Organizer Information
The opportunity is organized by the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP), a leading nonprofit contemporary arts organization based in Brooklyn, New York. Established in 1994, ISCP has become one of the most internationally recognized residency and exhibition institutions dedicated to supporting artists and curators through cross-cultural dialogue, research, and experimental contemporary art practices.
Over the past three decades, ISCP has hosted more than 2,000 artists and curators from over 110 countries and territories. Its programs focus on fostering international collaboration, cultural exchange, and innovative artistic experimentation through residencies, exhibitions, public talks, and professional development initiatives. ISCP’s exhibition activities are closely connected to its residency program and are designed to provide visibility and institutional support to emerging and established cultural practitioners.
The organization is especially known for encouraging interdisciplinary, socially engaged, and critically relevant projects that respond to contemporary global realities. Through its galleries and curatorial initiatives, ISCP supports projects that challenge traditional exhibition formats and create meaningful conversations between artists, curators, and audiences.
This inaugural “Call for Curators” expands ISCP’s commitment to curatorial development by offering selected applicants the opportunity to organize and present exhibitions in ISCP’s Second Floor Gallery during the 2027 exhibition cycle.
Title & Description
Call for Curators – ISCP Second Floor Gallery Exhibition Program 2027
ISCP invites exhibition proposals from curators at all stages of their careers for solo and thematic group exhibitions to be presented in Spring and/or Fall 2027 at ISCP’s Second Floor Gallery in Brooklyn, New York.
The open call is particularly supportive of early-career curators who may not yet have had extensive institutional opportunities to realize exhibition projects. Through this initiative, selected curators will receive financial support, institutional mentorship, production assistance, and access to ISCP’s international artistic network in order to develop ambitious and experimental exhibitions.
The program encourages curatorial concepts that engage with international contemporary art, cultural exchange, and innovative exhibition-making practices. Proposed exhibitions must feature work by ISCP alumni or current residents who will become alumni by 2027. Group exhibitions may additionally include non-alumni artists alongside ISCP-affiliated participants.
Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that respond to ISCP’s unique postindustrial warehouse architecture and non-white cube environment. ISCP welcomes inventive and flexible exhibition concepts that can evolve collaboratively throughout the planning and production process. The institution is especially interested in projects foregrounding underrepresented perspectives, experimental methodologies, interdisciplinary practices, and ideas often overlooked within traditional commercial or institutional frameworks.
Selected curators will have the opportunity to mount a professionally supported exhibition while strengthening their curatorial practice within one of New York’s most respected contemporary art residency organizations.
Categories
- Contemporary Art
- Visual Art
- Installation Art
- Multimedia Art
- Video Art
- Sound Art
- Sculpture
- Performance-based Practices
- Interdisciplinary Art
- Socially Engaged Practices
- Experimental Art
- Curatorial Research
- Public Programs
- Site-responsive Practices
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to:
- Curators at all career stages
- Early-career curators
- Art historians
- Researchers
- Academics
- Graduate students
- Independent arts professionals
Applicants must also meet the following requirements:
- Must hold U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, or temporary residency status allowing legal payment within the United States
- Must be eligible to receive a U.S. 1099 tax form
- Must live in the greater New York area or be able to travel to New York multiple times during exhibition planning and presentation
- Applicants with their own artistic practice may apply, but may not include their own artwork in the proposed exhibition
Priority will be given to projects demonstrating innovative curatorial strategies, experimental formats, and underrepresented perspectives within contemporary art discourse.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected curators will receive substantial institutional and production support, including:
- Curatorial honorarium:
- $1,500 USD for a solo exhibition
- $2,500 USD for a group exhibition
- Exhibition opportunity at ISCP’s Second Floor Gallery in 2027
- Production budget support covering:
- Artist honoraria
- Artwork transportation and shipping
- Installation materials
- Small-scale fabrication costs
- Exhibition graphics
- Professional installation photography
- Promotional and publicity expenses
- Curatorial and logistical guidance from ISCP’s Director of Programs and Exhibitions and institutional staff
- Installation and project management assistance
- Opening reception organized by ISCP
- Potential public programming connected to the exhibition
- Professional visibility within New York’s contemporary art community
- Access to ISCP’s international network of artists and curators
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Resume / CV
- Narrative biography
- Exhibition proposal for a solo and/or group exhibition (maximum 500 words)
- Short statement explaining the relevance of the project and its connection to ISCP’s mission (maximum 150 words)
- Proposed artist list
- Short artist bios for participating artists (maximum 150 words each)
- Information regarding confirmed or pending funding support, if applicable
Applicants may submit proposals for both solo and group exhibitions, though only one exhibition opportunity may ultimately be awarded to a selected curator.
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted by email. Send all application materials in one PDF to: programs@iscp-nyc.org
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 22 June 2026
- Finalist Interviews: Conducted after proposal review if required
- Notification of Selected Curators: Early July 2026
- Exhibition Period: Spring and/or Fall 2027
Location
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Additional Details
The Second Floor Gallery spans approximately 450 square feet and supports flexible, experimental exhibition formats. ISCP encourages projects responsive to the spatial and architectural qualities of its postindustrial warehouse setting rather than conventional white cube presentation models.
Group exhibition proposals are expected to include approximately three to five artists and should ideally reflect geographic and cultural diversity. Curators are encouraged to propose projects that remain adaptable throughout development and can evolve collaboratively with ISCP staff and participating artists.
Selected curators will participate in planning meetings and studio visits, oversee exhibition preparation and installation, and produce written exhibition materials, including wall texts, press releases, and website descriptions with editorial guidance from ISCP staff.
A formal agreement outlining responsibilities, timelines, and payment terms will be executed prior to the start of exhibition production.