The New York Art Residency and Studios (NARS) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization committed to supporting artists and curators on an international level as well engaging the local community in Brooklyn and the Greater New York area. NARS provides an array of creative support services and professional development opportunities to artists through its international residency program, progressive exhibition programs, and engaging public programs. These services operate in conjunction with our community outreach initiatives to promote greater accessibility to contemporary art for the under-served local community in south Brooklyn. Our mission is to present diverse platforms on which to nurture creative inspiration and innovative cross-pollination of ideas.
If you have any further questions, please contact applications@narsfoundation.org or call us at 718-768-2765.
International Artist Residency Program
Application Guidelines
THIS APPLICATION IS FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS ONLY. Artists based in the United States must apply through the US-Based Artist Application, which is offered during our spring and fall open-call periods.
Before beginning your application, please review the International Artist Residency Program Guidelines carefully.
Incomplete applications, applications submitted without the required application fee, or applications that do not follow the submission guidelines below will not be processed or reviewed.
PROGRAM TERMS: International artists may apply for approximately three-month, six-month, or longer residencies, depending on the available terms listed in each open call. - - A three-month residency generally corresponds to one season. - A six-month residency generally spans two consecutive seasons. - Please refer to the current application form for the specific residency terms and dates available for each open call.
International applications are accepted on a rolling basis for available residency terms.
PROGRAM FEE: For 2027, the program fee for an approximately three-month residency will range from $9,962 to $10,742. The exact fee depends on the size and type of studio assigned to the artist.
Artists are responsible for securing their own funding to cover the program fee. Information about previous international funding sources and funders that have supported artists participating in the NARS Residency Program is available on our website.
DEPOSIT: If you are selected for the program, a $2,000 deposit will be due within 30 days of your acceptance notice to secure your place in the residency.
The deposit will be applied toward the remaining program fee balance once the residency begins.
ELIGIBILITY: The International Artist Residency Program is open to international visual artists with an active professional practice of at least three years. - Applicants who have resided in the United States for three years or longer are eligible to apply as US-Based Artists and should use the US-Based Artist Application. - All information submitted through the application form, including your C.V. and support materials, must be in English. - Students are eligible to apply, provided they will have completed their academic program before the start of their NARS residency. Applicants may not be enrolled in or actively participating in an academic program during their NARS residency.
APPLICATION FEE: A non-refundable application fee of $35 (US) is required for each application.
The application fee must be paid by credit card through the online application payment system.
After completing and submitting your application, you will be directed to a confirmation page with a link to pay the application fee. Please complete the payment at the time you submit your application. Once you leave the confirmation page, you will not be able to log back into your application to access the payment page.
Applications submitted without the required application fee will not be processed.
APPLICATION PROCESS: Applicants must apply using the appropriate online application form. Please make sure you are using the application designated specifically for International Artists.
We strongly recommend creating a login when you begin your application. This will allow you to partially complete the form and return to finish it at a later time, provided you submit it before the applicable deadline.
Before submitting your application, you will be directed to a confirmation page where you can review your application and make final edits, including editing or deleting uploaded files.
Once your application has been submitted, you will no longer be able to access or modify it.
You will receive a confirmation email once your application has been successfully submitted.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Please prepare the following materials before beginning your application.
1. Applicant Name & Contact Information Applicants must provide their current address and, if applicable, an alternate or permanent address. Please make sure that the email address provided is one that you check regularly, as all application-related correspondence will be sent by email.
2. C.V. Upload your most up-to-date C.V. in Word or PDF format.
Your C.V. must include: Date of birth, Place of birth, Citizenship and Professional and exhibition history
Please name your file using the following format: ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName.pdf or ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName.doc
3. Residency Term Preference
Applicants must select their preferred residency term and one alternative residency term/date from the available options listed in the current open call.
Residency terms may include: - Approximately three months (one season), - Approximately six months (t wo consecutive seasons), - Longer residency periods, when available
Please refer to the current application form for the specific residency terms and dates currently accepting applications.
4. Residency Proposal / Goals & Artist Bio Applicants are required to submit two brief written statements:
Residency Proposal / Goals — 400 words maximum Describe your proposed project, research, artistic activities, and/or goals for your residency at NARS.
Artist Bio — 300 words maximum Provide a concise biography describing your artistic practice, background, and professional experience.
5. Work Samples Applicants may submit up to 10 work samples, including a combination of: Images, Audio files, Video files and Links to videos hosted on your personal website or video-hosting platforms such as Vimeo or YouTube
For image files: JPEG format only, Maximum of 1,000 pixels on any side and 72 dpi
- Each image must be uploaded as an individual file
Please name your image files using the following format: ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName_1.jpg ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName_2.jpg ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName_3.jpg, etc.
Please do not submit presentation slides containing multiple images on a single slide.
6. Work Sample Descriptions Each uploaded image and/or video link must include a corresponding Work Sample Description.
For each work, please provide: Title, Year, Medium and Dimensions.
Please make sure that the information in your Work Sample Description corresponds clearly to the associated work sample.
IMPORTANT SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Applications containing files or documents that are not labeled, formatted, or uploaded according to the guidelines above may not be reviewed.
Images and other work samples will not be accepted by email. Please submit all required materials through the online application form.
SELECTION PROCESS: Eligible applications are reviewed based on the following criteria: - Artistic quality - Proposed residency project and studio practice - Potential for professional development - Potential benefit from engaging with the NARS community, artists, and programs
Selection is competitive, and submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance.
NOTIFICATION: Applicants will be notified of the results by email. Please make sure that the email address provided in your application is an account that you check regularly.
Applicants should expect to receive a decision approximately 3–4 weeks after the application is submitted. If you do not receive a notification within this timeframe, please contact: applications@narsfoundation.org
Artists who are accepted into the program may request a Letter of Acceptance for the purpose of seeking additional funding support and/or obtaining a visa.
Please visit the NARS website for the current rolling application schedule, available residency terms, and expected notification dates, or contact applications@narsfoundation.org with any questions.
NON-DISCRIMINATION: NARS Foundation encourages and welcomes the participation of artists from all backgrounds. NARS does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, religion, marital status, or national origin in its admission policies.
US-Based Artist Application Guidelines
THIS APPLICATION IS FOR US-BASED APPLICANTS ONLY.
The current open call is accepting applications for the following 2027 residency terms: - Season I: January–March 2027 - Season II: April–June 2027 - Two Seasons (I & II): January–June 2027
Application Deadline: Monday, September 21, 2026 at 11:59 PM (ET). Late submissions will not be accepted.
Incomplete applications, applications submitted without the required application fee, or applications that do not follow the submission guidelines below will not be processed or reviewed.
If you have questions about the application process, please contact applications@narsfoundation.org or call NARS Foundation at (718) 768-2765, Monday through Friday, between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
FELLOWSHIP & PROGRAM FEE Partial Fellowship for US-Based Artists NARS Foundation subsidizes the cost of an approximately three-month residency for all selected US-based artists through Partial Fellowships.
For 2027, Partial Fellowship recipients will be responsible for a program fee of $2,950–$3,450 for an approximately three-month residency. The program fee may be paid in full or in monthly installments.
The exact fee depends on the size and type of studio assigned to the artist.
Full Fellowship One US-based artist per season will be awarded a Full Fellowship through the International Artist Residency Program. The Full Fellowship covers 100% of the program fee for the selected residency term.
Applicants who wish to be considered for a Full Fellowship must complete the relevant section of the application form. Full Fellowships are awarded as part of the selection process and will not be awarded retroactively for previous residency seasons.
Please note the following conditions: - Once an artist has been selected for a Full Fellowship and has confirmed their residency season, the residency cannot be deferred to a later season. - Artists receiving a Full Fellowship may not participate in another residency program during the same period as their NARS residency. - The NARS studio is provided as a workspace only. Housing and accommodations are not provided. - Artists who require additional funding for the remaining program costs, including travel, materials, housing, living expenses, or other related costs, are responsible for securing additional funding from outside sources.
ELIGIBILITY: The program is open to US-based visual artists with an active professional practice of at least three years. International artists who have resided in the United States for three years or longer are eligible to apply as US-Based Artists. All information submitted through the application form, including the C.V. and support materials, must be in English.
Students are eligible to apply, provided they will have completed their academic program before the start of their NARS residency. Applicants may not be enrolled in or actively participating in an academic program during their NARS residency.
APPLICATION FEE: A non-refundable application fee of $35 (US) is required for each application. Payment must be submitted by credit card through the online application payment system for the application to be considered complete. The application fee covers basic administrative costs associated with processing applications and compensates participating jurors.
Applications submitted without the required application fee will not be processed.
APPLICATION PROCESS: Applicants must apply using the designated online US-Based Artist Application Form. Please note that NARS Foundation has two separate applications: - US-Based Artist Application - International Artist Application
Please make sure you are submitting the correct application based on your eligibility.
* International artists residing in the US for over three years are eligible to apply as a US-Based artist.
We strongly recommend creating a login when you begin your application. This will allow you to partially complete the form and return to finish it at a later time, provided you submit it before the application deadline.
Before submitting your application, you will be directed to a confirmation page where you can review your application and make final edits, including editing or deleting uploaded files.
Once your application has been submitted, you will no longer be able to access or modify it. Applicants will receive a confirmation email once their application has been successfully submitted.
All information submitted on the application form, C.V., and support materials must be in English.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Please prepare the following materials before beginning your application.
1. Applicant Name & Contact Information Applicants must provide their current address and, if applicable, an alternate or permanent address. Please make sure that the email address provided is one that you check regularly, as all application-related correspondence will be sent by email.
2. C.V. Upload your most up-to-date C.V. in Word or PDF format. Please include: Date of birth, Place of birth and Professional and exhibition history.
Name your C.V. file using the following format: ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName.pdf or ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName.doc
3. Residency Term Preference Applicants must select one preferred residency term from the available 2027 terms listed in this open call. Available terms are: Season I: January–March 2027, Season II: April–June 2027. Seasons I & II: January–June 2027
Applicants selected for the program will not be able to defer their confirmed residency to a later season. Please carefully consider your availability before selecting your preferred residency term.
4. Residency Proposal / Goals & Artist Statement / Bio Applicants are required to submit two brief written statements: Residency Proposal / Goals — 400 words maximum Describe your proposed project, research, artistic activities, and/or goals for your residency at NARS. Artist Statement / Bio — 300 words maximum Provide a concise statement describing your artistic practice, background, and professional experience.
5. Work Samples Applicants may submit up to 10 work samples, including a combination of: Images, Audio files, Video files and Links to videos hosted on your personal website or video-hosting platforms such as Vimeo or YouTube.
For image files: JPEG format only, Maximum of 1,000 pixels on any side, 72 dpi and Each image must be uploaded as an individual file
Please name your image files using the following format: ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName_1.jpg ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName_2.jpg ArtistLastName_ArtistFirstName_3.jpg, etc.
Please do not submit presentation slides containing multiple images on a single slide.
6. Work Sample Descriptions Each uploaded image and/or video link must include a corresponding Work Sample Description. For each work, please provide: Title, Year, Medium and Dimensions.
Please make sure that the information in each Work Sample Description clearly corresponds to the associated work sample.
IMPORTANT SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Applications containing images or documents that are not labeled, formatted, or uploaded according to the guidelines above may not be reviewed.
Images and other work samples will not be accepted by email. All required materials must be submitted through the online application form.
SELECTION PROCESS: Eligible applications will be reviewed by a jury consisting of NARS staff and selected art professionals.
Applications will be evaluated based on: - Artistic quality - Proposed residency project and studio practice - Potential for professional development - Potential benefit from engaging with the NARS community, artists, and programs
Full Fellowship recipients will be selected through the same competitive review process..
NOTIFICATION: Applicants will be notified of the results by email within four weeks of the application deadline. Please make sure that the email address provided on your application is an account that you check regularly. Artists who are accepted into the program may request a Letter of Acceptance for the purpose of seeking additional funding support and/or obtaining a visa.
For questions regarding the application or selection process, please contact: applications@narsfoundation.org
NARS Foundation (718) 768-2765 Monday–Friday, 11:00 AM–5:00 PM (ET)
NON-DISCRIMINATION: NARS Foundation encourages and welcomes the participation of artists from all backgrounds. NARS does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, religion, marital status, or national origin in its admission policies.
Call for Proposals 2028 & 2029
NARS is pleased to invite exhibition proposals for solo and group curated exhibitions for 2028 and 2029. Exhibition proposals from both artists and curators will be considered for solo or group exhibitions for our Main Gallery Space and the Project Space, designed for smaller and more dynamic programming.
In line with our mission, NARS exhibitions present compelling and innovative ideas and work being produced on a local, national, and international level. These exhibitions create a platform showcasing artistic developments in contemporary arts and a forum for exchanging ideas.
NARS invites artists, curators, collectives, cultural producers, and thinkers to propose solo or group exhibitions that reflect our mission to foster and represent important artistic directions and critical dialogue in contemporary art and culture writ large. NARS will invite selected applicants to further develop proposals and provide the space, support, and resources to mount ambitious and compelling exhibitions. A small honorarium will be provided to the selected artist or curator. Proposals will be considered and developed for either exhibition space, for shows running from 4-5 weeks, at NARS' discretion.
Eligibility & Requirements
- All artists and curators regardless of age, gender, and nationality are eligible to apply.
- Artists who are or will be enrolled in a college or university art degree-granting program are not eligible to apply.
- Curators may submit proposals for new curated group shows with 3-5 artists.
- Proposed artists must be contacted by curators prior to application submission confirming their interest and availability.
- Applicants must be US based, however, a US based curator may include an artist in the show that is based internationally
- Artists and curators who have previously exhibited at NARS must wait two (2) full years before submitting another proposal, but curatorial proposals may include previously exhibited or NARS residency artists.
- Applicants may only submit one exhibition proposal, whether individually or on a team, per Open Call.
PLEASE NOTE: NARS Foundation is a non-for-profit, and operates differently then a commercial gallery might. Artists and curators applying for the Exhibition Open Call should plan to be able to install the majority of the works themselves. NARS can provide limited support as needed, and can also provide basic technology and tools for installation. NARS is not able to facilitate or cover the costs of shipping artworks to & from the gallery space, however, if selected, artists and / or curators will receive an honorarium at the end of the exhibition, to help offset some of these costs.
*If you have any questions please contact us at applications@narsfoundation.org, or call NARS: 718-768-2765 from Monday to Friday, between 11 am and 5 pm.
MATERIALS REQUESTED
- Contact Information
- Artist/Curatorial Resume(s) (PDF or Word): Upload a single document containing the resumes of all of the artists included in the exhibition proposal. Upload up to three (3) resumes for curators in a single file.
- Proposed Exhibition Title
- Names of Artists for curated exhibitions
- Exhibition Proposal (limit 500 words): Provide a statement describing the concept of your proposed exhibition.
- Up to 10 Work Samples composed of Images, text, audio, or video. Images should be in JPEG format no larger than 1000 x 1000 pixels @ 72 dpi. Format each file name as “Artist’s last name_Artist’s first name_1.jpg,” “Artist’s last name_ Artist’s first name_2.jpg,” etc.
- Work Sample Information List: Provide any contextual or technical information related to your work sample.
The galleries at NARS Foundation are located on the second and fourth floor of an industrial building surrounded by artists’ studios in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Please review photographs of previous exhibitions as well as the floor plan, prior to developing and submitting your proposal. Please note that budget availability depends on the year’s funding and will be discussed with each applicant invited to further develop their proposal.
Curatorial Fellowship Overview
NARS Foundation is pleased to announce the continuation of our Curatorial Fellowship program, to run concurrently with the International Residency Program seasons. The Curatorial Fellow will work closely with the artists-in-residence and NARS Staff to develop an exhibition to be shown in the NARS Main Gallery each residency season.
During the two-season fellowship period (Season I and II, January – June, 2027), curators will engage with the artists in residence to help them develop their work and the residency exhibition for two seasons of the International Artist Residency Program (two cohorts). Each International Residency season runs for approximately three months, and the exhibition developed by the curatorial fellow will be on view during the final month of each season.
The Curatorial Fellow will conduct studio visits with each artist-in-residence and develop a cohesive curatorial plan for the group exhibition, with works from each of the current artists-in-residence. Curatorial Fellows are expected to be present in the studio space & NARS office for at least two days a week. Fellows will also write a press release for each exhibition. Curatorial Fellows will receive a $3,000 stipend for the 6 month fellowship.
This is a unique opportunity for emerging curators to work with artists from a multitude of backgrounds and disciplines. The Fellowship is designed to both complement and enhance the well-established International Residency Program, and further foster new perspectives and diversity of experiences for both the Curator and Residency Artists.
Eligibility & Requirements
Curators of any age, gender, and nationality are eligible to apply. Curators must be currently based in New York City, and have lived in NYC for at least 3 years. Emerging curators are highly encouraged to apply. Curators who are or will be enrolled in a college or university art degree-granting program during the Curatorial Fellowship period are not eligible to apply.
Finalists will be notified and interviewed by the NARS Program Manager and NARS Program Director.
*If you have any questions please contact us at application@narsfoundation.org, or call NARS: 718-768-2765, from Monday to Friday, between 11 am and 5 pm.
MATERIALS REQUESTED
• Contact Information
• Curatorial Resume / CV (PDF or Word)
• Statement of interest in the fellowship and in working with the International Residency Artists
• Up to 10 Work Samples composed of Images, text, audio, or video. Images should be in JPEG format no larger than 1000 x 1000 pixels @ 72 dpi. Format each file name as “Artist’s last name_Artist’s first name_1.jpg,” “Artist’s last name_ Artist’s first name_2.jpg,” etc.
• Work Sample Information List: Provide any contextual or technical information related to your work sample.