OPEN CALL. Budding Artists Support Programme

The Budding Artists Support Programme is an initiative created to support visual artists from across Ukraine who are at an early stage of their professional practice and are looking for resources, visibility, and support to realise their artistic projects.

Within the programme, five artists will be selected to receive financial support for creating new works or completing ongoing projects, curatorial guidance, and the opportunity to present their works in the group exhibition “Growth” at the Lviv Culture Hub.

The programme is implemented by the Lviv Culture Hub within the UNESCO programme, in partnership with Green Sofa Gallery, with financial support from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

About the exhibition “Growth”

The group exhibition “Growth” explores how artistic practices emerge and transform during the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war.

The project focuses on art as a space for reflection, processing experience, and post-traumatic growth. The exhibition aims to present a non-representative yet meaningful cross-section of contemporary artistic practices by emerging artists who are “growing” during the Russian-Ukrainian war in Ukraine. At the same time, the project seeks to support the development and unfolding of artistic practices within these unique conditions.

We are looking for:

• emerging (budding) artists working in the field of visual art;
• artists at an early stage of their professional practice;
• authors working across different media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, photography, video, mixed media, etc.;
• artists interested in creating a new work or further developing an existing project within the programme.

Participants of the programme will receive:

• financial support of up to USD 2,000;
• curatorial guidance from Olesia Domaradzka;
• the opportunity to present their work in the group exhibition “Growth”;
• support with exhibition production, installation, technical equipment, and communications;
• participation in the exhibition’s public programme;
• the opportunity to work within a professional exhibition environment and establish new professional connections.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must:

• be at least 18 years old;
• be citizens of Ukraine or currently based in Ukraine;
• be available to participate in the programme from July to October 2026;
• be ready to produce and present their work within the given timeline;
• have a foreign currency bank account or the possibility to open one.

* Selected participants will contribute to the exhibition project as consultants under a UNESCO contract.

Timeline

• Application deadline: 28 June 2026
• Announcement of results: late June – early July 2026
• Production period: July 2026
• Exhibition period: August – October 2026

How to apply

To participate in the programme, please complete the application form via the following link: Application Form

Selection criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

• artistic quality and potential;
• relevance to the exhibition concept;
• feasibility of the project within the proposed budget and timeline;
• motivation and interest in participating in the programme.

Contacts

If you have additional questions about the programme or application process, please contact:

hello@lvivculturehub.com

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