VisArts Emerging Curator Program 2027
Application Deadline: December 18, 2026, Midnight
VisArts invites applications from emerging curators to work with an experienced mentoring curator to develop and present an exhibition at VisArts in the Kaplan Gallery in the fall of 2027.
The VisArts Emerging Curator Program offers a unique opportunity for an emerging curator or artist with an interest in exhibition-making or curating to work with an experienced mentoring curator to develop and present an exhibition and to assist in the presentation of the mentor’s exhibition. To develop expanded education programming and enhanced visitor experiences, the 2027 Emerging Curator and the 2027 Mentoring Curator will also focus on developing tools to support public programming that promotes social interaction, creative exchange, and audience engagement.
VisArts will provide the Emerging Curator with a $10,000 budget to cover exhibition costs and curatorial fees. Additional staff support for printing, promotions, and execution of exhibition programming is available. The program is one year and will begin in January 2027.
International applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. VisArts is unable to provide or assist with visas.
The selection panel includes the VisArts Galleries Director & Curator, Artist Advisory Council, and the 2027 Mentoring Curator.
VisArts is a nonprofit arts center in Rockville, Maryland. We’re the largest visual arts organization in the area and an active, significant presence in the greater metropolitan arts community. Our contemporary art galleries, artist studios, and 355 POD Space Gallery are located in Rockville Town Square, a thriving gathering place for the local community. VisArts presents exhibitions of contemporary art in our five galleries, along with related programs and events. We also offer Emerging Curator and Studio Artist Programs along with art classes and VisAbility Art Lab, our supported studio for adult emerging artists with disabilities.
2027 Mentoring Curator: Fabiola R. Delgado
Fabiola R. Delgado (b. Cabimas, Venezuela 1990) is an independent curator and creative producer based in Washington DC. A former Human Rights lawyer and political asylum seeker from Venezuela, she brings a deeply personal lens to her work, and channels her commitment to justice through artistic and cultural experiences. Recognizing storytelling as the essence of her practice, she develops socially engaged projects that recenter perspectives and foster intergenerational creative learning. Her work spans exhibitions, scholarship, editorial projects, and public programming for all ages.
Delgado is a recipient of the first National Leaders of Color Fellowship (a collaborative program from the six U.S. Regional Arts Organizations,) as well as a Fellowship from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Her practice bridges formal and alternative art spaces, working with a wide range of institutions––from major museums like the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, National Museum of American History, Brooklyn Museum, and Smart Museum of Art, to experimental and public art initiatives including Washington Project for the Arts, Times Square Arts, Transformer, apexart, Foggy Bottom Biennial, and the FUNDRED Project by MacArthur “Genius” Mel Chin. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, BmoreArt Magazine, Artishock Magazine, Arte al Día, and Intervenxions by The Latinx Project at NYU, among other publications.
Curatorial Collaboration
During the yearlong program, the curatorial team (mentoring curator and emerging curator) will:
- Conduct curatorial research
- Develop a cohesive and compelling exhibition proposal
- Develop writing skills for catalogs and other printed and online materials
- Develop budgets for executing exhibitions and exhibition programming
- Communicate with artists and lending institutions, developing contracts and loan information
- Design and implement educational exhibition programming and outreach activities that engage artists, curators, and public audience of all ages
- Develop sponsorship/fundraising initiatives to support the exhibition programming (if needed)
- Oversee exhibition design and installation
- Develop marketing and public relations materials in support of the exhibition, such as press releases, website + social media content, and print media
The VisArts Emerging Curator Program provides emerging curators with practical, hands-on experience at a community arts organization. It’s designed to support diverse exhibitions presenting a broad spectrum of ideas and curatorial approaches. In addition, it enhances the VisArts exhibition experience by developing educational opportunities, public programming, and opportunities for community engagement through expanded use of interactive interpretive media.
Application
Applicants don’t need to have a fully realized curatorial proposal, but we’re interested in getting a sense of your interests, tastes, and sensibilities. The formal proposal will be developed with the support and guidance of the 2027 Mentoring Curator and the Galleries Department.
To apply online, create a Submittable account and complete the form.
Submission Requirements
1. Application form
2. CV
3. Evidence of past curatorial projects:
- Up to 10 still images
- Up to five minutes of video and audio tracks
- List of images with artist name, title, year, medium, and descriptive information
- Supporting PDF documents
4. A statement that addresses the following:
- What makes presenting an exhibition in a nonprofit community arts center with the guidance of a mentor an ideal opportunity?
- What do you hope to achieve with this exhibition and mentoring program?
- What do you consider your curatorial intentions or interests in regard to exhibition-making?
- How do you envision enriching the audience experience?
- How would you engage the community?
- What sorts of programming and content delivery would you like to see paired with exhibitions?
Timeline
- Application deadline: December 18, 2026
- Finalists notified: January 8, 2027
- Finalist interviews: January 13-15, 2027
- Emerging Curator notified: January 20, 2027
- Program: January 2027 – January 2028 (detailed schedule TBD)
- Emerging Curator exhibition: October 15, 2027 – January 9, 2028
- Mentoring Curator exhibition: August 27 – October 10, 2027
About VisArts
VisArts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our mission is to transform individuals and communities through the visual arts.
A hub for artistic exploration and social impact since 1987, VisArts brings people together through shared creative experiences, including:
- Critically acclaimed contemporary art exhibitions, programs + events
- Studio Artist and Emerging Curator programs
- Award-winning art classes and camps
- VisAbility Art Lab and Accessible Arts classes for artists with disabilities
- Community art workshops
- Art and wellness programs
- Volunteer and internship opportunities
- The annual Rockville Arts Festival
These inspire new ideas, encourage self-expression, embrace diverse perspectives, and celebrate the visual arts as fundamental to a connected community.
VisArts Solo Exhibitions 2027: Free, Open Call VisArts invites artists working in all media to apply for solo exhibitions in 2027. Selected artists will present work in one of three exhibition spaces at VisArts: the Gibbs Street Gallery, Common Ground Gallery, or Concourse Gallery. VisArts’ exhibition program presents emerging and mid-career artists working across a broad range of contemporary practices, materials, and approaches. We welcome proposals that are ambitious, experimental, interdisciplinary, and responsive to the possibilities of each gallery space. Artists working locally, nationally, and internationally are encouraged to apply. Exhibition Spaces
- Gibbs Street Gallery Approximately 1,100 square feet with 16-foot ceilings. Located at street level, the gallery features floor-to-ceiling windows along one wall and can accommodate large-scale, immersive, and installation-based work.
- Common Ground Gallery Approximately 300 square feet and located on Floor 2. This intimate gallery is well suited to focused solo presentations, installations, and smaller bodies of work.
- Concourse Gallery Approximately 500 square feet and located on Floor 2. The gallery includes a curved wall of windows and supports a range of two- and three-dimensional work, installation, and time-based media.
- International, national, and local artists are welcome to apply for all three spaces.
Artists who have presented a solo exhibition at VisArts within the past three years are not eligible to apply. Application Deadline Friday, November 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET All VisArts calls are free to apply. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Gallery Floor Plans
SketchUp models of the galleries are available upon request. Required Application Materials
- Completed application form
- Up to 10 images of recent or proposed work, with captions
- Images must be submitted as .jpg, .tiff, .png, or .gif files with a minimum resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels
- Film, video, sound, and performance documentation are welcome. Two minutes of time-based media equals one work. Applicants may submit up to 10 minutes total. Video files must be submitted as .mp4 or .mov
- Artist statement, 200 words maximum
- Artist bio, 200 words maximum
- Exhibition proposal
- Resume/CV
Applicants are encouraged to submit work that reflects the direction of the proposed exhibition. Proposed works do not need to be fully completed at the time of application unless otherwise specified in the application form. About VisArts VisArts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to transform individuals and communities through the visual arts. A hub for artistic exploration and social impact since 1987, VisArts brings people together through shared creative experiences, including:
- Critically acclaimed contemporary art exhibitions, programs, and events
- Studio Artist and Emerging Curator programs
- VisAbility Art Lab and Accessible Arts classes for artists with disabilities
- Community art workshops
- Art + Wellness programs
- Volunteer and internship opportunities
Through these programs, VisArts supports artists, encourages experimentation and self-expression, embraces diverse perspectives, and celebrates the visual arts as essential to a connected and creative community.