anxiety, about this perceived emptiness.

Major burnout in the past has taught me that unless there’s a tangible outcome that I need—like a paycheck!—saying “yes” to too many things at once out of fear that there won’t be enough is not really a sound approach to work/life balance.

The seasons have been my greatest teacher in this regard. In the art world, seasonality can help to establish a schedule, like art fairs going heavy and strong for a few weeks each spring and autumn, broken up by various holidays and the informal chill-out of August when a lot of galleries have limited hours or close altogether.

In addition to the art world calendar, what is my calendar? The garden demands my attention starting in May, for one. My sister visits from Australia every June/July; family trips for graduations or to be lakeside in the Northwoods are others throughout the summer, let alone bigger trips. I’ve got nieces and nephews I need to watch sometimes, and a dog that needs constant attention. I’m trying to remodel a garden room behind my parents’ house and build out a van to van-life in. Clearly, bandwidth dips in the summer. Conversely, winter is always a time for slowing down and planning, dreaming, and working as much as possible to make way for an easier summer.

Everyone’s routines and rhythms are different, but I’ve found it really helpful to consider what it means to use time wisely—not just in terms of tasks on a day-to-day basis but on a week-to-week or even month-to-month basis. The benefits of going with the flow over longer periods and from season to season, navigating the ebbs and floods, are often buoyed by being able to intuit when periods of time will require that I drift for a little while and others where I need to row much faster or more nimbly.

I can’t always predict, let alone control, when deadlines will converge, when others’ schedules might conflict with mine, or when I won’t be able to make it to an event that I really wish I could—or more germanely, think that I “should.” But it’s good practice for finding a semblance of balance and making sure that there’s still room to dream.

See you next week.

—Kate

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Just $6/month — or $5/month annually — also gives you access all opportunities 24/7 and supports me in assembling and expanding what I can offer in this newsletter. To those who are already supporting the digest, my heartfelt thanks—it means a lot.

What you’ll find below:

• Emerging: Shavana Smiley

• Exhibitions to see in Berlin, Bowral (NSW), Los Angeles, Montréal, New York City, and San Francisco

• Thirteen opportunities for artists with deadlines coming up soon

Emerging: Shavana Smiley

The elemental and transformative qualities of water shape the mixed-media works of Shavana Smiley, whose works—and process—plumb the relationships between consciousness, objecthood, and the earth. “I begin each painting in a trance-like state, pouring layers of pigmented water over canvases laid on a texturally sculpted ground,” she says. “After many layers, I bring the canvas upright to finish it with a more intentional hand, refining the image into one that radiates inner light and depth.”

Daily watercolor works, which Smiley describes as meditations, take the form of small reflections that she surrounds in bespoke 3D-printed frames. “Across all formats, my work honors the dance between nature and intuition, offering portals into landscapes shaped by both chance and devotion,” she says.

See more on Smiley’s website and Instagram.

Exhibitions

BOWRAL | NGUNUNGGULA

TENDER

A fabulous painting exhibition highlighting the practices of Australian artists Sally Anderson, Sarah Drinan, Laura Jones, India Mark, Dionisia Salas, Julia Trybala, and Amber Wallis.

Runs through June 15

NEW YORK CITY | GAA GALLERY

Wen Liu: Antidote

Stunning, mysterious sculptures by Wen Liu revolve around the artist’s exploration into notions of transformation, presence, balance, and belonging.

Runs through June 15

MONTRÉAL | PANGÉE

Dress Parade

“What makes a performer different from an audience? The artists in Dress Parade suggest the difference is a matter of perspective, one that can easily be flipped on its head through the manipulation of material, composition, scale, and light.” —Cason Sharpe

Runs through July 5

More shows worth a peek:

• Hayal Pozanti: Pleasures Newly Found at Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco, through May 31

• Gemma Solá Sotos: Souvenir at ARTCO, Berlin, through May 31

• Kat Lowish: Short Stories at De Boer Gallery, Los Angeles, through May 31

• Tomma Abts at David Zwirner, New York City, through June 14

• Rahn Marion: Where Spirit Meets Bone at Monya Rowe Gallery, New York City, through June 16

Artist Opportunities

Young Space emphasizes fully-funded opportunities with low or no entry fees and programs that focus on creative and professional development for visual artists and curators. Deadlines are coming up soon to apply for these grants, fellowships, residencies, and more.

Paid subscribers, check out the whole list anytime at yngspc.com/opportunities and enter the password you received in your signup email. Can’t find it? Just shoot me a note. Thank your for your support!

MOCA Georgia 2025/2026 Working Artist Project Call

Deadline: June 1

The Working Artist Project (WAP) is a year-long fellowship program facilitated by The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA). The program was created to champion established visual artists of merit who are based in the Atlanta Metropolitan Region. Each year, a guest curator selects three artists to receive a solo exhibition, promotion, a studio apprentice, a full-color catalogue, and a $15,000 stipend to create work over the course of the year.

Submission fee: none

Spruill Center for the Arts — Larch Creative Fund

Deadline: June 1

The Larch Creative Fund, in conjunction with the Spruill Center for the Arts, is seeking project proposals for innovative projects that encourage creative and critical thinking through the arts, with a focus on having fun and encouraging community participation and related activities. A total funding amount of $50,000 in grants will be awarded and distributed amongst the funded artists or organizations. Proposals for projects must be arts-based and are eligible for funding for the project to take place in the state of Georgia.

Submission fee: none

The Farm Margaret River Residency

Deadline: June 2

The Farm Margaret River is a leading residency program in Western Australia offering a unique opportunity for artists to develop work that engages thoughtfully with the land. With a specific focus on site-responsive projects, the residency provides an immersive space for creative inquiry and fostering connections between the artist(s), environment, and community. The five- to eight-week residency is to be undertaken between February and October 2026. Residents receive a $7,500 residency fee; self-contained studio accommodation; opportunities for mentorship and connections with major arts organizations; project support and initial travel expenses to the property; and access to a gallery space, workshop, working farm, and natural bushland, fostering a rich and inspiring creative environment.

Submission fee: none

Headlands Center for the Arts Chiaro Award

Deadline: June 2

The Chiaro Award is a fully sponsored artist residency and $15,000 prize for a mid-career painter residing in the United States. The Chiaro Award residency includes a private studio, and inclusion in a dynamic network of Headlands’ creative practitioners and thinkers.

Submission fee: $20

Artville — Public Art Proposals for Nashville

Deadline: June 4

Artville is Nashville's premier public art festival, transforming the city's urban landscape each fall with murals, installations, art fairs, and immersive art experiences. Artville invites both local and national artists to submit proposals for temporary, site-specific public art projects to be showcased throughout Nashville during the festival weekend, September 26 to 28, 2025. Applications can be submitted for large-scale 2D fiber-art installations, 3D art and sculpture projects, and illumination/projection projects. Selected artists will be invited to accept a grant to bring their creative visions to life, plus the chance for a cash prize. Total cash prizes equal $10,000.

Submission fee: none

Inner West Council Arts Grants for NSW Artists

Deadline: June 6

Funding for Arts grants is available under two grant categories: Artist support grants of up to AUD$5,000 each and arts project grants of up to AUD$10,000 each.

Submission fee: none

Women in Art Fellowship for Artists in Portugal

Deadline: June 8

Created by the VIA Outlets centers in Portugal (Freeport Lisboa Fashion Outlet and Vila do Conde Porto Fashion Outlet), in partnership with Portugal Manual and SOTA - State of the Art, this initiative aims to support female artists in Portugal with funding, mentorship, and visibility. A total award of €27,000 is broken down into segments that cover mentorship and training, communications, a final exhibition, and a direct-to-artist grant.

Submission fee: $35

City of Melbourne 2026 Annual Arts Grants

Deadline: June 9

Artists and arts organizations are invited to apply for one of the following opportunities via the City of Melbourne:

• Annual Arts Grants: Up to $20,000 is available for arts projects that deliver a public outcome, either online or at a venue within City of Melbourne in 2026. Open to individual artists, groups, and small-to-medium arts organizations.

• Art Residencies: These grants provide studio spaces and facilities for artists and small-to-medium arts organizations to support the development of their creative practice. Residencies are available in 2026 for six or 12 months and include up to $5,000 funding for artists.

Submission fee: none

Mophradat Open Call - Self Organizations

Deadline: June 10

Self Organizations encourages new and thoughtful ways of working together. For this edition, Mophradat is particularly interested in how a group of arts practitioners organize themselves and work collaboratively. Priority will be given to proposals taking place within the Arab world.

Submission fee: none

Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) Get Ready Grants

Deadline: June 10

CERF+ offers Get Ready Grants, providing craft artists with grants up to $1,000 for activities to safeguard their studios, protect their practices, and prepare for emergencies. Priority is given to applicants that have been underrepresented in the craft community, including BIPOC and folk/traditional artists.

Submission fee: none

Art of the Rural Spillway Fellowships

Deadline: June 11

In 2025, two selected individuals will have the opportunity to move through the Spillway Fellowship Program. The fellowship will take place in Winona, Minnesota, region between Summer 2025 and Fall 2026. Fellows will visit Winona four times over the course of the fellowship, including two week-long visits in Summer 2025 and Spring 2026, and for a gathering in Fall 2025 and Fall 2026.

The majority of the fellowship is self-guided, social, and research-based, but studios/creative workspaces can be made available as needed during the week-long visits, which are facilitated by Art of the Rural and its partners. Each fellow will receive $10,000 in support, with travel, food, and lodging costs covered by Art of the Rural.

Submission fee: none

TIDAL ArtS Lighthouse Calls Grants

Deadline: June 14

The Lighthouse Calls are part of the TIDAL ArtS initiative, funded by the EU to support the Mission to Restore Our Ocean and Waters by 2030. Through this open call, 20 artists, collectives, and creatives across Europe will be awarded €15,000 grants to create participatory, community-focused artworks. The selected projects must connect citizens to their aquatic environments and raise awareness of environmental challenges through artistic expression. Five artists will be chosen from each of four designated “Lighthouse” regions—Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic-North Sea, and Danube-Black Sea. Projects must be completed by June 2026 and involve collaboration with scientists, educators, and communities.

Submission fee: none

See all opportunities

Paid subscribers can access a full list of all current opportunities anytime—updated at least a couple of times each week.

Whether you’re a free or paid subscriber, you can also browse through listings in earlier digests in the archive.

If you are part of an organization or art business that offers opportunities or services you think artists should know about, consider a featured listing or post. Email me at kate@young-space.com or just reply to this email for more info.

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