APPLICATION OPENS: Monday, September 29th

DEADLINE: Monday, October 27, 2025, at 11:59 PM

The Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) invites 2021 to 2025 Visual Artists BRIO Awardees to submit their proposals for the Longwood Art Project BRIO Retrospective. 

Proposed artworks will be evaluated based on their ability in communicating the artist’s ideas through innovative, relevant, and critically engaging approaches. A maximum of ten (10) artists will be selected.

The exhibition will take place at the Bronx River Arts Center (BRAC) from February 11 to March 15, 2026. 

BCA is dedicated to championing and amplifying diverse voices and narratives, supporting artists deeply committed to their practice.
 

ABOUT THE LONGWOOD ARTS PROJECT

The Longwood Arts Project is a flagship program of the Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA). Founded in 1981, it was one of the first alternative gallery spaces in the Bronx and to this day maintains its pioneering focus on artists whose traditions and cultural practices are underrepresented by mainstream venues. The project derives its name from its original location, at PS39 on Longwood Avenue. From 2003 to 2024, the gallery was located on the campus of Hostos Community College. The gallery is now located at BCA Headquarters at 2700 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461.

The Longwood Arts Project predominantly showcases artists of color, women, and LGBTQ+ artists. Its exhibitions explore Bronx history, intersectional Bronx cultures, and social justice issues facing our communities. The gallery also offers programs for youth and adults that encourage dialogue and explore exhibition themes in greater depth.

ABOUT THE BRONX COUNCIL ON THE ARTS (BCA)

Founded by visionary community leaders in 1962, The Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) is a pioneer advocate for cultural equity in The Bronx. From our early beginnings as a presenter of affordable arts programming in select Bronx neighborhoods, we have grown into a cultural hub that serves the entire creative ecosystem of the borough. Our programs serve artists, the public, and the field at large by building connections, providing resources, and advocating for equitable practices. Then as now, we focus on supporting the work of underrepresented groups – especially artists of color, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Through this lens, we offer affordable programs for seniors and youth and provide direct services to over 1,500 artists and 250 community-based arts groups each year. For more information, please visit www.bronxarts.org.
 

ABOUT BRONX RIVER ART CENTER (BRAC)

Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) is a culturally diverse, multi-arts, non-profit organization that provides a forum for community, artists, and youth to transform creativity into vision. BRAC’s Education, Exhibitions, Artist Studios, and Presenting Programs cultivate leadership in an urban environment and steward a natural resource — the Bronx River.

Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) was founded in 1987 to bring professional arts programming to a culturally underserved population. For over 40 years (including several years of arts programming under the umbrella of the first Bronx River Restoration project), this multi-arts center has filled the West Farms community of the Bronx with art and environmental experiences. BRAC’s programs are designed to encourage residents to engage in creative activism towards the revitalization and future of their neighborhood. For more information, please visit www.bronxriverart.org
 

SUBMISSION PROCESS

Artists are invited to submit their proposals through Submittable. Artists will need to create a Submittable account if they don’t already have one. Make sure to use an active email account. All open-call-related communications will be sent to the email you use to register on our application portal.

We encourage the submission of artworks within the visual arts, including, but not limited to, installations, objects, sculptures, photographs, prints, drawings, and paintings.

Each artist should submit up to five (5) artworks for consideration. Artworks must be available if selected.
 

SELECTION PROCESS:

The Longwood Arts Project Advisory Committee and BCA Staff will make all final decisions.

The Submission deadline is Monday, October 27, 2025, at 11:59 PM. 

Eligibility: The application is open to visual artists who received a BRIO Award between 2021 and 2025. All 2021-2025 BRIO winners are welcome to apply. We encourage submissions by artists who have not yet exhibited at the Bronx Council on the Arts. 

Notification of selection will be sent by Monday, December 15, 2025.

All applications will be kept in our files for future reference. For questions or technical inquiries, please contact Longwood Art Gallery at longwood@bronxarts.org.

*No phone calls inquiring about the status of your submission, please.

GUIDELINES

Proposed artworks will be evaluated based on their ability in communicating the artist’s ideas through innovative, relevant, and critically engaging approaches. A maximum of ten (10) artists will be selected.

The 2026 Open Call will accept proposals from 2021 to 2025 BRIO Awardees in Visual Arts. All 2021-2025 BRIO winners are welcome to apply. We encourage submissions by artists who have not yet exhibited at the Bronx Council on the Arts.

Each artist should submit up to five artworks for consideration. Artworks must be available if selected

Panelists will evaluate eligible applications based on the following criteria:

1. Artistic Merit

Strong applications include work samples that reflect creativity, technical skill, and a clear artistic vision.

2. Clarity and Cohesion

Use your support statements to tell your story in a clear and compelling way. Together with your work samples, they should give panelists a full picture of your practice, your goals, and what drives your work.

3. Originality and Innovation

Panelists will look for fresh ideas, distinctive approaches, creative use of materials or techniques, and the overall impact of your work.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

· The Longwood Art Gallery covers the cost of art handlers and insurance for all the artworks. 

· Artists will receive an honorarium of $200 for their participation in the exhibition.

· Artists must deliver and pick up their work in a timely manner.

· BCA is not responsible for shipping artwork.

· A BCA staff member will be available to support the artists with logistics (contracts, coordination with art handlers, promotion, etc.).

· Artists commit to have their artwork in the exhibition for the whole four-week duration of the exhibition.

· BCA requests participating artists to be present at the Opening Reception on February 11, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The exhibition will run from February 11 to March 15, 2026.

· BRAC Gallery hours are 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM from Tuesday through Friday and 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.
 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

· Your personal information (name, address, phone number, and email address).

· One PDF with information about each artwork (up to five): title, year, dimensions, and media. The information provided must include a brief description for each of the submitted pieces. The artworks must be available if selected. 

· Images 1 – 5 (JPG files). Up to 5 MB each.

· Artist CV (max. 2 pages)

· Artist Statement (max. 500 words)

 2026 Community Engagement Grants

Deadline: November 3, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST

Since 1982, the Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) has offered Community Engagement Grants (CEG) to enrich the cultural life of the borough by supporting high-quality community-based arts projects in all disciplines, genres, and styles.

For this grants program, “community” is defined as:

A geographic area;

A cultural, social, racial, or socio-economic demographic;

An artistic community.

The program is for Bronx-based artists who are not applying directly to the supporting and who are also: individual artists, unincorporated artist collectives or ensembles, or nonprofit organizations with an art mission or program. 

We fund projects via three Funds. Our new process allows you to apply for all three Funds at once:

Arts Fund (AF), supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA). (AF) grants are open to individual artists, unincorporated artist collectives or ensembles, and nonprofit organizations with an annual budget under $100,000.

Community Arts (CA), supported by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Statewide Community Regrants (SCR) program. CA grants are open to individual artists with a fiscal sponsor, unincorporated artist collectives or ensembles with a fiscal sponsor, and nonprofit organizations. 

New Work (NW), also supported by the NYSCA SCR program. NW grants are open to individual artists who generate new work.

Applicants will be considered for the maximum grant amount possible based on request amount and eligibility. The maximum will not exceed $12,500*.

New Work grants of up to $5,000

Arts Fund grants of up to $5,000

Community Arts grants of up to $7,500

*Please note that BCA's CEGs are funded by two separate funders:

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) funds AF.

The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) funds CA and NW.

For more information, see complete guidelines here. 

Dear Bronx Dance Fund Recipients,

We are happy to have had you as part of BCA's 2025 Bronx Dance Fund Cohort. As part of your 2025 Bronx Dance Fund agreement, you agreed to submit a Final Report on your grant activities for the year when requested. This will complete your funding requirements.

Your report will help enrich our understanding of how the Bronx Dance Fund has impacted your work and continue to support the dance ecosystem of the Bronx.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• Deadline: January 15, 2026

For questions or assistance, please contact:
 

• Tracey O'Reilly, Grantmaking Manager: tracey@bronxarts.org 
• Guadalupe Ambrosio, Grantmaking Associate: guadalupe@bronxarts.org 

We look forward to learning about your achievements and how this funding has supported your artistic practice. 

Are you a performer, visual artist, arts critic, arts historian, musician, curator, other artist or arts professional, or arts engaged community leader?

The Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) seeks artists, arts professionals, and nonprofit and community leaders to serve as panelists for our 2024 and future grant cycles.

BCA offers several grantmaking programs and distributes more than $750,000 of grant funds every to Bronx artists, collectives, and nonprofit organizations. BCA Panelists review and score applications, provide invaluable panelist comments, and recommend recipients for funding. They play a key role in the grants process, and their knowledge and expertise are crucial in shaping the way public arts funds are distributed.

If this is you and you would like to help make a difference in the Bronx, please apply to serve on one of our grants panels!

Potential panelists from all boroughs are welcome to apply, as BCA’s different grant programs require panelists from in and outside of the Bronx. BCA supports panel diversity in all forms: age, race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, artistic discipline, location, etc.

Selected panelists will be contacted when needed. All panelists receive an honorarium. 

For more info on BCA's grants, please visit this link.